If You Love Me, Feed My Lambs (Jn. 21:15-25)
Let us bless and greet one another, “Happy Father’s Day!” May the great blessing of God be upon all the people, especially the fathers who are celebrating Father’s Day, today. Mother’s Day has already passed, so you mothers have already received all your blessings then. But either way, I hope that the Word of God will really be planted into your hearts so that you may receive blessings 30, 60, and 100 times. Especially, starting from this week, there is going to be a group of people worshiping with us from the Burlington Convalescent Hospital, so I’d like to welcome them to our worship.
Last week, we were living within the Word, “Life of Bearing Fruit Following the Word of Jesus Christ.” and I received two answers. I held onto the life of Jesus Christ itself and I saw the fruit of the Holy Spirit itself taking place inside my heart. The second answer is that God allowed the Word of God to flow into the Burlington Convalescent Hospital. There is something I also repented and turned away from this week. There was a servant of the Lord who committed a mistake and I didn’t have clarity in my heart regarding that. I started thinking, “How could a pastor remain a pastor when they have committed this sin?” But last week, God gave me His Word, “I am the One Who raised him up and I will be the one to bring him down.” When I asked, “Well, what about the sin?” God said, “I’ll take care of that.” What God told me is, “You’ve had experiences with women in the past, do you want me to upload those on Youtube? What about all the videos of you passed out drunk in the past? Do you want those uploaded online? I’m protecting you right now, and when I reveal something to the public, then I have a plan for that.” I’m not saying that what this servant did is not a sin; I’m saying that the sovereignty belongs to the Lord. The Lord says, “I know all of that already,” but God began to rebuke me, not about the sin, but because instead of giving sovereignty to God, I was deciding what was right or wrong. So, for me personally, that was clarified.
1. Love
The title of today’s message is, “If You Love Me, Feed My Lambs,” then we need to first know what “love” means in order to receive the biblical answers. In the title of today’s message, your entire life is contained. However, if the title of your life becomes anything other than this, then your life will be on the sidelines because this is how the Lord is saying He will meet us.
In today’s scripture, Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love Me?” In the Greek language, there are a few different ways to say, “love,” however, Jesus as well as all the disciples and the fishermen used the Aramaic language, and in Aramaic, there is only one word for “love.” I’m sure you have heard different messages about the different types of love, but in Aramaic, there is only one word for love. Jesus asks three times, “Do you love Me?” but there is a difference between how he answered then versus now. So yes, Peter did love Jesus, but he didn’t have the assurance or the certainty of this. In the past, Peter was very certain, and later on, Jesus made Peter lose all of that confidence and certainty. When we first believed in Jesus, it was so great, we began to imagine, with all the things we used to live for in the past, that now that I believe in a powerful God, He will give me what I wanted. I think that’s how Peter lived as well. “If I follow this Jesus, I think He can give me everything I want,” so he followed Jesus diligently. But right before Jesus Christ died, Jesus asked Peter to pray, and He asked Peter to pray three times, but he couldn’t pray. If you’re unable to pray, it means that you’re holding onto something else, so when Jesus comes back and finds Peter sleeping, He says, “The spirit is willing but the body is weak,” so in reality, our flesh must be put to death in order for our spirit to be revived, but for Peter, he was still stronger in the flesh.
Then Jesus said to Peter, “You will reject me three times.” At that time, Peter responded, “I will never do that, Lord.” However, when Simon Peter did curse Jesus three times, the rooster crowed, and Simon Peter and Jesus made eye contact. Simon Peter was so sure of himself, and one day, as he sees himself falling over like this, how do you think he felt? That’s why Jesus asked Simon Peter today, “Do you love Me?” There is a journey in life for Christians. In the beginning, when we accept Jesus Christ, it feels so good, and I feel like He will give me everything I want, but the Lord has told us from the beginning, the Lord has embedded this statement, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” And by God’s grace, we followed Jesus, but in Peter’s heart, he was dreaming of something else, and God made Peter give up on all those other things. There’s one condition to following Jesus, “You must deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me.” But the reason why Peter kept making a mistake and kept falling was because he relied on himself. Anything else that is inside of us, God will break it down, so then the only thing that remains is the Word of Jesus Christ, only that remains and is fulfilled.
