"He said to him the third time, 'Simon, son of Jonas, 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 all things; You know that I love You.' Jesus said to him, 'feed my sheep'" (John 21:17-17).
Jesus called Peter by his formal name, Simon of Jonas, a formal question awaiting a heart felt answer, do you love me? Sometimes we say things without much thought or action. Yes, Lord, I love you. Jesus responds, feed my young sheep. There is no response from Peter, not even a question, what do you mean Lord? Jesus asks again, Simon of Jonas do you love me? Still the same response from Peter, Yes, Lord, I love you. Jesus asks again, Simon of Jonas do you love me? A response from Peter, he is grieved because Jesus keeps asking him, you know all things thus you know my heart Peter responds. Jesus knows, do you really love me, prove that you love me, feed my sheep. This is how our savior asks of us, lovingly in threes. Peter, you will deny me three times before the rooster crows, but I know your heart, after three days I will come to you. Will you die for me? sure. Will you die for me? I can. Will you die for me? I will. I truly love you, even if it is not where I want to go, even if it is in the valley of the shadow of death, I will go, your will be done.
When you were young you prepared yourself for work and walked wherever you willed, but now that you have grown mature you will be stretching out your hands and another you will be preparing and carrying where you are not willing (John 21:18). Jesus understands our weakness, he saw it in the garden of Gethsemane, where he said to his disciples, “my soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with me” (Matthew 26:36-38). There He asked them to be alert, three times he went further into the garden to pray, three times he prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39-44). And three times he came back to find the disciples at rest, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.” Are you comfortable? rise, be alert! there is not much time left.
"You know that I love you.", Peter said to Jesus. First Jesus tells Peter to feed my lambs. The English word sheep refer to all, but lamb refers to sheep 12 months or less in age. The second time he tells Peter to shepherd my sheep. The last time He says, feed my sheep. "Boske ta arnia mou", "poimaine ta probata mou", "boske ta probata mou", feed the lambs of mine, shepherd the sheep of mine, feed the sheep of mine. The Greek word for feed is boske which properly means to feed (graze), when speaking of sheep, grazing in green pastures.[1] "Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture" (Psalm 100:3). David, a man after God's own heart, knew what it was like to be a shepherd and to be sheep in his pasture. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake" (Psalm 23:1-6).
David left the flock to rescue a lamb from the mouth of a lion and a bear (1 Samuel 17:34-37). Like David, Jesus is serious about his sheep, “what man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?" (Luke 15:4). The shepherd leads the sheep into pastures for grazing, they trust his voice and leading, they know he will protect them, even to the point of death. The shepherds of Israel were destroying and scattering the flock, "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord" (Jeremiah 23:1). The shepherds had become as a hireling, they were no longer good shepherds who cared for the sheep. God would send His son to be the good shepherd, "the great shepherd of the sheep" and overseer of our souls (Hebrews 13:20,1 Peter 2:25). Jesus would become our righteousness "and this is His name by which He will be called, 'The Lord our Righteousness’" (Jeremiah 23:6), to be the Lamb of God, to lead his sheep to him. A stranger the sheep do not know and will not follow, but the voice of the Good Shepherd they know, they follow him. He came that none of His sheep would be lost.
"For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water...” (Revelation 7:17). Jesus said he must bring the others into the fold, "I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again." He became the Lamb of God, his blood sacrifice opens the door to other sheep and a new covenant between God and man. In this new covenant the Holy Spirit draws sheep to Christ, "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out" (John 10:3). The English word porter or doorkeeper was translated from the Greek word thuroros; thura means "door" and ouros means "watcher", another translation of thuroros would be "door watchman." [2] "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood" (Acts 20:28).
God appointed the prophet Ezekiel to be watchman over Israel, “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand" (Ezekiel 3:17-21). God put Ezekiel through some serious training, teaching him to discern and only speak His words (Ezekiel 3:22-27;4). Being a watchman or overseer requires much; accountability, responsibility for and caring for God's people, training for Godliness and discernment (1 Timothy 4:8, Hebrews 5:14), being good stewards, (Luke 19:11-26), and being alert for His people (Mark 13:32-37). It is hearing His voice, and only speaking His words, not doctrines nor traditions of men but that of God.
