When they had
finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love
me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He
said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of
John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He
said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of
John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time,
“Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that
I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you,
when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted,
but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress
you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what
kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him,
“Follow me” (John 21:15-19).
Peter is one of the most relatable disciples.
He was introduced to Jesus by His brother Andrew… “He brought him to
Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon the son of John. You shall
be called Cephas’ (which means Peter)” (John 1:42). He was skeptical
and slow to follow Jesus at first, yielding to the Master’s call at a second
encounter… “While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea,
for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you
fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him” (Matthew
4:18-20). The rest of His time with Jesus was filled with challenges from
the Master to follow Him more closely, to trust and depend on His word… “So
Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘Do you want to go away as well?’ Simon Peter
answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life’” (John
6:67-68); to walk with Him in holiness… “He came to Simon Peter, who
said to him, ‘Lord, do you wash my feet?’” (John 13:6); to trust His
sovereignty over the storms and trials of this natural life… “And Peter
answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’
He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and
came to Jesus” (Matthew 14:28-29); to trust Him to defeat his enemies… “So
Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup
that the Father has given me?’” (John 18:11). Now, when He is about to
return to His Father, Jesus called Peter a little closer. His forgiveness is
evidenced as there is no mention of Peter’s denial. Instead there is a thrice
repeated probing question… “Do you love me?” In His intimate
confrontation and compelling invitation with Peter, Jesus revealed that maturing
disciples will be increasingly motivated by the love that leads us.
Peter’s relationship with Jesus is a great
illustration of the Master’s relentless invitation to all Christ followers to come
closer and become His disciples. Like Peter, we all have followed Christ at a
distance. But if we are maturing disciples that are growing closer to Christ, then
our hunger for His word, awareness of His sovereignty, and trust in His
protection are increasing as we draw closer to Him. Today, our Teacher, the
Holy Spirit reveals that above all else, increasing love for Christ testifies
that we are growing disciples and motivates us to imitate and reflect His glory
to our world.
Love for Christ leads us to Him, as love led
Peter back to Jesus… “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my
Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John
14:23). Love for Christ leads us to serve others, as love for Christ would
compel Peter to feed and care for Christ’s sheep… “For the love of Christ
controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all,
therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no
longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2
Corinthians 5:14-15). Love for Christ leads us to live and die for His glory,
as love for Christ would lead Peter to his own crucifixion… “Whoever
loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it
for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there
will my servant be also” (John 12:25-26).
As we grow up into Christ our prideful,
selfish, and worldly motivations are increasingly replaced by…
The Love that Leads Us.
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