‘When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 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. ‘ John 21:15-17
Happy Easter!! Pastor Rurel, from Crosspoint Church in Niceville, FL, continued in the sermon series, Loudmouth. Here are the posts from the previous messages in this sermon series.
‘Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus ), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. ‘ John 21:1-4
Jesus has risen from the grave. Praise God!!
We find that this is still confusing to the disciples. I’m guessing that some of them, even after seeing Him a couple of times, still can’t believe what has happened. Especially Peter.
So what do we do when our world has been turned upside down and we’ve experienced a big failure? We go back to what we know, for Peter it was fishing.
After a night of fishing that was not successful, they were sitting in the boat, and “Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not recognize that it was Jesus.”
Jesus asked them if they had caught any fish? And their answer was “No.” Isn’t that always the case when we go back to our ways. We find nothing outside of the grace provided by Jesus. But when instructed by Jesus to throw the nets on the other side of the boat, there were so many fish that “they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.”
‘He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. ‘ John 21:5-6
The KJV of this scripture says, “Children, have ye any meat?” He doesn’t make them feel guilty for going back to what they know. He says, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” He knows that there is work to be done in their hearts.
I love their answer; it was simply, “No.”
There was no talking about the one that got away. The disciples found nothing there for them in the “old way” or the “good old days.”
‘Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions. ‘ Ecclesiastes 7:10
There is nothing better than the days in front of us. We are getting closer to one of two scenarios:
- The day He takes us home by our physical death
- The day of His return
With every passing second, one of those two scenarios is approaching.
He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”
When did they find success in their fishing journey?
They found success when they did what Jesus told them to do. Success was only three or four feet away, which was the boat’s width.
Isn’t that the case with us as well. We go back to our ways, looking for success or something we are missing, but the answer is found in being obedient to Jesus.
On another occasion, Jesus asked them to go out in the heat of the day to drop their nets.
‘When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. ‘ Luke 5:4-11
In this account in Luke, Jesus asking Peter to go out to drop his nets ended with Peter asking Jesus to “Go away from me, Lord.” Followed by Jesus saying to Peter, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for men.”
‘Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. ‘ John 21:7-11
When John says to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Peter is off in a flash; into the water, he goes. There is no waiting to pull the boats in or the nets; just out he goes.
We also see this when Peter and John take off to the empty tomb.
John stops short to look into the tomb, but Peter runs right in.
‘So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. ‘ John 20:3-10
Peter was impetuous. He was the first to act and speak, even if that meant putting his foot in his mouth.
But the Lord was not finished with Peter.
‘When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 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. Very truly I tell you, 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.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” ‘ John 21:15-19
Peter was the chosen leader of Jesus, who had denied that he knew Jesus. Under pressure, he swore that he didn’t know Jesus. I think to myself, how would I do under those circumstances? Living in the US, it is easy to be a Christian.
We face little to no persecution for our beliefs, currently. Our faith is being more attacked on many fronts with every passing day.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of us. God will apply more and more pressure until those He has chosen are saved. And for some of us, it takes a lot of pressure to get us on our knees.
“Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Was Jesus talking about the fish or the other disciples? Who knows, but in this question, Jesus uses the word “agape,” which references unconditional love.
Peter could not answer that with a solid yes. Peter’s response was, “You know that I love You.” Peter used the word “Phileo,” which refers to “brotherly love.”
Jesus responds, “Feed my lambs.”
It’s important to be fed the Word of God, but it is also essential to provide for those around us. It keeps us spiritually fresh. If we are not being fed the Word of God, we put ourselves in an awkward position to provide for others.
If we are being fed, but we don’t feed those around us, we can become spiritually bloated and self-righteous.
Jesus asked Peter a second time, and Peter replied, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
And Jesus replied, “Take care of my sheep.” Look after my flock.
Jesus asked Peter a third time. This hurt Peter. But he could not reply that he loved Jesus unconditionally. To love God unconditionally, we’d have to be perfect in the law. But for us, that is impossible, which is why Jesus had to come to save us.
Jesus met Peter exactly where He meets us, right where we are. But He loves us too much to keep us there.
He can use what we come with to help others on the same journey we are.
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to save us from a price we could not pay.
Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for the faithful Pastors who preach Your Word every week.
I pray that You soften my heart with compassion for those around me. I pray that You give me the courage to live faithfully by Your Word.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray! Amen!! 🙏❤️
