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know all things; You know that I love You.’ Jesus said to him,
‘Tend My sheep.’”
These are painful memories for Peter. Then Jesus says
the most wonderful thing that Peter could hear. John 21:12,
“Jesus said them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the
disciples ventured to question Him, ‘Who are You?’ knowing
that it was the Lord.” He invites Peter to come and dine at the
charcoal fire. It’s as if the Lord was saying, “Peter, I know all
about your past and I know all about your failures and I know
all about your denials and I choose you anyway. Before the
foundations of the world I chose you. I knew what you would
do.” I think when He said, “Come and dine,” He wants
fellowship with Peter. I think what He was saying is, “I’m
comfortable with your past. You should be comfortable with
your past.”
Now I want to come to the main point. Many who have
studied this have called attention to three different Greek words
for the word “love”. There are also different words for the word
“feet”. There are also different Greek words for the word
“sheep”. People get lost in the Greek. That’s not the point.
What Jesus asked Peter is, “Do you love Me? Do you love Me?
Do you love Me?” And you know the record. Peter hesitated
and he got caught in his throat. He couldn’t say it. “Do you
love Me enough to die for Me?” Peter couldn’t say, “Yes.” So,
Jesus said it for him.
John 21:18&19, “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you
were younger, you used to gird yourself, and walk wherever
you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your
hands, and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you
do not wish to go.” When Jesus predicted that Peter would have
a violent death, was that good news or bad news? For Peter,
that was the greatest news that Jesus could ever give because
He asked Peter, “Do you love Me enough to die for Me?” Peter
couldn’t answer. And when you can’t answer, Jesus answers
for you. Jesus promised Peter that He would never deny Him
again. That was the heart of our Lord Jesus.

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