“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus told them. vs10

Our Lord Jesus Christ doesn’t need us, but we are privileged to work with our hands. He uses us to labor, when He could do it by Himself. His eternal purpose is to save sinners and to make us useful.

Secondly, our Lord Jesus is gracious to serve us.

John 21:12, “Come and have breakfast,” Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?” because they knew it was the Lord.

After He has risen from the dead, you’d think the last thing that He’d want is to come back down to earth. He’d been in heaven at God’s right hand, victorious. He’d been celebrated and worshiped. Now, however, He is back where He was ministering to the saints, and we love Him for this.

He comes to us now by the Spirit, and He delights to give us help and comfort. John 14:18, “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.” He didn’t come to be served but to serve.

Thirdly, now we have to get to the question: Do we love the Lord Jesus more than everyone else?

John 21:15 , When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?”

We thought we did. Matthew 26:33 Peter told Him, “Even if everyone runs away because of You, I will never run away!” We bragged that we were better than others, but now we see ourselves as sinners who’ve obtained mercy. How shall we respond? Yes, we love Him. “He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love you.” We have deep affection because He saved us from sin. We love Him more than everything else, but we don’t brag and say we love Him more than others.

Peter was second to the tomb but first to enter [John 20:4-8]. He was bold, where John was more observant. Peter also jumped into the water and swam to Jesus [John 21:7-8]. I’m sure the disciples may have laughed. They loved his zeal. Some may have thought he was showing off, but it was the GENUINE expression of his heart. His zeal and boldness, however, does not mean that he loves Christ more than John who laid on His bosom. Let’s not compare ourselves with others but be sure that we love Christ. Let’s love Him by serving people. “He said to him, ‘Feed My lambs.”

Finally, we know what we’re to do: We’re to feed the sheep of our Lord Jesus Christ.

John 21:17, He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said, “Lord, You know everything! You know that I love You.” “Feed My sheep,” Jesus said.

He who spared us and had mercy upon us is to be rewarded by how we treat others. We have nothing to give God but praise, but we can show love, kindness, and patience to His people. Ephesians 4:2, “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, accepting one another in love.” We can do them good.

We can gather in churches that bring Him glory, so that Christ can be seen [Titus 1:5]. We can preach the gospel and spend money to get it out [3 John 1:8]. We can live upright lives and search for the elect. We can be kind to strangers, because we don’t know the sheep. They may be racist or homosexual, but they are elect like us and need the gospel, just as we did in our sins. Titus 3:3, “For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another.”