Overcoming Our Past, Embracing God's Future

John 21: 15-19

Peter’s Restoration

One day after the resurrection of Jesus, His seven disciples were fishing in the Sea of Galilee. They did not catch anything the whole night, but when they finally heeded the instructions of the Lord, they caught a large number of fish.

After they returned to the shore, they saw that the Lord had breakfast well-prepared for them (vv.1-14).  It was indeed a beautiful picture of the Lord having breakfast with His disciples beside the Sea of Galilee!

After the 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.

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.

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.”

Why did Jesus have to ask Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Was it that the Lord was unsatisfied with Peter’s first and second responses, and that He didn’t believe Peter love Him genuinely?

In fact, the very first response of Peter was already well accepted by the Lord, for the Lord went on to entrust him with the great task of shepherding His flock.  Actually, the Lord Jesus asked Peter three times the question, “Do you love me?” with an intention to restore him from the defeat that had smitten him deeply.

When Jesus was arrested and led to the high priest’s home and while the other disciples were fleeing, Peter followed at a distance. The guards lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter joined them there. The people there noticed Peter and they asked him three times if he was the one of Jesus’ followers. Peter denied three times that he had known Jesus.

The situation saddened not just the hearts of Peter and the Lord Jesus, but ours too. We felt sorry for them. This man denied His Lord three times, and he was such a failure. Would it be possible that he could gain the trust of the Lord again?

The answer is a definite “yes”. The Lord still trusted in him. Whenever Peter replied and said, “Yes! Lord, you know that I love you” beside the Sea of Galilee, the Lord Jesus would then entrust to him the great task of shepherding His church.

The focus of Jesus’ exchange with Peter was not the quality of Peter’s love, but Peter’s commission to take care of Jesus’ flock. How would you respond if Jesus asked you, “Do you love me? Do you really love me? Are you even my friends?”

It is one thing to say you love Jesus, but the real test is your willingness to serve him. If we truly love the Lord, we would be determined to serve him!

The Lord Jesus loved us so radically that He gave his life on the cross to suffer punishment of sin on our behalf so that our sins are all forgiven. And he was raised to life by the Father that we all could also have eternal life.

The Lord has also accepted us and trusted us. He saved us to make us right with God so that we can go out to the world to do the Kingdom’s ministry. May the sacrificial love of Christ, his gracious acceptance and providence touch our heart today, that we will respond to him in love, determine to follow him and serve him for our whole life.

Besides, we also note that the Lord Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me more than this?” (Jn 21:15) The original text of “these” is “τούτων”, which can be referred to either “these people” or “these things”.

The Lord Jesus might be referring to those disciples who were present there, and He asked Peter, “Do you love me more than these people do?”

It brought Peter back to a previous scene. While Jesus was having the last supper with His disciples, Peter declared resolutely, that even if all were to fall away, he wouldn’t. (Mk 14:29) And he said to Jesus that he was willing to die for Him! (Jn 13:37). But at the life-threatening moment, Peter failed the test. He denied the Lord thrice.

The risen Lord would like Peter to know that He believed in his intention. Since Peter had said before, that “though all might fall away, he wouldn’t”, the Lord Jesus had to allow Peter to declare that his love for Him was indeed more than “these”.

“Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”  The Lord Jesus believed that Peter loved him as much as before, and Peter confirmed his love for Him resolutely.

The Lord appreciates every heart that is sorrowful and contrite. Man is bound to fail sometimes, but we have to confess our wrongs sincerely and we need to have courage to face it. The Lord will never ever forsake us.

The Lord Jesus died for us while we were still sinners. No matter how serious our transgression is, the Lord is more than willing to forgive us if we come before him with a sorrowful and contrite heart.

The risen Lord continued to said to Peter, “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 swill stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”

Jesus said this to let Peter know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.” Jesus alluded to captivity, bondage, and even crucifixion—victims were often tied to the cross.

Peter was restored from his defeat and discouragement, and he then became the leader of the church who nurtured and protected Christ’s followers. Faithfully he shepherded God’s flock and eventually he suffered martyrdom for the sake of the Lord, and for the glory of God.

Tradition indicates that Peter was crucified for his faith—upside down because he did not feel worthy of dying as his Lord did. Despite what Peter’s future held, Jesus told him to follow him.

Peter’s life changed when he finally realized who Jesus was. His occupation changed from fisherman to evangelist; his identity changed from impetuous to “rock”. No matter life or death, Peter would love Christ and serve him. With his whole life, he would glorify God for he knew that in Christ he would receive the crown of eternal life.

Likewise, today, even if our future seems to be gloomy, we know God is in control, so we can confidently follow Christ and serve him wholeheartedly.

Application

Whenever we think of the suffering of the Lord and whenever we read of Peter’s denial of the Lord three times, we may feel that we are like Peter. We are deeply pained when we face our weaknesses, and like Peter, we wept bitterly.

However, we have to think of the way the Lord restored and rebuilt Peter after His resurrection. Though we might have weaknesses and failures, the Lord is merciful to us and He will show His compassion to us.

The resurrected Lord reaffirmed His acceptance of Peter three times. It reminds us that the Lord will still accept and believe our initial intention. If the Lord does not doubt us, let’s not doubt ourselves too.

The Lord knows that we might be weak and we might fail, yet He loves us and He will never forsake us. He will give us chances to enable us to be strengthened, and He shall restore us from our failures and defeats. And He uses us to accomplish great things for his kingdom.

The Lord Jesus loves us, no matter what circumstances prevail today, nothing could separate us from the love of the Lord. Romans 8:35-39:

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? As the Scriptures say,” for your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angel nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The risen Lord surely loves you, but the question is, “Do you love him?”

May we be able to face God fearlessly and to love Him unwaveringly, and to entrust our lives into His hands, so that He can renew us, strengthen us and build us up in Him. May we be able to follow him, serve him and accomplish the mission that he has entrusted us. The grace of the risen Lord is sufficient for us!