LOVEST THOU ME, PETER?

“These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” John 20:31

You and I are either alive or we are dead. John makes it very clear that he is writing that we may be able to be able to be among the alive spiritually. In the long run, physically is not worth comment. Don’t squander that precious time we have been given to prepare for eternity.

Let us visualize the scene for the coming action. Peter had announced that he was going fishing, and the other ten of the apostles had accompanied him in two of his boats. They had lowered their nets and fished all night with no catches. In the early morning they saw a man on the shore. He was cooking fish over a fire. He called to them, asking if they had caught any fish, and they had to admit they had not. Then, strangely, he suggested they cast their nets on the other side of their boat. When they tried his instruction their nets surfaced totally filled with fish.

This had happened before! and by it, they knew that this was Jesus! Leaving the nets dragging in the water they headed to him. Peter, pulling on his clothing, leapt into the water to reach him first. When Jesus asked for more fish to prepare, they took stock and found that they had caught 153 large fish in that one cast. Their boat was heavily loaded, and none of the nets were damaged. Only Jesus could do this! As far as we know, this was the last time they went back to their trade as fishermen for fish. The message was as clear, as they remembered his promise, I will make you fishers of men.  

John 21:15-17

For us to understand this portion, we should be reading it in the original Greek language, but all we really need to know is the meaning of two of the words that are translated as “love” in our Bibles. There are really three words, but the Bible does not use the third, which, seems to be the one most people are the most familiar with today, thanks to the entertainment industry. That is the word for erroic and sexual activities.

15  So when they and dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou more than these? He saith to him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

(Greek - agapao, phileo. John 21:12, Matthew 26:33, Mark 14:29, John 13:37, Luke 12:32)

In our Bibles it would seem that Jesus has asked the same thing of Peter three times, but that is not so. The first two times he used the world for love that means a total commitment.

So, considering Peter’s denial three time that he even knew Jesus when he was in the garden of the high Priest, Jesus asks twice, “are you totally committed to me?”  The first time Peter replies with a qualified “yes”, he says “Feed my lambs.” Can you not picture all the fish at their feet? It is obvious that Peter was not caring for men. He was going back to his first total commitment, fishing.  

16  He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him; Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

(Greek - agapao, phileo. Matthew 2:6, Matthew 20:28, 1 Peter 5:2, Revelation 7:17)

Again he asked, the same question, and Peter still used the weaker word. This time Jesus admonished, “Feed my sheep.”  Notice the change from lambs, to sheep, but that Peter still uses the weaker word, which means a conscious good will toward another. Jesus is trying to get him to see the difference.

17  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.

(Greek - phileo.  John 13:38, John 16:30, John 21:15, John 21:16)

The third time, Jesus asks using the lesser word. It was as obvious to Peter as if he had said, “Peter, do you even like me?”  This time he got through to Peter, and again he admonished, “Feed my sheep.”

 This is a lesson that we all need to hear, and apply to ourselves. The next time we are tempted to return to the things we really loved to do before we became a Christian, We need to ask ourselves. “Am I being totally committed to my Lord and Saviour?” Probably not. This life is short, much too short for us to take “recesses” like we did in grammar school.  

It is no sin to go fishing, unless we put it in the place of serving the Lord.

In the book of Revelation, 3:14-22, the letter to the church at Laodicea seems to identify with the church of today, wealthy, self centered, active in a “country club” style, it also happens to be the last letter, if you follow the theory that these letters represent the church in various eras historically. Unfortunately, it is also lukewarm as was the water in that wealthy city which got its water from hot springs.

The point is that in all the other cases, the church is admonished to repent, not so Laodicea, instead the letter addresses the individual faithful there. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and I will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh I will grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne.”

There can be no greater honour than to be invited to sit with the Lord of Lords in his throne. He is coming, perhaps very soon, to gather his own from all the world over all the ages.

__________

READ YOUR BIBLE THROUGH AGAIN THIS YEAR

JUNE

2nd  Sunday  -  2 Samuel 3,    Acts 2,    Psalm 69:1-12

3rd  Monday  -  2 Samuel 4, 5,    Acts 3,    Psalm 69:13-28

4th  Tuesday  -  2 Samuel 6, 7,    Acts 4,    Psalm 69:29-36

5th Wednesday  -  2 Samuel 8, 9,    Acts 5:1-16,    Proverbs 14:10-18

6th Thursday  -  2 Samuel 10, 11,    Acts 5:17-42,    Psalm 70

7th  Friday  -  2 Samuel 12, 13,    Acts 6,    Psalm 71:1-8

8th Saturday  -  2 Samuel 14, 15,    Acts 7:1-36,    Psalm 71:9-18

__________

FOR LINKS TO OUR CHRISTIAN BLOGS

Search  <Searching the Scriptures with Bob>

and follow the links.

__________

MEMORY VERSE

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”  -  Acts 4:12

__________

There were only a few shepherds at the first Bethlehem. The ox and the ass understood more about the first Christmas than the high priests in Jerusalem. And it is the same today.

__________

The wise men were truly wise men. Unlike most men, they stopped to ask directions.

__________

Sign seen in a department store: “Make this a Christmas your spouse won’t forget. Charge everything.

SHARE THE GOOD NEWS