Do You Truly Love Me?
John 21:1-17

Peter had made a promise to Jesus that he wasn’t able to fulfill.  He promised Jesus to never abandon him even if the other disciples would.  That Friday morning, as Jesus was being taken to the authorities.  Peter denied Jesus three times.  He swore to have never known him.  Jesus was killed and all the expectations and dreams the disciples had about him were shattered by a cross.  The disciples didn’t expect the resurrection, they thought everything ended when Jesus died.  They had more questions than answers; they seemed discouraged, disillusioned by the events of Friday.  Not a lot changed by Sunday when Jesus rose from the grave.  The disciples still didn’t quite understand; they were perplexed and fearful.  They didn’t know what they were supposed to do next.  It’s interesting to me that Jesus began to appear to them while they were behind closed doors, for about two months Jesus would come in their midst “Peace be with you”  They saw Jesus and ate with him, but still they were clueless as to what was going to happen in term of their expected kingdom of God.
John tells us one of the incidents in which Jesus appeared to his disciples.
John 21:1-4
Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples by the sea of Tiberias.
Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, John and James and other disciples.
v.3  “I am going fishing”  The others said, “We are going with you”
They went out to fish but didn’t catch anything that night.

Jesus rose from the grave and you are going fishing?  They went back to the familiar, to what they knew.  But this was not what Jesus called them to become.  When Jesus first called Peter and James and John they were fishing and Jesus told them to follow him.  They dropped their nets and began to follow Jesus.  You never hear Peter fishing until now after the resurrection.
They spent the night fishing and didn’t catch anything.
Jesus appeared to them early in the morning. (v.4-10)
     – Friends, have you caught any fish?…. throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.  They did it and were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
     – John realized it was Jesus on the shore (v.7)
     – Simon Peter jumped off the boat
By the time they made it to shore, Jesus had prepared breakfast for them.
Bring some of the fish you just caught, come and have breakfast.
(v.12) none of the disciples dared ask him “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord
Jesus took the bread and gave it to them and did the same with the fish (v.13) This was now the third time Jesus appeared to this disciples after he was raised from the dead.  The 3^rd time! And here Jesus found his disciples fishing, which was not what he called them to do.

After breakfast, Jesus singled out Peter. (v.15-17)
Simon son of John do you truly love? (Agape) more than these?
Agape: sacrificial, involves faithfulness, commitment, an act of the will.  Described in 1 Cor.13

Yes Lord you know I love you (Phileo): ( I like you, I feel warm and affectionate toward you, love you as a brother, or friend)
Feed my lambs (this is how Peter would show Jesus that he truly loved him.  By being the shepherd of his sheep.
(v.16) Again, Jesus asked, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me”? (Agape)
Peter: Yes Lord, you know I love you (phileo)
Jesus: “Take care of my sheep (shepherd my sheep)

The 3^rd time: Jesus: “Simon son of John do you love me? (phileo)
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time.
“Lord, you know all things, you know that I love you.”

Jesus:  Feed my sheep.

Peter said he loved Jesus, and Jesus was asking him to show him truly that he loved him by sheepherding Jesus’ sheep.  Love must be shown.  Peter would show love for Jesus by doing what Jesus called him to do in the first place.  To be a shepherd for his sheep.
How do you show Jesus that you love him today?  He said that those who love him do what he commands. (John 14:15, 23)
     – You show you love God by loving your brothers. 1 John 4:20-21

If Jesus asked you today, do you love me more than _____?  Do you love me faithfully, sacrificially, do you love me with commitment?  What will you respond?