December 31, 2010

LOVE. FEED. FOLLOW.

John 21:15-25

Bobby Crotty
Friday's Devo

December 31, 2010

Friday's Devo

December 31, 2010

Central Truth

The questions Jesus asked his friend, Peter, in this passage are the ones He is asking us today. And His commands to Peter are His commands for us today—feed His sheep and follow Him.

Key Verse | John 21:16, 17

"[D]o you love me? . . . Tend My sheep. . . . Follow Me!" (John 21:16b, 17d, 19b)

John 21:15-25

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 1 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.

Footnotes

[1] 21:23 Or brothers and sisters

Dive Deeper | John 21:15-25

This devotional completes a year of reading about Jesus Christ. It is our prayer that this year has caused you to know Him better, to love Him more, to follow Him more obediently, and to tend His sheep—those people grazing right around you. So let’s do a heart check as we close the year:

• Do I love Him?
• Do my daily choices reflect that I love Him?
• Do I follow Him . . . in everything?
• Am I tending His sheep?
• How would those who best know me answer those questions for me?

What Jesus asks us to do as His followers is not complicated, but it is hard. It is free—a grace gift, but it costs us our lives. We have to do nothing but trust Him, yet we are called to give up everything that distracts us from following Him. Is it worth the cost? My prayer is that our reading through the Gospels has answered that question for you. 

The Apostle John, who walked with Christ, thought it was worth the cost. So did Peter, who endured the agony of denying Him and experienced the healing of Jesus’ gentle restoration in this passage. The result for Peter was a changed life that turned a fearful man into a lion of the faith, who ultimately gave his life for his Lord.

I have always thought that the last sentence of this Gospel is a little unusual. And I have never fully understood its meaning until writing this devotional. The first and more easily understood explanation is that the world could not contain the books that would be written because of the eternal magnitude of what Jesus has done. But I am coming to see that the world could not contain the books that would be written because He is still writing that story throughout history in the daily lives of His followers. Do you love Him? Follow Him and feed His sheep.

Grateful to have been on The Journey with you during 2010. May we continue to walk in a manner worthy of His calling in 2011 as we Journey through the Old Testament prophets.

Discussion Questions

1. Do I love Him?

2. Do my daily choices reflect that I love Him?

3. Do I follow Him . . . in everything?

4. Am I feeding His sheep?

5. How would those who best know me answer these questions for me?

FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What does Jesus ask Peter three times?

2. What does Jesus command him to do?

3. Who are His sheep? (Answer: Anyone who has trusted Jesus to forgive his/her sins is one of His sheep.)

4. Are you one of Jesus’ sheep?

5. How do you obey Jesus’ command to love His sheep?