John 21;15
 
15. &nbsp;When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” &nbsp;He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” &nbsp;He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
 
Simon Peter had denied Jesus three times in the presence of the disciple John. &nbsp;Peter felt so wretched once he came to himself and realized his triple failure that he withdrew from the other disciples in great shame and bitter self-hate.&nbsp;You could say Peter self-excommunicated, over his failure to love Jesus and his cowardice.
 
The gospel of Luke records that sometime on Easter Sunday afternoon, Jesus appeared not only to two unnamed followers of Jesus on the road to Emmaus, but also&nbsp;Jesus appeared privately and personally to Peter, who was still excommunicating himself from the other disciples. &nbsp;We do not know anything of what Jesus said to Peter, but most probably, had Jesus&nbsp;not appeared to Peter, forgiven him and told him to return to the other disciples, he never would have. &nbsp;His shame was so great.
 
I doubt if humble&nbsp;Peter, (after such pride-shattering&nbsp;personal failure), would again&nbsp;dare to claim that his love for Jesus was greater than say John’s. &nbsp;John, who&nbsp;was known to the the high priest’s servant, and&nbsp;dared to follow Jesus right into the courtyard,&nbsp;after his arrest and during the questioning of Jesus.
 
When Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me more than these?” &nbsp;Jesus was referring to fish! &nbsp;Remember Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish” and it was Peter who went and got some and brought them to Jesus. &nbsp;Those freshly caught fish were at Jesus feet, while there was already cooked fish on the charcoal fire. &nbsp;Those cooked fish were there waiting for the disciples while they were still hauling in the net. &nbsp;So we correctly understand&nbsp;this passage to say, “Peter, do you love me more than these fish you just caught?”
 
This entire event was used by our Lord to teach Peter and the other disciples, they have a new purpose. &nbsp;Jesus does not say, “Now go fish for men” &nbsp;instead he says, “Feed my lambs.” &nbsp;
Now Jesus is meaning &nbsp;“Teach my Word to children”&nbsp;(my lambs). &nbsp;Notice that the ministry of God’s Word, the gospel is first meant for children. &nbsp;In this context, Jesus puts young children first as the highest priority of the Ministry. &nbsp;This is no accident. &nbsp;
 
The teaching of God’s Word to children is to be&nbsp;the primary purpose and work of all parents and the Church. &nbsp;Parents and the Church are to structure&nbsp;their entire lives around Christ-centered Education.
 
Later Jesus commands&nbsp;tending&nbsp;and teaching&nbsp;adults too, (the sheep), but the lambs come first.
God the Holy Spirit inspires parents to study the Word, in order that they may be teachers of the children God gives them to raise.
 
Prayer: &nbsp;Deliver us Father from putting worldly occupations ahead of your Word and the teaching of your Word to children. &nbsp;In Jesus we pray, Amen
 
Love,
Dad/Baba/Eric
Grandpa Pickle Pastor
“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.”

John 21;15

15.  When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”  He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”  He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

Simon Peter had denied Jesus three times in the presence of the disciple John.  Peter felt so wretched once he came to himself and realized his triple failure that he withdrew from the other disciples in great shame and bitter self-hate. You could say Peter self-excommunicated, over his failure to love Jesus and his cowardice.

The gospel of Luke records that sometime on Easter Sunday afternoon, Jesus appeared not only to two unnamed followers of Jesus on the road to Emmaus, but also Jesus appeared privately and personally to Peter, who was still excommunicating himself from the other disciples.  We do not know anything of what Jesus said to Peter, but most probably, had Jesus not appeared to Peter, forgiven him and told him to return to the other disciples, he never would have.  His shame was so great.

I doubt if humble Peter, (after such pride-shattering personal failure), would again dare to claim that his love for Jesus was greater than say John’s.  John, who was known to the the high priest’s servant, and dared to follow Jesus right into the courtyard, after his arrest and during the questioning of Jesus.

When Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me more than these?”  Jesus was referring to fish!  Remember Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish” and it was Peter who went and got some and brought them to Jesus.  Those freshly caught fish were at Jesus feet, while there was already cooked fish on the charcoal fire.  Those cooked fish were there waiting for the disciples while they were still hauling in the net.  So we correctly understand this passage to say, “Peter, do you love me more than these fish you just caught?”

This entire event was used by our Lord to teach Peter and the other disciples, they have a new purpose.  Jesus does not say, “Now go fish for men”  instead he says, “Feed my lambs.”  
Now Jesus is meaning  “Teach my Word to children” (my lambs).  Notice that the ministry of God’s Word, the gospel is first meant for children.  In this context, Jesus puts young children first as the highest priority of the Ministry.  This is no accident.  

The teaching of God’s Word to children is to be the primary purpose and work of all parents and the Church.  Parents and the Church are to structure their entire lives around Christ-centered Education.

Later Jesus commands tending and teaching adults too, (the sheep), but the lambs come first.
God the Holy Spirit inspires parents to study the Word, in order that they may be teachers of the children God gives them to raise.

Prayer:  Deliver us Father from putting worldly occupations ahead of your Word and the teaching of your Word to children.  In Jesus we pray, Amen

Love,
Dad/Baba/Eric
Grandpa Pickle Pastor
“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.”







