LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE? JOHN 21 YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU.
Jesus showed Himself again at the Sea of Galilee, after these things, displaying Himself in His resurrected body to His followers and especially Thomas, who had waited 7 days to confirm his faith in his Lord, who had overcome death, the grave and satan- as he appeared to them.
Seven of the Lord’s disciples were present. Peter, hell-bent on abandoning the spiritual ministry, reverted to fishing, his previous calling. He denied His Lord three times on the night of the trial; was thunder-struck at finding the grave empty; had been stupefied in the upper room when the risen Lord demonstrated his victory over death. In spite of all, he remonstrated with the Spirit’s inner voice, doggedly following his own independent way. Peter’s leadership drove the other six simultaneously to abandon Christ.
’We’re going with you.’ Shabby obedience to Christ may be infectious. Leadership should draw to Christ- not distance from Him. Be careful, if you have such potential.
The night was disastrous, for ’They went out immediately, got into the boat; and caught nothing.’
Some of them had been professional fishermen, with intimate knowledge of the currents and movements of fish in the waters. God was at work in their lives, and he frustrated their selfish drive. The Lord had infinitely superior plans. The Lord of the universe withheld the schools of fish until the appropriate moment to reveal Himself.
Never before a night when there was no fish - now - under Peter -absolutely nothing!
A new day dawned, after the frustrating night on the ocean, the Lord of glory stood on the shore.
Despite the three and a half years under His leadership, they did not know that it was Jesus. ‘ Viscount Caldicott, former Chief Justice of U K, lists this among the proofs of the resurrection, for no fiction writer would dare insert such detail.
Now the Lord addressed them as ‘children’ which in the Greek, is ‘newly-born babes, mere infants or little children’, from which we have our term ‘paediatric ‘. ‘Kids, do you have any meat?’, the Stranger asked. Gruffly, angrily, and humiliated they responded ‘No, offering Him no explanation or excuse. Commandingly, ‘Cast your net on the right side of the ship, and you will find some.’ The risen Lord was omnipotent and omniscient. ‘They cast , and now ( under divine direction ) they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.’ John does not tell of their dumbfounding at this miracle. However, John knew the secret. He had been closest to his Lord during those 3 ½ years together: it all came together.
The air was electric when John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’
He did not wait for an invitation from the risen Lord but ‘put on his outer garment ( for he had removed it- sleeves rolled up ) and plunged into the sea.’ He yearned to fall at the feet of His Lord, having repeatedly renounced Him. The other disciples attended to a weighty haul of fish at the direction of this Stranger. They may not have heard John whisper to Peter.
What did the other disciples think as they ‘came in the little boat for they were not far from land but about 100 meters ) dragging the net with fish. ‘As soon as they came to land, they discovered a fire of coals there and the fish laid on it, and bread.’ Presuming they wondered about the source of the fish and bread, they would accept the Creator as the sponsor of this food, all of which resources are His. Our Lord generously invited them to contribute to this post-resurrection breakfast on Galilee’s shore, ’Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.’
Simon Peter acted, ’Going up and dragging the net to land, full of large fish, ’ and as a professional , citing the exact number, 153: and although there were so many, yet the net was not broken.’ The cords of the intact net spoke of unbroken fellowship, despite the strain of an unprecedented haul. How often cords of sweet fellowship in our church fellowship are raggedly torn. The presence of the risen Christ preserves from such fractures- healing where insensitive words and ill-directed blows were exchanged. Nuggets of gold in His Word.
They received a royal invitation to a breakfast on the rugged shores of Galilee. ‘Come and eat breakfast.’ ‘Now exercising His sovereign right, He came and took the bread and gave it to them, and like wise the fish. None of the disciples dared ask Him, Who are You, knowing it was the Lord? They recalled the feeding of the 4000 men, women and children and later of 5000 and of the Lord’s Supper prior to His atoning death. Of course, it is the Lord- who has gloriously conquered all the evil forces arrayed against Him. Then a resurrection statistic for ‘this was now the third time Jesus showed Himself to his disciples after He was raised from the dead‘. Ten in all; each selected and reserved for members of the living church soon to be formed at Pentecost.
Where was Peter’s priority? What did he regard most? Where is your priority? Is it your profession, your high standing, church responsibility, or provision for your wife and children? ‘When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon , son of Jonah, do you love me ( with godlike , heaven-sent, sacrificial willingness -to-die love) more than these? Peter’s independence, professionalism, his fellowship with the other fellows! Phew! He stammered back, ‘Yes, Lord ( Kurios is the Supreme Commander ) You know( for You are omniscient being God and God’s Son ) that I am fond of, I value, and esteem You highly. The Lord commissioned Him, to ’Feed My lambs.’ Tend the young sheep. Nourish the new-born ones. He was unworthy to use the exquisite language of His Lord. V15
‘He said to him the second time, ’Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me ( with God-directed love )
No comparisons this time. Peter, recalling his coarse, fiery, blaspheming denial, responded as before. I hold you in the highest esteem, as though there was nothing more. Again the command,’ Tend My sheep.’ rule over them; govern them, especially the small ones. v16
Peter was shattered, when the Lord questioned the third time, as he had denied his Lord on the trial night. ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you value and highly regard Me. Peter was too ashamed to show his deep sorrow before the Lord and cry for forgiveness. Peter explained his Lord’s vast omniscience, ’Lord, you know all things, including my fondness and my brotherly regard for you.
Again, the command, especially for the spiritual members of each church, ‘Feed My sheep’, emphasizing the Lord’s deep concern for the nurture and protection of the flock of God on the eve of forming the first Christian church: following His return to the Father in glory.
Unexpectedly, our Lord discussed Peter’s martyrdom: which presumed on his faithful following of the lord of glory. ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you were old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.’ God’s word was plain, ‘ This He spoke, signifying what death , he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, Follow me.’ Christ did not hide from Peter his inevitable crucifixion.
Peter’s major role in the Acts of the apostles was as clear to our Lord, as when we read them.
Historically, Peter’s wife was crucified before him, as he tenderly urged her to be a true martyr for her Lord. When it came to Peter‘s crucifixion, he asked to be pinioned upside down, feeling unworthy to die as his beloved Lord. Dr Chuck Swindoll gave this in a recent broadcast.
What is your response to your Lord when he asks you, do you love me more than these?’
Is it a heaven-inspired, sacrificial love leading on to death - or a casual statement of an indefinite regard for Him who gave His all for you? After 66 years with my beautiful, godly wife, I am now caring for her, trusting that my God will fill me with the all-pervading love of the Lord Jesus.