Love Follows
Text: John 21:15-25, Luke 22:31-32
Last Sunday I said, God gives us very clear commands in His Word, and He expects us to follow them. They aren’t suggestions. And I said that God’s Word is authoritative for the simple fact that it is God’s Word. It’s from God. Those commands are from God. But there’s also another reason Jesus expects us to follow Him and serve Him. It’s the expectation of love. And by God’s grace, we’re going to see that today.
Let’s go to our text – John 21:15-25 (READ).
So they finished their fish breakfast and Jesus looks at Peter, and asks him a question. Let me read to you verse 15 once more, (READ)… so notice first off – Jesus doesn’t call him Peter. He doesn’t call him “Little Rock”. He calls him “Son of John”. His name is Simon, but during His earthly ministry Jesus had re-named him Peter, “Little Rock”, because of the amazing confession – “Thou art the Christ, the Son of God.” But in light of the recent events, Peter hadn’t acted like much of a “rock”, not even a “little rock”. Instead, he acted more like a fallen man, like his earthly father, than a born again child of God and new creation in Christ. But notice, Jesus didn’t call him “Simon, son of the Devil.” No… He did call the Pharisees that one time, but instead he says, “Simon, son of John.” It’s a mild rebuke. A loving rebuke. And then Jesus asks him, “Do you love Me, more than these?”
Now before I get into that, let me just back up a little bit and take you back to Luke 22:31-32 (READ).
So Jesus knew that Peter would stumble, and Jesus had later on told Peter, “Peter, you’ll deny Me 3 times before the rooster crows.” Jesus knew. Satan had petitioned to sift him. But I love verse 32 where Jesus says, “But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. AND WHEN YOU HAVE TURNED AGAIN, strengthen your brothers.”
That’s the difference between Judas and Peter right there. It wasn’t that Peter was stronger, or better, or somehow able to pull himself up – it’s Jesus. JESUS IS THE DIFFERENCE!
And so, Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love Me?” In the Greek, Jesus says, “Do you agapao Me?” In-fact He says, “Do you agapao Me, more than these?” Now some theologians have argued, that Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love Me more than you love these other guys?” And some have argued that Jesus asked, “Do you love Me, more than these other guys do?” I tend to take it in the first sense based on my reading of the Greek. Jesus asks, “Do you love Me more than you love these?” Probably pointing to the other disciples and maybe even to the boats, the sea and the fish. In other words, “Simon, do you love Me, more than you love your old life? Do you love Me more than your friends, more than recreation, more than pleasure?” And it’s Agape Love – unconditionally – without reservation. Sacrificially. Do you love Me in that way Simon?
And Peter responds, “Yes, Lord, You know that I phileo You.” And Jesus says, “Feed My lambs.”
Now phileo is not agape. You understand that right? Phileo is brotherly love. It’s to have a strong affection towards someone, to cherish them and hold them in high regard, and have a strong bond with them, but it’s not unconditional like Agape.
So Peter states that he has phileo for Jesus. Now this is a humbled Peter. Peter isn’t going to boast anymore. He’s not the same guy who said, “Even if they all desert you, I’ll die with you.” He’s not the same guy who said, “I’ll never deny you Jesus!” This is a humbled and broken Peter. And so he says, “Jesus I love you like a brother.” And Jesus says, “Feed my lambs.”
But then, verse 16, Jesus asks him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
So, first it was do you love Me more than you love these things? And Peter said, “Yes, I love you like a brother.” And Now Jesus says, “Do you love Me? – do you Agape Me?”
And Peter responds, “Yes Lord (So He adds Lord – In other words, King, Master, Ruler)… Yes Lord, You know that I phileo You.” And Jesus says, “Tend My sheep.” Now that’s a little more than feeding them. This word means to tend to them, to look after them, to watch over them, to protect them, and direct them. To lead them to pasture, to be a shepherd.
And then Jesus asks him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you Phileo Me?” And Peter was grieved. It hits Peter hard. He denied Jesus three times, and Jesus has asked him 3 times, “Do you love Me?” And I want you to get the whole picture here. This is the third time Jesus has revealed Himself to the disciples after the resurrection. Jesus hasn’t brought it up until now. But He commanded the disciples to go to a mountain, Peter got impatient and went fishing, so Jesus is sitting with His disciple, and He’s correcting him, through this process.
The word “Disciple” literally means, “one who has been disciplined”. And discipleship is corrective. It means to make straight, so a disciple is one who goes straight. Down a straight and narrow path. Following Jesus. So this is correction, for the purpose of restoration.
This is Jesus saying to Peter, “No Peter, you’re not disqualified. In-fact, I want you to shepherd my flock. I want you to feed, and tend to My sheep. Because I have prayed that your faith would not fail. So strengthen your brothers, shepherd them. Watch over them. Feed them on the Word. Protect them from wolves and the roaring lion that goes about seeking whom he may devour… because you Peter… You have a particular insight into how easily that can happen.”
Peter has learned first hand the truth of Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” But he didn’t fall and stay down. Instead Jesus has come to him, and Jesus has restored him, and Jesus has lifted him back up. WHY? Because Peter belongs to the Lord. Peter has been bought with a price. Jesus doesn’t let what’s His fall forever. He restores, He forgives, He lifts us back up and sets us back on track.
