222. Rock Goes The Gospel - Def Leppard "Promises"

"Promises" is a song from Def Leppard's album Euphoria in1999 . It was released as a single later that year and reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and #38 on theTop 40 Mainstream. Promises featured on the second discs of Best of Def Leppard and Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection, both released in 2004, and live version is featured on their latest live album Viva! Hysteria, released in October 2013.

It is also one of the few songs from that period of their career that has been performed live on successive tours other than the one directly supporting its parent album Euphoria. the album upon it's release was nothing short of annoying compared to their past albums (exclusion of Slang of course). It was a new sound that didn't fit them well, although not as far out and hip-hop-like as Slang, or as N'Sync-ish as X , it was an experiment of theirs that could have gone A LOT better.

Promises- Lyrically, this song sounds more like Def Leppard than the rest of the album for the most part. A catchy tune, that is toned-down a little bit. It has a mellow and easy opening riff but it is cool and recognizable at the same time. One of the better known songs on the album, this song got probably the most air-time on the radio before the album was released, along with "Paper Sun". It is overall a good song, although it can tend to get slightly repetative.

Last night I was blown away
I said a million things I'd never say
I was knocked right down, it got to me
Gonna get me some of your chemistry

You want me to promise you
That everything is true

I won't make promises that I can't keep
I won't make promises that I don't mean
I'll even mean the things I tell you in my sleep, yeah
I won't make promises babe, that I can't keep

Oh my my, I lost control
I told you everything, I said it all
You came right out and said to me
"Gonna get me some of your honesty"

You want me to promise you
That everything is true

I won't make promises that I can't keep
I won't make promises that I don't mean
I'll even mean the things I tell you in my sleep, yeah
I won't make promises babe, that I can't keep

You want me to promise you
That everything is true

I won't make promises that I can't keep
I won't make promises that I don't mean
I'll even mean the things I whisper in my sleep
Oh, let me tell you
I won't say a single thing darling, that you can't believe
You gotta believe me

I won't make promises that I can't keep
Oh baby believe me now
I won't make promises that I don't mean
Oh why won't you believe me now
I'll even mean the things I whisper in my sleep, yeah
I won't make promises that I can't keep
Baby, you gotta believe me

Basically the song "Promises" is a rational for what a PROMISE really is. It's the explanation and example of ultimate loyalty and honesty. This kind of a promise is backed up by integrity. We all have had someone break a promise and what that feels like, the feelings of betrayal and lonliness. the passage today is the moment what Jesus restores Peter and forvives his failed promises.  

The epilogue in John 21 provides encouragement and clarification for the disciples. Though they now can affirm Christ’s resurrection, their recent poor performance during Christ’s crucifixion and lack of faith afterwards, stood as roadblocks hindering them from understanding or embracing God’s will for their lives. This chapter at once reminds His key disciples to continue the work He has called them too and affirms before others their appointment by Christ. Merrill Tenney says, “The last chapter of the Gospel opens the door to the future and shows how belief should be translated into terms of daily activity.” The only scene in this chapter is by the Sea of Tiberias and by verse 15 there are only three characters: Peter, the unnamed disciple (i.e. John) and Jesus. This is the second of the two main sections of John 21 with a common theme of ‘return and follow Me,’ a theme we can all practically apply to our lives.

This talk between Jesus and Peter is well known by the three times Jesus asked Peter whether he loved Him or not. After Peter’s affirmative answers, he is again charged to care for the sheep (the other disciples/believers). The importance of this scene is found in the fact that Jesus embraced Peter despite his betrayal, his broken promises and also re-called him to the leadership role in the church of God. The intimate conversation between Jesus and Peter and the special play on words has fostered much meditation in the past. Jesus sensitively and yet boldly led Peter to stepping into the work He originally called him. The meaning is obvious. Peter is being restored and re called to tenderly care for the needy lambs. Peter was not being requested to go from being a fisherman to shepherd of sheep but to care for the people of God.

God’s people are referred to as sheep in a number places throughout the scriptures with good or bad ‘shepherds.’

“The Lord is my shepherd” (Psalm 23:1).

So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them with his skillful hands” (Ps 78:72)

“Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs, And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes” (Isaiah 40:11).

