Saturday, June 30,
2012, 7:55 a.m. – After I read my passage for today, the Lord put the song “He Gives Purpose” in my mind. Speak,
Lord, for your servant is listening. I read John 21 (quoting vv. 15-25 NIV 1984):
When they had finished
eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly 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 truly 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. I tell you the truth, 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!”
Peter turned and saw
that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who
had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going
to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
Jesus answered, “If I
want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow
me.” Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple
would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I
want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”
This is the disciple
who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his
testimony is true.
Jesus did many other
things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the
whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
Summary Vv. 1-14
Jesus had just died (was crucified) on the cross for our
sins, was buried in the tomb, and he then rose from the grave on the third day,
conquering death, hell, Satan and sin so that we could go free from the
ultimate penalty of sin (eternal damnation), and be free from the daily control
of sin over our lives. After his resurrection, he appeared to his disciples on numerous
occasions. The third time that he appeared to them was by the Sea of Tiberias.
Peter and some of the other disciples had gone out fishing
at night, but they didn’t catch any fish. Then, early in the morning, Jesus
appeared on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was him. “He
called out to them, ‘Friends, haven’t you any fish?’” “No,” was their reply. So
he said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”
They did what he said, and they caught so many fish they were not able to haul
their net in.
Then John said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” So, Peter jumped
into the water while the other disciples followed by boat. When they arrived on
shore, they saw a fire burning with some fish on it, and some bread. Jesus then
spoke to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” Peter hauled the
net ashore. “It was full of large fish, 153.” Jesus asked them to join him for
breakfast. Then Jesus gave them the bread and the fish to eat.
Throw Your Net
When Jesus first called Peter and Andrew to be his
disciples, he saw them casting a net into the lake, because they were
fishermen. He said to them, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of
men.” Matthew, in Matthew 4:18-20, recorded that they “At once left their nets
and followed him.” What Jesus meant by “making them fishers of men” is that
they would now search and seek out men (and women) to be followers (the fish)
of Christ. Jesus has since called all his disciples (his followers) to be “fishers
of men.” He said that when the Holy Spirit comes upon us – now when we receive
Christ as Savior - that we will be his witnesses throughout the world. And, he
said that we are to go and make disciples (fish) of all men (and women), baptizing
them and teaching them to obey all of Christ’s commands.
So, when I read this story of Peter and the other disciples
not catching any fish, Jesus telling them to throw their net on the other side
where they will find some, and of them catching so many fish that their net was
too heavy to haul the fish in, I always see this in light of us being “fishers
of men.” Sometimes we are not catching fish (souls for Christ) because we are
throwing our nets (the gospel; the word of truth) the wrong place, i.e. where
it is being rejected and/or despised. So, Jesus comes alongside us and says, “Throw
your net on the other side,” and when we do, we are then able to plant the seed
of the gospel that will bear fruit in people’s lives. We will not always see
the immediate results like the disciples did, but as long as we are obeying
Jesus in sharing the gospel where he says to share it – where he tells us to
throw our nets – then we can trust him to provide the fish.
More Than These
Before Jesus Christ was arrested, tried and then given the
sentence of death, Jesus told his disciples that one of them would betray him,
and that they would all leave him, though they all denied that they would do
so. Peter exclaimed that he would go to the death with Jesus, but Jesus told
him, fundamentally, that when “push came to shove,” Peter would deny Jesus
Christ three times before the rooster crowed. And, that is exactly what
happened. After Peter had denied Jesus three times, he heard the rooster crow,
and then he remembered the words Jesus had spoken to him. When he did, he went
outside and wept bitterly. He was remorseful over his sin of denial of the One
he claimed to love to the point of death.
Now, having just finished eating breakfast together, Jesus
asked Peter a very pointed question. He said, “Simon son of John, do you truly
love me more than these?” The “these” is not explained, but he could have been
speaking of his love for fishing or of his friendships with the other disciples.
We don’t know for sure. But, clearly Peter had to make a choice.
The “these” in our own lives could be anything that might
keep us from truly following Jesus Christ wherever he leads us and doing
whatever he requires of us. Our “these” could be our reputations, acceptance of
man, friendships, jobs, careers, entertainment choices, our time, energies, our
ability to decide our own futures, or even our church ministries. If we had a
choice between offending Christ, via disobedience, or offending man, which
would we choose? Are we more concerned about what man thinks of us, or of what
Jesus Christ thinks of us? Peter denied Christ three times out of fear of man.
Do we fear (show honor and respect to) God more than we fear man? Who are we
trying to please most with our lives? Whenever we choose man or anything else
over Christ, and our love, allegiance and devotion to him and to his word, we
are acting in denial of him. He must be first!
