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Guest (Male): The faith of a child. Just ask God. How do you know what He's going to do and not going to do? Why don't you ask Him?

Guest (Male): Oh, we don't pray about little things like that. When you haven't eaten in a while, you pray about that. Lord, I'm not even asking for a meal. How about just a piece of bread? How about just some peanuts? How about, I don't know, chocolate?

Guest (Male): Welcome to Apply Within, a verse-by-verse study of the word of God with Pastor Bob Davis of North Country Chapel. We invite you to join with us as we, by the power of God's Holy Spirit, apply His word within our own hearts as we study line upon line, precept upon precept, verse-by-verse through the Bible. As our study of John concludes, Jesus has a final conversation with Peter. We begin in chapter 21, verse 15. Here's Pastor Bob.

Bob Davis: When they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, Jonas, do you love me more than these?" Peter said to Him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah." Notice he's not calling him Peter. He gave him the nickname Peter, but he's not calling him that here. He's calling him Simon. Simon means shifty. Peter means a rock, a small rock, sturdy, steady. Simon means shifty or a reed, shifts with the wind and the breeze and the water, etc.

He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know I love you." He said to him, "Then feed my sheep." Third time now. He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because Jesus said it three times. Peter's heart's hurt. He denied Jesus three times. He doesn't like that. It hurts. It just reminds him of his own stupidity and weakness and pride. The list is big. Peter's grieved because He said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" He said to Him—I love his answer—"Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep."

Peter denied Jesus three times that night that Jesus was betrayed. John chapter 18, you can see it in the Gospels. Peter repented. He went off and he wept bitterly, and he repented. He confessed it, and he had been restored to fellowship with Jesus. As a matter of fact, we're told that when Jesus rose from the dead, before he met the guys, Peter and the guys that night, he privately met with Peter. What do you think they talked about? I'm pretty sure I know what I'd be saying. I am ashamed of myself. Don't hit me.

First Corinthians 15, verses 3 through 6. Paul says, "I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: how that Christ, the Messiah, Mashiyach, died for our sins according to the Scriptures. And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. That He was seen by Peter, then by the 12. After that, He was seen of over 500 people at one time, of whom the greater part remain to this day, but some have died." So you see, before that night when He walked into that upper room through the barred doors, sometime during that day, He met with Peter alone.

Why? Because Peter was one miserable dude. He had done something he swore he wouldn't do. Others might, Lord, I never will, never. Jesus said you're going to deny me three times. And Peter said, to paraphrase, "No. Others might. I won't." In other words, "I love you more than these. They might. I won't." Jesus restored Peter. Peter was forgiven. Jesus paid for it on the cross. When He met Peter privately, Peter probably just wept. I'm ashamed of myself. Please don't throw me in the trash. And Jesus just gave him a big hug, smiled, and said, "Forgiven."

And then Peter was with the other guys, and all together they all were there. Jesus had restored Peter privately, but Peter had rejected and denied him publicly three times. So Jesus—this is mercy. You say, no, it isn't. Yeah, it is. Listen to the kindness of the heart of Jesus. He's already forgiven, but He restores him publicly. The other disciples are listening as Jesus is talking to Peter. He restores Peter so that all of us, and James and John and all the boys, the other six, and you and me, all Christians can see that when we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. All.

You say, but I've done so badly. By grace you're saved through faith. Surrender your heart to Jesus Christ. All of it is washed away. It's got to be sincere, from your heart. It's got to be the real you. All of it is gone. That's what He's showing Peter. That's what He's showing James and John and everybody else listening. That's what He's showing you and me. You think you're the worst, but you're not. The tax collector said, "Have mercy on me, the sinner." In other words, the chief of all sinners. And he was forgiven, Jesus said. Paul said, "I'm the chief of all sinners." Paul forgot about that tax collector. Paul said, "I'm the one." No, I say I'm the one because I hadn't been born yet when Paul said it. Some of you saying, no, I'm the one. I'm the sinner.

Well, you know why? Because we're all the sinners. And we need to humble ourselves and acknowledge Him as Lord so that all can hear it, so that we learn that we just confess to Jesus. Since Peter denied Jesus publicly three times, Jesus asks him three times publicly in front of all these guys. "Do you love me, Simon, son of Jonah? Do you love me, agape?" That means the love of the Lord, the very love of the Lord. "Do you love me more than these?" Now, I've listened to Bible studies and read in books that some teach that Jesus was asking Peter, "Do you love me more than these fish?" And what they mean by that is that's his livelihood. That's all he knows. Are you going to go back to this and make that your focus?

