Lovest Thou Me More Than These

Apostle Peter was a perpetual leader. He sometimes lacked wisdom, but never action. He was ready to step out of the ship in the midst of a troubled sea even though he had not considered his level of faith. He would more than likely have drowned if the Lord had not saved him. I think Peter was one of the most colorful characters in the Bible. I personally like his spontaneity. Most hesitant people never take chances and never do much.

After the Son of God rose from the dead, He was only seen when He revealed Himself. His body was a glorified body and not subject to limitation. He appears to His own and there is no record of anyone else seeing Him. This was His third revelation to His disciples and He chose an unforgettable drama.

The Apostles were together – possibly camping beside the Sea of Galilee. It must have been a pretty night and someone had probably seen the fish jumping in the waters. Whatever the conversation of purpose, Peter apparently without warning said, “…I go a fishing” (John 21:3a). Six other Apostles decided to go with him and they fished all night without a single catch.

It was now morning and they were rowing to the shore. Jesus, unnoticed until he spoke, asked a normal question but with a different purpose. He said, “Children, have ye any meat?” (John 21:5b). The tenderness in His question was kind but revealing. Any action without the Master in their life was destined for failure. He was revealing how important His hand and will was to their success. They answered, “No,” but the Lord had the answer for their failure and responded to their “No.” “And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find” (John 21:6b). If you expect to catch fish, you do not speak loudly or fish near the shallow waters. But something beyond the normal was in His advice. They quickly obeyed and were overwhelmed with a great school of fish. John spoke to Peter and told him, “It is the Lord.”

Peter was inappropriately dressed because the Bible says, “He was naked.” This word naked meant “poorly clad” or “unpresentable.” He quickly grabbed his fisherman’s coat and jumped into the sea. Something about the presence of the Lord will always make genuine souls “shameful in His light.” “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7). Never is there one time in Scripture in which the Master touched a life where they did not find clothes to cover their nakedness. The demon possessed Gadarene is a prime picture.

As the other Apostles brought the ship, which now contained a great net of fish, to shore; Jesus had cleaned fish, baked bread, and was ready to serve them a feast. He even asked them to add fish from their catch to the fire. They feasted together with the Lord. He had said to them, “Come and dine” (John 21:12a). What a picture of the Lord after His supernatural resurrection. We also get a little vision of our glorious body and great minds when we shall also be resurrected.

Then, the Lord singled out Peter to ask him a life changing question, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?” (John 21:15b). The beautiful Sea of Galilee is stretched out in the distance. Peter’s ship was mooring in the water, slowly rising and falling with the waves. The great net of fish is right at the shallow waters of the shore and the fish are jumping in the net. Jesus must have pointed to the sea at the beloved old boat that Peter’s dad may have given him and to the fish in the net. Jesus speaks to Peter again, “Lovest thou me more than these?”

Peter was arrested, even disturbed, but changed. This is still the question every child of God is asked. You cannot follow the Lord with great joy until you can surrender your whole life, your possessions, your plans, and say to Jesus, “Yea, Lord, I love you more than all of these.” Love must be action more than words, and it must be action born of love. Serving our Lord Jesus Christ is a lifelong drama!