“Many shepherds have ruined My vineyard, They have trampled down My field (Jeremiah 12:10).

Jesus used this concept to largely define the need of God’s people for a shepherd and the need for good shepherds to care for Jesus’ sheep.

Lets look at the parallel statments of Peter as Jesus takes the broken promises of Peter and restores him.

#1 John 21:15

Jesus’ question, “Simon, son of John, do you agape love Me more than these?”

Peter’s response, “Yes, Lord; You know that I phileo love You.” Jesus’ exhortation, “Tend My lambs.”

#2 John 21:16
Jesus’ question, “Simon, son of John, do you agape love Me?”
Peter’s response, “Yes, Lord; You know that I phileo love You.”
Jesus’ exhortation, “Shepherd My sheep.”

#3 John 21:17
Jesus’ question, “Simon, son of John, do you phileo love Me?”
Peter’s response, ““Lord, You know all things; You know that I phileo love You.”
Jesus’ exhortation, “Tend My sheep.”

The third time Peter was asked, he deeply grieved. It no doubt reminded peter of how he boasted that he would never deny Jesus. Upon Jesus third question of devotion, Peter saw that Jesus was countering his denials by enabling him to affirm his love for Jesus. Jesus didn’t get uptight about Peter’s denial and instead refocused him upon his calling. Each trio of statements elicits a response from Peter. Peter usually was quite bold of a speaker. Just days ago he avowed that he would never deny Jesus. These bold statements were not rare with Peter. They not only made Peter cocky and vulnerable to the evil one but to be less sensitive to those who were shy and timid. Peter was being super cautious with his comments here. This ties in with the Greek words for love that Jesus and Peter used. Each time Peter answered Jesus, he said he phileo loved Jesus. Jesus, however, was not asking that. The first two times Jesus asked if Peter agape loved Jesus, that is, was he completely devoted to Jesus Christ? Peter did not use his boastful ability to respond but a humble, friendly phileo love. The third time around Jesus seemed to step down to Peter’s level of commitment and asked him if he phileo loved Him. Peter, quite grieving, affirms so. Peter had been shaken, but Jesus is pointing out that He knows all the past but wants him still to lead the church.

Jesus’ teaching was amazing. Notice His exhortation to Peter. He was to feed Jesus’ lambs, but Jesus was very careful to say ‘my lambs.’ Jesus would be gone (though not stated here), but Peter and the others would be put in charge of caring for the sheep. What were the implications? Let’s examine Jesus’ exhortations a bit more closely. Jesus first tells Peter to feed His lambs. Lambs are baby sheep. They need special care. Jesus is entrusting this formerly insensitive guy to give baby care to the believers. His fall, however, seemed to prepare him for this very task. Peter could now see his weaknesses. He was careful not to boast about what he could do because he himself fell so hard. Jesus would go on and request that he shepherd the lambs.

Jesus is publicly charging Peter to oversee the church, and oversee he did. Peter governed the Jerusalem church which in turn meant he oversaw all the Jewish believers in Israel. Any sense of competition was silenced because John, the disciple Jesus loved, wrote about Peter and not himself. Jesus’ special reappointment here represents the same call to all the original disciples minus Judas to avoid having their past mistakes keep them from continuing on in the service to which Jesus had called them. In the last three years many people started following Jesus. This is the link between the Gospels and the Book of Acts, the link between Jesus and the church of God. What makes this section further interesting is Peter’s comments in 1 Peter 5.

“Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:1-3).

Jesus’ words to Peter are recorded by John here at the end of the Gospel of John chapter 21 and largely shape the character of the church in the years ahead. Leaders of God’s people are called pastors, literally meaning shepherds, from literally all over the world crossing all sorts of cultures. Even in clear opposition to the self-esteem movement, the people of God are called sheep. God’s people need special care because they tend to wander like the Old Testaments saints of old.

Jesus’ authority was quite apparent, but at the same time Jesus is reinstating His call towards Peter. This scene produced a deep soul-stretching exercise demanding Peter not to bury himself in his past failures but to focus on the needs of others around him. They need his care. Our role will be different, but in a similar way we as His disciples are called into an intimate relationship with the resurrected Christ to serve Him here on earth. Def Leppard portrays the commitment behind promises and the passage shows the response of Jesus when promises are broken.