Why don't we turn back in our Bibles this morning to John chapter 21. We're actually getting close to not only the end of this chapter, but we're getting close to the end of this beautiful book. And we've been looking here in John 21 at, as John put it there in verse 14, which is the verse we ended with last time. This is the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples. after that he was risen from the dead so obviously the lord was dealing with his disciples in some unique and special ways and and certainly what a special time that must have been for his disciples as they were able to experience uh... again after perhaps they they thought that they would never experience it again, but they experienced the fellowship of Jesus and and the friendship of Jesus anew and of course they even ate were able to eat some food that was prepared by Jesus especially for them, but even though seven just seven of the disciples were there and and and at this point we're all warm and because they were surrounding a fire of coals, we're told, earlier in this chapter, and they had eaten a breakfast that Jesus gave to them, so they were fed, and now they were dry after that long night of fishing on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had something more to say to just one of them. To just one of them. And, of course, this is probably a familiar passage to us, but he's singling out now Simon Peter. He was still struggling, I'm sure, from his recent failure when he denied that he even knew Jesus, remember? Not just one time, but three times he denied Christ. And so starting here in verse 15 of John 21, Jesus asks Peter a round of three questions. Three questions that at first all sound just about the same. And yet, with some fairly minor differences, they're actually somewhat different from each other. And of course, we'll look at some of those difference, but Jesus is trying to move Peter from his failure to greater faithfulness in God's service. And so let's read three verses today. John 21, verses 15 through 17. John basically tells us what happens next. So when, or after they had dined, we read about that in the first 14 verses, When they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, or John, as some manuscripts and translations have it, Lovest thou me more than these? He, Peter, saith unto Jesus, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith unto him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, Thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. So three questions, all directed to Peter about his love. And so the first question that Jesus asked Peter there in verse 15 deals with what we can say is a competing love, a competing love. Now, we all like competitions, right? That's one of the reasons why people pay a lot of money to go watch games and football and basketball and soccer and hockey and all of those things. We like competition. But when there's competition for love, that's usually not the competition that people like to watch. In fact, that creates a lot more problems than even these other competitions. But here, Jesus asked Peter a question that deals with a competing kind of love. And so there in verse 15, Jesus asked Simon, Son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?" Now, it's interesting because in all three of these questions that we just read that we're going to look at, Jesus addresses this disciple who is most commonly called in the Gospels, in John itself, and the rest of the New Testament, he's most commonly known as Peter, right? In fact, that's how we're going to, for the most part, describe him here. But Jesus addresses all three of these questions to Simon. son of Jonas, as I mentioned before, possibly even John. So even though Jesus is the one who earlier in this book actually gave him the name Peter, which we know means rock or stone. Here, Jesus calls him by the name he always had, by the name he was always known by before he met Jesus, Simon, the son of Jonas. It's as if Jesus wanted Peter to start thinking about his former life, when he was just Simon. And even his former relationships, when he was just the son of Jonas, or John. To get Peter thinking about the time before he had put his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as a Savior, and even started following him as one of his closest disciples. It's as if Jesus was saying to him, are you going to remain as you were, Simon? Or are you going to become who I came to make you, Peter? Who are you going to be now? after all of the time that you spent with me, after all of the things that you have done for me, even after the times that you denied me, and even after now my death and burial and resurrection, who are you going to be now, Peter?" And so there's a lot of things that Peter had to think about as Jesus asked these questions. And truly this is something that we need to consider as well when you meet with the Lord Jesus. Of course, if you've been here at any length of time, at some point you have met the Lord Jesus of this Bible. It doesn't mean that you've done with Jesus what you are meant to do with Jesus, but you certainly have met him. What are you going to do with Jesus? Who are you going to really be with Jesus? Are you going to remain your old self with your old characteristics and your old relationships? Or are you going to become the new creature that Jesus actually came to make you be? Are you going to remain a Simon or are you going to let Jesus do his work so that you become that kind of Peter or to be that new