The Final Lessons: A Holy Week PlanНамуна

A Second Chance

Our story and celebration doesn’t stop on Easter day. That is the problem with holidays, we move on the next day to the real world and then are left with this “But what now?” fog. Today is all about how we move forward in our belief that Jesus conquered the curse of sin, bringing us new life in Him.

Remember Peter? Early this week we read about his betrayal of Jesus by denying Him three times. Today we see him and Jesus again.

Read John 21:15-19.

Jesus questions Peter’s love. I don’t think this questioning was for Jesus but for Peter. I think Jesus was giving Peter the chance to, three times mind you, affirm His love of Christ. Three times Jesus responded with how Peter could show His love for Him: “Feed my lambs,” “tend my sheep,” and “feed my sheep.”

The way we show and tell Jesus we love Him isn’t with our words. Anyone can wear a cross necklace, check the Christian box on their Facebook profile, or go to church on Sunday. Jesus says that to love Him we need to take care of His sheep (people).

He didn’t just ask Peter to just love people; He gave Him one more instruction:

Re-read John 21:19.

He told Peter to follow Him. What a beautiful picture of Jesus as our Redeemer. It didn’t matter that Peter took his eyes off of Him when he walked on water. It didn’t matter that Peter denied Christ, not once but three times. Jesus extended Peter the invitation to follow Him again.

Jesus knows everything about you—all the ways the thief (satan) has stolen and killed and destroyed in your life—and Jesus loves you anyway and desires abundantly life for you.

You are beautiful because of His love—His life, death and resurrection! Go and live abundantly life following Jesus and loving His sheep!