Peter Restored (J78)

“Simon Peter, do you truly love me?”
Jesus asked, after they finished the meal;
“Yes, Lord, you know I love you,” answered he;
“Feed my lambs,” meaning, Return to the field!
Again, Jesus asked, “Do you love me true?”
The burly apostle was close to tears,
When he replied, “Lord, you know that I do!”
Conscious of the presence of all his peers!’
Once more He asked, for Peter denied thrice;
Peter was hurt, though he answered the same;
Thus was he restored in the trust of Christ,
Once more chief of believers in that name!
His lesson was learned, and his burden gone;
Jesus forgave him for what he had done!

Scripture Quoted: John 21:15-17 (NIV)
“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.’ 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.’ 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.’ “

Commentary on: John 21:15-17 (NIV)
Jesus waited until after they finished eating to solve Peter’s anxiety resulting from his denying that he knew the Savior the night that Jesus was being tried. When Jesus asked him, “Do you love me more than these?”, He meant more than fishing, home and family. The First and greatest commandment for the Christian is ‘to love the Lord with all his or her heart, all his soul, and all his mind’; nothing is to be put above Him. He asked Simon the same question three times, which hurt Peter; I think it was thrice because Peter had disclaimed knowing Jesus three times outside the house of the high priest. Peter"s denials that night undoubtedly hurt Jesus more than these questions hurt Peter. What bothered Peter so much was that he knew Jesus could read everything in all men’s hearts; to ask him the second and third times if Peter loved Him seemed like He didn’t believe his answer the first time. After all, Peter had denied knowing Jesus three times, and had uttered an oath the third time he was challenged. When Jesus said, “Feed my sheep,” He was telling Peter that if he really loved Him, he ought to go about the business of winning lost souls and teaching them the Savior’s way of life, rather than returning to his old ways. Jesus Christ is called the “good shepherd” (See Zechariah 11:7), and believers are called His “flock”.

Jesus restored Simon Peter to fellowship in His flock, and forgave his sin of denial. About two weeks later, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was sent from heaven and descended upon and into the disciples, making such a great noise and attracting thousands of Jews to the house where they were; it was Peter that God allowed to preach the first sermon of the Christian churches; three thousand Jews accepted Jesus as their Lord and were baptized after the sermon. Gone was the bumbling impetuous Peter; now he was confident and bold and took the reins of leadership for which Jesus had trained him. God gave him the gift of miraculously healing people, even raising the dead back to life.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him will not die, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)