“Do you love Me?”
Each word pierced Simon Peter’s heart as deeply as a dagger plunged repeatedly into his chest. Do. You. Love. Me.
Jesus asked the question as they walked together on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. No doubt Peter’s pace slowed, his head dropped, and his eyes briefly closed as his mind replayed the recent scene from the Temple courtyard. He saw himself standing by the fire, warming his hands in the heat generated by the dancing flames.
The servant girl’s statement echoed in his head, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” He heard his reply so loud and clear that, for a moment, he thought he’d spoken aloud, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” Then, his troubled mind replayed the accusing sound of a rooster’s crow.
Peter stopped mid-step and turned to Jesus, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
“Feed my lambs.”
They walked a few more steps in the damp sand, and then Jesus spoke again, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Once again, Peter paused, this time remembering his second denial. In his mind’s eye, he could see the servant girl pointing at him, telling others, “This man is one of them.” Peter’s denial reverberated in his head.
His heart pounding in his chest, Peter turned to Jesus, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love You.”
Jesus held Peter’s gaze as He replied, “Tend my sheep.”
Peter quickly looked away, his eyes beginning to burn with tears.
They walked only a couple more steps before Jesus stopped and turned to Peter. Ashamed and afraid to meet Jesus’ eyes, Peter studied the sand as Jesus asked for the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Even as Peter listened to Jesus ask the question, his mind replayed the final scene of the night he denied and abandoned his beloved Lord and master. He heard the accusing voices of the bystanders as they realized Peter was one of Jesus’ followers. Peter heard curses and vehement denials pour out of his own mouth. When he remembered the sound of the rooster crowing a second time, Peter’s heart broke.
Broken and fully surrendered, Peter looked into his Savior’s face, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”
At that moment, Peter knew he had been forgiven and restored. He knew Jesus was his Lord God and Savior. Jesus had reaffirmed Peter’s calling three times: “Feed my lambs.” “Tend my sheep.” “Feed my sheep.”
At the conclusion of their conversation, Jesus told Peter not to worry about anyone’s calling but his own. Jesus said, “You follow me!”
How often do you allow the failures of your past to cloud your hope for the future? Do your sins, faults, and failures loop endlessly in your mind, constantly accusing and reminding you of your failures?
Certainly, that was Peter’s case after his three-time denial of Christ. He thought his ministry was over. He was sure his calling had been recalled. He had been tested, and he had monumentally failed. He was resigned to returning to his fishing boat and nets.
But Jesus, in His love and great mercy, forgave and restored Peter. And, Jesus emphatically renewed Peter’s calling, “You, Follow Me!” (John 21:22 ESV).
In the hours before His arrest, Jesus reminded His disciples that obedience is the hallmark of godly love (John 14:15, 21).
In his letters to the churches, the Apostle John writes that we all sin and have moments of disobedience. “But when we do, we can confess our sinful disobedience, and we will be forgiven because He is faithful and just to forgive us” (I John 1:8-9).
What I find even more remarkable is the One we have offended with our disobedience – the One against whom we have sinned—Jesus Christ—He is the One who advocates on our behalf before the Father. (1 John 2:1)
All the more reason to demonstrate our love by living a life of obedience – a life in tune with the heart of God. And just as Jesus forgave Peter, restored him, and reaffirmed his calling, Jesus will do the same for you and me.
John 14:21 ESV – “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”