When Simon Peter responds differently this time, Jesus says, “Come, follow Me.” Our failures and mistakes are not failures. It’s that God is making us break down the lies inside of us. God is allowing that to happen so that we may hold onto the true vine and bear the true fruits. There are many people who are suffering from diseases, financial problems, addictions, and mental problems, but honestly, they are not that big of a problem. Through those problems, God is telling you, “Do not hold onto yourself,” because as long as you’re holding onto yourself, those problems will continue. “But I believe in Jesus Christ,” so did Peter, but we don’t let go of our thoughts, our ambitions. In the time schedule where we lay down all of this greed is when God begins to work.
1) One who loves Jesus (Jn. 14:15)
(1) One who keeps Jesus’s commands (Jn. 14:15)
Then, what is love? The Bible says, “If you love Me, keep My commands,” then what are Jesus’ commands? We can summarize the Ten Commandments into the love of God and the love of man. So, God said He would send His One and only Son and inscribe that law inside of us. This means that God will dwell within us and God will carry out His love within us. In order for that to happen, we must give up on ourselves. As long as we’re holding tightly to our ego, God does not work. That is the state God led Peter to.
(2) My Father will love them (Jn. 14:23)
(3) We will come to them and make our home with them (14:23)
2) Love
(1) Comes from God (1Jn. 4:7)
1 John 4:7 says that love comes from God. Love cannot come out from us because we are sinners. Even if I love somebody, I only love somebody if it’s a benefit to me. A parent’s love is really tremendous, but in very extreme situations, a parent will choose their own life over their child’s life. In Japan, there was an experiment where they would put a woman and her child in a very hot room, and in the beginning, because the room is so hot, the woman covered the baby, but later on, when people opened the door and went in, the mom was actually sitting on top of her baby.
(2) Sent Jesus to us (1Jn. 4:10)
But Jesus Christ is the one who puts Himself underneath us to save us. The love of a parent, even, is limited; it’s conditional, and little children want endless and abundant, infinite love, but the parents aren’t able to give that, so they get scarred. Even between spouses, people initially get married because they love each other, but when things become conditional, they get scarred.
(3) We love one another (1Jn. 4:11)
Only God alone can love and that love must be given to us. Then, what is inside of me will go outwardly. It’s exactly like today’s Word, if I choose life and love, that will move in the direction of saving others.
(4) Perfect love drives out fear (1Jn. 4:18)
When that perfect love comes into us, 1 John 4:18 says it casts out fear. In Genesis 3, the first thing that happened after humans were separated from God by disobeying His Word, is they felt fear in mental problems, and without even realizing it, they always have that fear, so they lived very diligently, trying to get rid of a fear they didn’t even know they had. They worked so hard but it still didn’t work. One day, that fear is activated into a mental problem. It starts to come externally through mental problems and depression, and this even reveals itself through my family and my scars, so yes, that scar is true and factual, but before that scar, we always have fear. When that fear is not resolved, that’s when we get scars. That’s the reason we resent our parents and our friends.
In order to try to solve what we feel, we keep doing drugs or drinking, and because of that, it’s revealed as a visible problem. But if it’s already gotten to the point where it’s physically visible, for example, addictions or mental problems, then it’s already gone too long, and there’s only one way to solve it. When the love of Jesus Christ on the cross completely takes over me, then I will be set free from those problems. In that state of being filled with the love of Christ, we need to study, we need to make money; then your studies and your jobs will be used to save people.
For me, as I received the gospel and as I continued to meditate upon the gospel, I continuously confirmed what it means to remain in the gospel, 24 hours. No matter what happens, what situation, it doesn’t matter to me. Even in our house, we forum every once in a while, and when I asked my wife, “Can you explain what it means to be in the gospel, 24 hours?“ and she explained it for a very long time, so I said, “Don’t explain it, but tell me an example of when you experienced it.” Yes, we can explain it very well, we can speak very confidently, “It means being with the Lord, 24 hours,” but if you really experience being in the gospel, 24 hours, the way you speak is different, and that’s the blessing God continues to give. “Oh wow, even though I’m hard-pressed on all sides, I’m still not crushed. Without a doubt, I’m going through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, but I fear no evil, and it’s because the Lord is with me,” and we can continuously confirm those words, then the thing that follows is peace, and because I have peace, it’s relayed. It’s bound to be relayed to others. I realized, “This is what it means to enjoy the gospel,” that’s why I could understand the Early Church, because they thought that the life of Jesus Christ was more important than their physical life, and that’s why they chose the life of Christ. So, even though they knew going into Mark’s upper room would be very dangerous for their physical life, they understood the value of Jesus’ life, so they chose that.