So some people say He's talking about the fish. No, I think the Bible is clear what He's talking about here, and it's got nothing to do with those fish. You see, in context, the fish don't fit here. Are you surrendered to me more than you're surrendered to your career, your fisherman career? Do you love me more than these fish? That's not what He's saying. In context, it doesn't fit at all. Jesus is talking about the other disciples. Let me read it to you. Matthew 26, verses 31 through 35. "Then Jesus said to them, 'All of you shall be offended because of me tonight.' It's the night he was betrayed. 'For it is written, I will smite the Shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen, I will go before you to Galilee.'"

Peter answered and said, "Though all men shall be offended," and he's looking at all these others, "maybe these guys, Lord, all other people might, yet I will never be offended. Never." And Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, this night before the rooster crows, you'll deny me three times." Peter said to Him, "Though I would die with you, I would not deny you." Others might, he said. In other words, "I love you more than they do." And Jesus said, "Simon, do you love me more than these? Do you really?" Okay, he's learned his lesson. He's humbled. He's on the side of everything. "Do you love me more than these?" He says, "Yes, Lord, you know I love you." But he doesn't use the word agapeo. He uses the word phileo, brotherly love.

"I love you like a brother, like a dear friend." He lowered it a little. Why? Because he's not sure of his own heart. Yes, he loves Jesus, but he's trying to stay humble here. I'm not going to say anything that I can't back up from now on, or I'm going to try not to. And so he says, "I love you. Brotherly love is what it is." And Peter has been humbled. Now he's trying to carefully use his words. Don't we do that? Sometimes we should. You try to be careful how you say it and be careful that I don't want this to sound like I'm trying to hurt you, so you try to be careful with your words. Well, Peter's now not just blurting out the first thing that comes to his mind. He's thinking it through. He says he's been humbled. He's careful now.

He says, "I love you, phileo, brotherly love." Jesus goes now—I love it—from fishing to shepherding. He just changed. He just let them fish, and they got a bunch of fish. He shows them who's doing it. Now he changes from fishing to shepherding. "Do you love me?" "Phileo. I love you like a brother, Lord." Jesus said, "Feed," bosko. It means to nurture, to care for, to feed. "My little lambs." A new believer has got nothing to do with their age. So when He said, "Feed my lambs," you're not just talking about little three-year-olds, although they count. You're not just talking about the eight-year-olds, although they count. You're talking about someone who's a baby in the Lord. They might be 60 years old, but they just got saved last week, and they're like little lambs.

You've got to feed them. You've got to care for them. You're going to answer their questions, and you're going to answer the same question over and over and over. And so you just need a little bit of patience because you're going to continue to do that because they're little and they want to grow. They're excited. I like new believers, and I don't care what their age is, because they're excited and they want to know everything. And they'll ask you questions that you hadn't thought of ever in your life. I've got to go check it out. I don't know. That's a big one. And that's what He's saying: nurture, feed, care for younger believers, not in age but in spiritual maturity or spiritual growth.

Second time: "Peter, do you love me? Agapas," instead of agapeo. A love for an individual for their own good and welfare. Now Jesus said, "Do you love me?" Since he said, "I love you like a brother," Jesus lowers His word too and says, "Okay, well, do you love me? Would you help me if I was in trouble?" That's the word He used. "Do you love me, agapas?" A form of agapeo. Peter begins to be a little less self-assured. Phileo is what he uses, but a different form. And what basically it would translate to is, "You're my friend. You're my buddy. I'm fond of you." See, he's just kind of—Jesus asks him a second time. He's embarrassed. Everybody's looking at what's he going to say now? I mean, you're right there on the spot.

But at least he's thinking. And so Jesus says, "Feed my sheep." That's poimaino or poimaino. That's what it is. It means to tend like a shepherd, to keep a careful watch and an eye over them, not just to feed them, but watch out for those that may be attacking the sheep. Watch out for things. Keep an eye on them for me. He's not just telling this to Peter, everybody. He's not the first pope like people want you to believe. He's telling this to Peter, and the disciples are hearing it, and it's a command for all of them. And so the third time: "Peter, do you love me? Phileis." It's another form of the word phileo. It means to consider one to be your friend.

