Do You Love Me?
John 21
Peter is one of the most frequently mentioned of Jesus' followers in the Gospel of John. Though he failed Jesus terribly, Peter's loving relationship with Jesus was proved genuine throughout his life.
What do you know about Peter?
How many of the Twelve disciples can you name? Think of the Gospels. Matthew and John were among the Twelve, but not Mark or Luke. The apostle Paul was not one of the Twelve. Here’s the list of the Twelve: Simon (Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Though you may not have thought of him, Peter is one of the most well-known of Jesus’ disciples. He seems to have been the natural “captain” of the team.
How much do you know about Peter? Can you think of anything he was involved in that was mentioned in the Gospels? He had his successes, but he also had his failures.
Jesus calls Peter
According to John’s Gospel it was through Andrew, Peter’s brother, that he was introduced to Jesus as the Messiah. Around the time Peter heard about Jesus, he showed up on the beach where Peter, James and John were washing their nets after a fruitless night of fishing. Jesus asked Peter if he could use his boat to put some space between himself and the crowd that had gathered to hear him speak. Peter took him out into the water a short distance. After speaking to the crowd, Jesus suggested that Peter might want to try again to fish.
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break…
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken….
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:1-11)
Shortly after this, Peter was chosen by Jesus to be one of the Twelve who would be with him and would be trained by him (Luke 6:12-16).
He saw Jesus raise a girl from the dead
A man named Jairus, “a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying” (Luke 8:41-42). Jesus agreed to go with him, but by the time they had arrived it was too late. Jairus’ daughter had died. Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” When they arrived at the house, Jesus did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. Peter was one of only three of Jesus’ disciples to go in. Jesus took the girl by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Peter, at Jesus’ invitation, was an eyewitness to this miracle (Luke 8:49-55).
Jesus walks on water
Many have heard of Jesus’ miracle of walking on water (Matthew 14:25-32). Did you know it was Peter who walked on water with Jesus? Jesus’ disciples had just experienced Jesus’ feeding of more then five thousand people with just five loaves and two fish (14:13-21). Following this, Jesus sent his disciples across the lake by boat ahead of him while he spent time in prayer. Later that night, the boat, a considerable distance from land, was being buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Peter affirms Jesus is the Messiah
Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.” (Luke 9:18-20).
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17-19)
“Get behind me, Satan!”
According to Matthew’s Gospel, right after Peter’s declaration that Jesus is God’s Messiah and Jesus’ commendation of Peter as the rock on which he will build his church, Matthew records one of Peter’s failures and Jesus’ stunning rebuke.
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” (Matthew 16:21-25)
Jesus’ transfiguration
Despite Peter’s failure, Jesus chooses him as one of three, with James and John, to witness his transfiguration. The three had gone with Jesus up a mountain to pray.
As Jesus was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus…. Peter and his companions… saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)
While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” (Luke 9:28-36)
Many disciples leave Jesus
One time, after Jesus had given a particularly “hard” teaching, John tells us that at that point many of Jesus’ disciples no longer followed him. Jesus turned to the Twelve and offered them the option to leave him too.
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:60-71)
Paying the temple tax
Did you ever hear about the strange miracle when Jesus paid a tax from money pulled out of a fish’s mouth? The temple collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked,
“Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”
“Yes, he does,” he replied.
When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”
“From others,” Peter answered.
“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.” (Matthew 17:24-27)
Jesus predicts Peter’s denial
On the night Jesus was betrayed by Judas, he washed the feet of his disciples as an example to them of humility.
Jesus came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
When Jesus had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. (John 13:1-17)
It was at this “last supper” with the Twelve that Jesus proved he knew all that was about to happen to him. He knew that Judas would betray him. He knew all the others would abandon him. He knew that he would be crucified. He knew these things because that was what the Scriptures prophesied regarding God’s Messiah. Peter (Simon) vehemently objected. “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” He was sincere. He believed he would do what he so confidently affirmed—never leave, never deny his Lord. But he was sincerely wrong. Jesus said to him,
“I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me. Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:24-34)
Peter denies Jesus three times
All four of the Gospels record Peter’s denying three times he is one of Jesus’ disciples. It is particularly sad that Peter caved under what seemed to be such little pressure. Two times servant girls accused him of being one of Jesus’ disciples and the third time some of those who were standing around. It wasn’t Roman soldiers who threatened to crucify him along with Jesus. It wasn’t as if someone was holding a sword to his neck.
Luke tells us that the words were barely out of his mouth the third time Peter denied knowing Jesus when the rooster crowed. “The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him…. And he went outside and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:60-62).
How could Peter recover from this? Everyone of the Twelve abandoned Jesus in his time of need, but Peter spoke up so confidently, so proudly declaring before the others and correcting Jesus, that he never would, unlike the others, abandon Jesus. No doubt he wept bitterly—especially when Peter expected this was the last time he would see Jesus.
What do you think Peter saw in Jesus’ eyes when Jesus looked at him?
Disgust—”How could you?”
Disappointment—”I expected better from you.”
Gloating—”You did exactly what I said you’d do!”
Pity—”You’re pathetic.”
Rejection—“I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God” (Luke 12:8-9).
Compassion—”I’m so sorry. You were upset. Disoriented. Emotionally compromised. You weren’t yourself. Don’t blame yourself.”
