After Resurrection - Feed My lambs

 When I was first asked to do something for the women in my church in South Wales in 1993, I tried with my childish faith to ask the Father what was His plan for me. I knew I loved many of the women but I needed His plan. The first Bible verse that I got, that really jumped off the page to me, was the story of Jesus talking to Peter privately after He had risen from the dead, John 21:15-17. Peter had been warned by Jesus that he would betray His Lord but Peter adamantly denied he would do any such thing.

But after Jesus was viciously dragged away by the soldiers after Judas' kiss of betrayal, Peter in his usual impulsive way used his sword to cut off Malchus' ear, but Jesus healed it straight away, John 18:10,11. This resulted in Peter doing a runner. Then to add insult to injury he was seen by three different groups of people who accused Peter of being a Galilean  and a disciple of Jesus, John 18:25-27. He denied he knew Jesus, three times.

After the horrendous crucifixion, then the fantastic Resurrection, Peter and his friends had returned to what they knew, fishing. They never knew where Jesus would turn up next. Peter must have wondered even if  Jesus would have him back after his denial? This time Jesus turned up on the shore and told them where to fish. He then cooked breakfast for them. This was reminding them that although they had been through the worst trauma of their lives, lost their rabbi and they didn't yet understand what this new life was going to look like, He was still going to lead them every step of the way.

Jesus asks Peter 'do you love Me more than these?'

Such a loaded question, do you unconditionally love Me more than the fishing business? more than your work colleagues? Peter replies 'Yes Lord, You know that I love You.' Jesus says 'Feed My lambs' 
Jesus asks 'Simon son of John , do you love Me?' 'Yes Lord, you know that I love You.' 'Take care of My sheep.' 

The third time Jesus asked Peter the same question and Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him a third time, and Jesus said 'Feed My sheep.' It was important that Peter saw that Jesus was reinstating him after his three denials. He was commissioning him to do the work that Jesus had started, 'feed My lambs', the new believers. Also 'feed My sheep', the more long term followers. Peter was beginning to see the vision Father God had for his future. From the example of following Jesus for three years, he had a small idea of the life changing  message. He also knew when Jesus finally left the earth He would send the promised Holy Spirit to help complete the work of preaching the Gospel to the ends of the earth and making disciples of Jesus Christ.

And so 'Joy for Life' began to feed the sheep and encourage them to pass the life of Jesus on to their lambs. What a challenge to make disciples in our local area, in our city, country and to the ends of the earth. www.joyforlife.org