The door is Jesus and the fold is His church, the flock or sheep are His people. God's chosen come to Jesus by the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit only hears and speaks what the Father speaks, obeying the Father's voice, opening the door. Jesus is the head or shepherd of the fold or church, the sheep His body or flock. He ascended on high, leading a host of captives and "grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift." He was given all authority and gave according to the measure of the gift. "He ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:7-12).
The goal of the gifts is to attain unity of the faith and of the knowledge of Jesus. To grow into maturity into the fullness of Christ, measured according to the grace and gift given to us, so that we may no longer act as children in our faith, doubting, according to human tradition and the elemental principles of the world, but according to Christ (Ephesian 4:13-15, James 1:6, Colossians 2:8). "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love." (Ephesian 4:15-16). Speaking the truth in love, guided by Spirit and Word. If a member of the body has a sickness, would not the head respond, would not the body respond, if it loved that member?
For building up the body; it must grow into the head Christ, and be comprised of members or saints, held together by joints (the joints are the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, he gave to equip the saints). The whole body is comprised of members or saints joined and held together by joints, the joints equipping each member according to the gift given. The authority is in the head, Christ, who gives according to the measure of the gift. When each part is working properly the body grows, into Christ, who is God, who is love, the body builds itself up in love (Ephesian 4). "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesian 4:32). If any part is not working properly the body can not grow, nor function properly, it is no longer growing in love but is sick with bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, malice, and slander, so do away with all these things (Ephesian 4:31).
Jesus told the disciples where he was going they at that time could not follow, and meanwhile "a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jesus prayed to the Father, I am coming to you, I have done your will, none have been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. I have given them your Word, "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world." He then prays for all who would believe, "I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (John 17).
Love as One, through your love and oneness others will know I am from the Father and that you are my disciples. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” Jesus responds to Peter, “Will you lay down your life for My sake?" I know your heart, feed my sheep. "Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who bring good news and glad tidings of good things. Who proclaims peace and salvation. Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, With their voices they shall sing together; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord brings back Zion" (Isaiah 52:6-8).
God You Reign - Lincoln Brewster
Thirst - Phil Wickham
Jesus called Peter by his formal name, Simon of Jonas, a formal question awaiting a heart felt answer, do you love me? Sometimes we say things without much thought or action. Yes, Lord, I love you. Jesus responds, feed my young sheep. There is no response from Peter, not even a question, what do you mean Lord? Jesus asks again, Simon of Jonas do you love me? Still the same response from Peter, Yes, Lord, I love you. Jesus asks again, Simon of Jonas do you love me? A response from Peter, he is grieved because Jesus keeps asking him, you know all things thus you know my heart Peter responds. Jesus knows, do you really love me, prove that you love me, feed my sheep. This is how our savior asks of us, lovingly in threes. Peter, you will deny me three times before the rooster crows, but I know your heart, after three days I will come to you. Will you die for me? sure. Will you die for me? I can. Will you die for me? I will. I truly love you, even if it is not where I want to go, even if it is in the valley of the shadow of death, I will go, your will be done.
When you were young you prepared yourself for work and walked wherever you willed, but now that you have grown mature you will be stretching out your hands and another you will be preparing and carrying where you are not willing (John 21:18). Jesus understands our weakness, he saw it in the garden of Gethsemane, where he said to his disciples, “my soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with me” (Matthew 26:36-38). There He asked them to be alert, three times he went further into the garden to pray, three times he prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39-44). And three times he came back to find the disciples at rest, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.” Are you comfortable? rise, be alert! there is not much time left.
"You know that I love you.", Peter said to Jesus. First Jesus tells Peter to feed my lambs. The English word sheep refer to all, but lamb refers to sheep 12 months or less in age. The second time he tells Peter to shepherd my sheep. The last time He says, feed my sheep. "Boske ta arnia mou", "poimaine ta probata mou", "boske ta probata mou", feed the lambs of mine, shepherd the sheep of mine, feed the sheep of mine. The Greek word for feed is boske which properly means to feed (graze), when speaking of sheep, grazing in green pastures.[1] "Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture" (Psalm 100:3). David, a man after God's own heart, knew what it was like to be a shepherd and to be sheep in his pasture. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake" (Psalm 23:1-6).
