JOHN 21:15 – SO WHEN THEY HAD DINED, JESUS SAITH TO SIMON PETER, SIMON, SON OF JONAS, LOVEST THOU ME MORE THAN THESE? HE SAITH UNTO HIM, YEA LORD: THOU KNOWEST THAT I LOVE THEE. HE SAITH UNTO HIM, FEED MY LAMBS.

PETER HAD LEFT JERUSALEM AFTER JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED AND RETURNED WITH OTHER DISCIPLES TO THE FISHING BUSINESS.

PETER WAS DISCOURAGED AND CONFUSED. HIS IDEAS OF MINISTRY WAS LOST. THEIR KING HAD BEEN CRUCIFIED.

JESUS HAD ALREADY APPEARED TO THEM AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, BUT IT WASN’T ENOUGH FOR THESE DISCIPLIES, THEY STILL DIDN’T UNDERSTAND THEIR PURPOSE.

IT WAS EASIER TO RUN AND RETURN TO THEIR FLESH THEN. THEY DIDN’T UNDERSTAND, SO IT WAS EASIER TO RETURN TO THE COMFORT ZONE.

WHAT LOOKS LIKE A FAILURE, IS A STEPPING STONE TO VICTORY.

JESUS WOULD NOT LEAVE THESE MEN IN THIS CONDITION, BUT CAME AFTER THEM.

JESUS LOVED TO ASK PETER QUESTIONS.

HE CALLED PETER SON OF JONAS (DOUBLE REFERENCE HERE, THEREFORE, JESUS WAS IDENTIFYING PETER WITH A DISOBEDIENT  OLD TESTAMENT PROPHET WHO WAS SWALLOWED BY A GREAT FISH).

PETER HAD BEEN A DISCIPLE OF JESUS FOR THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS, HIS OBEDIENCE HAD TO BE CONNECTED TO LOVE FOR JESUS.

OBEDENCE IS PROOF OF OUR LOVE FOR GOD, WE MAY BE CONFUSED BY WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND US, WE MAY BE DISCOURAGED. BUT IF WE REALLY LOVE JESUS WE WILL OBEY.

JESUS ASK PETER THREE TIMES DO YOU LOVE ME? PETER SAID, “YES LORD”, JESUS SAID, “OBEY ME.”

PETER OBEYED JESUS AND WENT BACK TO JERUSALEM AND TARRIED IN THE UPPER ROOM FOR TEN DAYS.

120 PEOPLE WERE IN THAT ROOM BECAUSE OF THEIR LOVE FOR JESUS.

LOVES ALWAYS CARRIES US TO OBEDIENCE.

JESUS LOVES PEOPLE AND WE ARE A CONNECTED TO WHAT HE DOES ON THIS EARTH.

WE ARE OBEDIENT TO GODS PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES, BECAUSE WE LOVE JESUS.

LAMBS ARE EASIER TO FEED THAN SHEEP.

JESUS TOLD PETER TO FEED HIS LAMBS ONLY ONCE, BUT HE TOLD PETER TWICE TO FEED HIS SHEEP. SHEEP BITE HARDER THAN LAMBS.

YOU MAY HAVE BEEN SHEEP BIT AND WENT BACK TO THE COMFORT ZONE.

JESUS IS ASKING THIS QUESTION OF YOU. DO YOU LOVE ME?, FEED MY SHEEP.

ODEDIENCE IS THE PROOF OF LOVE.

GO BACK TO THE UPPER ROOM AND TARRY, AND TRY AGAIN.

JESUS HAS COME AFTER YOU, HE NEEDS YOU TO LOVE HIM AND OBEY.