FEED MY LAMBS
John 21:1-25
Key Verse 21:15
“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
Good morning. Today is the last Sunday of 2012. We are very thankful to the Lord who has been with us this year with his unconditional love for us. Although today’s message is the last Sunday message this message is given for the direction of the new year. The title of message is ‘feed my lambs’. Can we read together. Let’s pray.
My major in college is business. I studied hard for 4 years to graduate. After 4 years of study I realized what I learned the most. It is the importance of having ‘goal’. So in business it is called ‘mission statement’ or ‘vision’ or ‘core value’. Does everyone know that businesses have mission statements? When I first heard ‘a mission statement’ in Korea I was a little bit puzzled because I thought ‘mission’ statement is only related to ‘missionaries’. But how come ‘businesses’ which have nothing to do with missionaries have mission statements? That was my thought. But they do. For example, this is ‘Apple’ company’s mission statement. “Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings.” What about Google? Here it is! “Google’s mission is to organize the world‘s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” What about Amazon? Here is Amazon’s mission statement. “Amazon’s vision is to be earth’s most customer centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.” Now if such companies who want to make money have mission statement how about us? Shouldn’t we have more? Yes. Now in today’s passage Jesus gave a clear mission statement to Simon Peter – to feed his sheep. And the wonderful thing is that Jesus not only gave him a mission statement but also he helped Simon Peter to feed his sheep. So we want to know how did Jesus help Simon Peter to feed his sheep? This is the question we want to think about it today, and today’s passage gives us the answer.
Part I. Come and have breakfast (v.1-14)
Look at verses 1-3 “Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: [2] Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. [3] "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.” The word ‘afterward’ means ‘after Jesus appeared twice to his disciples. According to John’s gospel Jesus appeared to his disciples first when Thomas was not present. Then he appeared again when Thomas was not present. Then Jesus appeared again when Thomas was present. Now in today’s passage Jesus appeared again to his disciples. It was the third time.
7 of Jesus’ disciples were together in Galilee which was called ‘the Sea of Tiberius’. Obviously they were not there to wait for Jesus. They did not believe in Jesus’ resurrection. Since they did not believe Jesus was living they lost direction of life. So Simon Peter might have thought, “Well, I just go out for fishing and make some money.” The other disciples did not know what to do and had nothing to do. So they wanted to join in Simon Peter. But that night they caught nothing. It was very hard for past professional fishermen to catch nothing. It is a great miracle for them not to catch anything. What was Jesus doing at that time?
Look at verse 4-6. “[4] Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. [5] He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" "No," they answered. [6] He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.”
Somehow they listened to the advice of a stranger probably because they would not lose anything by throwing their net by the right side of their boat and it was not too hard to do so. So they just tried it. Then a miracle happened. They were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. They could see those fish on the net.
Tnen “[7] Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" How could he know? Because Jesus did the same thing when he fist met Simon Peter and him recorded in Luke chapter 5.
Luke 5:4-6
“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." [5] Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." [6] When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.”
It was the similar situation. They caught nothing. Simon Peter, James, and John were involved. So John, the apostle whom Jesus loved, could say ‘It is the Lord.’ Verses 7b and 9 reads, “As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. [8] The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.” “[9] When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.”
Simon Peter wanted to go to Jesus faster than the boat. So he wrapped his outer garment around him and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed Peter in the boat towing the net full of fish.
When they landed they saw a fire. Then they felt warm. When they saw bread and fish they felt they were living again. Their appetite was restored. Their hunger and tiredness was gone. The fire of burning coals was like the symbol of Jesus’ burning love for them.
Let’s read verses 10-14 “Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught." [11] Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. [12] Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. [13] Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. [14] This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.” When they landed Jesus asked them to bring some of the fish they had just caught. They were happy because they could participate in breakfast preparation. Jesus did it to ease their embarrassment. Simon Peter caught it as a chance to do something for Jesus. So he was the one who claimed aboard and dragged the net ashore. They checked it out and the net was full of large fish,153 and even with so many the net was not torn. In that situation somebody must have counted the fish. Who did? We don’t know. But one thing is for sure. John the apostle knew the number. Sp there is possibility he counted the fish. Why was he counted if he counted? He was probably curious how much fish would obey Jesus’ silent command. 153, if we assume one fish is about 2 pounds it would weigh more than 200 pounds. And the net was not torn. Then Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you? Why are you inviting us?” They knew it was the Lord. How did they know it was the Lord? Because of Jesus’ love. This is how Jesus treated his disciples all the time. Jesus’ love described in this scene is Jesus’ signature. So they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. He did all the time. When he saw two disciples going down to Emmaus he did the same thing even though he was a guest. Even though he was in their house he took bread and gave it to them acting like he is the owner. When he fed 5,000 people or 4,000 people he did the same thing. So they knew it was the Lord. And it was the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Why did he die? He died to pay all of men’s sins, the price of all of men’s. He died to pay the price of all of disciples’ fear, anxiety and unbelief. Jesus accepted them just as they were and helped them to catch a large number of fish. Jesus appeared to his disciples 3 times. It shows that he was ready and willing to appear more if necessary to help his disciples to believe he is the living God instead of demanding them to believe him.
