Jesus Reinstates Peter
15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
18 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others[b] will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
John 21:15-19
As a fifth grader, one of the most important things in life was having a best friend. So one day I set out to make sure that I had a best friend. There were four of us who hung out regularly: Jeremy, Darrell, Marc, and I. So I asked Jeremy who his best friend was. That particular day, it happened to be Darrell. Darrell told me that Jeremy was his best friend. So I figured I would count on Marc, but Marc told me that someone else was his best friend. I was left without a best friend, and I felt betrayed.
What do we do with betrayal?
Peter knew about betrayal. He was one of Jesus' closest friends – he, along with James and John, made up Jesus' inner circle. In John 13:37, Peter told Jesus that he would lay down his life for Him. But Jesus told him, “Before the rooster crows, you will have denied me three times.”
That happened, and when Peter realized what he'd done, he wept bitterly.
Last week as we celebrated Easter, we remembered how Peter went running to the tomb when he heard that Jesus' body was gone, and when he saw the empty tomb, he believed, but he went home. In fact, Peter went back to his life as a fisherman, and why not? He had famously failed.
Though Jesus had indeed risen from the dead, Peter knew his place. He had denied even knowing Jesus, so he had no place claiming a spot in the risen Jesus' inner circle. Then Jesus showed up at Peter's office as they were finishing up working, and after they'd had breakfast, today's scripture records what happened.
As I was studying this, I noticed something – and for you to notice this, I'll have to share a little Greek with you. Jesus asks Peter first, “Do you love me?” He uses the word “agape” for love. When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, he used the same word: “Agape – Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.” So Jesus asks Peter: “Do you agape love me?”
Peter answers Jesus, “I phileo love you.”
There are three Greek words that can be translated “love.” I already told you about agape: this is unconditional love. Phileo love is more of a fondness; “I like you.” The third is “eros” which is the root from which we get the word “erotic” - this is romantic love.
Twice Jesus asks Peter, “Do you agape love me?” To which Peter twice replies, “I phileo love you; I'm your friend.”
Even with this answer, Jesus gives him a task: feed my sheep. Take care of my lambs.
Finally, Jesus asks Peter, “Do you phileo me? Are you my friend?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked him a third time, but he answers anyway. “You know everything – of course I'm your friend.”
Jesus again tells him, “then feed my sheep.”
Notice that Jesus never rebukes Peter here. That time has past. Peter failed badly, denying Jesus three times. But now Jesus gives Peter three chances to affirm his love for Him and three times tells him to take care of his sheep. Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, entrusts his work to Peter, who had famously denied even knowing him.
Then he let Peter in on the future: he would indeed follow Jesus to the death. It might not happen in the way Peter thought it would, but it would indeed happen.
I believe there's a lot to learn from this scripture, but I want you to think about a couple of things.
First, God doesn't require us to be perfect. I sometimes get discouraged when I think about John Wesley's prayer time, how he'd rise by 4:00 am to pray for three hours before breakfast, and then there is my pathetic prayer time. I can remember looking at my poor track record for spending time in the Bible and pretty much giving up on it because I didn't have the vibrant Bible reading record that some others had. And there are all sorts of commitments I've made and then just given up on them once I failed to keep up with them. I mean, if my goal is to read the Bible every day and I've already missed a day, how can I succeed in my goal?
You know what? We can really discourage ourselves playing the comparison game. There's always someone better. And it's easy But Jesus doesn't ask us to be perfect to come back to him. Jesus needs us, whether we're able to agape love him or even if we're just his phileo friends. You see, it doesn't matter whether Peter said "agape" or "phileo" - the important thing is that Jesus reinstated him as His friend.
He accepts us wherever we are. He doesn't kick you out because of your failures. If he did, there wouldn't be any Christians at all. He accepts everyone. Yes, everyone, just as you are.
That brings me to the next point. Jesus accepts us just as we are, but he doesn't leave us there. Jesus finished up this conversation by telling Peter, “follow me.” And Peter was then able to follow Jesus, even to his death. If you want to follow Jesus, if you really want to do His will, then you'll follow Him, no matter what you've done, where you've been, how many times you've failed.
