Feed My Sheep

What do you do, when everything you’ve put your hands to, comes crashing to an end? 

 

What is left, when you’ve done all that you can, but it wasn’t good enough? 

 

Have you ever been there? 

 

Have you ever had that moment, where everything you’ve known, fails to make sense? 

 

 

 

It was a long night. 

 

The disciples were out on the water, fishing. 

 

It’s what they new best. And if what they were doing, when Jesus was around, was no longer what they were called to, then why not fish. 

 

But wouldn’t you know it. Just like everything else in their life, it was an unsuccessful night! They caught NOTHING!

 

Peter probably slumped over the boat, feeling like a failure. After all, the night before Jesus was put to death, He denied Jesus three times. One of those times, he even cursed his name to a servant girl. In his time with Jesus, he had doubted him while walking on water, was told to Get behind Jesus as Satan, And he caped it off by denying him in his last moments. 

 

Peter - felt like a failure. . . 

 

But then, as the sun illuminated the edge of the beach, Peter saw a man calling out to them. Once he realized it was Jesus, He stood up, grabbed his outer cloak, and jumped into the water. Perhaps he expected to be able to walk on water again. Or maybe, he was just so hurt, that he was longing for a moment to seek a second chance. 

 

After eating, Jesus pulled Peter to the side. 

 

In this moment, we hear one of the most famous conversations. 

 

Jesus asks Peter 3 different times, Do you love me? After Peter’s response, each time, Jesus says, then feed my sheep. 

 

Now there is a lot of study on the words in this exchange between Jesus and Peter. While Jesus refers to an Agape - unconditional love, and Peter responds in a Phileo brotherly love, there is something even bigger happening here. 

 

Jesus hoped to help Peter understand God’s unconditional love. Yet each time Jesus asks this, and Peter responds with a yes, there is a common command that follows. Then feed my sheep, or take care of my lambs. 

 

Do you know what Jesus was really showing him? 

 

That Peter’s purpose was not discarded because of his past.  .  . 

 

After the first question of Peters love, Jesus reassigns him purpose. Feed my lambs. 

 

And then two more times, Jesus reassures his purpose. 

 

You see, this wasn’t about Peter being forgiven for denying Jesus, It wasn’t an attempt to get Peter to feel better about what had happened. 

 

this was an invitation for Peter to be part of what Jesus was doing.