Feed My Sheep

[Sue J Love]

Simon Peter, one of Jesus’ 12 disciples, denied three times that he knew Jesus when Jesus was arrested for a crime he did not commit. But prior to this, when Peter declared to Jesus that he would lay down his life for Jesus’ sake, Jesus responded to Peter by saying to him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.” So Peter was forewarned. And when Peter had denied Jesus three times, indeed the rooster crowed, just as Jesus said.

John 21:15-17 NKJV

15So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, 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.”

16He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”

17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, 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.”

Do You Love Me?

And here, in the above verses, we have the account of Jesus asking Peter three times to profess his love for the Lord. Now some people believe this matters, while others don’t, but when Jesus asked Peter the first two times if Peter loved Jesus, he used the word “agapas,” which means to prefer, in this case to prefer what God prefers, to choose his choices, and to obey them in his power. It is to choose holy living, moral purity, honesty, honor, integrity, faithfulness, and obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in practice.

But when Peter responded to Jesus, saying that he loved him, he used the word Philo, which means to have an affection for, or to fondly delight in. And perhaps that might have been intentional. Perhaps, after Peter previously had declared such devotion to the Lord only to fail him by denying him three times, that he was not yet ready to boldly declare agape love for him. The Bible does not say. And on the third time, Jesus also used the word Philo, perhaps accepting what Peter was willing to declare and give at that time.

But of note, as well, the first time Jesus asked Peter if he loved him, he asked him if he loved him “more than these.” And the Scripture does not spell out for us what “more than these” he was referring to, though it could be referring to fishing, for that is what he had been doing. But Jesus could have meant more than everything this world has to offer, or more than his flesh might crave, or more than his comfort and friendships and security, or more than the acceptance and approval and love of other humans.

Feed My Sheep

But, either way, the point of what Jesus was asking Peter is that if truly he loved the Lord, he was to show it by feeding Jesus’ sheep. And he was not speaking of animals called “sheep,” but he was speaking of those who followed Jesus, who was their Shepherd. Peter was to feed Jesus’ followers with spiritual nourishment. He was to feed them the Word of God and the teachings of Christ for their edification and spiritual growth so they would walk in the ways of the Lord in holy living and no longer in sinful ways.

And Jesus is saying the same thing to us today who profess faith in Jesus Christ. Do we agape love the Lord? Are we committed to obeying his commands and putting sin to death in our lives and living holy lives, pleasing to God? Do we honestly prefer what God prefers? Then we should show it by how we live, and by what we do, and by what we speak. And we should show it by how we treat others and by sharing with them the teachings of Christ so that they, too, can love Jesus and walk in his ways, in his power.

For the Scriptures teach faith in Jesus as obedience to his commands. And they teach disobedience as unbelief. For if we claim that we know God or that we love God, but we do not obey his commands, in practice, we do not know him nor do we love him. And to love him is to serve him, and to minister his love and grace to others. And it is to put sin to death in our lives. For if sin is still our practice, we are not in fellowship with God. Jesus said we must deny self, die to sin, and obey him, to have eternal life in him.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

My Sheep

Based off John 10:1-30 NIV
An Original Work / June 24, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

My sheep hear me. They know me.
They listen to my voice and obey.
I call them and lead them.
They know my voice, so they follow me.
They will never follow strangers.
They will run away from them.
The voice of a stranger they know not;
They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that
I am the gate, so you enter in.
Whoever does enter
Will find forgiveness and will be saved.
Nonetheless whoever enters
Not by the gate; other way,
He is the thief and a robber.
Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,
Who laid his own life down for the sheep.
I know them. They know me.
They will live with me eternally.
The thief only comes to steal and
Kill and to destroy the church.
I have come to give you life that
You may have it to the full…

They know my voice, so they follow me.

Feed My Sheep
An Original Work / May 22, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love