And in following Him, you will be transformed.
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
18 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others[b] will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
John 21:15-19
As a fifth grader, one of the most important things in life was having a best friend. So one day I set out to make sure that I had a best friend. There were four of us who hung out regularly: Jeremy, Darrell, Marc, and I. So I asked Jeremy who his best friend was. That particular day, it happened to be Darrell. Darrell told me that Jeremy was his best friend. So I figured I would count on Marc, but Marc told me that someone else was his best friend. I was left without a best friend, and I felt betrayed.
What do we do with betrayal?
Peter knew about betrayal. He was one of Jesus' closest friends – he, along with James and John, made up Jesus' inner circle. In John 13:37, Peter told Jesus that he would lay down his life for Him. But Jesus told him, “Before the rooster crows, you will have denied me three times.”
That happened, and when Peter realized what he'd done, he wept bitterly.
Last week as we celebrated Easter, we remembered how Peter went running to the tomb when he heard that Jesus' body was gone, and when he saw the empty tomb, he believed, but he went home. In fact, Peter went back to his life as a fisherman, and why not? He had famously failed.
Though Jesus had indeed risen from the dead, Peter knew his place. He had denied even knowing Jesus, so he had no place claiming a spot in the risen Jesus' inner circle. Then Jesus showed up at Peter's office as they were finishing up working, and after they'd had breakfast, today's scripture records what happened.
As I was studying this, I noticed something – and for you to notice this, I'll have to share a little Greek with you. Jesus asks Peter first, “Do you love me?” He uses the word “agape” for love. When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, he used the same word: “Agape – Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.” So Jesus asks Peter: “Do you agape love me?”
Peter answers Jesus, “I phileo love you.”
There are three Greek words that can be translated “love.” I already told you about agape: this is unconditional love. Phileo love is more of a fondness; “I like you.” The third is “eros” which is the root from which we get the word “erotic” - this is romantic love.
Twice Jesus asks Peter, “Do you agape love me?” To which Peter twice replies, “I phileo love you; I'm your friend.”
Even with this answer, Jesus gives him a task: feed my sheep. Take care of my lambs.
Finally, Jesus asks Peter, “Do you phileo me? Are you my friend?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked him a third time, but he answers anyway. “You know everything – of course I'm your friend.”
Jesus again tells him, “then feed my sheep.”
Notice that Jesus never rebukes Peter here. That time has past. Peter failed badly, denying Jesus three times. But now Jesus gives Peter three chances to affirm his love for Him and three times tells him to take care of his sheep. Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, entrusts his work to Peter, who had famously denied even knowing him.
Then he let Peter in on the future: he would indeed follow Jesus to the death. It might not happen in the way Peter thought it would, but it would indeed happen.
I believe there's a lot to learn from this scripture, but I want you to think about a couple of things.
First, God doesn't require us to be perfect. I sometimes get discouraged when I think about John Wesley's prayer time, how he'd rise by 4:00 am to pray for three hours before breakfast, and then there is my pathetic prayer time. I can remember looking at my poor track record for spending time in the Bible and pretty much giving up on it because I didn't have the vibrant Bible reading record that some others had. And there are all sorts of commitments I've made and then just given up on them once I failed to keep up with them. I mean, if my goal is to read the Bible every day and I've already missed a day, how can I succeed in my goal?
You know what? We can really discourage ourselves playing the comparison game. There's always someone better. And it's easy But Jesus doesn't ask us to be perfect to come back to him. Jesus needs us, whether we're able to agape love him or even if we're just his phileo friends. You see, it doesn't matter whether Peter said "agape" or "phileo" - the important thing is that Jesus reinstated him as His friend.
He accepts us wherever we are. He doesn't kick you out because of your failures. If he did, there wouldn't be any Christians at all. He accepts everyone. Yes, everyone, just as you are.
That brings me to the next point. Jesus accepts us just as we are, but he doesn't leave us there. Jesus finished up this conversation by telling Peter, “follow me.” And Peter was then able to follow Jesus, even to his death. If you want to follow Jesus, if you really want to do His will, then you'll follow Him, no matter what you've done, where you've been, how many times you've failed.
And in following Him, you will be transformed.
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