Peter had denied Jesus Christ three times and now Jesus
asked Peter three times if Peter truly loved Jesus. Peter answered Jesus three
times in the affirmative, though Jesus asked, the first two times if Peter
(agape) loved him, while Peter responded that he (phileo) loved him, so the
third time Jesus asked if Peter (phileo) loved him. Agape love is a god-like
love that is unconditional love (the way God loves us and demonstrated his love
for us by dying for us while we were yet sinners). Phileo love is an
affectionate and friendship kind of love. Jesus wanted Peter to love him
unconditionally, i.e. in good times and in bad times.
This kind of love comes only from God within us living out
his love through us. This is the kind of love that does not quit, and loves
even when men revile us. It keeps on giving. Human love can fail, but God’s
love never fails. Jesus knew that Peter would have to have agape love for Jesus
if he was to be used of Christ, otherwise he had the potential of denying him
again, because his human affection for Jesus, no matter how sincere, could fail
when things got really bad, which they would. And, agape love is what we need
to have for Jesus Christ, too, if we are to truly follow him in all things. Because,
when we truly follow Christ, men will hate us, persecute us and say all manner
of evil against us, and we have to not let what man thinks of us affect what we
do for Christ. Agape love endures to the end.
Feed My Sheep
Peter declared three times that he (phileo) loved Jesus.
Jesus responded by telling him to: 1) “Feed my lambs,” 2) “Take care of my
sheep,” and 3) “Feed my sheep.” Jesus’ sheep were his followers (his disciples;
the caught “fish”). Peter was to feed them spiritually with the word of God
(the word of truth; the gospel). He was to disciple those who chose to follow
Christ as Lord and as Savior. He was being called of Jesus to pastor-shepherd the
people of God, though we are all called to make disciples, so, in a sense, we
are all called to feed Christ’s sheep. And, Jesus let him know, too, the kind
of death Peter would die. And, then he said, “Follow me!”
When Jesus commands us to follow him, which is his command
of all his disciples (believers in Jesus Christ), and when he commands us to
feed his sheep (disciple them), which, too, is his command of all his
disciples, these commands are not optional. Jesus said that if anyone would
come after him, he must deny himself (his own selfish ways) and take up his
cross daily (die daily to sin and self) and follow (obey) Christ. We must die
to our old lives of sin and selfishness (self-gratification) if we want to have
eternal life with God, Jesus said. Paul said (in Eph. 4) that we come to know
Christ by forsaking our former lives of sin, by being transformed in heart and
mind (working of the Holy Spirit within us) and by putting on the new man
created to like God in true righteousness and holiness.
So, when we come to Christ Jesus, our lives are no longer
our own to do as we please, but we are now committed to pleasing our commanding
officer and to doing what he says. We must go where he says, do what he tells
us, and say whatever he commands us to say, and to whomever he instructs us to
say it to (to throw our nets where he tells us). This may get us hated,
rejected, despised, persecuted, ostracized, and booted out of many Christian
circles, because loving with agape love means loving others like Jesus loves
us, and he gave his life (reputation and literal lifeblood) for us so that we
could be free from the control and penalty of sin.
Are We?
Are we willing to give our lives to see others truly go free
from sin? In other words, are we willing to catch “fish” for Jesus by throwing
our nets wherever Jesus says to throw them? - Even if we face much opposition
and persecution in the process? Are we willing to feed Jesus’ sheep, even if it
takes time away from other things we enjoy? Will we answer “Yes” when Jesus
asks us, “Do you (agape) love me?” In other words, will we love and serve Jesus
no matter what? Or is our love for Jesus just a friendship kind of love that
might give way if we ever are called upon to do something that might affect our
reputations or what people think of us? Jesus is calling all of us to follow
him, to obey him, to feed his sheep and to throw our nets (the gospel) where he
shows us. Will we answer, “Here am I, send me!”?
He Gives Purpose
/ An Original Work / June 9, 2012
“Listen to Me when I’m
calling to you.
Obey freely My word.
Follow Me in all of My
ways.
Do all that I say.
Hear Me gently whisper
to you
My will for your life
and future.
Give all of your life
and heart to
Follow Me always.”
Repent of your sins
and worship Jesus.
He’s your Lord and
Master.
He died for your sins
so you could
Live with Him today.
He has a plan for your
life and
He gives purpose and
direction.
He gives meaning to
your life,
So follow Him today.
“I love you so much I
gave My life for
You to walk in My
ways,
Living for Me each day
as you
Bow to Me and pray.
Witness for Me of your
love for Me and
Of My grace and mercy,
How I died to save you
of your
Sins now and always.”
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