Feed my sheep and Follow me

John 21:15-25

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”  “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” 

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. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted, but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

The Gospel closes with an affirmation of the truth of what is written. It was 'that other disciple, whom Jesus loved' who 'spoke of these things and wrote them down'. The community testifies to the truth of what he said.

Why?

Jesus asked Peter three times "Do you love me more than these?" There is the love of devotion and the love of friendship. Moving from love of friendship to the love of devotion.

Peter cared about the way of John, Jesus said to him it is not his business. John has the mission from the Lord in a different way.

To be a disciple, or to be a Christian should be following Jesus and feeding the sheep of Jesus. All of us have these missions until we see the Lord.

---------

西門是聽見，彼得是磐石的意思。要彼得好好的聽，耶穌要彼得不僅得豐收而是因為愛主才跟隨主。

耶穌用愛來呼召主彼得，著重的是願意的心。耶穌透過這問題重新建立彼得的信心。我們不是因為信心夠才來跟隨耶穌。問三次彼得，不是因為耶穌不確定，而是神再三的問愛我嗎？每次問就是提醒我們是否真的愛主嗎？耶穌給彼得三次機會，讓彼得知道我們是否有願意愛耶穌的心。

彼得任意妄為的性格，要被改變。要彼得跟隨主。彼得問主，約翰是否也跟隨主？我們常常自己不願意而把責任推給別人，是否信主？受洗，是我們個人與主的事。約翰寫完了，但是我們的故事，神的神蹟奇事仍然不斷的發生記錄不完。

----------

How?

For Jesus has loved us and devoted his life, so we have to devote ourselves to following Jesus.