3) Peter
(1) Simon met Jesus for the first time (Jn. 1:42)
(2) Requested to pray 3 times before death (Mt. 26:36-45)
(3) Denied Jesus 3 times (Jn. 13:38)
Later on, Peter dies in Rome, crucified upside-down, but what does he say? “I’m doing this for the Lord.” Without a doubt, we all die, but whether we live or die, let us live or die for the Lord. No matter what you eat or drink, may it be for the Lord. That is the blessing of Christ that God has given to us. If that is what you become like, when your children go out into the world, it will not affect them at all. The difficulties and struggles in life, that will not impact them at all; in fact, if anything, because God is inside of them, they begin to influence and conquer the world. That was the gospel God gave to the Early Church. No matter how powerful the Roman empire seemed, that was only physical strength. Spiritually, they were completely weak, and in front of spiritual strength, even Rome is bound to kneel.
This is the gospel God has given to us, “I will not be ashamed of the gospel; I will boast of the gospel,” this is the blessing God has given us, and if you just remain in the gospel a little bit, you will come to realize. In order to go into the gospel, you have to realize that you’re dead, and that’s how I can come to life with life. Paul confessed, “I must die every day.” Who is that “me?” The old “me” that was the master of my own life before I met God, that “me” must die. Now, the new “me” is the “me” where Christ is with me, that comes to life, and if Christ is my Lord, no one can block me. There is no circumstance or way to block Christ. If I believe in that Christ as my Lord and Master, then these are the things that happen. The problems you’re afflicted with right now, they are not problems. That problem will no longer be a problem. If I am inside of Christ, then I believe in Christ as my Lord and Savior, then it doesn’t matter anymore. From that point on, the forces of darkness that had been working upon your family for generations will begin to break down. There is nothing that can break down darkness and disasters other than this gospel alone.
I’m a witness of that; I lived a long time as a nonbeliever, and I didn’t know that I always had fear inside of me. Even when I believe in Jesus Christ, I have fear, and I wasn’t even aware of it, but I always had fear inside. Then when we hear some kind of news or some incident happens, then through that situation, my fear escapes, and then I start to think of strategies or countermeasures, but God is telling us, “This is not the way.” If you are inside of Christ, then everything becomes a way of answers and blessings through Christ.
2. Jesus’s question
1) Simon son of John – First question
(1) Do you love me more than these people? (Jn. 21:15)
So, the Lord asked Simon Peter three questions, and the first question, He asked, “Do you love Me more than these?” Why did Jesus Christ ask Peter this? Because in the past, Peter said, “Even if everybody turns their back on You, I will follow You, Lord.” That’s why Jesus Christ asks that.
(2) Lord, you know that I love you (Jn. 21:15)
Peter responds, “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.” In the past, Peter would say, “Yes, Lord, I do love You.” He would say, “I would die for you, Lord,” but God makes him take that out. Being so full of your self-confidence? God takes that out. Yes, it is true, he does love Jesus, but “I cannot be so bold anymore. In my heart, I didn’t want to reject You, but I did reject You. And Lord, I really did want to pray, but I couldn’t.”
The Apostle Paul made the same confession in Romans 7. For Paul, this was much later, after he received the gospel. He says he came to the realization that there is no good thing in him, he wants to do well, but there’s nothing good in him to do so. He has the desire to do good, but he doesn’t have the ability to do good. That is how Paul discovered himself, just like Peter did. In the past, he thought he had the capability, but we don’t have the ability. That’s what he is saying today. As we live our walk of faith, either you already come to this point, or you will one day. If you are indeed children of God, then He will lead you according to His time schedule and His Word, in the same path. When that time comes, do not be sad; instead, realize that the time schedule has come.
(3) Feed my lambs (Jn. 21:15)
Then, the Lord entrusts and asks Peter, “Feed My lambs.” Honestly, can Peter even feed Jesus’ lambs? But Jesus is saying, “If you deny yourself, then I will do that work,” but people in the world live as if they are God, so they will reveal or elevate themselves. Those people receive the gospel and come into the church, and just imagine how strong their opinions are, but that is part of the process. Everybody has their thoughts, “What is love, what should you do, what this should be like,” but all of those thoughts are not from the Bible; it’s just from their own thoughts, and there are people who are looking for their own benefit, but one day, God’s time schedule crumbles. When that time schedule comes, realize, “This is the time for God to work.” So, either you’ve already experienced this, or you will.
2) Second question
(1) Do you love me? (Jn. 21:16)
For a second time, God asks again, “Do you love Me?” Again, he doesn’t say, “Oh, Lord, I do love You,” he says again, “Lord, you know that I love you,” because he doesn’t have the confidence.