David left the flock to rescue a lamb from the mouth of a lion and a bear (1 Samuel 17:34-37). Like David, Jesus is serious about his sheep, “what man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?" (Luke 15:4). The shepherd leads the sheep into pastures for grazing, they trust his voice and leading, they know he will protect them, even to the point of death. The shepherds of Israel were destroying and scattering the flock, "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord" (Jeremiah 23:1). The shepherds had become as a hireling, they were no longer good shepherds who cared for the sheep. God would send His son to be the good shepherd, "the great shepherd of the sheep" and overseer of our souls (Hebrews 13:20,1 Peter 2:25). Jesus would become our righteousness "and this is His name by which He will be called, 'The Lord our Righteousness’" (Jeremiah 23:6), to be the Lamb of God, to lead his sheep to him. A stranger the sheep do not know and will not follow, but the voice of the Good Shepherd they know, they follow him. He came that none of His sheep would be lost.
"For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water...” (Revelation 7:17). Jesus said he must bring the others into the fold, "I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again." He became the Lamb of God, his blood sacrifice opens the door to other sheep and a new covenant between God and man. In this new covenant the Holy Spirit draws sheep to Christ, "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out" (John 10:3). The English word porter or doorkeeper was translated from the Greek word thuroros; thura means "door" and ouros means "watcher", another translation of thuroros would be "door watchman." [2] "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood" (Acts 20:28).
God appointed the prophet Ezekiel to be watchman over Israel, “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand" (Ezekiel 3:17-21). God put Ezekiel through some serious training, teaching him to discern and only speak His words (Ezekiel 3:22-27;4). Being a watchman or overseer requires much; accountability, responsibility for and caring for God's people, training for Godliness and discernment (1 Timothy 4:8, Hebrews 5:14), being good stewards, (Luke 19:11-26), and being alert for His people (Mark 13:32-37). It is hearing His voice, and only speaking His words, not doctrines nor traditions of men but that of God.
The door is Jesus and the fold is His church, the flock or sheep are His people. God's chosen come to Jesus by the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit only hears and speaks what the Father speaks, obeying the Father's voice, opening the door. Jesus is the head or shepherd of the fold or church, the sheep His body or flock. He ascended on high, leading a host of captives and "grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift." He was given all authority and gave according to the measure of the gift. "He ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:7-12).
The goal of the gifts is to attain unity of the faith and of the knowledge of Jesus. To grow into maturity into the fullness of Christ, measured according to the grace and gift given to us, so that we may no longer act as children in our faith, doubting, according to human tradition and the elemental principles of the world, but according to Christ (Ephesian 4:13-15, James 1:6, Colossians 2:8). "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love." (Ephesian 4:15-16). Speaking the truth in love, guided by Spirit and Word. If a member of the body has a sickness, would not the head respond, would not the body respond, if it loved that member?
For building up the body; it must grow into the head Christ, and be comprised of members or saints, held together by joints (the joints are the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, he gave to equip the saints). The whole body is comprised of members or saints joined and held together by joints, the joints equipping each member according to the gift given. The authority is in the head, Christ, who gives according to the measure of the gift. When each part is working properly the body grows, into Christ, who is God, who is love, the body builds itself up in love (Ephesian 4). "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesian 4:32). If any part is not working properly the body can not grow, nor function properly, it is no longer growing in love but is sick with bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, malice, and slander, so do away with all these things (Ephesian 4:31).
Jesus told the disciples where he was going they at that time could not follow, and meanwhile "a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jesus prayed to the Father, I am coming to you, I have done your will, none have been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. I have given them your Word, "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world." He then prays for all who would believe, "I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (John 17).
Love as One, through your love and oneness others will know I am from the Father and that you are my disciples. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” Jesus responds to Peter, “Will you lay down your life for My sake?" I know your heart, feed my sheep. "Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who bring good news and glad tidings of good things. Who proclaims peace and salvation. Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, With their voices they shall sing together; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord brings back Zion" (Isaiah 52:6-8).
God You Reign - Lincoln Brewster
Thirst - Phil Wickham