John 21:15-25

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." 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." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "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. "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." Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me!" Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His breast at the supper, and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?" Peter therefore seeing him said to Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!" This saying therefore went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?"

 

This is the disciple who bears witness of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his witness is true.

 

And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books which were written.

 

Three times. Three humiliating times, Jesus asked Peter whether Peter loved Him.

 

But three times. Three gracious times, Jesus entrusted Peter with His sheep.

 

Peter had learned. He could not fool Jesus. Jesus knew what was in his heart and his mind. Jesus had predicted Peter’s three denials before Peter would ever have believed they were possible. So each time that Jesus asked about Peter’s love, Peter answered by saying, “You know…” The third time, Peter said, “You know all things.” Because Peter had learned that Jesus does know all things, even the most hidden and shameful recesses of our hearts. Peter had been humbled.

 

But Jesus entrusted Peter with his sheep. Three times. Peter had learned that Jesus really was Lord, that Jesus was really God. For Peter, it was now Jesus or bust. Literally. There was no other value in life. There was no other hope. There was no one else to please. If Jesus wasn’t valuable, if Jesus didn’t give hope, if Jesus was not pleased, then there was no point in living. No one else compared to Jesus. No one else compares to Jesus. And with Peter loving Jesus this way, Jesus entrusted Peter with His sheep. Jesus must be everything to those who tend His sheep.

 

Jesus reinforced this by telling Peter about the costs he must be willing to face. He predicted the kind of death Peter would die. But he also reissued Peter’s call. “Follow Me,” Jesus said. The claim is clear. Jesus says He is worth the cost. And Peter knew it.

 

But even Peter struggled with a call like this. So he asked about another disciple who was following them – the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?” So some began to say that Jesus predicted that this disciple would not die. But that wasn’t the point. The point was that Peter’s call had nothing to do with whether other disciples faced an easier life or not; no matter how much harder it was for Peter to follow Jesus than for other disciples, the call was still to follow Jesus. Jesus said to Peter, “You follow Me.”

 

“You follow Me.” These are Jesus’ last words in the gospel of John. “You follow Me.” Whether your life is relatively easy, or whether it leads to death. “You follow Me.” Whether God keeps you in your homeland, or sends you to live among strangers and foreigners. “You follow Me.” Whether the people you live with are easy to love or not. “You follow Me.” Whether you love your job or hate it. “You follow Me.” Whether you are rich or poor. “You follow Me.” No matter how much it costs, it is worth it. Jesus says, “You follow Me.”

 

These things were recorded by “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” He’s the witness of all the teachings and works of Jesus that have been written down in this gospel. He insists that he is telling the truth. He writes that Jesus did many other things, as well, things that could fill the whole world with books. But this disciple has written enough for us to respond to Jesus’ call: “You follow Me.”

 

Lord Jesus, I will follow You. I will follow You even though it is a humbling and painful experience. I am constantly reminded how weak and limited I am as I find it impossible to fulfill all my obligations. I am constantly reminded how sinful I am as I lash out at my family and friends when they disappoint me, even though I disappoint them just as much. I judge everyone who falls short of my standards, but I can’t even attain my own standards. And Yours are so much higher! But You are so worthy! You are good. You meet all our needs. You always speak the truth. You always love. You willingly chose to die on the cross, even when Your closest friends betrayed and denied You. You chose to die for us. How can I follow You? But I will follow You. Grant me the grace to keep my eyes on You. Help me to remember how valuable You are, and even though it pains me to see my own inadequacies and sins as I follow You, help me to do just that. Help me to follow You.