Scroll down to see and play Audio.
Good morning dear “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Another week begins… and what better way than having breakfast with Jesus on the shore of Lake Galilee?
If you have been walking with me each day, you remember since Easter we’ve been tracking with the disciples and women who were close friends of Jesus, and were first heartbroken by His death, then elated by His resurrection. And then for several weeks, they lived with the uncertainty of when or if they’d see Jesus next, and what they were supposed to be doing in the intervals.
I’ve suggested to you that the anxiety and uncertainty with which we are living in 2020 with this global pandemic, is in someways similar to how they were living in the first century. Even this matter of ‘lockdown’ for many of you is probably similar to what some of the closest friends of Jesus were feeling. Can you imagine the number of questions everyone had about the rumors related to Jesus’s resurrection? And who better to ask than those men and women who may have actually seen Him alive…if that was even a realistic possibility? So I imagine, whenever they were out of their homes, the people of their towns approached these followers of Jesus, and peppered them with questions, seeking the truth, the real story about Jesus.
So let’s rejoin John’s account in John 21. Yesterday we left the 7 disciples sitting on the beach with the resurrected Jesus, after they’d had breakfast together. Jesus had asked Peter a probing question. John recorded it this way: “When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you truly love (agape) Me more than these?”
“Yes Lord,’ he said, ‘You know that I love (philia) you.”
Jesus said, ‘Feed My lambs.” (John 21:15)
Yesterday, I explained John had written his account of Jesus’ life in the Greek language, since that was the one common language spoken by everyone all across the Roman Empire. In that Greek language there were 8 words which English translates as the word ‘love’. I explained them all to you yesterday. It would have been very obvious to everyone in the group on the beach that morning, that Jesus had used a very strong word for love, Agape, and Peter had responded with a mild form of ‘friendship’ in the word for love that he used, ‘Philia’. The contrast would have been very significant.
I’m assuming they all sat quiet pondering what they’d just heard, looking at one another and out at the lake and even the net full of fish Peter had pulled up on shore. They were each likely asking themselves the obvious question: how would I have answered Jesus? How did their relationship with Jesus compare with all the other relationships they each had in their lives?
John writes: “Again Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you truly love (agape) Me?’
He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love (philia) You.’
Jesus said, ‘Take care of My sheep.” (John 21:16)
If you are sitting with these men and you know the history of all that has taken place in the past few weeks, including Peter’s boast in the upper room on the Thursday before Jesus was crucified, that he’d be willing to die for Jesus, and then only a few hours later Peter’s fearful denials that he even knew Jesus, not once but three times. Then you can imagine the impact of these questions and answers Jesus and Peter are sharing.
You notice that once again they used very different words for ‘love’ when describing their relationship. And what words would you use my friends, to describe the relationship you and Jesus have? You also notice Jesus has removed the comparison aspect of His question. This time He’s simply asking Peter to look deeply into his own heart, without any consideration for anything else, and look closely at the integrity of his relationship with Jesus.
Do you see the difference in Jesus’ response to Peter, this second time? Now, rather than speaking of young, vulnerable lambs, Jesus speaks of full grown sheep. And rather than speaking of protecting, and caring for vulnerable lambs, Jesus calls Peter to ‘take care of My sheep.’ What do you think Peter and the six other disciples understood Jesus to be saying?
Was Jesus here inviting Peter to a role such as a good shepherd who understands both the value and the needs of his mature sheep? Does Psalm 23 give us a hint? “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside cool waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and You staff they comfort me…”
Sheep never lie down unless they are well fed and watered, fully satisfied and have no fear. Sheep are by nature very anxious and any little thing can spook them into mindless fear, running in all directions, aimlessly. Sheep need to be led to the best food, they can’t find it on their own. Sheep will only drink if water is still, not running or churning. I’m fairly confident this 23rd Psalm came immediately into Peter’s mind when Jesus said to him, “Take care of My sheep”. Peter knew, of course, Jesus was not talking about 4 legged woolly animals, He was talking about people! Yet we human beings are so very, very much like sheep.
A few years later, after Jesus had returned to heaven and the Holy Spirit had come and filled and empowered Peter and other followers of Jesus, Peter did fulfill the commission Jesus was giving him here on the beach. Peter traveled for years, telling his the story of his relationship with Jesus, his recollection of Jesus’ teachings. Peter was used of God to participate in some amazing miracles, and Peter preached powerful sermons of God’s truth in which thousands of people trusted Jesus and were baptized.
Peter was led by the Spirit to write two letters to the Christians all across the empire, during very difficult times. Double persecution had broken out against anyone who was know to be a follower of Jesus. The Roman government was persecuting them even to the point of arrest, torture and death. But also Jews were persecuting them, especially if they were Jewish Christians. In 1 & 2 Peter, the Apostle Peter wrote powerful, comforting words for those in great distress. He was doing exactly what Jesus invited him to do, here on the shoreline that day.
Once again I imagine the six disciples looked intently at Peter and Jesus, as they sat on the beach that morning, none of them knowing what to say, but all of them feeling the intensity of this exchange.
