John 21:15-18. When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
The resurrected Lord Jesus Christ came to Peter not with condemnation, but with restoration. Peter was still tangled in guilt and shame after denying Jesus three times, and Jesus knew this. That is why He asked Peter the same question three times: “Do you love me?” This was not a test of Peter’s ability or resolve. It was a loving invitation to return to grace, to remember who he truly was, and to be restored as a child of God despite his weakness. Jesus wanted Peter to know that His love had never changed, even when Peter had failed.
After restoring Peter’s heart, Jesus entrusted him with a solemn and weighty mission: “Feed my sheep.” This calling was not accidental. Jesus was revealing what matters most to Him in a broken world. He was entrusting Peter with people—souls for whom He had shed His blood. Feeding His sheep means caring for lives with the Word, protecting them from deception, healing them with the truth of the gospel, and guiding them back to God.
The world today faces a profound spiritual crisis. People wander without understanding the fundamental cause of their suffering. Since the Fall, when humanity turned away from God, the whole world has been living under the influence of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the devil, trapped in fear, confusion, and suffering (Genesis 3:1–7; Ephesians 2:2–3). Jesus Himself said that the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). This destructive work has intensified, especially against families, young people, and even the church.
Tragically, much of the church has lost clarity about the gospel. The message that Jesus is the Christ has been diluted, distorted, or replaced. As Scripture describes, the precious children of God are treated like common clay, their value forgotten (Lamentations 4:1–2). They are spiritually starving, asking for bread but receiving none (Lamentations 4:4). Instead of the true gospel, many are fed a different gospel, which is no gospel at all (Galatians 1:6–7). False teachings confuse God’s people, and as a result, spiritual sickness spreads, and calamities increase, just as Scripture warned.
Yet God’s answer has not changed. When the authentic gospel is restored and proclaimed with power, with the Holy Spirit, and with deep conviction, light breaks through the darkness (1 Thessalonians 1:5). Healing begins. Lives are restored. The world desperately needs the grace of God that heals hearts, minds, families, and nations.
Jesus’ question to Peter is the same question He asks us today: “Do you love me?” He is not asking about our strength or perfection. He is calling us to remain in His love and grace. And with that love comes responsibility. Along with the gospel, we are entrusted with His sheep—brothers and sisters for whom Christ died. We are called to feed them with the Word of Christ, to heal them with truth, and to strengthen them through prayer and care.
This calling requires a shepherd’s heart. We are not to exercise authority harshly or insist on our rights, but to care gently, like a nursing mother caring for her children, sharing not only the gospel but also our lives (1 Thessalonians 2:7–8). Through this love, others come to experience that the gospel is life, power, healing, and joy. They are nurtured until they stand firmly on the promises of God.
This responsibility also extends to future generations. We must continue to instill God’s covenant of the offspring of the woman in their hearts (Genesis 3:15), build the ark of salvation in Christ for them (Genesis 6:18), and apply the blood of the Lamb that delivers from bondage (Exodus 3:18). We must help them live daily in the joy of Immanuel, God with us (Isaiah 7:14), and firmly confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16).
As the Word of God is taught diligently and impressed upon their hearts, souls, minds, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:4–9), its healing power will transform their lives. God promises that through this, they will become a mighty people who shine the light of the gospel to the nations (Isaiah 60:22).
Prayer. Father, I thank You for restoring me through Your grace, just as You restored Peter. Thank You for breaking the power of generational curses through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Because of the incomparable riches of Your grace, I have hope and a future. Help me love You deeply and faithfully feed Your sheep. Use my life to pass on the complete covenant of Christ to this generation and the next. In Jesus’ name, Amen.