Part II. “Do you truly love me more than these?” (v.15-25)
Let’s read verses 15-17. “[15] When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." [16] Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep." [17] The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.”
Three times Jesus asked Simon Peter. “Simon, son of John do you truly love me more than these?” “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me?” “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” The first question was “"Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" But Jesus’ second question was “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” Jesus dropped the phrase “more than these”. Jesus third question was ‘"Simon son of John, do you love me?" The word ‘truly’ was dropped from his second question. But all of the three questions have one sentence in common, that is, ‘Simon, son of John. Do you love me’? And all of Simon Peter’s answer was basically the same. His first answer was “Yes, Lord you know that I love you.” His second answer was the exactly the same as the first one. His third answer was “"Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus’ three requests after Simon Peter’s answer was almost the same. “Feed my lambs”, “Take care of my sheep”, and “feed my sheep.”
Here Jesus gave Simon Peter a clear mission statement. But these verses also show how Jesus helped Simon Peter to feed his sheep. “How did Jesus help Simon Peter to feed his sheep?”
Firstly, Jesus helped Simon Peter to feed his sheep by loving Simon Peter. Why did Jesus ask Simon Peter three times? “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “These” may refer to ‘other disciples’ because Simon Peter boldly proclaimed, “Even if all fail to follow you, I will not.” But spiritually speaking, “these” may refer to ‘everything and anything other than Jesus.” Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Do you truly love me?” Why did Jesus ask Simon Peter this question three times? It is because Jesus loved him so much.
There is one father that I know who has a daughter. This father kept asking daughter “Do you love me?” day and night. When his daughter says, “Yes.” his second question is ‘How much?’ When she was young, she said ‘a lot’. As she grew old she said, ‘millions’. And from time to time her father asked, “Do you know why I ask you ‘do you love me?’ so many times?” She said, ‘I don’t know.” She really did not know why her father asked her “Do you love me?” over and over. Why do you think he did? This father loves his daughter so much that he wanted to know if his daughter loves him also. So he kept asking her, ‘Do you love me?”
Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me?” “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Jesus implied, “Simon, I love you so much. Do you love me?” How did Jesus love Simon so much? First of all, Jesus died for Simon’s sin. Jesus paid all the price of Simon’s sin with his own blood and life. Jesus loved Simon Peter accepting him just as he is instead of demanding him or instead of rebuking Simon Peter’s unbelief. Jesus appeared to Simon Peter twice but he did not believe him. Rather Jesus loved him by helping him to catch huge number of fish when he went astray. Jesus loved Simon so much that he wanted to know if Simon also loved Jesus.
Simon really accepted the mission statement from Jesus and lived with it. “Feed my lambs”, “Take care of my sheep”, “Feed my sheep”. So he used all his resource to focus on this mission statement from Jesus. When he was old and was ready to go to heaven he was giving and handing down the same mission statement to his people.
1 Peter 5:2-4
“Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; [3] not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. [4] And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”
Despite all of Simon’s weaknesses Simon accepted this mission statement from Jesus, “Feed my lambs” “Feed my sheep” and went through it to the end of his life. At the end of his life he was saying to his people, “Be shepherds of God’s flock.”
Jesus helped Simon Peter to feed Jesus sheep by loving Simon. By loving Simon Peter Jesus was showing Simon Peter how to feed his sheep. Simon Peter would do exactly what Jesus had done for him to Jesus’ sheep. He would love Jesus’ sheep just as Jesus loved him. So to love Simon Peter was the very for Jesus to help Simon Peter to feed Jesus’ sheep.
Secondly, Jesus helped Simon Peter to feed his sheep by helping Simon Peter to love Jesus. Jesus asked, “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Do you truly love me?” “Do you love me?” Jesus helped Simon Peter to love Jesus because the love of Jesus should be the motive to feed Jesus’ sheep. Because Jesus’ sheep are so precious to Jesus.
Suppose you are going away for a long time, and your precious children and your dearly loved pets are left. If you want to find someone who can take care of them would you not seek someone who truly loves you? Because you know that that person will love and take care of your children and pet very well because he loves you. Jesus did the same thing. He would not entrust his sheep, precious sheep, whom he bought with his blood and life to anyone. No! But the one, the very one who loves him (Jesus) very much. So Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” Only when Peter answered “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you” Jesus entrusted his sheep to him saying, “Feed my lambs”, “take care of my sheep”, “Feed my sheep”.