(2) Lord, you know that I love you (Jn. 21:16)
(3) Take care of my sheep (Jn. 21:16)
“Without a doubt, I do know in my heart that I love you, but I don’t have the confidence, I don’t know how I’ll change in the future,” and then Jesus says, “No longer take care of my lambs; feed my sheep.”
3) Third question
(1) Do you love me? (Jn. 21:17)
(2) Peter was hurt; Lord, you know all things (Jn. 21:17)
The third time, “Do you love Me?” And it says that he was hurt. Why do you think that Peter was hurt? Because he didn’t have confidence and because Jesus kept asking, so he says, “Lord, You know all things, You know all things, You know my weakness, Lord,” and then Jesus says, “Feed my sheep.” Why do you think Jesus is asking him to feed His sheep? It is because the time schedule has come. He was trying to catch fish but there were none. In other words, God is making Simon Peter continuously give up on himself. The old “self” where we used to be fishermen shouldn’t keep coming back to life. Instead, God makes us experience the works that take place when we follow the words of Jesus.
(3) Lord, you know that I love you (Jn. 21:17)
(4) Feed my sheep (Jn. 21:17)
Do you know why Jesus instead of calling him, “Peter,” He says, “Simon, son of John”? When Peter first met Jesus Christ, he was called Simon, son of John, however, his name changed to Peter when in Matthew 16:16, he makes the confession that Jesus is the Christ, and Jesus says, “You are the rock,” and the reason Jesus is calling Peter “Simon” again is, to remind him, “Remember who you were when I first met you. You’ve followed Me until now, but that old you has to completely change. If you keep holding onto that and keep going back to that, you will remain nothing.” Do you have a “nothing” life? You need to change that into something. Do you feel like you can’t do it? Later on, God will make it so that you can. I can’t even save myself, how can I save people of all nations? God will make that happen according to His time schedule.
3. Peter’s future
1) Past – Went where you wanted (Jn. 21:18)
(1) Future – Stretch out your hands – Death on cross (Jn. 21:18)
In John 21:18, Jesus said, “In the past, you dressed yourself and went where you wanted, but not anymore.” Believing in Jesus Christ doesn’t mean you live however you want; it means you live however Jesus wants. In the end, the Lord takes us in the direction of feeding His sheep. The Lord fulfills the Word He gave from the very beginning. The only thing that’ s changed is Peter’s state. So, the Lord changes our state and then fulfills His Word. If you experience this, you will see other people’s time schedule. You will see what will happen in the future.
(2) Someone else will dress you (Jn. 21:18)
(3) Lead you where you do not want to go (Jn. 21:18)
Jesus says, “When you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you to where you do not want to go,” and when he says, “You will stretch out your hands,” it is talking about his death on the cross. Peter died in Rome and he was crucified, but he was crucified upside-down so he wouldn’t die in the same way as Jesus. If you believe in Jesus, you will follow Jesus. In the beginning, you might be under a misconception, “Now that I believe in Jesus, He will give me what I want, but God makes us let go of what we want because He makes us realize it’s not good. Those are the reasons my life is being destroyed. The life of me thinking that I’m God is making my life get destroyed. Now, you must actually believe and follow Jesus Christ as your Lord and God, then God will guide you and lead you in the way you do not want to go. That is how our life will become, “I will guide you to make disciples of all nations,” and God will do that through your job and through your studies, so use these words to dream as much as you want. Then let go of your dreams and hold onto God’s dreams.
2) Follow me (Jn. 21:19)
(1) Lord, what about him? (Jn. 21:21)
Then there is someone with whom Peter always competed with, John, and so Peter asked, “What about John?” Jesus replied, “What is it to you? There is no reason to compare the mission you’ve been given to a mission someone else has been given, just do what you’ve been given. Other people, there’s no reason for you to compete with that, you just follow me. Then your children and all blessings will go through you. A “blessing” is not something we earn by doing some blessing, but the source of blessings is always within us, but we are blocking it with ourselves, but that Word, that blessing comes to us through the Word, and my thoughts and my experiences in the world, my knowledge blocks that. We have to be attached to the vine through the Word of God, but my thoughts and experiences block it. That is when God continues to wait for Peter to let go of that. One day, when it comes to the true confession, “I cannot do anything, it must be by the words of Jesus Christ only,” then the works take place.
