Do you love me?

Anyone who has ever heard me speak a few times knows that my favorite Apostle is Peter. Peter is just so incredibly real. His passion is almost infectious and he is fearless when living in his faith. His highs are high...but his lows are also low. Probably a lot like us. When Jesus walked on water, Peter is the one who wants to walk out and meet him. While we often focus on the fact that Peter started to sink, we shouldn't minimize the fact that he was the one with enough faith to take that step out of the boat.

After Easter, I often spend a few weeks not knowing what to preach on. The "expected" sermons of the past few weeks are over and I have a little more freedom to choose topics. But, as I studied for my Easter message, I couldn't get Peter's denial out of my mind. So, I decided to spend this week studying my favorite Apostle.

The text that I'm going to start with is John 21:15-17, where Peter sees the Resurrected Christ and is infamously asked if he loved Jesus.

15 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.”

16 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.”

17 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.

There are layers to this story that I want to look at individually. Before we do that, we need to spend some time putting the situation into context. To do that, we're going to look at a few other corresponding passages. The first is in Luke Chapter 5. The reason that we go to Luke is because each of the Apostles who penned the Gospels wrote from a different point of view, having a different purpose for writing. So, while the gospels are harmonious, each provides differing levels of detail on different topics. Luke's account of the calling of the twelve has the most detail of Peter's calling.

5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a] the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

5 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.”

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Here, we see Peter at his natural best. Jesus asks him to do something that seems like an arbitrary request. Despite the oddity of the request and despite the fact that he had to be tired and perhaps frustrated by a long night of fruitless work, he obeys. Peter sees the miracle and instantly humbles himself, recognizing God's power in what has just happened. Jesus then looks at him and says that his new profession will be fishing for men. Without a thought, Peter follows.

I want us to compare this with the passage immediately preceding our text for today.

21 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.[a] It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus[b]), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

6 He said, “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.

7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.

In this passage, we see the aftermath of Jesus' trial, death, burial, and somewhat conflicting reports of His resurrection.

Peter, and the rest of the Disciples have absolutely no idea what to do in the aftermath of this devastation. So, they do what so many of us do...they return to their former life and former ways. Jesus, quite dramatically, reminds them of the miracle that He performed that convinced them to follow Him in the first place, three years earlier.

The reason I spend so much time setting the context, is because it is critical for us to understand what Jesus is asking when he speaks to Peter in verse 15 of our text. When he asks Peter if he loves (Him) more than these, he's talking about the fish...the fishing...the former life that Peter lived. He's asking, 'do you love me enough to give up everything that you have known?' While Peter appeared to have done this three years ago, at the first 'miracle of the fishes,' he had not completely surrendered, as we see today. When things got rough, he denied Christ three times and then went back to his former life.

So, as Christ begins to speak to him, these thoughts have to be weighing on his mind...does He still love me? I've failed Him, can He still forgive me? Will He ever trust me again? The exact same thoughts that many of us have had after times of failure.

Our failures, our denials, our returns to former ways are not unique to us. Peter, one of the greatest leaders of all times shared the same fears.

Now, I don't tout the Greek very often. I believe that the Holy Spirit is real and part of His ministry is helping us to interpret God's Word. Still, I find that the Greek in this passage gives us a special understanding...a deeper meaning than meets the eye. The passage is powerful and full of meaning without knowing the Greek. The Greek simply sharpens it a bit.

The passage uses two different Greek words for 'love,' two different Greek words for 'know' and two different Greek words for 'sheep/lambs.'

So, as we dig in, I'm going to substitute in a deeper meaning for each word by paraphrasing:

Jesus says, 'Peter, do you have an unselfish and giving love for me that is greater than your love for these fish?"

Peter responds, 'you have experienced that I have a great affection for you.'

Peter's answer was truthful, but lacking. Just like us, sometimes.

Jesus gives him a command, 'then take care of those who can't take care of themselves.'

So, Jesus asks again, dropping the comparison, "Peter, do you have a completely unselfish and giving love for me?"

Peter answers the same, 'you have experienced my affection for you.

Jesus gives another command, 'take care of my followers.'

For the third time, Jesus asks, but changes the Greek word. He basically says, 'Do you at least have some affection for me?"

This is what breaks Peter's heart. Do you love me? I like you. Do you love me? I like you. Do you, at least, really like me?

Peter changes the word 'know' in his response and says, 'you're all-knowing. You know my heart.'

Jesus responds again with, 'take care of my followers.'

I believe two things are in this passage. First, that Jesus is clarifying that Peter is willing and able to Pastor the first church, despite his failures. Secondly, I believe that He asked Peter three times because Peter denied Him three times. This is a reminder to us that, no matter how far away from God we stray, He is there to love and forgive us every time. EVERY SINGLE TIME.

How encouraging it is to me to be reminded that God knows my heart...even when it's a mess...and loves me anyway. God knows my failures...and loves me anyway. God sees our denials...and loves us anyway.

And His love doesn't just mean that He forgives us, it means that He still desires our fellowship and wants to use us in this world!!

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