creation? And of course, we know that that is the gospel of Jesus Christ. That's why Jesus came and lived for us and why Jesus came and died for us, why Jesus came and then rose from the dead for us. It was so that he could change us from our old self to a new creation. To change us from being just a mere Simon to being a Simon Peter. to be a follower, a true follower and faithful follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so truly, the important thing is, are you letting Jesus have his way with you? To make you into who he came to make you. But for Peter, this first question is all about a love for someone who did come to Christ, who did believe in Christ, a love that is competing with a love of others. Again, lovest thou me more than these, Peter? Now, in these three verses, there are two different Greek words for love. It doesn't necessarily come out in some translations, others it does, but in this verse, Jesus asked Peter, and he uses a word that is often considered to be a higher and a stronger form of love. The word might be one that you've heard before, agape love, or agapao is the actual verb for love. But when Peter answers, not only in this verse, but in all three verses, Peter doesn't use the same word that Jesus uses here, for lovest thou me. Instead, he uses another word that is sometimes considered to be a more inferior kind of love, that is based more on feeling. That word is phileo. So you have two competing Greek words, right? You've got the agape love and you've got the phile kind of love. And we know that word or know that word for love because of the city, one of the main cities in Pennsylvania, which is known as Philadelphia, right? The city of love or the city of brotherly love. And so we're familiar with these two words. But both of these words can be and are properly translated love. there might not be much of a shade of difference between them. In fact, when you go through the Gospel of John, both words, both Greek words for love, are used for God's love for us. Not only does God have agape love for us, he also has phileo love for us. But it's also used throughout the Gospel of John for our love for God. So even God's people, God's followers, can have an agape form of love for God, as well as a phileo kind of love for God. And so the question is, well, what's the difference? There may be some difference between these two words. I've seen it expressed this way, whereas agape is the love of devotion, whereas phileo is the love of emotion, but I think that's simplifying it a little bit too much, and maybe perhaps giving more distinction than there really should be between these two words. There might be some difference between them. But for the most part, they both describe real love and real affection, real moving of the heart towards someone that you admire and have affection for. And yet, for some reason, when Jesus asked Peter, lovest thou me, and he uses one word for love, Peter just can't get himself to use the same word that Jesus does. And I think that's probably the significance there. Jesus says, do you really love me? And Peter says, well, I do love you. I just can't say that I love you the way you're asking me if I love you. And of course he answers that all three times, thou knowest that I love you. I love you in a way that might be a little different than what you're asking me, Lord. Perhaps it was because Peter knew that he could never love Jesus the way Jesus loved him. And of course, that's the case for all of us. We may want to, we may aspire to, but we know in our heart of hearts, we know our failures, we know our denials, we know our faults. And if Jesus asks us, do you really love me? Well, Lord, we do, but we certainly don't love you the way you deserve and even the way that you may desire. And this would be especially true for Peter because of that biggest failure. that is written for us in these pages, for the world to know that Peter, this rock of Jesus, denied Jesus three times. So Jesus wanted to test Peter with these questions. Simon, verse 15, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? Do you really love me, Peter? Of course, one of the big questions about this passage is, what's Jesus talking about when he says, then these? Maybe he did a sweep of the hands, or maybe he was pointing with his finger. We're not sure, but some think that Jesus is talking about the boat and the net and the fish that were all part of Simon Peter's former life. So maybe he was sweeping his hand to show the Sea of Galilee and the place where they had just come from, where all night they had labored and they hadn't caught a thing until Jesus shows up, right? And yet more than likely, I think Jesus is talking about not the former life, but even the people that were around Peter right then and right there. Those other disciples, those other six who are sitting there around that fire, just like you've probably done many, many times, and you're warming yourself, you're drying yourself. And I can imagine Jesus saying to Peter, Peter, do you love me more than these? Do you love me more than these men love me? You see, even though Peter never came right out and said, I love Jesus more than these. I love Jesus more than the other disciples. He may have certainly felt like he did. After all, think back through the life of Peter in the ministry of Christ. Remember when they were all together back in the upper room with Jesus? And Jesus was talking a little bit more about what was going to happen to him and how he would die for them and be raised