Care Instructions

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep”. _{John 21:17}

Jesus had been waiting on the shore for 7 very tired disciples who had been out fishing all night with nothing to show for it.  The Lord had made breakfast for them, and when they had finished eating, he asked Simon if he loved Him more than the others did. He answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know that I love you’. The Lord then instructed Simon to ‘feed my lambs’. He asked the same question a second time and received the same response. The instruction this time was ‘tend my sheep’. You can understand Simon being deeply upset to be asked a third time if he loved the Lord, for his answer would never change. This last instruction was ‘feed my sheep’.

The love that Simon Peter had for the Lord was the foundation on which his mission would stand. The Lord was entrusting Peter with the whole process of shepherding His flock. New believers, like young lambs, were to be feed and nourished by God’s word so that they would become the strong and mature sheep of His pasture. The Lord was asking Peter to guide and guard all of them, to provide for them and protect them. This was a long-term assignment. Peter was being charged to care for the Lord’s followers as they grew and developed in the faith.

We have this same charge in the welfare of one another; young and old alike, and the love that we have for the Lord is the foundation on which our mission stands.

Loving the Lord means committing to His service and showing His love as we care for, encourage and support our brothers and sisters in Christ.