PETER, DO YOU LOVE ME?
When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you loveG25 Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I loveG5368 You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.”
John 21:15
Why did Jesus single out Peter from the other Apostles? Peter was the one in need of restoration. Jesus had already forgiven Peter, but Peter had not forgiven himself and needed reassurance that Jesus had forgiven him. Peter was also the Lord’s choice to lead the early church, to help them keep their focus on the Gospel—the Good News—and begin the task of spreading it all over the world. Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him more than the others. He used the term for moral, willing, choice to love regardless of feelings—agapaō. How did Peter answer Him? Peter answered that he felt brotherly love and affection—phileō—for the Lord as Jesus already knew. This kind of love was all Peter or anyone else was able to have without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which was to come a while later during the feast of Pentecost. What did Jesus mean when He told Peter to feed His lambs? Jesus let Peter know that he had the authority to carry the Gospel message as a witness, and He was counting on him to do so by the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through him to do His will, to feed His sheep—the followers of Jesus. What would feeding Jesus’ lambs consist of? Peter was to make disciples, teaching them everything Jesus had commanded all the Apostles:
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
We feed Christ’s lambs when we teach them God’s word and teach them to internalize it to be enabled to live it out (obey it) as a testimony to other people. We learned in John 13:34-35 that believers are to be known by their love—agapaō. Part of loving this way is to help other believers grow in their relationship to the Source of love, Jesus. In other words, we are to make disciples—believers who are being made into the likeness of Christ. We can only willfully choose to love people even when we do not have a brotherly or sisterly affection for them if the Holy Spirit is living in us. Love check: Are you able to choose love when someone is difficult to love, to love unconditionally? Or are you only able to show a love based on mutual affection? Ask the Lord to infuse you with His kind of love—agapaō.
Father, help us to love as You love—willingly, sacrificially, and unconditionally. May Your Holy Spirit within us lead us to love others as You have loved us.