Breakfast By the Sea

After the resurrection, the disciples went to Galilee, as Jesus had instructed them. Several of the disciples were there and Peter said, "I'm going fishing." They went with him. All night they fished and caught nothing. As the sun was coming up, a man on the shore called out "Throw out your net on the right side of the boat and you'll get some!" So they did, and the net was so full of fish they couldn't haul it in. Then they realized it was the Lord... He was cooking breakfast for them on the shore, fish and bread.

After breakfast Jesus asked Peter, "'Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?', 'Yes, Lord,' Peter replied, 'you know that I love you.' ' Then feed my lambs, Jesus told him". But then Jesus repeated the question two more times... "do you love me?" Peter was hurt the third time and said "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you." Then Jesus told him to feed his sheep. John 21
It was important that the Lord bring reconciliation with Peter, to let him know that he was still to lead the church. So, He gave him the authority to shepherd the people that God would bring into the church. His strength to do this would spring out of his love for Christ and the promise that would soon follow. (Stay tuned for the Promise, as it is part of this series)

But Jesus' question to Peter... "'Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?', could be asked of each of us as well and is probably the most important question we could ask ourselves.

Do I love the Lord Jesus? Do I love God? I mean, really love God? How much?
This is the purpose to life... LOVE... to love God and to love people. Where does this love come from? How do I know if I have it?

"Dear friends, lets continue to love one another,  for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love - not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God has loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other, since God lives IN us, and his love is brought to full expression IN us."  First John 4:7-12 NLT

The final question is where does this love lead? After Jesus told Peter to feed His sheep He hinted to what kind of death Peter would glorify God. It would be crucifixion, according to church history. (See Foxxes book of Martyrs). Then Jesus told him, "Follow Me." It is as if He was saying, follow Me in life and follow Me in death. He asks for us to deny our self interest in life, to die to self and follow Him where ever He leads us. Here in His own words as recorded by Mark:

"If anyone who desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Mark 8:34