Simon Peter: Feed My Sheep

Introduction

Lebron James was born and raised in Akron, Ohio. He was drafted straight out of high school by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the 2003 NBA draft. He played 7 seasons, was a two-time MVP, and a six-time all-star. However, in the midst of all of his success, the Cavaliers didn’t win a championship.

In 2010, Lebron James went on a live ESPN special entitled, “The Decision,” in which he announced what team he would be playing for in the following season after leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers. Here are some of the fan’s reactions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTgNlIEY_fw

However, 4 years, 4 NBA championship appearances, and 2 NBA championship victories later; Lebron James announced that he would be returning to Cleveland. Here is another fan’s reaction:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsMzkS_c40U

There was total restoration to the relationship between Lebron James and the city of Cleveland.

Tonight, we’re going to be talking about the restoration between Peter and Jesus.

Recap

Peter denied Jesus 3 times after he said that he would die for Jesus.

Peter was miles wide and inches deep in his faith.

3 Ways to Deny Jesus:

With our words

With our thoughts

With our actions

Even though Peter denied Jesus 3 times, we will see how Jesus restored him and talk about how Jesus restores us.

Background

Three days after Jesus was crucified, Peter goes to Jesus’ tomb after being told by Mary Magdalene that Jesus’ body is missing only to find His linen cloths lying inside of the tomb neatly folded up.

Jesus appeared to Peter along with the other disciples (all except for Thomas and Judas of course) that evening and showed them His hands and his side.

Some time after this but before Jesus ascended into heaven, Peter and some of the other disciples were fishing when a voice called out to them from the shore instructing them to cast the net on the other side of the boat. Surely enough, when they did, they caught 153 large fish and knew that it was Jesus because He had done this before. They joined Jesus back on the shore and ate breakfast together.

John 21:15–19 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.” He said to him 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, “Tend 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 everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Explanation

In the same way that Peter had denied Jesus 3 times, Jesus allowed him to confess his love for Him 3 times.

Jesus’ response to Peter each time is to take care of His sheep. It would appear, then, that a natural consequence of loving Jesus is loving and caring for others.

Jesus as the Good Shepherd

John 10:11–18 ESV

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

What Jesus is asking Peter to do when He tells him to feed His sheep is to love them the way that He loves them.

John 15:13 ESV

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Peter now understands this very well and Jesus even tells Peter how he is going to die:

Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.)

When Jesus says, “stretch out your hands,” that is a euphemism for crucifixion. The cross was something that was so feared that the people living in this day and age came up with phrases that referred to crucifixion without actually saying the words “cross” or “crucify.”

And, surely enough, Peter did eventually lay down his life for Jesus. He was crucified upside down because he didn’t feel worthy of dying the same death that Jesus died.

What this all comes down to is commitment.

Illustration: Jay and Katherine Wolf

Katherine Arnold and Jay Wolf were both born in the Deep South (Georgia and Alabama, respectively) in the Spring of 1982, just 3 weeks and 200 miles apart. (picture)

They grew up in wonderful families, both firstborns with LOTS of younger female siblings, and learned the virtues of leading, listening and loving well, along with a few people-pleasing, Type A, and control-freak issues mixed in to keep them humble.

They both ended up at Samford University in Birmingham, AL, where they started off as great friends—dancing their way through the highs and lows the college years bring—but ended up in love and decided they wanted to make their life together…

On a gorgeous fall day—November 6, 2004–they were married in Athens, GA with 600 of their closest friends. And though at 22 years old they didn’t fully grasp the reality of what they promised, they offered each other perhaps the sweetest words any human can offer another...for worse, for poorer, in sickness, till death (picture).

Their sights were set on adventures in California, 2,500 miles from home, with dreams of the entertainment industry and law school at Pepperdine University, though Jay didn’t actually get his acceptance letter until they were driving their U-haul through Texas. Impressive faith or youthful stupidity, either way, it worked out OK!

Early years in LA were full of making a life in one of the world’s most vibrant cities, and ironically in a setting far from their Bible Belt roots they found a depth of Christian community and an ownership of their faith they had never experienced before through their church.

In the final year of law school and years ahead of their schedule for having a baby—but right on time—James Thompson Wolf was born on October 16, 2007. (picture)

On April 21, 2008, just 6 months and 5 days after, Katherine collapsed in her kitchen while baby James slept in the other room and during a 45 minute window while Jay “just happened” to be home before one of his final law school classes. Katherine had suffered a massive brain stem stroke out of the blue, from the rupturing of an AVM, a rare congenital defect she didn’t even know she had.

She was rushed to UCLA Medical Center the “Best Hospital in the West”, and one of the world’s best neurosurgeons, Dr. Nestor Gonzalez, “just happened” to be on call. It was the largest AVM he has ever seen, in the worst location. She was not expected to live, but despite the grim prognosis and the lawyer husband, he decided to take the case.

To save her life, over half of her cerebellum was removed and many vital intra-cranial nerves were sacrificed, possibly leaving her “locked in”, paralyzed, or in a vegetative state. After 16 hours of micro-brain surgery, Katherine lived!

Six weeks after surgery, Katherine learned that she shouldn't have lived. The hospital staff, her family and her friends considered her a "slow-motion miracle girl."

But the term miracle stung Katherine's soul. What was miraculous about not being able to walk, eat, speak or see clearly? She couldn't take care of herself — let alone care for her beloved child and husband. Would she be a burden to them her whole life?

At the same time, Jay was leaving the denial phase of grief and struggling to accept Katherine's physical limitations. He had hoped God would speak to Katherine and say, "Rise up and walk." But she couldn't even sit up.

Jay hadn't signed up for this kind of marriage, a marriage where his dreams were dashed and at age 26 he was caretaker for an infant and an invalid. What then had he signed up for?

Katherine strained to recover the most basic functions of her life, and months turned into two years of brain rehab at UCLA Medical Center and another long-term residential rehabilitation center. Jay remained by his wife's bedside for the year she spent at UCLA Medical Center. He saw his marriage as a commitment to supporting Katherine. She was the one fighting the hard battle, but he was able to come alongside and lift her up. Deep in his soul, Jay knew it was that kind of commitment that he'd signed up for.

Jay says one key to maintaining commitment is to act in loving ways toward the person you promised to love. He admits he's not always "feeling it." But love shows up when he prepares Katherine's food, helps her on the stairs or fixes her hair. He explains, "In the humbling process of serving, even when I didn't feel like it … I found that acting in love inevitably provoked true feelings of love."

As Katherine grew stronger, they committed to nurturing their fragile future. The day-to-day struggle for Katherine's health consumed them at first, but then it gave them an eternal perspective, which Jay describes as "a newfound freedom, knowing that God would give us life in ways we could never have asked for or imagined." (picture)

The world around us today constantly encourages us to act based off of “feelings,” but the problem with that is that feelings change.

What happens when you don’t feel like it? What happens when you are scared? What happens when there is an easy way out?

If you rely on feelings, you will cave when things get tough. But, if you make the choice to commit, you will endure.

Peter wasn’t fully committed to Jesus before, but now that he was given a second chance, he was committed to Jesus unto death!

What does all of this mean for you?

Application

Make the commitment.

Feed the lambs.

Endure until the end.