John writes: “And a third time Jesus said to Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love (philia) Me?’
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love (philia) Me?’
He said, ‘Lord, You know all things; You know that I love (philia) You.’
Jesus said, ‘Feed My sheep. 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 our your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ (John 21:17,18)
You notice what just happened? Jesus used the same ‘Philia’ word for love which Peter had twice used. I believe Jesus was affirming that Peter had not boasted to have a stronger love for Jesus than he was at that moment prepared to prove. Peter and Jesus were starting again at the beginning of their relationship and Jesus was inviting Peter into a restored relationship and to rebuild his trust in Jesus and the strength of his love for Jesus, one step at a time, including being entrusted by Jesus with the commission of caring for people who chose to follow Jesus, even in difficult times.
Look into the faces of the disciples, especially Peter. What do you see? Confusion, anxiety, fear? They had seen the anger with which the mob had come to the garden to arrest Jesus. John had seen it all… the trials, the beatings, the crucifixion. I’m sure he had told the others in great detail. Jesus seemed to now be predicting a similar fate for Peter. Would it apply to the rest of them as well?
Can you see them looking wide eyed at each other, at Peter and then at Jesus? Did the words Jesus spoke in the upper room about the world hating them and putting them out of the Synagogue and even killing them (John 15:18-16:4)… come roaring back in their memories? Did fear start to rise up within them all? Did some of them even think of getting up from that beach and abandoning Jesus and the group that morning?
John writes these words of explanation: “Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.” (John 21:19) Is it possible for the death of a Christian to glorify God?
Oh yes my friends. Do you know this wonderful verse from Psalm 116:15? “How precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.” Do you remember Paul uses the word “Departure” to describe what we normally call ‘death’? Because at the moment our hearts stop beating, our lungs stop breathing, at that moment our soul and our spirit leave our body, and if we have trusted Jesus for our Salvation, they go immediately to heaven and into God’s presence.
Do you see why Psalm 116:15 says God sees that experience as PRECIOUS for His people? “Departure” is precious, because heaven is only possible as a result of what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection, so it’s a celebration of Easter weekend and Jesus! “Departure” is precious, because finally our soul & spirit are set free from our bodies which are decaying as a result of judgment on sin. “Departure” is precious, because temptation from Satan’s dark kingdom ceases, there is no such temptation in heaven.
“Departure” is precious, because of the reunions which will occur in heaven! A Christ follower is reunited face to face with Jesus, and is welcome at the throne of God. A Christ follower will be in the presence of all believers in Jesus from all nations and all generations, including all the great Bible heroes, and even their born-again loved ones who have preceded them to heaven. Do you see my friends, why death can be precious to God and to us, and bring Him glory?
History tells us Peter did bring great glory to God in his death, as he remained a strong and faithful witness for Jesus Christ up to the moment of his death, which like Jesus, was by crucifixion, only upside down!
“Then Jesus said to Peter, ‘Follow Me!” (John 21:19) It was another ‘defining moment’ for Peter and the other six disciples. They all knew Peter had denied Jesus. But here and now, Jesus was re-inviting Peter into the very special relationship they had for so long. It was here, on this same beach, many months before that Peter had heard those very same words while he, Andrew, James and John were washing their nets, after a night of fishing. They had put down their nets and their lives changed as they followed Jesus that day (Mark 1:16-39).
One other time Peter had heard it, when he and Jesus were in that boat, with those same nets, after a night of empty net fishing. Jesus had sat for a while in Peter’s boat and taught the people. I believe Peter had held the boat steady for Jesus while He spoke. For Peter it was a powerful day of re-aligning his heart with Jesus’ heart. After speaking, Jesus had asked Peter to put the nets in the boat and head out for a catch. It was an unforgettable, life changing experience (Luke 5:1-11), and that day Jesus had said to Peter “Follow Me, and from now on you will catch men.”
Now for a third powerful time, Jesus invites Peter to “Follow Me!” What do you suppose welled up in Peter’s heart at that moment my friends?
I believe Jesus got up from the beach at that moment, and so did Peter, and they began to walk down the beach alone, just the two of them, engaged in a private conversation of re-commissioning. Let’s hold back with the others disciples here on the beach for now, and let Jesus and Peter have some private time. Just let all you’ve seen and hear sink in. Tomorrow we’ll finish the last few verses of John’s Gospel. For now, just ponder it all, as if Jesus has been asking you these questions, and is inviting you to follow Him. What will your response be?
Do you remember the days when stadiums were filled with thousands of men in Promise Keeper rallies all across North America? It was a great movement of God. I have a song for you from those days, as you ponder the breakfast with Jesus we’ve had on the beach…
Oh Lord Jesus, we hear Your questions to us about the authenticity of our relationship with You. We hear Your invitation to follow You. . .as You look deep into each of our hearts, what do You see Lord?
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
Archived back issues of “Walking with Jesus” and other resources are available by clicking here to open our ‘home page’ (or go to HOME at upper right of this page).
Share with friends. Subscribe below for daily “Walking with Jesus”.