In the evening upon arriving home from work, my family welcomed me. Ate Hale, now 14, followed me to the living room and asked: “Do you love me?” So, without hesitation, I answered yes.
She immediately responded, “Feed my sheep.”
Jesus asked Simon Peter whether he loved Him, not just once, not just twice, but three times! This grieved Peter for the third time when Jesus asked him. He said “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” If I shall rephrase this in our modern language, Peter was actually saying, “Don’t you know me so well? You know everything about me. I’ve followed you wherever you go. You know me inside-out. You know that I love you. How can you doubt this?” This is a strong response from Peter when asked whether he loved Jesus a number of times. No doubt about it, Peter loved Jesus. In response, Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”
So, what is this food that shepherds, like Peter, are to feed God’s flock? It is none other than the Word of God. For man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the Word of God. (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4)
If you’ve long been a believer of God, and have perhaps thought you’ve matured in your faith, you may think of yourself as a shepherd like Peter. But the question is, “What can you give if there’s nothing to give?” What can you give if you, yourself may have been backsliding from faith, or have recently been living in sin? What spiritual food can you supply to others if you are not taking the time to feed yourself with the Word of God because you’ve been living in darkness, afraid to come out to the light for fear that your practice of sinning will get exposed.
Just like a sheep, every shepherd ought to be fed regularly with God’s Word. In this way, there’s SOMETHING to give because you’re full.
After Jesus asked Peter to feed His sheep, he said “Follow me.” When we say we love the Lord, there is only one way to Jesus—following the Word of God.
Later when Jesus was arrested, a number of people asked Peter whether he knew Jesus. Guess what!? He denied Jesus–not just once, not just twice, but three times! A deafening resounding words of “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you” must have echoed into Peter’s ears after his third denial of Jesus right when he heard the rooster crowed—just like what Jesus predicted. (Matthew 26:34) I can imagine Peter covering his face realizing what he’s just done, ashamed of himself.
Jesus loved Peter. Peter loved Jesus. Jesus asked him to feed His sheep, even if He knew that Peter would disown him three times. What a sad ending!
Fortunately, the story doesn’t really end here. (But wait, there’s more!) Jesus never lost His faith in Peter. He forgave him, empowered him and recommissioned him as an apostle.
Jesus reaffirmed Simon Peter as the foundational leader of his church, calling him “the Rock” in Matthew 16:18-19. This declaration signified that Peter would play a crucial role in establishing and guiding Jesus’ community of followers.
“Feed my sheep,”– this is our Lord’s command to all shepherds, and just like sheeps, shepherds also need to be continually fed by the Word of God.
As a reminder, here is God’s Word to all shepherds to whom God has assigned this work:
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9 ESV