By Ben Shiller Jacob
Unceasing Love That Redeems the Macrocosm
About 8 years ago, in 2016, it was a Sunday morning. To me, today wasn’t a regular Sunday, but a nervous day. Because I was asked by my pastor to share a message during the service a week ago. I have been stressed out thinking about how I am going to stand before a crowd though it was a small congregation. I forgot to tell you that I have had stage fear since I was a child. This is the most dreadful thing you would ask me to do. I would rather be drowned than share a few sentences in front of a handful of people.
Coming back to the topic, for the last week I have been perusing Bible from Old Testament to New Testament searching for a message to share this Sunday and heard nothing from the Lord but engulfed myself in a sphere of anxiety. Anyway, by Saturday I somehow managed to write up a brief message pulling out some verses from various Books in the Bible.
Just like I feared that Sunday arrived. As if that day had been my sentence day, I felt it same way.
I got ready and headed to the Bus stop with mom. Mom consoled me throughout, but I couldn’t overcome the fear. After boarding the bus, I was praying, suddenly the Holy Spirit began to vouchsafe me a scenario from one of the gospels, John chapter 21 verses 1–18. God’s Spirit showed me the whole scenario from Peter deciding to go back to his traditional profession, which was fisherman, discouraging and prompting other disciples of Jesus to follow him to do the same till Jesus asked Peter three times consecutively the same question in a slightly different way: to feed His sheep.
Tears rolled down my cheeks. I couldn’t stop crying while the Holy Spirit was unveiling to me this context. Later, I shared this passage instead of the one I had prepared, and indeed message was healing.
This is how Kingdom of God works. Pre-planning doesn’t work here.
To me, I was thinking only about a sugar-coated message to address the congregation. But for Holy Spirit, He loves body of Christ. He needs to heal and satisfy His body to be well fed and healed when they leave church.
Anyways, let’s jump onto John 21:15-17
15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, 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 again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, 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 Jonah, 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, “Feed My sheep.
John 21:15-17, (NKJV)
We can only imagine how tough the situation was for the disciples as their Leader had been crucified, and Jews were looking to kill those who followed Jesus. Even worse was the situation of Peter, in addition to all these issues, Peter betrayed Jesus whom he loved the most, three times just as Jesus prophesied. This caused him into a pit of guilt and shame. It is apparent that he was ashamed in front of his mates and others because throughout the gospels, Peter expressed his love and zeal for the Lord in many ways, and he was extremely passionate about Jesus. Peter is up for anything for Jesus. I strongly believe that the love Peter had for his Lord Jesus was genuine and sincere. Peter wasn’t pretending or faking his love in anyway. He was not bragging before disciples.
When we carefully circumspect Peter’s love and the love of Jesus, it is clear that those two love contradict each other. The former one was self-seeking which is phileo in Greek. This type of love can be seen among close friends and brothers. This love has limitations and is conditional. The degree of love may vary depending on the circumstances. The latter, the love that Jesus has for the whole world is agape means self-sacrificing, limited to nothing, and unconditional.
Peter denied his Lord three times showing the inconsistency in his love. He was incapable to do what he wanted to do. He had these denials haunting him forever. His heart had been condemning him for what he did.
‘For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.’
1 John 3:20, NKJV
Knowing Peter’s heart, Jesus decided to restore him back to Himself by asking him three times the same question. Jesus was giving Peter a chance to acknowledge his love toward His Lord three times. In simple, Jesus was saying to Peter, you denied me three times. Now you have acknowledged me with your love three times, burying denials with acknowledgments. This questioning wasn’t for Jesus but for Peter to make sure Peter will never ever remember his mistake again.
Shiller’s Takeaway
Folks, there are many Peters still living among us. With condemnation, guilty and shame, some of us have run away from His love thinking there is no way back to God the Father. There is no return or hope or wandering too long, wasted a lot of time, resources, etc., believing the lies of the enemy rather than believing His Truth and Word. Oftentimes, we think that our sins and disobediences are too big to be forgotten and forgiven. Just like Jesus restored Peter and divulged his calling, He is able and willing to restore you today by asking the same question repeatedly until you are convinced in your consciousness that you are restored. Jesus has already given you victory over sin, death, and the kingdom of darkness through His crucifixion and resurrection. Even if you feel terribly disappointed with your life, I can assure you today that you are at peace with Father God if you believe in your heart not passively, but actively with effort and shout out to yourself that it’s written:
‘Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’
Roman 5:1, NKJV
Communion with a Contrite Heart
Heavenly Father, thank you for your love which is manifested to us through our Lord Jesus. We acknowledge you for your incessant love that chases us even we are in the deepest pit of hell with our iniquities and transgressions. Holy Spirit translate us today to the realm of Yeshua’s love in Jesus name we pray. AMEN!