Love—”I’m here for you. I chose you, and I’m glad I did. I prayed that your faith would not fail, and it hasn’t… because I know you will turn back to me.”
Peter did see Jesus again. Jesus was raised from the dead. He appeared to his disciples and spoke with them. He didn’t rebuke them for abandoning him. He didn’t mention it. He told them he would send the Holy Spirit when he left them and that they were to be his witnesses, carry on his ministry.
John tells us about the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples (John 21). After Jesus’ crucifixion his disciples weren’t sure what they were to do. They needed to eat, so Peter and some of the others who were fisherman went out to fish. They didn’t catch anything.
Jesus appeared on the shore. They didn’t recognize him. He yelled out to them asking them if they had any fish—highlighting their failure. They told him they didn’t catch anything. He told them to try throwing their nets on the other side of the boat. What a ridiculous suggestion. It must have been meant as a clue to them it was Jesus on the shore. Peter remembered the miracle Jesus performed when they first met. They did what Jesus said—they obeyed him. And they caught a large number of fish. When they did, Peter realized it was Jesus, jumped out of the boat and went to him.
Jesus had started a fire and prepared breakfast for his disciples. It must have been a bit awkward for the disciples. That’s what it sounds like according to John’s record: “None of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord” (21:12). What, if anything, did they talk about?
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” (John 21:15-19)
Jesus said these things to Peter in front of all the other disciples. The fact Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him surely was a reminder that three times Peter had denied Jesus. I don’t think Jesus intended to humiliate Peter in front of the others. I think he intended just the opposite. He wanted all of them to know that Peter really did love him, that Jesus had forgiven him and wanted Peter to serve him—to “feed my sheep.”
Getting up when you fall
There’s no doubt Peter truly loved Jesus. Truly loving Jesus, following him as his disciple does not mean we will never fail him, never fall. We are not perfect, we never are in any relationship. We fail at times in every relationship. Sometimes I fail to show love to my wife. At times I treat my wife in ways that are not loving. Does that mean I don’t love her? Of course not. Genuine love doesn’t give up. Genuine love affirms it’s genuineness by coming back, by apologizing, repenting and going on in love.
I liken the Christian life to running a race. It doesn’t matter if you fall when you’re running. You will fall. What matters is that you get up when you fall and go on running.
Do you love Jesus?
Jesus didn’t ask Peter if he believed in him. Many today think “believing” in Jesus is acknowledging or agreeing with certain facts or creeds about Jesus. It’s easy to “believe” when that’s all believing is. It’s easy to be perfectly faithful to religious doctrine.
Jesus asked Peter if he loved him. Three times he asked him if he loved him. What if Jesus asked you this question? Do you love him? Could you honestly, look him in the eye, and say you do… three times? Those who sincerely do love Jesus have the hardest time saying they do—believing that they really do. Those who truly love Jesus see all their failures, their sins. Because they so dearly love Jesus and, therefore, want to perfectly love Jesus, they recognize how far short they fall of what they so desperately want to be to Jesus. They think about how imperfect their love is and so find it hard to honestly say they do love Jesus.
Why did Jesus ask Peter three times if he loved him? It wasn’t because Jesus doubted Peter’s love, because Jesus needed to know, needed assurance. As Peter said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus knew Peter loved him. It was Peter who doubted whether he loved Jesus. Jesus asked Peter three times, in front of the others who knew how Peter had failed to show love to Jesus, to affirm to everyone—including himself—that he really did love Jesus. Peter’s affirmations of his love for Jesus weren’t his belittling, excusing or ignoring his failures. It wasn’t about Peter. It was about Jesus and his love for Peter. Peter’s affirmations were really his accepting the forgiveness and love of Jesus.
There is a worldly sorrow for sin, a self-condemnation, a kind of false humility and false spirituality that is self-centeredness. “God could never forgive me for what I’ve done.” We drown ourselves is self-pity, self-loathing, self-condemnation. We do not believe in God. We do not believe he is forgiving, loving, merciful. Like Judas, we hang ourselves. Peter believed in God. He believed he was merciful, loving, that he would forgive. Peter loved Jesus. Peter wept bitterly. But Peter came back. He was restored. Jesus entrusted him with the task most dear to Jesus—the care of his beloved sheep. And he would bestow on Peter the honor of suffering for Jesus. Next time Peter would not deny Jesus. He would die for him. Forever in eternity Peter will have passed the test, will have been proven faithful… even unto death.
Do you love Jesus? God knows. He doesn’t need you to tell him. But maybe you need to tell yourself that you love him. Maybe you need to affirm your love for him and in so doing, accept his love for you. Do you believe in God? Do you believe he is merciful, loving, forgiving… to you?
Jesus told his disciples, “If you love me, you will obey me” (John 14:15,21,23). When Peter affirmed his love for Jesus, when Peter accepted Jesus’ love for him, then Jesus told Peter to do something. He gave him a command. “Feed my sheep.” That was what it would look like for Peter to “Follow me.” Obedience is the proof, the evidence, the test, the way that we accept Jesus’ love. And obedience is the way that we know that we truly do love him. Obedience is not something we have to do. God doesn’t need our obedience to accomplish his will. He is capable of doing whatever he wants. He chooses, for our good, for our blessing, to involve us in accomplishing his will. And it is when we live in obedience that we live in the blessing and presence of God.
“Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them” (John 14:15).