"Peter, do you love me?" In other words, "Do you even consider me a friend?" He's going down. He's doing it for a reason. And listen to Peter's heart. Peter gets it. He comes out with this: "Lord, you know everything. You know everything. You know what's in my heart, and I don't. You know everything that's in there, so you know better than I do. You know how I feel about you. You know I love you. I can't even explain it, but you know what's there." And what does Jesus say? You weasel? No. What did He say the third time? "Feed my sheep. Take care of them. Oversee. Shepherd. Keep them out of trouble. If they're wandering, come on, help them, bring them back. You're the shepherd."

All of those, my sheep are all of those who belong to Jesus. Those are His sheep. And that's what He tells Peter to do. Now they're walking. They've gotten up and they've left, it looks like. He says this, verse 18: "Peter, truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you dressed yourself. You walked where you wanted to go. But when you shall be old, you shall stretch forth your hands and another shall gird you and carry you where you would not. This He spoke, signifying by what death he should glorify God." When He had spoken this, He said to Peter, "Follow me." Jesus tells Peter now how he's going to die. That's just great news. That's what I want to hear.

Now you're forgiven, you're ready, he's reinstated. They're all the disciples. Peter's just, "Thank you, thank you, Lord. Just let me walk with you. That's all I want to do. Thank you." And now they're walking, and Jesus says to Peter, "Let me tell you how you're going to die. When you were young, you were completely free." I'm paraphrasing so you understand what He means. You did what you wanted to do. You went where you wanted to go, and what a great life you've had. Now you're walking with me. In your older age, you're going to be arrested. You're going to be taken to the cross. Your hands are going to be tied and stretched out. You're going to be wearing prisoner's clothes, not the clothes that the designer stuff you're used to.

And Peter, your hands will be stretched out. In other words, you're going to die. Peter is showing Peter that Peter's going to be crucified. And Peter—now everybody underline—you will glorify God Almighty by dying for Jesus's sake. We don't even think that way. It glorified God when Jesus willingly died on the cross. This verse reminds me and you—it should—we can all glorify God in death as well as in life. And then Jesus gives him a command, a simple command, and it's the key for every one of us: the key of our Christian life. Follow me. What's the key to this life? Follow Jesus. Not your own ideas, not all the good advice you're getting from all these spirituals, but taking everything to Jesus and walking with Him.

And that's what He wants Peter to do. See, He didn't say, you know, you hurt my feelings, Peter, and you were this and you were that. You notice that's not brought up. Just asking him three questions. "Do you love me?" "Yes, sir, I do. I do." "Shepherd my little lambs. Feed them." "Do you really love me?" "Yes, I do." "Shepherd my sheep and feed them." "Do you really love me?" "I do. You know, you know what's in my heart better than I do. I love you." "Then you shepherd, you keep an eye, you take responsibility for those sheep. And I want you to follow me. You're going to die for me. You'll bring glory to God. It'll be in your old age." Well, Peter's well over 40 now, so that's coming up pretty quickly for him.

So, "Follow me." Verse 20. Peter turned around. Now they're walking. He saw the disciple whom Jesus loved. That's John, following right behind them. He just turned back and looked, and there's John. John's the one that leaned on Jesus at the breast at supper and said, "Lord, who's he that's going to betray you?" Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, verse 21, "Lord, what's he going to do? How's he going to die? What's going to happen to him?" And Jesus rebukes Peter. This is rebuke language, everybody. He said to him, "If I will, if I choose, that he will live until I return back from heaven, what is that to you? You follow me."

I can't live your life. I can't live John's life. I can't live Peter's life. You can't live mine. We walk with Jesus. And everything happens to us, happens to us, and it's different than everybody else. But we can't look and say, "Hey, how come he's not suffering? How come she's a beauty queen? I'm kind of good looking." We got our eyes off the Lord and we're worried about how come your life is this and how come that. What's going to happen to her? Is she—look at her. I bet she won't even make it to heaven. Hey, isn't that between Jesus and her? And if you think she's struggling, what could you do? You could always pray for him or them or her, couldn't you?

