Jesus' Last Words 5 - Do You Love Me?

Jesus’ Last Words 5 – Do You Love Me? Grace Lutheran Bible Study 1. Have you ever really let someone down badly.

What was it like the next time you had a conversation with them?

2. Today we’ll learn how Jesus personally interacts with Peter, who had not too long before denied him 3 times.

John 21:3-6 Simon Peter said to them, “I’m going fishing.”

They replied, “We’ll go with you.”

They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Early in the morning, Jesus was standing on the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus.

5 Jesus called to them, “Boys, don’t you have any fish?”

“No!” they answered.

6 He told them, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” So they cast the net out. Then they were not able to haul it in because of the large number of fish.

3. Why did Peter go fishing? Why did some other disciples go with him?

4. Of all the times and places he could have chosen, why as this a fitting time for Jesus to appear to these disciples again?

5. After catching nothing all night, how did so many fish suddenly get in their nets?

John 21:7-13 7 The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard, “It is the Lord!” he tied his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about one hundred yards. 9 When they stepped out on land, they saw some bread and a charcoal fire with fish on it. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”

11 So Simon Peter climbed aboard and hauled the net to land, full of large fish, 153 of them. Yet even with so many, the net was not torn.

12 Jesus said to them, “Come, eat breakfast.”

None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord.

13 Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them, and also the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

6. The first time this same type of miracle happened a few years earlier, Peter said to Jesus, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.” This time when Peter realized it was Jesus, he tied his outer garment around himself and jumped in the water. Why did he do that?

7. With such precious little space to write things about Jesus, doesn’t John have better details to mention than the number of fish they caught? Why mention that it was 153 fish?

8. With only a few precious interaction with these future leaders, doesn’t Jesus have better things to do that provide breakfast for his disciples?

9. What’s the value of sharing a meal with someone (or they with you) before sharing some valuable life advice, lesson, or encouragement?

John 21:15-19 15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I care about you.”

Jesus told him, “Feed my lambs.”

16 A second time Jesus asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

He said, “Yes, Lord, you know that I care about you.”

Jesus told him, “Be a shepherd for my sheep.”

17 He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you care about me?”

Peter was grieved because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you care about me?” He answered, “Lord, you know all things. You know that I care about you.”

“Feed my sheep,” Jesus said. 18 “Amen, Amen, I tell you: When you were young, you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will tie you and carry you where you do not want to go.”

19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.”

10. The details of this 3 question and answer sequence gets lost in our English use of the word “love”. Here’s a closer look at the conversation: Jesus’ 1st question: Do you sacrificially love me more than these?

Peter’s answer: Yes, I have affection for you.

Jesus’ 2nd question: Simon, forget about comparing yourself to the others, do you even sacrificially love me?

Peter’s answer: Yes, Lord, you know that I have affection for you.

Jesus’ 3rd question: Simon, son of John, do you even have affection for me?

Peter’s answer: Lord you know all thing, you know that I have affection for you.

11. Why did Jesus ask 3 times? Why did Jesus press Peter so much with these questions?

12. Sometimes we may compare our level of love for Jesus to others.

What’s the problem with that way of gauging our love for Jesus?

13. When do we need Jesus to challenge us with questions like: “Do you actually love me? Do you even like me?” How does Jesus present those questions to us today?

14. What do you think of Peter’s unwillingness to use the term “sacrificial love” for his affection for Jesus? Do you dare claim to love Jesus?

15. Now let’s look at Jesus’ 3 responses: Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep.

Feed my sheep.

16. What kind of tending and feeding do lambs and sheep need?

17. How was Peter uniquely prepared to do the tending and feeding of his lambs and sheep? How are you and I? 18. Jesus follows up the instruction to take care of his flock with a prediction of Peter’s death. If you are trying to inspire the next generations of leaders for your cause, wouldn’t predicting unpleasant death be counter-productive? Why did Jesus bring it up with Peter?

19. For Peter and many other early sheep-tenders, their role cost them their lives. What does it cost you and I?