Jesus Directs the Fishermen
John also records the third appearance of Jesus to him after His resurrection in John 21. John 21:1-6 sets the scene. They had gone fishing for food, and Jesus was on the beach. He called out to them inquiring as to their success, and they didn't recognize Jesus, but told Him they hadn't had any luck. So Jesus directs them to cast the net on the right side of the ship because that was where the fish were. They do so and weren't able to haul in the net of fish because there were so many.
In John 21:7-14, Peter realizes that it is the Lord on the beach, so he bundles himself up in his coat, jumps into the sea, and heads for shore. The others follow in the boat, dragging the net full of fish in the boats wake. When they got to shore, there was a fire of coals and fish and bread, which I suspect that Jesus had created for them. It isn't stated that Peter brought any fish along when he jumped out of the boat and came to shore anyway. Jesus tells them to add their catch to the fire for the meal. Peter evidently counted the fish, and came up with 153 fish that were hiding on the other side of the ship, and he was amazed that the net hadn't burst from the weight.
Jesus invites them to dine, giving them fish and bread.
The disciples had just been through a very trying time. They'd gone from the last supper, to Jesus being arrested, tried and killed, to resurrection, to several appearances of Jesus to them. But to say they were shaken would be an understatement.
What happens when we get shaken? Oftentimes, we go back to what is familiar and comfortable. Christ had provided for the for three or so years, and now they were back on their own, so they went back to what they understood - fishing. We will all go through problems in our lives. That is a given. But how we handle those problems is key. Do we go back to some time in our life when we understood what was going on and try to actively avoid where we were at like the disciples did?
Jesus had been actively teaching them how to start a new religion, but when He died, they lost sight of everything He had shared with them, even though He periodically showed back up to talk with them. Jesus came to the beach that day to get them all back on track.
Feeding My Sheep
John 21:15-18 records a discourse about what Christ expected of Peter. After they had eaten, Jesus gets to the purpose of their trip. He asks Peter if he loves Him more than he loves the life he is leading as a fisherman. Peter replies, of course, and Jesus tells him to feed His lambs. Jesus repeats the request and Peter answers the same way again. Finally, Jesus asks if Peter really loves Him. Peter gets frustrated this time and again says that yes, he indeed loves Jesus. Jesus answers a third time to feed His sheep.
I think He's asking that of every Christian today, and has asked that of every Christian in the entire history of Christianity. I know He asks it of me and I struggle just like Peter. Do you love me? Feed my sheep. Do we really love Christ or are those just words we say or sing on Sunday. Just what feeding Jesus sheep is to each person is different, because every Christian's life and surroundings is different than every other Christian.
Each has their own gifts and things they are just good at, and bad at. While God can fix the bad and bless the good, it is true that every Christian has something they are particularly suited to. That doesn't have to be cast in stone like the ten commandments. Christians can grow and fulfill other roles for God's kingdom as time goes by. But whatever it is God is calling you to do at this point in your life, Feed His sheep.
You can be sure Satan will try to distract you from being useful to God's work. My distraction is reading. It used to be television long, long ago, but now it's reading. I could easily be a book a day sort of reader, or at least a book every two or three days. But that time I'm reading, I'm not feeding. It's a struggle. I'm not sure what your struggle is or what Satan sends your way, but I know that if you have any chance at being a part of saving even one person, Satan will be there trying to stop you. Jesus still asks us to feed His sheep.
I think that there is something else to be gleaned from this particular passage. Peter was zealous for Jesus and before Jesus death was told that he would deny Jesus three times. I think that Peter's denials of Jesus had been weighing him down. As Christ repeated this question three times, it wasn't until the third time that Peter let his exasperation show in his response. I think that it was then that his denials came back to his mind and he felt shame at Christ asking him these things.
The important thing to note is that Christ didn't stop after asking if Peter loved Him. Each time, Christ gave Peter an order. Feed my sheep. He wanted to break Peter loose from the internal struggle's Peter was dealing with. To God, what Peter had done wasn't relevant. Peter had been forgiven and it was time to get on with the program.
We all have things in our past that we wish were different. We're human after all. But we can't let whatever has happened in our past stop us from doing what Christ is asking us to do. There are sheep to feed and the time is short. If we've asked God to forgive us, trust that He has done so and get on with obeying His commands. The Past is the Past was the interpretation of a message in tongues that was given the same day I taught this chapter in Sunday School. It's worthwhile reading for everyone.
In John 21:18-10, Jesus lets Peter know that he would die a similar death as Christ. Yet even with this warning, His command to Peter is to follow Jesus and not turn away.
Conclusion
In the last verses of John 21:20-25, we see jealousy raise its head again in the midst of the disciples. They had already had a discussion about who would be greatest, and were told by Christ that whoever wanted to be greatest in the kingdom of God needed to be least and servant of all. Peter asks Jesus what about John, who had leaned against Jesus at the last supper. He wanted to know if His fate would be similar or if he got a special dispensation since Jesus had asked him to take care of Jesus mother Mary.
Jesus asks Peter that if John should happen to live until Jesus returned, what should that matter to Peter. Peter should still follow Christ. And that same warning should apply to every Christian today. If we follow Christ and give up some or all the things of the world and pleasures of the world, and see other Christian leaders become greater than us or win more souls to God than us, Jesus comment to us would be just the same. Regardless of what is going on around us, our job is to follow Him. There are many missionaries who have a much harder life than the typical home bound pastor has. Do they look at them and say what about me? No. They must be about their Father's business. So must we.
What happens to everyone else isn't really our problem. We're responsible for ourselves and doing what He asks of us. What He asks of someone else is someone else's problem. Should we help if we can? Sure. No man is an island or a castle, and really even castles took hundreds of people to keep them running and safe. Worry about ourselves. We are the only ones who can put ourselves on a sure road to heaven. The gift is the same to everyone. It's a gift. It's free. It can't be bought. Jesus already paid the price.
John again declares that there were many other things that John chose not to include. You must, inevitably, do you, as the saying goes. But I hope you choose to accept Christ as your Savior while there is time for you to do so.