The Big Question
John 21:15-22
5-17-09
I want to take you to a small group of fishermen this morning. These five men have been fishing off the southern coast of the Sea of Galilee near the village of Tiberias. It’s been a disappointing night. They have worked all night and have caught nothing. The chilly winds are still blowing across the water. They are cold and they are exhausted.
As the sun began to peek up over the horizon, they make their way toward the shore. There on the shore they see somebody. The man calls out to them with a question. “Do you have any food?” As professional fishermen, they are humbled to admit they have nothing. Then the man on the shore does a bold thing. He tells them to throw their nets out on the right side of the boat. When they do that, the nets fill up with fish.
The most amazing thing about all this is how similar it is to a previous experience some of them had a few years earlier. It happened on this very sea. At that time they had been fishing all night as well—and had caught nothing. A prophet by the name of Jesus had told them where to place their nets and exactly the same thing happened. Their nets filled up with fish. As John recalls that experience he suddenly realizes something. This is that same Jesus directing them to where the fish are. We are in John 21 and Jesus is now in a resurrected body.
John yells out to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” Jesus has a way of showing up at the most unexpected times and places in our lives. These disciples are not sitting on the shore hoping to see Jesus. They are not doing anything particularly spiritual. They are just working a job that they have worked many times in the past. But when Jesus shows up an ordinary day can become very extraordinary.
Peter is a man of action. The moment he realized it was the Lord, he jumped into the cold water and started swimming toward Jesus. The other disciples just rode the boat to shore. But Peter wanted to get to Jesus as fast as he possibly could. I like that about Peter; don’t you? He’s wholehearted in everything he does.
When they all got to shore, there was Jesus cooking a meal for them. It must have been a strange moment as they sat there eating with Jesus. They’re looking at him; they all know its Jesus; yet no one asks Him who He is. You would think someone would say something. The scene is almost humorous. “Say something, guys. Tell Jesus you’re glad to see Him.”
Finally, after they finish breakfast, Jesus looks over at Peter and asks him the most probing question imaginable. John 21:15 “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” What a question!!! Have you ever had the Lord ask you something like that? How do you answer a question like that?
In his answer, Peter modifies the question a little bit. Jesus asked Peter if he “agapaoo” or loved Him with a highly devoted love. Peter answers back that he loves the Lord but uses the word “filoo” which is a humbler word for love as toward a friend. What’s happening in that answer? Peter is not nearly as presumptuous as he once was. He’s not as self-confident as he used to be. He knows in his own heart that he loves the Lord. But all boastful wind has been knocked out of him. Anybody here had the wind knocked out of you enough that you’re not as cocky as you once were? I personally walk a little softer than I once did.
This question had to carry Peter’s mind back to an incident that happened right before Jesus went to the cross. On the night He was betrayed Jesus had the Passover meal with his disciples. Then they went to the Mount of Olives where Jesus told the disciples that He was about to be killed. And He said that they would all desert Him. That’s when Peter wanted to get something perfectly clear with Jesus. "I will never desert you no matter what the others do!" (Mark 14:29 TLB). Remember how Jesus told Peter he would deny Him three times before the rooster crows twice. Peter insisted that he would never do that, even if he had to die with Jesus.
Peter had boasted that even if the others deserted Jesus, he would stand with Him. As you know, that did not prove to be the case. Now the question comes to Peter, “Do you love Me more than these” other disciples? The answer Peter gives shows us the brokenness that has happened in Peter.
But I think I hear a little tremble in Peter’s voice. “Lord, you know that I love you.” My actions haven’t proved it. I failed you when you needed me most. I wasn’t as strong and committed to you as I thought I was. But I do love you. Is there anyone here who has failed the Lord? Is there anyone here who knows something about what Peter may have been feeling as he tells the Lord he loves Him? When this life is over, I don’t think any of us will feel regrets for being too committed to the Lord. I don’t think anybody will be in heaven or hell saying, I wish I had played more and had more fun; I wish I hadn’t served the Lord so faithfully. I have tried to serve the Lord since I was 22 years old; but even now I wish I had pressed in even more, I wish I had been more faithful.
John 21:15-17
“So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, 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."
16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?"
He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You."
He said to him, "Tend My sheep."
17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, 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 all things; You know that I love You."
Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
Why does Jesus essentially ask the question three times in John 21? He’s probing Peter’s heart. He’s making sure Peter understands: this is the one great question we all have to answer. This is the most significant question you will ever answer: Do you love Jesus? Is He the most important thing in your life? Is your life devoted to Him?
All true ministry flows out of our answer to that question. The question is not, “Have you been to seminary?” The question is not, “Do you have great people skills?” The question is not, “Do you have all your personal struggles resolved?” The question is not even, “Do you love people?” Here is the question Jesus asks each of us this morning. “Do you love Me?” And you will feel how personal that question is if you will put your own name in there. “Richard, do you love Me?” “John, do you love Me?” “Carter, do you love Me?”