again the third day. But in Matthew 26, 33, Peter, that really strong disciple, says to Jesus, Who are the other men in that room? the other disciples, including the other six that were here surrounding the fire. And maybe Peter was saying to the other disciples, look at my love for Jesus. The rest of you might be offended at Jesus, but not me. And then, of course, Jesus said, Peter, you don't know what you're saying, because in just a very short time, you'll deny me three times. But then in the Garden of Gethsemane, in John 18, we learned this a few chapters ago, who was it that took a stand for Jesus as these soldiers and these Romans were coming to arrest Jesus? It was Peter. It was Peter who took that sword and drew it and smote the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. If no one else is gonna defend and stand up for Jesus, I'm gonna do it because, in his mind, I love Jesus more than these. He may not have come right out and said it, but he certainly may have thought it and demonstrated it. But then even now, remember in chapter 21, when they had been fishing all night, and there at the Sea of Galilee, and of course it was John who recognized Jesus first, but then it was Peter who took action for Jesus first. In verse 7, we saw this earlier, after he heard that the one on the shore was the Lord, what did he do? He cast himself into the sea so that he could get to Jesus as fast as he possibly could. And so there's Peter saying, well, if they're not going to do it, I'm going to do it. I'm going to dive in to get with Jesus as fast as I can. Again, maybe not saying it out loud, but certainly showing it and maybe even thinking it. I love Jesus more than these. Maybe he felt he had a stronger and superior love for the Lord. After all, he was the one that Jesus named Peter. He was the one that Jesus named Rock. But now Jesus is questioning out loud and in front of everybody what Peter had kept secret to himself. Simon, verse 15, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? You may not have said it, Peter, but I know hearts. You may have thought it, Peter, and I know what you've been thinking. Do you love me more than these as you think you do, as you perhaps have shown that you do, even after you denied me on that cold night of the arrest and trial? That question must have cut Peter to the heart, because in his answer, he seems to remember then the feebleness of his heart. Go on verse 15. Here's the answer of Peter to Jesus. And he seems to remember the feebleness of his heart. He says to Jesus, yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He just can't get himself to use the same word that Jesus does. Now, when Peter said yea, Lord, he's not saying, yes, Lord, I do love you more than these others. No, he's not saying that. Instead, he's just answering very honestly. Yes, Lord, I do love you. And he uses that different word for love in his answer than the word that Jesus uses in his question. Peter searched his heart and he knew that even though he did love Jesus, he could not say that he loved Jesus more than anyone else, at least not now. Because he remembered. He remembered his failures. He remembered how he had denied Jesus. He had remembered how perhaps he was proud of what he would do for Jesus. But now, he could not get himself to say, I love you, Jesus, the way you are asking me, and I certainly can't say I love you more than these. He remembered that his heart for the Lord and his faith in the Lord was something feeble. It was certainly far less than what Jesus deserved. And isn't that the case for all believers? Isn't that your case today? We know that Jesus deserves our love. He deserves all of our heart. And yet we know that our love and our heart still are feeble, aren't they? Because we're still falling. We remember those times in our past that we have failed him over and over again. We have sinned against him over and over again. And so when Jesus asks us in our heart, do you love me? You say, well, I do love you, but I can't even get myself to say that I love you the way you deserve, the way you desire, the way you love me. But you do know that I love you, Lord. How does Jesus respond? He doesn't respond to Peter with criticism. He responds to Peter with kindness, doesn't he? He accepts Peter's admission of love such as it was. Peter, I know that you can't love me and don't love me the way that I deserve to be loved, the way I desire for you to love me. I know that. I know your heart. I know that you're a flesh. But he accepted Peter's love such as it was. And then he offers Peter a way to show that love to him, even through a caring ministry to his people. And that's why Jesus then says there in verse 15 to Peter, feed my lambs. The connection seems pretty close. Lord, or Peter, if you love me as you say you do, even if it's a feeble love, then show me that love, reveal that love, demonstrate that love by feeding my lambs. You see, Jesus knew all about Peter's love for him. even a love that was somewhat feeble and weak. And again, we might sing later on here, more love to thee, Lord, more love to thee. We wanna have greater love for you, but Jesus knows the kind of love that you have for him. and the kind of heart that you have for him, feeble and weak as it is. But then Jesus gives Peter and us this privilege, this high opportunity to show our love through service. Whatever love we have, if it's based on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior from sin, whatever love we have, he gives us the privilege and opportunity to