And that's what Jesus is showing us here. As they're walking, he looks back and he sees his friend John, Peter does. And he asks Jesus, "What's going to happen to John? I'd like to know. You just told everybody I'm going to die for you. What's he going to do? And it better be bad or I quit." What's going to happen to John? Jesus uses the language of rebuke. It's a kind rebuke. He's not mad. He's not upset. He's not going to take him out of the will. But the language is clear. He rebukes Peter. What for? For wanting to know God's will for someone else's life. While you want your kids to grow up and—yes, and so you pray and you lead, right? But that's between them and the Lord. You pray, you pray, and you pray.

Now, that's interesting to me. It's not a sin for me to know what God's will is for your life, but God's not going to tell me. He's going to say, "Bob, that's not yours. You'll see it as it goes along. You'll see what my will is for his life or her life or their lives. You'll see it, but it's not for you to know." See, why? Because you're walking with me right now. You're very busy. And you pray for them and you're very busy. And Jesus says, "If I want John to continue to live until I return at my second coming, until I return back to earth, what does that have to do with you?" The answer is, "Well, Lord, nothing. You already told me what I'm going to do, and I'm not looking forward to it already. So you're going to need to help me."

"What's he going to do?" That's not for you to know. That's really between John and me, and you can watch and see. If I want him to live until I return, what does it matter to you? Nothing. You follow me. See, what John does or doesn't do has nothing to do with what I'm called to do. Get it? We can be a team, but I've got a special calling, and John's got a special calling, and you've got a special calling. If I want him to live until I come back, that doesn't make any difference to you at all. What John does or doesn't do has got nothing to do with you. Just love him. He'll love you. And you guys are to do this. You follow me.

Now, he did not say that John would live until he returned. He was just giving a silly scenario. If I wanted that, that would be my will, that would be the Father's will, having nothing to do with you. So you don't need to know. What you need to know is all about Peter because you're him. So walk with me and follow me. Jesus didn't say John would live until he returns. He simply says, "That's between me and John." Jesus is teaching us a lesson. Christian, you follow me. You follow me. And pray for all your brothers and sisters and encourage them and serve them and do whatever you can. But you pray and follow Jesus.

Verse 23: "Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple John should not die. Yet Jesus did not say he shall not die, but 'if I will that he live till I come back, what is that to you?'" He said, "This is the disciple." John tells you, "It's me, it's me, the one that's writing this letter. This is the disciple which testifies of these things, and I wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true. I'm telling you everything I've written, I would swear to it. I saw it, I heard it, I was told it myself. And there are also many other things which Jesus did. If they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen. So let it be."

That's how he ends this book. He says, "I'm the disciple that's been writing these things, and I'm swearing to you, I swear to the Lord, I'm telling you the truth. Nothing's written to cheat you or trick you or make you believe something false. Everything. I saw it. I watched it. I listened to it. I was a part of it." When he saw him feed the thousands, I was right there as an eyewitness. He said it's the absolute truth. And he says, "There are many more things I could have written because there's so much more that Jesus said and did."

Dr. Walvoord wrote this: "The Gospels record only a small sample of Jesus's words. Some have estimated that a person could read aloud all the words of Jesus recorded in all the Gospels in less than three hours. Everything that is recorded of Jesus said in all four Gospels, you can read that in less than three hours. But if all that the infinite Son of God said and did while He was here on the earth were pondered, the resulting commentaries would be endless." You couldn't write it all. It's that deep. What does Jesus want me to do? Walk with me. You walk with me.

Guest (Male): Thank you for listening to Apply Within with Pastor Bob Davis. Apply Within is a radio outreach ministry of North Country Chapel. Our Sunday morning Bible studies are 9:00 and 11:00 AM. We also have a Friday evening Bible study at 7:00 PM and a Monday evening Bible study at 7:00 PM. You can download today's message in its entirety at northcountrychapel.com/studies. That's northcountrychapel.com/studies. If you would like a copy of today's message, write to us and ask for the message with today's date. The address is Apply Within, 2281 West Seltice, Post Falls, Idaho, 83854. Or call us at 1-800-572-8851. That number again, 1-800-572-8851. Our mobile app is available for iPhone and Android. Download it to listen to full-length studies, watch the livestream of our services, or to find out more about church events. If you have been blessed by the teaching or have prayer requests that you would like to share with us, write, email, or call us as well. Please join with us every Monday through Friday as we study together verse-by-verse on Apply Within, sponsored by North Country Chapel. God bless you.