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When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”
(John 21:15-17, NRSVue)
Dear Church Hill Faith Family,
This conversation between the Risen Lord and Peter is a reminder to us that if our love for Jesus is genuine, it will be manifested in our actions. This Scripture also reminds us that even when we fail to love others as Jesus loves us, the Lord stands ready to freely forgive us and to empower us to make a new start. Peter bragged that though everyone else may desert Jesus, he never would. But when push came to shove, he denied three times even knowing Jesus. When the moment of decision arrived, Peter chose self-preservation over faithfulness to Christ. Each of us do the same, in big ways and small, constantly. Jesus asks Peter three times “do you love me?” with Peter each time affirming that he does. The Risen Lord tells Peter three times that love for Jesus is shown through unconditional, sacrificial love for other people. To love Jesus is to feed/tend his sheep/lambs. In this moment, Peter may well have remembered how Jesus had told his disciples in the Upper Room: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).
It is never too late to make a new start! As people of faith, as believers in the resurrection, “let us love not in word or speech but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).
In Christ’s love,
Pastor Nicholas
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