Shortly after his resurrection, Jesus went into Galilee to
meet with his disciples. They had gone
fishing in an effort to clear their minds after seeing Jesus crucified and
learning that he had been raised from the dead.
Jesus was waiting on the shore
with bread and fish already prepared when they came ashore. Jesus would use the situation to teach a
valuable lesson about the spiritual life.
John 21:14-19 gives background for what Jesus is teaching. “This
is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples, after that he
was risen from the dead. So when they
had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more
than these?
He saith unto him,
Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.
He saith unto him,
Feed my lambs.
He saith to him again
the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?
He saith unto him,
Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.
He saith unto him,
Feed my sheep.
He saith unto him the
third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?
Peter was grieved
because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him,
Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.
Jesus saith unto him,
Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say
unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither
thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands,
and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he
should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.”
Just before the crucifixion, In Matthew 26:33-35, Peter had
bragged “…Though all men shall be offended because of
thee, yet will I never be offended.
Jesus said unto him,
Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny
me thrice.
Peter said unto him,
Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all
the disciples.” He was convinced he
loved the Lord more than any of the others.
Jesus asked him if he still believed that. Peter couldn’t say he loved the Lord more
than the others at this point. He just
said the Lord knew how much he loved him.
Jesus repeated the question two more times, driving home the point that
is not about how much we love the Lord, or even that we have failed him, but
that we are to just serve him. In fact,
as pointed out there are times when we have no control of our situation, but we
are to continue to teach others about Christ anyway. We are not perfect, but we can still obey
him.
In an effort to take the attention off himself, Peter asked
what John would do, in John 21:20-22. “Then Peter, turning about, seeth the
disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper,
and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and
what shall this man do?
May we keep our eyes on Jesus, not comparing ourselves with others, for that is not the standard we should emulate. Praise God that He gives us second chances when we fail Him. Thanks for the great post & God bless.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Laurie. I am so thankful we are not competing with others but that each will be rewarded according to what he has done. If God didn't give us second chances none of us would ever be able to please him.
Delete