demonstrate that love, not just in service for him, but in service for his lands, we're told. Of course, earlier in Jesus' ministry, Jesus described how He was the good shepherd. What a good, gracious, kind, compassionate shepherd Jesus is. And those who followed Him, and those who would follow Him, even those that were not of the fold of the Jewish people, they were part of His sheep. They were His lambs. And now Jesus is telling Peter, if you love me, Peter, even as you say you love me, even though it may not be the strongest kind of love, you can still show your love such as it is by serving my sheep. Serve my lands. And in your position, Peter, which you will have, and in your role and with your gifts, feed my lambs. Do to them what I've done for you. Give them to eat what I've given to you. Feed them as Jesus fed them. Care for them as Jesus cared for them, because that is what love for Jesus entails. Love for Jesus entails not only thoughts, not only words, but it involves actions. It's not just how you feel about Jesus. You know, there's a lot of people that say, I love Jesus, and they describe it as just a warm, fluttery feeling. But Jesus doesn't just want your words, nor is it just what you say about Jesus. You know, we're going to sing again about more love. And how many other songs are there? Even as little children, we sing songs about, oh, how I love Jesus. And that might be all good and well, like Peter says it here, but what is it that Jesus wants is a demonstration, an evidence, a proof of that love. It's not what you feel about Him. It's not what you say about Him. It's even demonstrated in what you do for Jesus and for His flock. His flock, His people, His church, His lambs, even those who might be young and weak in their relationship with their shepherd. How do we show our love for the Lord? By serving His flock. That's what he's telling Peter. And that's certainly what he's telling us as well. It doesn't mean that we have to be like Peter. It doesn't mean like we have to be a pastor or an elder or a deacon, but in whatever gift or whatever position or whatever role or whatever opportunity that God has given to you, where you are, where you're able to serve, this is how you show your love for the Lord. It may be feeble, it may be weak, but whatever love you have, he'll accept. And he says, show it. Because as you show it, guess what happens? You grow it. That love will grow the more it's shown, and especially as you tend to those who are the weakest among them, the little lambs, you know, the little ones that are even able to be held in the arms of a shepherd. He says, feed my lambs. But then, without giving Peter a second chance, or a chance to respond, Jesus asks a second question, right? And this time it deals not with a competing love, but now with a committed love. Okay, Peter, I've got you to think about it, and yes, you're gonna say that, Lord, I can't say that I love you more than anyone else, because I know the weakness of my love. But now, What about a committed love, Peter? We find this question in the next verse, verse 16. Jesus, he saith to him, Peter, Simon, again, the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? So once again, Jesus addresses Peter the old way. And once again, Jesus asks Peter about his love using the same word that he did before. But this time, Jesus doesn't ask Peter to compare his love with others. Instead, he simply asked Peter, do you then love me? not in comparison to others, but do you love me personally? Now, it may have been that Peter was only following Jesus because of the blessing and benefits that he experienced from following him. We saw that example throughout the book of John, how there were people, oh, Jesus did a miracle, we're gonna go follow him, we're gonna see what he's doing, we're gonna listen to what he has to say, because he does these miracles. You know, there was 5,000, then there were 4,000 that Jesus fed and they said, hey, we've gotta follow this guy because he's gonna meet all our physical needs. We got some benefit out of this, and so we're gonna follow after him. And of course, that morning, Peter and all the other disciples, they experienced the blessing and the benefits of Jesus's presence with them, of his power to give them fish and the provision that they were fed by. How many people still follow Jesus because of how they think it might benefit them? Come to Jesus and all of your problems will be over. Just come to Jesus and you'll be happy no matter what the circumstances you are. And people are like, oh, that sounds like a great message. So I'm gonna follow Jesus for that reason, for the benefits and the blessings that he offers. And yet Jesus asked Peter, lovest thou me? Do you love me personally? Not just because of what I provided for you, not just because you can have peace when I'm present with you, but do you love me? Do you love me? I think if my wife asked me that question before she was my wife and we were dating and we were thinking about getting married and all those things, I'm not sure I would be married if she asked, Steve, do you love me? And I said, oh, I love being with you. But that's not what I asked you. I asked, do you love me? Oh, I love how you make me feel being with you. But that's not what I asked you. I asked, do you love me? And if I would have hemmed and hawed around it, instead of saying, I love you personally, not for what I get out of it, but I love you because of who you are. If I didn't say it that way, I probably wouldn't be married. But guess what? Jesus