John 21:15 - The Second Chance.
John 21:15 (ESV) When they had finished
breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of
John, do you love me more than these? He said
to him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love
you. He said to him, Feed my lambs.
John 21:15 (CWR) After they had finished
eating, Jesus looked at Peter and said, Peter, do
you love me more than these men do? Peter
answered, Lord, you know that Im your friend.
Jesus said, Thats good, I want you to take
care of my lambs.
INTRODUCTION
In this beach scene, Jesus led Peter through
an experience that would remove the cloud of
his denial. Peter had disowned Jesus three
times. Three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved
him. When Peter answered yes, Jesus told him to
feed his sheep. It is one thing to say you love
Jesus, but the real test is willingness to serve
him. Peter had repented, and here Jesus was
asking him to commit his life. [Life Application
SB]
COMMENTARY PEARL
We call Abraham our hero, but he once
refused to call his wife his wife. We delight in the
words of David. Yet David was known to delight in
the wife of a friend. Rahab is one of a handful
of females in the genealogy of Jesus. She was
also a madam in the world's oldest profession.
Paul killed Christians before he taught them. The
Bible is full of famous failures.
We name our children after them. We sing
songs about them. But let's be honest. There isn't
a human in the Bible who didn't behave like
one. And so do we.
Have you questioned whether God could
ever use you after the things you've done? If so,
you need to turn to a story in the book of John:
the miracle of Peter's restoration.
As he did for Peter after the
resurrection, Jesus not only forgives us, but he restores
us to our place of service. He washes us so we
might once again be portraits of his goodness to
hang in his gallery. [You Can Count On God by Max
Lucado]
COMMENTARY
Jesus has a wonderful way of restoring us
when we fail Him! He does not humiliate us. He
does not criticize us. He does not ask us to make
a resolution to try harder. Rather, He takes
us aside and asks us to reaffirm our love for
Him.
Peter miserably failed his Lord when he
fled with the other disciples from the Garden of
Gethsemane. Later, he publicly denied that he even knew
Jesus. Peter must have wondered if he had been
capable of being Jesus disciple when he was
unfaithful to Jesus in His most crucial hour.
You may be painfully aware that you have
failed your Lord in many ways. Perhaps you were not
faithful. Perhaps you disobeyed His word to you.
Perhaps you denied Him by the way you lived. Jesus
will take you aside, as He did Peter. He will not
berate you. He will not humiliate you. He will ask
you to examine your love for Him. He asked
Peter, Do you love Me? If your answer, like
Peters, is Yes, Lord, He will reaffirm His
will for you. If you truly love Him, you will
obey Him (John 14:15). Jesus does not need your
resolutions, your recommitments, or your promises to try
harder... Jesus asks for your love. If you truly love
Him, your service for Him will be of the quality
that He desires. [Experiencing God Day by Day by
Henry and Richard Blackaby mod.]
CLOSING THOUGHT
We are conscious every day of the visible
world around us. We need to remember that this
world speaks to us of God, His existence, His
wisdom, and His power (Rom. 1:20; Ps. 19:1-3).
God creates. Everything begins with God
and fulfills His purposes for His glory (Col.
1:16-17; Rev. 4:11). He works by the power of His
Word (Ps. 33:6-9), the same Word that can work in
our lives (1 Thess. 2:13). He works according to
a plan: first He forms, then He fills. He
formed the earth and filled it with plants and
animals. He formed the firmament and filled it with
stars and planets. He formed the seas and filled
them with living creatures. He can form and fill
our lives today if we will yield to Him. Persons
who have trusted Jesus Christ are a part of the
new creation (2 Cor. 4:6; 5:17; Eph.
2:8-10).
God divides. He separated the light from
the darkness, the dry land from the waters, and
the waters above from the waters beneath. This
principle of separation is basic in all the Bible: He
separated Abraham from Ur, the nation of Israel from
the Gentiles, His church from the world (John
17:14-16). He wants His people today to be separated
from all that defiles (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1).
God blesses. Because we are created in
the image of God, we are different from the
other creatures God has made, and we must be
careful how we treat one another (Gen. 9:6; James
3:9). Sin has marred that divine image, but one
day all true believers will bear the image of
Christ (Rom. 8:29). The more we behold Christ, the
more we become like Him (2Cor. 3:18). [Chapter by
Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren Wiersbe re Gen.
1]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY
Hebrews 11:25 - The Faith of Moses.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2012/20121114-1622.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Steps to Peace by Billy Graham:
https://stepstopeace.org/
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study
Guides:
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible
Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
