Fourth Sunday of Eastertide | Day Twenty-two of the Great Fifty

After Jesus cooks breakfast on the shore of Lake Galilee for seven of the apostles during His third resurrection appearance, He pulls Peter aside to have a chat with him.  John 21:15-19 is both agonizing and tender at the same moment.

Jesus asks Peter the same question three times:  “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” (v. 15a).  There is a slight variation in the second and third queries:  “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” (vv. 16a, 17a).  Peter responds in the affirmative by telling Jesus he does “love” (vv. 15b, 16b, 17b) Him.  After Peter’s response, Jesus instructs him to “feed my lambs” (v. 15c), “take care of my sheep” (v. 16c), and “feed my sheep” (v. 17c).

Most are aware that Jesus uses the word agape in the first two questions, while Peter answers all three with the word philias.  Both are translated “love,” but each has a different meaning.  Agape is the unconditional, lay-down-your-life love that is embodied in the person of Christ.  This is the love with which God loves humanity.  Philias is brotherly/sisterly friendship kind of love.  But the third time Jesus doesn’t use agape; instead, He uses philias.

Does Peter do himself and all believers a favor by answering Jesus the way he does?  Is Peter saying, “Lord I love you, but at this moment my love can’t compare to your love.  You know how human I am.  I have flaws.  I am weak.  I have growth areas.  I have a propensity to ‘deny’ sometimes.  I want to love you with agape but I’m just not there yet.  So for now it is just philias.”   Because of my own failures I’m not sure I’m there either.  What about you?

It is in the third asking that the grace and mercy of Christ is evident.  He meets Peter where he is by using philias and Peter affirms, for the third time, that he does love (philias) Jesus.  Peter is hurt, though, because Jesus asked three times and he knows the symbolism in recalling his thrice denial of Christ before the rooster squawked.  He is hurt, but also gets the point.

After something horrible happens to us as a result of the sinful actions of another or after we do the horrible deed that hurts another, the tendency is to blow it off with language like “forgive and forget” or “just move on” as if nothing terrible happened.  That doesn’t seem to be what Jesus is doing here.  Perhaps Jesus wants Peter to know that what he did was terrible.  Jesus did not forget Peter’s disowning Him; but Jesus did forgive Him.  It is hard to forget when somebody else does something terrible to you.  Maybe we are not supposed to forget.  But we are supposed to forgive.  Is it possible that Peter’s acknowledgement is sort of a confession of his sin of denying three times and a declaration of repentance?  It is something to consider.

As a result of Peter’s admission of loving Him (even though it isn’t agape) and Christ’s forgiveness, Jesus commands Peter three times to minister to the sheep.  Jesus is telling Peter, “Look.  Even though what you did to Me was bad, I still want you to serve Me by taking care of My church.”

Whatever “bad” thing you may have done to someone, you can be forgiven.  And you can forgive someone for whatever “bad” thing was done to you.  The action may not be forgotten, but forgiveness is always available.  And because of Christ’s forgiveness none is disqualified from service.

Love Christ – even if it is only a philias kind of love.  Hopefully your devotion to Him will turn into agape.  And if by chance Christ reminds you of some past sin, you can get past it because of His agape love for you.  And it is agape that allows you to continue to serve Him by caring for His church.

“Feed My Sheep” is sung by Patrick Riley, who also wrote and arranged it.  It is three minutes fifty-one seconds.

I’ll continue with the second of four sermons this morning at Garden Lakes Baptist Church in Rome, GA under the theme How to Be a Local Gospel Church.  This series is based on 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28.  Today’s word, “Caring for One Another,” is based on verses 14 and 15.  Two worship gatherings are provided – 8:45 a.m. in The Chapel and 11:00 a.m. in The Sanctuary.  Sunday School for all ages at 9:45 a.m.