is asking Peter about his love, because that's what Jesus is after. to everyone who believes in him. And of course, we saw back in chapter 20, that's the purpose of John. These are written, verse 31, these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, but it's not just stopping with faith. It's not just stopping with belief. He wants that belief to blossom into love, to greater love, to growing love, to showing love. And he says, love me. He wants you to love him because he first loved you. So once again, this caused Peter to search his heart. Is it about what Jesus gives me or is it about Jesus himself? Do I really love him personally? And through his answer, I think he also further reveals the fragility of his heart. His heart was fragile. His heart was fragile. In verse 16, he answers again, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. Here, Peter answers, not just in an honest way, but also in a very humble way, a very humble way. He answers Jesus the same way that he did before, as his own Lord. Now, of course, throughout John, Lord sometimes is just a word that is used for master, all right? But this, remember, is after Jesus's death, after Jesus's burial, after Jesus's resurrection, and so I think Peter is calling Jesus Lord in the full sense of Lord. In the same way that Thomas, when Jesus showed himself after he had risen from the dead, and he said, Thomas, go ahead and look at me. Go ahead and put your hands on me. Go ahead and put your finger in the prints of my hands and my feet and even in my side. And what does Thomas do? He bows before him. He falls before him. He says, My Lord and my God, my Lord and my God. Peter says here in a very humble way, Lord, You're my master. You're my God. I'm going to submit myself to you. And the truth is, Lord, I just can't get myself to say that I love you using the same word that you asked me. Do I love you? Because I know that my love is not only feeble and weak, it's also very fragile. It's prone to wonder how many times does our love for the Lord get divided and get distracted by other things in this world? Little idols that creep up into our lives or maybe idols of the past. And we start thinking more about them instead of the Lord. We start serving and living for those things instead of the Lord. We need to be honest and humble and say, Lord. I just still struggle with my love for you. I do love you. That's what Peter says. I do love you, Lord. He just knew that he did not love Jesus the way that Jesus loved him. He did not love Jesus the way that Jesus deserved. He did not love Jesus the way that Jesus even desired. His love was still apprehensive and even uncertain. And isn't this the way love is between people that are recently married? You know, they're newlyweds and they have this love, but I think it's still a little tenuous. It's still a little uncertain, especially if they haven't been together very long, and they think, wow, how can this person love me, and how could I really love that person? I mean, I think about my past, I think about my present, I think about all of these others vying for my attention, and yes, I do love you, but I wish I could love you more. I wish I could love you the way that you deserve. I wish I could love you in the way that Christ loves you. And so we struggle with that, as Peter struggles with it. But once again, how does Jesus respond? Once again, not with criticism of Peter's feeble and fragile love, but rather with kindness. Jesus accepts once again, Peter's admission of his love, such as it was. Even if it was just a small seed of love that sprang from his faith in Christ, he knew that that love could grow. and blossom and be the kind of love that Jesus wanted it to be. And so once again, Jesus offers him a way to strengthen that love, to show that love and to strengthen love. And that is even through a comprehensive ministry, not just a caring ministry, but a comprehensive ministry. Jesus says to Peter again there in verse 16, then feed my sheep. Again, the connection is the same. Peter, if you say that you love me, even if it's a weak love, even if it's a feeble love, even if it's a fragile love, then feed my sheep. Now, the interesting thing is that, once again, different words are used. Different words are used here in verse 16 than the ones that are there in verse 15, even though the basic meaning is the same. Feed my lambs, feed my sheep. The word for feed is different and the word for lamb and sheep is different as well. The word for feed here has a much broader idea of more than just feeding. I mean, if you wanna be a shepherd, I guess the basics is make sure they have grass and water. I mean, I'm no shepherd, but I think that's pretty much what they need to live and survive, right? But that's not what he's saying here. He's actually using the word for shepherd. Don't just feed him. Shepherd. tend to them, care for them. It's about shepherding and tending to that flock in so many other ways as well. And also the word for sheep here is different than the word for lambs in verse 15. Maybe this is to show that whether a member of the flock is young or old, or a member of the flock is growing or fully mature, Jesus wants Peter to serve and administer to them all using the gifts that he had been given by the Lord. And so even though Peter knew that his own heart and love for the Lord was still feeble and still fragile, the Lord still called on Peter to show his love for him through service. By love, serve my flock. And this would give Peter a chance to grow himself