(2) Nothing to you, follow me (Jn. 21:22)
(3) Understood differently (Jn. 21:23)
So, Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is it to you? You must follow me,” but Peter misunderstood these words and thought, “John’s never going to die,” and spread a rumor. We must receive God’s Word as it is, but we receive it haphazardly. We mix up the Word of God with our own experiences and we end up relaying something very fascinating. What Jesus is saying here is, “It doesn’t matter if John never dies, all you have to worry about is your own mission.” But we are always comparing ourselves to others, feeling inferior. One day, when that inferiority complex, when it meets an incident, that is when it will be revealed externally.
3) Death and resurrection on the cross
(1) The work of God is to believe in Jesus (Jn. 6:29)
Even that is healed through the gospel, then we live exactly with what God has given to us, exactly how He made us look. My God-given job, my God-given occupation, I fulfill my God-given mission through this; whether God gave me a lot of talents or a few talents, with this, I am completely satisfied and I fulfill my God-given mission. There’s no reason to compare churches either, you just follow the missions God gave you.
In order for us to do this properly, we need to know something. We might think, “We have a mission, so there’s a lot of work we have to do,” but John 6:29 says that the work of God is to believe in Jesus Christ, so don’t try to do work; believe in Jesus, but if you try to do work without believing in Jesus, then one day you’ll fall over. So, for our next generations, you do have to study well, that’s basic, but you have to believe in Jesus; that’s how your work will become the work of God. But if you don’t believe in Jesus and you just work hard on your own, then that’s not believing in God; that’s your work and your work has no fruits.
(2) Jesus is the master of my life
Then, what does it mean to believe in Jesus? When Jesus died on the cross for me, I died on the cross with Him. Who is that “Me”? The old “me” who lived as my own master has been crucified on the cross, and now, the new “me” is Jesus Christ living within me, the resurrected Lord Jesus living within me, that is faith. That is what it means to believe in Jesus, then God’s kingdom is established within me. Otherwise, Satan’s kingdom begins to move me. But when the Creator God becomes my Lord, then things I couldn’t even imagine before begin to happen, your age doesn’t matter, diseases don’t matter, we must save our spirit.
(3) Jesus’s life – Saved me
Jesus is my Lord, and I believe in Him, that’s what saves my spirit. If that saves you, then your heart, your thoughts, your emotions, and your body will be saved. It is the life of Jesus Christ that saves me. My mental state does not save me; my spirit saves me. That is where you must concentrate your time. Do you have a disease? Do not concentrate on the disease; instead, concentrate on Jesus. Instead of concentrating on your problem, concentrate on Jesus instead. Are you facing your limitations or powerlessness? Instead of lamenting on your powerlessness, concentrate on the power of God.
Conclusion
1. Old life is gone, I now live through Jesus’s life
In conclusion, the old life must die, and now, the new life is the life of Jesus in me.
2. Jesus’s life fills me
And now is the time to unite, and His love takes over me. Then, it begins to flow out from me.
3. Calling to save people
So when I give up on myself, the love of God takes over me and becomes my strength to feed His lambs. It might seem that the mission is something we have to do, but it is actually the Lord doing it through us. May we remain within this blessing.
Message Prayer
Let us pray holding onto the Word that we have received.
Offering Prayer and Newcomer Blessing
God, we thank You. We give You praise for Your grace for giving us the gospel and allowing us to believe this when we had no other hope. Allow us to live a life that is for Jesus Christ and with Jesus Christ.
We have returned your materials as offering. Everywhere it is used, may lives be saved, and we believe You will work with the blessing of your economy of light as Your answer upon the hands of those who have given the offering so it may be used to save people, raise up disciples, and proclaim your gospel to the world. We pray that the works of healing will take place upon the people who are suffering with physical, spiritual, or mental diseases by the power and work of Jesus. We pray that the work of the filling of the Holy Spirit will take place upon the Burlington Convalescent Hospital. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.
Announcements
1. Today 12:30PM session.
2. 6/29-7/1 LA College Retreat, 1st registration ($150) on 6/22
3. 6/23-26 Navajo and Sedona Mission Camp
4. 7/3-5 LA Children’s Retreat
5. 7/10-12 LA Regional Youth Retreat, 1st registration ($280) 6/15-17, On-site registration ($300); Leader/Staff Retreat (Sat, 6/28 3:30-6:30pm)
6. Offering can be given to the church venmo: @Antiochmissionchurch
Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of God, and the indwelling, guidance, fellowship, and working of the Holy Spirit, be upon the heads of all the people of God, the people of all nations, and the remnants who desire to love only the gospel and establish God’s Kingdom, upon all of their work and their studies, upon all of the members of the church who are suffering spiritually, mentally, and physically, be with them from now until forevermore always, amen.