God’s Renewing Word of Hope
Introduction
John 21:15-25: Jesus speaks to Simon Peter, and three times he calls upon Peter to care for Jesus’s lambs and sheep (verses 15-17). Scholars have interpreted the three questions about Peter’s love for Jesus as a counterbalance to Peter’s earlier three denials of Jesus (John 18:17, 25-27; see the readings from April 12 and 13).
Scripture Reading
Jesus and Peter
15After they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Take care of my lambs.” 16A second time Jesus said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.” 17A third time Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter became sad because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” and so he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you!”
Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep. 18I am telling you the truth: when you were young, you used to get ready and go anywhere you wanted to; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you up and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19(In saying this, Jesus was indicating the way in which Peter would die and bring glory to God.) Then Jesus said to him, “Follow me!”
Jesus and the Other Disciple
20 Peter turned around and saw behind him that other disciple, whom Jesus loved—the one who had leaned close to Jesus at the meal and had asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?” 21When Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”
22Jesus answered him, “If I want him to live until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!”
23So a report spread among the followers of Jesus that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say he would not die; he said, “If I want him to live until I come, what is that to you?”
24He is the disciple who spoke of these things, the one who also wrote them down; and we know that what he said is true.
Conclusion
25Now, there are many other things that Jesus did. If they were all written down one by one, I suppose that the whole world could not hold the books that would be written.
Today’s Key Verse: John 21:16b
Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.”
Reflect
What command did Jesus give to Peter? What did that mean for Peter? What does it mean for Jesus’s followers today? In what ways does your community of faith care for Jesus’s lambs and sheep?
Pray
Lord Jesus, you call us to be your disciples and to care for one another. Open my eyes to the “lambs and sheep” I encounter today, and teach me to share with them your message of love and salvation. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Romans 9:1-18: The apostle Paul describes God’s relationship to the people of Israel.