That question has to be answered before we talk about ministry. We’re only fit for ministry after the Holy Spirit has flooded our hearts with love toward our Lord and Master, Jesus. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 1:4).
How do we fall in love with Jesus? We get a revelation of His love for us. It dawns on us how undeserving we are of His love. It dawns on us how rich and deep His love is toward us. We come to realize the significance of the cross for us personally. Jesus suffered because of His love for you and me. We did nothing to earn it; we can do nothing to repay it; nor do we have to repay it. “Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so.” Christians, come back to the simplicity of this one question from Jesus, “Do you love Me?”
Notice, Jesus does not refer to Peter as “Peter.” Jesus gave him that name which means “rock.” Jesus addresses him as “Simon.” That was Peter’s name the day he met Jesus. In fact, it was at this very sea that Jesus first called Peter. It was at this sea Jesus had first told Peter to follow Him. Now here again Jesus is telling him to follow Him.
I think the moment Jesus called him “Simon”, Peter’s mind went back to those early days when he first met the Lord. Do you remember the days of your first love for the Lord? The church at Ephesus left their first love. In Rev. 2:5 Jesus told those Christians to “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works.” Just get back to the simplicity of loving Me above everything else. Was there a time when your love for Jesus beat more passionately than today? How do we get back to that? We do what we did then. We humble ourselves and recognize how much we need God. We didn’t do God a favor by coming to Him; He did us a favor by coming to us. We don’t deserve His mercy; but He graciously and generously gives it.
In this conversation, Jesus gives Peter an assignment. “Feed My Lambs...Tend to My Sheep...Feed My Sheep.” The natural expression of love is service. Love may begin with a feeling in your heart; but if it ends there something is wrong. A love for God planted in your heart by the Holy Spirit will cause you to want to serve Him. One way we know the love is not there is if we don’t want to do anything for God. You know you’re walking in the flesh if every decision is about what you want. Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will obey what I command.” Love is the motivation behind a holy life. Love is the motivation behind sacrificial service.
I remember when I was first filled with the Holy Spirit. I would pray and weep asking God to use me. I didn’t care how He used me; I just longed to honor Him with my life. Have you ever just lain before God weeping and asking Him to be glorified through you? I’m not talking about crying because your circumstances are hard or you feel sorry for yourself. I’m talking about a deep longing from within to bring honor to God. The laborers are few because relatively few have experienced that. Give me people who truly love the Lord—and the work will get done, people will get saved, the needy will be cared for.
“Simon, do you love Me?” If your answer is “yes,” then serve Me. Serving Jesus means serving His people. Jesus said, Matt 25:40, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” And in verse 45 “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.” Jesus does not need me to climb up into heaven and give Him a cup of cold water. He sits in a glorified body in need of nothing. But “...inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”
Love will compel you to serve others. Matt 9:36 tells us when Jesus looked at the multitudes of people, “...He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” We can not manufacture that kind of divine compassion. We can receive it from God as we draw near to Him. It’s His compassion for people that we need. The love of God shed abroad in our hearts will cause us to feel the pain others feel. It will cause us to do what we can to relieve that pain.
“Oh, God, soften our hearts in Your love. Break the religious crust off us; and give us hearts of compassion toward what You love most, people.” I want to fall in love with Jesus all over again; don’t you. “Simon, do you love Me? Feed My sheep.”
Now Peter does something on this occasion that is typical of most of us. The Lord give him a job to do. The Lord requires some things of him. And what does he do? He starts looking around at every body else. If I have to do this, what does John have to do? If I have to sacrifice that, what does John have to sacrifice? Have you ever been there?
John 21:18-23
Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish." 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."
20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?" 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man?"
22 Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."
23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?"
Peter, it’s not going to be easy for you; you’re going to have to pay a big price to do this. Then what price does John have to pay? That’s a great big trap, isn’t it? The moment we start wondering why others aren’t doing what we’re doing we are walking into problems. First, to whom much is given much is required. God may not be requiring of them what He is requiring of you. If you let their inactivity stop you from doing what God’s telling you to do, you will miss a blessing. Second, they may be doing more than you know. We don’t always know the pain others suffer. We don’t always know the sacrifices others are making. Third, when we’re thinking like that we’re probably looking for an excuse to not obey. Finally, we could easily become judgmental of others and have to be corrected for that by the Lord.
What’s Jesus’ solution for Peter’s diversion? Verse 19, “Follow Me.” “Looking unto Jesus,” Heb. 12 tells us, “the author and finisher of our faith.” Keep your eyes on Jesus. Keep your heart in love with Jesus. Let that love overflow in service to others.
For FOOTNOTES/SOURCES go to www.GatewayNixa.org
Richard Tow
Gateway Church
Nixa, Missouri