We feed Jesus’ sheep many times. But we may become weary and burdened because we do not see any visible fruit or result. But when we look at Jesus’ command to Simon Peter, Jesus did not say to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, feed my sheep and make sure you have visible fruit.” Did he say that? No! He only said, “Feed my lambs” “take care of my sheep” “Feed my sheep”. So as long as we feed Jesus’ sheep out of our genuine love for Jesus that is all matters to Jesus. But if we try to feed Jesus’ sheep for ourselves, to prove ourselves before men, to be fruitful, to increase our glory we will have trouble. We will stop feeding Jesus’ sheep when we do not have visible fruit, visible result.
When I thought about Jesus’ question, “Simon, son of John, do you truly love Jesus more than these?” for me, my answer is ‘No, I don’t love you.” Not only my answer is ‘no’ but also my answer is ‘other people may be deceived or other people may not know but you know that I do not love you more than these.” So I was very surprised to hear Simon’s answer. Simon Peter called Jesus as his witness to prove that he loves Jesus when I felt that Jesus is my very witness to prove that I do not love him more than these. What are ‘these’? “These” are myself and my pleasure. I loved myself and my pleasure more than Jesus. So I fed Jesus’ sheep to be fruitful and to glorify myself. So when I do not see visible fruit I stop feeding Jesus’ sheep. But what Jesus wants us to do is just to feed Jesus’ sheep out of our genuine love for him and that’s all matters. Before men and maybe before us visible fruit may matter. But before Jesus to obey his command out of our genuine love is all matters.
So we do not need to become weary and burdened when we do not see visible fruit. Do you know “Thomas Edison”? Shepherd William, “do you know him?” Thomas Edison. He is one of the most brilliant inventor among American people. He invented more than 1,000 items I heard. One of them is light bulb. In order to invent the light bulb do you know how many times he had to fail? More than 1,000 times. Somebody said 2000 times, but at least more than 1,000 times. So one reporter asked him, “Hey, how do you deal with more than 1,000 times of failure?” Do you know what Thomas Edison said? He said, “Oh, I never failed even once. I only succeeded in inventing a light bulb. But I had more than 1,000 steps, processes.” He did not see them as failure. He saw them as steps for success. When we do not see our visible fruit we do not need to despair. All we need to remember is ‘we love Jesus and as the expression of our love we feed Jesus’ sheep.’ That’s it. We need to stop there.
When Simon Peter accepted Jesus’ mission statement for him and focus on feeding Jesus’ sheep there was one more wonderful things for him.
Look at verses 18 and 19a. ““[18] I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." [19] Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.” When Simon Peter set his life direction to feed Jesus’ sheep at the end of his life he got a wonderful opportunity where he can demonstrate his love for Jesus, the very chance where he can wipe away his past failure completely. In the past he denied Jesus three times. But at the last time of his life, when they asked him, “Do you know Jesus?” He said, “Yes, I know him. He is my Savior and my Lord!” Then someone else dressed him and they led him to the crucifixion. He had a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate his love for Jesus when he followed Jesus’ direction of his life, ‘feeding Jesus’ sheep.’ I am pretty sure in the kingdom of God, Simon Peter could have told Jesus, “Lord, I am very thankful for you because you gave me another opportunity, new chance where I can demonstrate my love for you. I did not know I would have it. But I had it and this time I did not fail. I succeeded. Thank you!”
But at that time Simon Peter might be a little bit scared when he thinks about crucifixion. So he thought he might be a little bit comforted if some else is crucified together with him. Let’s read verses 19b-23.
Then he said to him, "Follow me!" [20] Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") [21] When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" [22] Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." [23] Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"
So Simon Peter and John the apostle was very close disciples of Jesus. But Jesus’ calling for each of them is different. We are all here in Downey ministry. But Jesus’ personal calling for each of us is different. What does it mean? It means we should not compare our calling to the calling of others and become proud or despair. We just receive our personal calling from Jesus individually and follow through. That is all we need to do. Missionary Isaac’s calling is different from my calling. He has one calling and I have another. Your calling is different. We have all different individual personal calling of Jesus. So all of our rolls and function may be all different but all of precious calling of Jesus, personal precious calling of Jesus. No one is better; no one is less. We just make sure we need to follow it.
Let’s read verses 24-25. “This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. [25] Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”
The story in John chapter 21 is one of many things Jesus did.
In conclusion, how did Jesus help Simon Peter to feed his sheep? Firstly, Jesus helped Simon to feed his sheep by loving Simon Peter. By loving Simon Peter Jesus taught what it means to feed his sheep. Secondly, Jesus helped Simon Peter to feed his sheep by helping Simon Peter to love Jesus. Genuine love for Jesus is the key for Simon Peter and us to feed Jesus’ sheep.
One word: Feed my sheep.
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