One of the most painful things to experience in an intimate relationship with someone is for them to question your love. Peter was hand-picked and chosen by God. Peter wasn’t just a disciple of Christ; he was one of the closest friends Jesus had in his circle. Peter had an all-access VIP pass to Christ. He got an invitation to walk on water. He got to go on the Mount of transfiguration to see Jesus transform in his glory. He betrayed him three times and was restored unlike Judas. Peter got to go with him to Gethsemane but fell asleep. He was also the only one that answered who Jesus was correctly, revealing to him that his heavenly father gave him access to this revelation. Out of fear Peter tells Jesus he is not going to the cross, but Jesus must harshly rebuke him to challenge his perspective but did not reject Peter because of it. Peter preached the inauguration of the holy ghost. Peter cut a man’s ear off to defend Jesus and Jesus restored it and covered him again. Peter went back to fishing after the crucifixion and the Lord went out his way to reappear to him to refocus him.
He got to experience Jesus every day and yet one day Jesus turned to him and asked him not once but three times, do you love me, but not just did he love him. He challenged and asked him did he love Him more than all the others. Peter did something that made his love be questioned by the Lord. Sometimes, our behavior will cause others to question our love for the Lord. However, Peter rose to the occasion when it mattered most despite all his mistakes.
Let us eavesdrop on the conversation.
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, when thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry the whither thou wouldest not.
19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
Let us take the fairytale version out of what Jesus is telling the disciples about his kingdom, heaven and all the miracles they are experiencing every day. Many of us have received prophesies about some wonderful things God is going to do in our lives but let us pause a minute. Jesus let Peter know there is a direct correlation between him demonstrating his love for him and then tells him the ultimate price he will pay to prove his love above the price the others will have to pay. Too much is given, much is required.
However, by the time Jesus asked Peter the third time, Peter is like, you know everything. You can hear his frustration and aggravation in his response to Jesus who knows all things. The thing is Jesus is trying to prepare Peter for something greater that is going to cost him his life and he wants him to be prepared. Jesus wanted Peter to be ready for the day he would not only teach and preach after he was gone. He was building him from the inside out so he would have the endurance and resolve to know the cost to really be able to say he loved him.
When I read this, I wept sorely for Peter for the first time. I could relate to him for the first time. We all have our own cross to bear as followers of Christ. We all will die for us to demonstrate our love for God, but it will look different for each of us. However, I remember when I was married, and my late ex-husband kept saying he was going to leave me. After dealing with several years of anger and deep bitterness, I came to the Lord one day completely broken and I told the Lord, I loved him and didn’t want to live without him. I was completely suicidal. I had done everything I could to show him I loved him and wanted our marriage to work. It was in this moment, the Lord reminded me that there is no greater love than this, least a man lay down his life for his friends. I died that day.
I began to live for the Lord completely differently. I gave God my whole heart. It wasn’t about me anymore. It wasn’t about what he did right or even wrong. Dead men don’t respond. My responses began to be governed by the unadulterated word of God as I began to honor God. God began to begin to root and ground me in his love. I was taking quantum leaps in the spirit and outrunning not only my enemies but my generational enemies. I was doing what King David said, leaping over walls and running through troops. God has called us to be crucified with him and die daily and we can only do that with the power of God. The greatest way to demonstrate our love to someone according to the word of God is to lay our life down for them and honor God if we are called to them. This is also demonstrated in our assignment towards those we are called to like Peter was when Jesus told him to feed his sheep. God wants to know like he asked Peter, do you love me?