even as he guided others for the Lord. Do you want to grow in your love for the Lord? Then serve his flock. because as you serve his flock with whatever gift God has given you, guess what's going to happen? You're going to have a shepherding heart for that person and for God. You're going to learn what love really is. And so this is what he needed to serve. He needed to serve as Jesus did, the good shepherd. In John 10, verse 11, Jesus says, I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. And Jesus says, you've got to have the same character that I have. shepherd my sheep, shepherd my flock, and use the same character, have the same character. Remember, it's my flock, they're my lambs, they're my sheep, not yours, they're mine, they're still mine, but I'm giving you the opportunity, I'm giving you the privilege, I'm giving you the responsibility to go out and to tend to them with the same character, also with the same compassion as Jesus. In Matthew 9, 36, Remember, Jesus said that, or it says that when Jesus saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them because they fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd. Now, obviously, Peter is going to be an apostle. Peter is going to be an elder. Peter is going to be a pastor of the flock. But that's the role that God gave him. Those are the gifts that God gave him. But God has given gifts to all of his flock, all of his church, all of his members, to be able to exercise, as Jesus exercised his shepherding, with the same character, with the same compassion, and especially with the same counsel. How does Jesus feed us? through his word, through the word of God, through the very counsel. In fact, Paul even used the imagery of being a shepherding and said, I did not neglect to share unto you the whole counsel of God, the whole word of God. And that's one of the ways that you, no matter what gift God has given you, can show your love for Jesus by shepherding his flock, by sharing the word of God with each other. Maybe that's through a text, or an email, or a letter, or maybe it's just coming alongside and saying, this is what God has taught me this week, or this morning, or whatever, to encourage, and to develop, and to share, and to tend with each other. Yes, Peter has some great gifts, but God has given all of his people great gifts in his church. Because that is what love entails. Again, it's not just how you feel about Jesus. It's not just what you say about Jesus. It's not even what you're going to sing about Jesus here shortly. It's what you do for Jesus and his flock that reveals that love. Galatians 5.13, Paul says, By love serve one another. And it's not just out of love for each other. It's primarily out of love for the Lord. But then once again, Peter's thinking, all right? Peter might have been known as a man of action, but I think he was also a man of thinking, of deep thoughts. Jesus has been asking him, does he love him, twice, and now he's probably starting to think, well, I've said that I love him twice. Maybe I don't love him as I think I love him. I mean, if someone were to ask me, it would be probably me thinking, well, maybe there's a reason why he's questioning my love. He's probably thinking, who is sufficient for these things? But then Jesus asks that third question, which then deals with a candid love. He really wants Peter to assess his love for the Lord, a candid love. It's not just competing with others. It's not just one that is dealing with Everything else that we find in these verses, but is it true? Is it honest? Is it right? We find this there in verse 17. Jesus again says to Peter that third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Now again, Jesus continues to use Peter's old name and identity. We saw that this time, though, Jesus uses the same word for love that Peter's been using. Remember, Jesus asked Peter, do you love me using this word? And Peter says, I can't get myself to say that. He uses a different word. Second time, Jesus says, do you love me using this word? And then Peter says, I can't get myself to say that I love you using that word. Then Jesus now says, well, using the same word that you use for love, do you really love me the way you say you do? Do you really love me the way you say you do? It's as if Jesus is saying, though you can't get yourself to say you love me in the same way I'm asking you, do you even really love me the same way you say you do? That seems to have shaken Peter to his core. So much so that John tells us that he, Peter, was grieved. That is, he was hurt. He was upset by Jesus' question this third time, and the sting might have been so great, because Jesus's three questions started to match the three times that Peter even denied Jesus. And of course, his mind is probably thinking back to, how can I say I even love him in any way if I denied him? Maybe Jesus has questioned me not to get me back into service, but to say I'm not qualified for service. Maybe I should go back to fishing anyways. And so likely with some passion and in a strong, heartfelt way, Peter reveals the very fervency of his heart and the very true fervency of his love. He answers Jesus yet again, Lord, you know all things. And you know that I love you. You know that I love you. Now, since Peter knew that his own heart for the Lord was both feeble and fragile, he also knew that he could only appeal to the knowledge of the Lord about his love. Maybe Jesus knew something that Peter didn't know about his heart. And obviously, Jesus does know a lot about our hearts