So, lesson ONE here is that Jesus will bring to completion what He has begun. Philippians 1:6, “He who began a good work in you WILL BRING IT TO COMPLETION…”. He is faithful.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you COMPLETELY, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be KEPT blameless at the cominf of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you IS FAITHFUL; HE WILL SURELY DO IT.”
Last Sunday I said that if you’re following Jesus, and you stop along the way, you’ll find yourself far from Him… but He is faithful. 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
That’s our first thing – Jesus is faithful, and merciful, and He will restore the repentant sinner. His mercy is new every morning, and He died for those sins, in order to wash them away.
SECOND: When we love Jesus – we are called to follow and serve Him. Jesus says, “You love Me? The feed My sheep. You love Me? Then tend My flock. You love Me? Then follow Me. You love Me? Then keep my commands (John 14:15).”
True, real, Biblical love for Jesus results in service and obedience.
Now there’s another point we need to see. Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love Me?” Peter replies that he does, and every time Jesus says, “Serve Me by feeding and tending My sheep.” So love for Jesus, results in service and obedience, and as we do that it will lead us to a better life… but not necessarily an EASIER life.
Look at verses 18 & 19 (READ).
Simon, do you love Me? Yes Lord! Feed and tend My sheep… but be aware that as you do that, understand that I’m calling you to your own cross. That’s Matthew 16:24, “If anyone resolves to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.”
Church, please hear me this morning – the cross you bear is not the daily struggles of life. Everyone goes through those. Whether they’re Christians or not… everyone faces difficulties and struggles because we live in a fallen world. No… your cross is the thing you love most.
It’s dying to the things that keep you from loving Jesus, and serving Jesus, and living for Jesus. It’s a call to sacrificial love and service for the cause of Christ. It’s a call to understand that this world is not our home. It and all that’s in it are passing away. It’s a call to understand that eternity is waiting, but also that what we do right now counts forever. Most likely your cross is that thing that when you think about it, is the thing that you’d say, “Oh… well… Jesus would never call me to give that up. Surely Jesus wouldn’t call me to give that desire, or that dream, or my lifestyle, my comfort, my ease, my relationships, my likes… surely not.”
But what if He does?
Jesus just told Peter, “Hey Peter, if you love Me, serve Me, but know this as well… you’re going to get crucified for it. You’re going to be carried to a cross, and stretch out your arms, and die.” And I read that, and I think, “How am I deserving of a better end than Peter? How am I deserving of a better end than my Lord and Savior Jesus?”
And again, that’s not to say that God will call you or I to that… but that’s not the question… The question is – What if He does? What would we do?
Memorial Day is tomorrow. It’s the day when we remember those who have given their lives in service to our nation. Some willingly served, some were drafted into service, but tomorrow we remember and honor them for laying down their lives in service to our nation. And I hope we would honor that sacrifice in a real and genuine way, not just with hotdogs and a visit to the lake. But how much more did Jesus do for us? He laid down His life. He endured the wrath of God on our behalf. He has not only made it possible for us to live a better life, but to have eternal life. And He has called us into service for His kingdom. And some may have to give all in service to our King. That’s what happened to nearly every one of these disciples, including the Apostle Paul. All of them except for John, the writer of this Gospel account.
So, a BETTER LIFE, but not an EASIER LIFE.
One more point and then we’ll close.
So Jesus tells Peter the hard truth, and then He says to him, “Follow Me.” And then in verse 20, “Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, and he said, ‘Lord, what about this man?’” Now based on the context of Jesus’ answer, Peter was asking, “What about John? Is he going to be crucified too?” And the final principle here is one that we really need to get in our daily Christian lives.
And here it is: You worry about your own walk with the Lord! “Well Jesus, so and so isn’t out witnessing like I do. So and so isn’t out doing charity and good deeds like I do. So and so isn’t spending time in prayer like I do. They’re not following you the way I follow you.”
It reminds me of the conversation D.L. Moody had with one of the members of his congregation. One time, after Moody had preached a lady approached him and said to him, “Pastor Moody, I don’t like the way you preach the Gospel.” And Moody replied, “Well I don’t know that I do either, I am always trying to improve, but I like the way I preach the Gospel better than the way you don’t preach the Gospel.”
This has nothing to do with correcting a sinning brother or sister. It has nothing to do with reaching out to a fellow Christian who has gone off track. It’s two Christians, trying to follow Jesus as best they know how, and one looking at the other and saying, “Jesus you’re calling me to experience certain things… well what about them? What do they have to give up? What do they have to endure? Why do I have to go through this trial and they don’t?” And Jesus says, “You let Me worry about them. You follow Me. I’ve got plans for them as well. I’ve got a job for them as well… and they’re going to go through their own things. But you need to focus Peter. Stop looking at everything around you, and get your eyes on Me. YOU FOLLOW ME! That’s what you need to worry about.”
Again, understand this… If your brother or sister is sinning, call them to repentance.
If they’ve gotten off track, get ‘em back on track through loving correction. But if they’re following Jesus and they love Jesus, but what they’re doing as they follow doesn’t look the same as it does with you. Don’t worry about it. Don’t try to say God’s being unfair. That guy or gal may be fighting battles you can’t even see. Focus on your own walk with Christ.
So John ends his Gospel account by affirming that he himself is the eyewitness who saw and experienced these things, and by saying Jesus did many more things. And remember, he wrote all of this so that we would believe.
REALLY & TRULY BELIEVE! I pray that we – all of us – would. That we would believe in and trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. And that we would love Him and that our love would grow more and more every day.
CLOSING
