December 16, 2016
FEED MY LAMBS
John 21
Bobby Crotty
Central Truth
In Jesus' final charge to Peter in the Gospels, He commands Peter to "Feed my lambs." In John 21, Jesus models what this looks like. He fed His disciples truth, hearty food, and love. And He called His followers to feed His sheep.
Key Verse | John 21:15
He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” (John 21:15c)
John 21
Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples
1 After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards 1 21:8 Greek two hundred cubits; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters off.
9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Jesus and Peter
15 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.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved 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. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”
Jesus and the Beloved Apostle
20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers 2 21:23 Or brothers and sisters that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”
24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.
25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
Dive Deeper | John 21
As a boy, I loved to go fishing with my dad. Sometimes it was at Texas lakes and sometimes in high Colorado lakes that we reached by horseback. There is nothing tastier than trout freshly caught and cooked. When the disciples in this passage first recognize that it is Jesus calling to them from the shore, He already has a charcoal fire going and fish and bread warming on it. In this, Jesus is literally modeling the lesson He is getting ready to teach them. He is feeding them, and He asks them to bring some of the fish they have caught by following His command about where to cast their net.
Once they have finished breakfast, the teaching begins. Jesus asks Peter three questions and gives him three commands. The combination of the charcoal fire (see John 18:18) and the three questions must have triggered in Peter's mind thoughts of the night of Peter's three denials of Christ. But Peter's service to Jesus and His people was not finished by even a failure of eternally epic proportions. And our failures need not be fatal. The question for Peter turned on his willingness to make recovery by being obedient to Jesus' commands to feed and shepherd His lambs and sheep. The same questions and commands ring through the halls of history to us today. Do we love Jesus? Will we feed and shepherd His people?
Twice more in John 21 Jesus gives Peter his marching orders: "Follow me." The Christian life we are called to live is not complicated—follow Jesus, feed and shepherd His people—but it is hard. It is a life given to us as a free gift. But it costs us everything. It is a servant's life in which we find perfect freedom. We give up our wills to find that we become the people God created us to be by obeying His will. It is my most fervent prayer that my little lambs come to know and follow this same Jesus who asked His friend Peter to follow Him. And that you do, too.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you love the One who, in the Gospel of John, describes Himself as the Bread of life; the Light of the world; the Gate; the Shepherd; the Way, the Truth, and the Life; the Resurrection and the Life, and the Vine—the seven I AMs of the Gospel of John? He gives life to those who come to Him.
2. Who are your lambs, your sheep? How are you feeding them?
3. Will you follow Him . . . no matter the cost? Whatever the cost, it is momentary light affliction when compared with this life that Jesus gives. As Paul puts it: "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison . . . ." (2 Corinthians 4:17)
Thanks for being with us on The Journey in 2016. We hope it has been a year of falling more in love with our Savior and becoming more fully devoted to following Him wherever He leads. The Journey will resume on Monday, January 2, 2017! Stay tuned!