Walk and Talk with the Lord #31

For our final episode of Walking and Talking with the Lord, we go to John 21. After making several appearances to individuals and small groups, Jesus comes for a more relaxed time of fellowship.  

15 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.” 16 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.” 17 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. 18 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.” 19 (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.”  20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (John 21)

Much has been said about Jesus repeating his question to Peter a second and third time, "Do you love me?", reminding Peter that he had failed three times not only to confess that he was a follower of Christ, but also failed three times in talking with the Lord in the Garden.  Notice here that Peter rightly focuses not on his own faithfulness, but the Lord's faithfulness, and that Christ knows everything. That is key: the Lord knows a lot we do not; that's why we need to walk and talk with Him.  Secondly Jesus comes back to what is more important than anything else: Follow Me. Even though God had a lot in mind for Peter in serving Him by shepherding the Church, that was not the first priority; the first priority was following after Jesus.  Finally, Jesus reminds him, and us, to not get distracted from our first priority of trusting and following Him: life is not one big comparison game to others, believers and unbelievers alike. Following Him requires that each and every one of us walk and talk with Him, individually and together. Sometimes our paths will, cross, be the same, or take us different but complimentary directions in living for Christ, but as long as we all walk and talk with Jesus, we will be on the same page. So let us all keep walking and talking with the Lord.