than we know. But at this point, as one writer says, Peter did not dare to appeal to anything within himself. He doesn't say, Lord, I know I love you. He says, Lord, you know I love you. Because that's the basis. the Lord alone. And this is right where Jesus wanted Peter to be. And so with that first question there in verse 15, Jesus sought to strengthen Peter's feeble and weak love and heart. With his second question in verse 16, Jesus wanted to stabilize Peter's fragile love for him. But with this question, this third question in verse 17, Jesus is stirring up Peter's love to a greater fervency. Jesus knows how to get us to grow in love and in service for him. He knows what we need, and he knows that Peter needed this prodding, this constant poke, this constant question to get under his skin so that he can say, Lord, you know I love you, and my love really is a fervent love for you. And so the Lord says, Peter, if you really have this fervent yet feeble and fragile love, then do this for me. I want you to have a compelling ministry with my flock." A compelling ministry. This time, Jesus actually combines the words that he used in verse 15 and in 16 and says, feed my sheep. It's interesting how all the words shift and change, yet the meaning doesn't. Do you remember back in chapter 14, verse 15, Jesus said to his disciples, all of his disciples, if you love me, keep my commandments. Three times Jesus gave Peter a command, feed my sheep, feed my lambs, feed my sheep. Here, Jesus calls on and commands Peter to show his love, don't just feel it, don't just say it, but do it, show it through his service to his flock. And so, with the same fervency, and to do so with the same fervency he showed in his reply." Now, even though these verses are dealing with Peter in a very direct and personal way, we know from Scripture that they are written for admonition. It's not just about Peter, it's about us. It's about us, it's about His people. The same questions that Jesus posed to Peter are posed to you this morning. Lovest thou me? And they're posed to you by Jesus for the exact same reasons. Do you love me? Do you love me? Jesus asks, do you love me? You know, it's one thing to say that you have faith in the Lord Jesus, which is the purpose of the entire Gospel of John, but has that faith grown into greater love? Do you love Him? And even if your love seems feeble, like Peter's was, because of your past failures, your past sins, even your present failures, your present sins, Jesus calls on you to show what love you have, such as it is, by keeping His commandments, by obeying His Word, by doing what He says, So again, Jesus asks you like he asked Peter the second time. Lovest thou me? Lovest thou me? It's one thing to say that you're following the Lord Jesus, but do you love him? And even if your love is somewhat fragile, like Peter's was, even if you notice in your own heart you are prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love, yet Jesus still calls on you to show your love such as it is by answering his call to be a part of his flock and to serve his flock. by love serve one another. And so Jesus asks you again the third time, lovest thou me? Even if you can't say that you love the Lord the way He deserves, the way He desires, do you love Him in some way? Can you say that you love Him in some extent? Then let these questions, let the reasons for these questions stir up your love for Him with a greater and growing fervency. And how can you express it? You know, sometimes there have to be outlets for things, right? God has given spiritual outlets for his people to be able to demonstrate their love and devotion for the Lord. One of those ways is through singing. One of those ways is through giving. Another one of those ways is through serving. Serving. You've got to have an outlet for your love for the Lord, and this is one of those ways. Let these questions stir up your love for him to use that outlet that Jesus himself has given you to use whatever gift he's given you, whatever role he's placed you in, to serve his people in love. Don't just say that you love him. Show it and serve his flock for him in a caring, comprehensive, and compelling way. Lovest thou me? Let's close in prayer. Father, I thank you that you have spoken to us even as you spoke to Peter some 2,000 years ago. These words, these questions are still relevant and effective and powerful. Yet, Lord, we're so much like Peter. We look back on our past, we look at our failures, we look at our sins, we look at how we have failed you in so many ways, and so many times still do. And yet we still say, Lord, I love you. My heart and love for you is so feeble, so fragile, but Lord, what love I do have for you is fervent. Oh Lord, I pray that you'll grow our fervency for you and grow our love for you so much so that we will demonstrate it. Lord, we can't do anything but to vent that love. We're gonna explode because of that love unless we follow after your word and serve. Feed your sheep in whatever capacity, whatever role, whatever gifts that you've given to us to help foster the sheep that you've placed within the care of this fold. Oh, Father, help us to be that kind of under-shepherd. Help us, Lord, to be that kind of servant. Help us, Lord, to display that kind of love. Thank you, Lord, that you knew Peter inside and out, and you knew exactly what he needed to be restored to faithful, fervent service for you out of love. Now, Father, I pray that you'll do the same for us. We ask these things in Jesus precious name. Amen.