Searching His Word

Seeking His Heart

While Peter was surprised and thrilled that Jesus had risen and appeared bodily before the disciples, there must have been a tinge of guilt that he carried with him in the days following the resurrection. I imagine that he was still haunted by his bad, cursing behavior when he denied that he was a follower of Jesus. But life goes on.

The disciples leave Jerusalem and return to Galilee where it all started. Peter, John, and a few other disciples are in the fishing boat doing the thing they know best, but the fish aren’t biting. Someone from the shore yells to them, “Do you have any fish?”

“No,” they respond.

6 …”Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. John 24:6

Hmm, this seems to be a familiar scene from the day Jesus called Peter to be a “fisher of men.”

7 Then [John] said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” John 24:7

In typical Peter style, he takes off swimming to the shore to see for himself. Sure enough, Jesus is on the shore cooking breakfast. No fan fare, just stooped over a fire, cooking fish.

10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” John 24:10

Peter runs back to the boat which the others have now brought in. He climbs aboard to haul in the fish. I find it amusing that his old fishing habits kick in and he counts the fish – 153 large ones! They eat with Jesus, who acts as though it is just another morning. They don’t ask if it is him; they know it is. This is now the third time he has appeared to them. Note—third time.

After breakfast, Jesus pulls Peter aside and asks him,

15 “Simon, son of John,do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” John 21:15

What does Jesus mean when he says, “…more than these”? More than you love these men? More than these men love me? More than these boats and fish, etc.? Maybe each of the three times Jesus asked the question, he gestured in a different way or with different inflection in his voice. “Love me?” “Truly love me?” Perhaps Jesus was asking about love in the emotional sense or another time—love with the whole being, including the will.

“Feed my lambs.” “Feed my sheep.” Is Jesus asking Peter to tend young new believers (lambs)? And tend to older, mature believers (sheep)? The third time Jesus asks the question and responds, he uses a different word for “feed” which means “tend, take care of,” but it also has the meaning “lead.”  It seems that Jesus is asking Peter to be the leader of this group of disciples and future followers of “the Way.”

Three times Peter denied his Lord and now three times Jesus gives him opportunity to redeem himself. In spite of his weaknesses and mistakes, Jesus sees the potential in Peter and delegates him to be the leader.

As we move through Acts we see the Holy Spirit flowing through Peter in powerful ways. His preaching is empowered. 120 followers become 3000 new believers. A night in jail does not deter him from continuing to preach the word. Eventually it does cost him his life, but he is a good and faithful servant to the end. Praise be to God.

The Lord sees potential in you and me. What lambs does He want you to feed, tend to, care for? What passion is He ready to give you? Do you truly love Him?

Next post, I will share how this passage became real for me.

~ Joyce ~