Follow
Today's Three-minute Bible Study
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Title: Follow
Keywords:
“follow”
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Passage: John 21:15-19*
15. So 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, “Tend My lambs.”
16. He said to him again 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, “Shepherd 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 all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.
18. “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself, and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.”
19. Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!”
Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus asked Peter essentially the same question three times?
2. Check out John 18:15-27. What was Peter doing the last time we see him in the Gospel of John? How do you think Peter was feeling about meeting with Jesus on the beach?
Practical help
Peter had failed spectacularly on the night of Jesus’ betrayal. His impetuous act of lopping off the ear of the High Priest’s slave was followed by the three fold denial. If you’re Jesus, what do you do with a Simon Peter? That’s quite a question, but it is a question answered in John 21…
There on the beach, Jesus engaged Peter in a conversation designed to bring him to repentance, to see himself for what he really was, and to restore him to a full and active vision for serving God’s Kingdom.
The threefold question “Do you love Me?” would have reminded Peter of his three denials. But each of Jesus’ questions was followed by the Lord’s commission, “Tend My lambs. Shepherd My sheep.”
The essential message of Jesus to Peter is the message of Jesus to any of us who have failed — be it by way of porn or some other way. Admit you have failed. Recognize that your sins — yes, ALL your sins! — have been forgiven by virtue of your trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection from the dead. And get on with living for God’s glory!
The enemy of your soul and mine wants us to stay mired in defeat, but God doesn’t. He saved you to use you. Accept God’s cleansing forgiveness, and, as Jesus said to Peter, “Follow Me!”
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*"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright
The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by
permission."
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