John 21:15-198
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him “Follow me!”
In last week’s portion of scripture (John 21:1-14), we studied about the love of Jesus expressed in deed and word to the seven disciples who went fishing. What Jesus said and did on the shore of the lake that morning by going to the precise location on the lake where the disciples were fishing, by providing them with the miraculous catch of fish, by inviting the disciples to have breakfast that he had prepared and served them; was an act of Jesus’ love that each one of the disciples needed to experience at that particular moment in their life. We saw that this is no different with us because there are those moments in our relationship with Jesus when he comes to us at the precise time and location where we are at emotionally and physically to minister to us by His words and actions.
In this next portion of scripture John 21:15-19, we see the love of Jesus focused specifically on Peter. Some Bible commentators suggest that on this occasion Jesus was reinstating or reestablishing Peter because he had denied Jesus three times. Luke 22:34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.” This could be possible; however, we need to be careful when reading our Bibles and as in this account in scripture, not to assume or to inject a meaning to scripture that is not expressed by the writer.
As John states in John 21:14, “This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.” The forgiveness and or reinstating of Peter could have happened in any of those three encounters.
As was stated in last week’s study, “One of the challenges that we confront when reading the Bible is, personal application, “how do I apply what I am reading to my life personally?”. Also, in keeping the context of what we studied in last weeks portion of scripture, when we read scripture, we should always ask ourselves this question, what can I learn about the love of Jesus for me and my love for Him?
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come!”
2 Corinthians 5:17
When Jesus found us and called us to follow Him, many of us had our dreams of what we were going to do with our lives. We had our plans of how we were going to do it. We also might have started on the road beginning to realize our dreams when we chose to follow Jesus. It was no different with Peter when Jesus came to him (Matthew 4:18-20). Peter was fishing when Jesus told Him, “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19. What did Jesus see in Peter that He knew Peter had in him that would one day make him a man of God He needed to be to lead Jesus’ church? What is it in us that Jesus sees and knows because we are a “new creation” in Him that He knows we can potentially be and someone who can be used for His purposes?
Jesus knew what kind of man Peter was, all his strong and favorable, weak and less desirable characteristics. However, Jesus knew who Peter would be as he was formed and changed by Jesus’ influence in his life and God’s word. Who is Jesus forming us to be in Him, to do what He has created us to do, where He has called us to do it? “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10.
Warren Wiersbe in his commentary has a good explanation why Jesus chooses men like Peter who in some ways were not much different than us.
“Now we can understand why Jesus had so many fishermen in the disciple band. Fishermen know how to work. They have courage and faith to go out “into the deep.” They have much patience and persistence, and they will not quit. They know how to cooperate with one another, and they are skilled in using the equipment and the boat. What examples for us to follow as we seek to “catch fish” for Jesus Christ!
Peter – “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
We now clearly see three times Peter confesses of his love for Jesus by his answering Jesus’ three questions. “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” “Simon son of John, do you love me?”. These three questions and Peter’s answer gives us a clearer understanding of Jesus’ motives in His very personal and necessary conversation with the commissioning of Peter. Jesus knew in His deity if Peter really loved Him or not. John does not tell us what the motive of Jesus was by asking Peter the three repetitive questions. What is clear is what Jesus says in response to Peter’s answers, Jesus commissions Peter for the ministry that He was calling him to do. “Feed my lambs.” “Take care of my sheep.” “Feed my sheep.”
When Jesus first came to Peter, He was calling a fisherman to follow Him. Now as disciple of Christ Jesus is adding to Peter’s “job description” a calling and responsibility for him to be a shepherd. The responsibility of a shepherd is not only to lead sheep. Jesus makes it clear that Peter’s newly added calling and responsibility as a shepherd is to feed and care for His flock. However, this can only be done faithfully and successfully if he loved Jesus. The feeding and care for Jesus’ lambs and sheep is based on the love he had for Jesus. “The most important thing the pastor can do is to love Jesus Christ. If he truly loves Jesus Christ the pastor will also love His sheep and tenderly care for them.” “A pastor who loves the flock will, serve it faithfully, no matter what the cost.” – Wiersbe
Peter did not know what difficult challenges and dangers he would be confronting by following and obeying Jesus. However, Jesus did know that if Peter did not truly love Him, he would not be ready and willing to be formed by the many difficult challenges and dangers he would be confronting into the man of God whom he needed to be. As this personal formation takes place in Peter’s life then he would be ready to do what Jesus called him to do or wherever Jesus would lead him to do it. If we have made the commitment to follow Jesus, is it on our terms, where, how, when we want or is it because of our unconditional love for Jesus?
The last words that Jesus tells Peter is, “Follow me!”, (ver. 19). Following Jesus involves commitment, responsibility and sacrifice. The commitment is loving Jesus. The responsibility is Jesus’ sheep, His church. The sacrifice is what Jesus tells us in Matthew 16:24, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” If we are going to follow Jesus, are we willing to give up our dreams, our plans and our comfort for His purposes and to “take up” our cross and confront the challenges of life of the cross of Jesus?
Pastor John
