Page 133 - Back to Bethlehem 2-5-19

Remember the verse that we began with, John 1:42, “He
brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, ‘You are
Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas. (Which
translated means Peter).” Jesus is stirring up Peter’s heart; the
memory of the miracle of the fish and the memory of the
charcoal fire. Peter thought, “I don’t want to see that. Jesus
lost confidence in me and now He is calling me by my old
name.” That was very uncomfortable for Peter.

Then Jesus asked him the same question three times. He had
denied the Lord three times. John 21:15, “So, 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, ‘Tend My
lambs.’” John 21:16, “He said to him again a second time,
‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes,
Lord; You know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Shepherd
My sheep.’” John 21:17,“He said to him the third time, ‘Simon,
son of John, do you love Me?’ And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You
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
to 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”.