The Question Jesus Asks a Broken Man

"When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?'" (Jn 21:15)

"When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
'Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?'" (Jn 21:15)

You may not know this about Jesus-
He doesn't wait for us to fix ourselves
before He calls us forward.

Peter's story doesn't start with courage.
It starts with collapse.

Two rooster crows (Mk 14).
Three denials (Jn 18).
A man who swore he'd stand firm
falling apart in the moment he thought he'd rise.

Most men would hold Peter at a distance-
until he proved himself.

But Jesus doesn't wait.

On a quiet morning
by the Sea of Galilee (Jn 21),
He cooks breakfast
for the man who betrayed Him
and asks one question:

"Do you love Me?" (Jn 21)

Not
Do you understand what you did?
Can you promise it won't happen again?
Are you finally strong enough?

Just
"Do you love Me?" (Jn 21)

Ponder that
for a moment.

Just
"Do you love Me?" (Jn 21)

In the kingdom of God,
love-not performance-
is the doorway back.

Then Jesus gives three commands:
Feed My lambs.
Shepherd My sheep.
Feed My sheep. (Jn 21)

These words reach back to Ez 34-
God Himself promising
to shepherd His people.

Jesus fulfilled that promise (Jn 10).
But here-on this beach-
He does something no one expected.

This isn't restoration to his past.
This is Jesus leading Peter
into his future-
the future Paul described:

"Forgetting what lies behind
and straining forward
to what lies ahead,
I press on toward the goal
for the prize of the upward call of God
in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:13-14).

No looking back.
Just looking forward.

If Jesus entrusts His mission
to a man like Peter,
what story am I telling myself
to avoid the calling
He's placed on my life?

What This Means to Me
Jesus isn't waiting
for a better version of me.
He asks if I love Him.
My past doesn't define me.
My love for Jesus does.

Father, steady my steps
in His calling.
Make me faithful
with what You entrust
and bold for what lies ahead.
In Jesus' name, Amen.