April 28, 2023: Breakfast With Jesus (Part 2)

"(This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this, he said to him, "Follow me." (John 21:19, ESV)

In John 21, Jesus asks Peter twice: "Do you agape me?" Agape is an unconditional, self-sacrificing kind of love. Peter could not answer Jesus, saying, "Yes, Lord, you know I agape you." He had already proven to Jesus that he could not love with a sacrificial Agape love. Therefore, he was limited to 'phileo' love which is brotherly love. Peter could not forget his three horrible denials of knowing Jesus. Thus he felt he was limited to loving Jesus with only brotherly love. So Jesus meets Peter where he is, and the third time Jesus asks, do you phileo me? Which Peter does.

In verse 18, Jesus tells Peter the kind of death Peter would die and how he would glorify God in it. We have to think about those words of Jesus for a moment. He is telling Peter, "You will die for me." You could only deny me before, but now you will lay down your life for me. For Peter to lay down his life for Jesus shows us that he would genuinely agape Jesus with unconditional, sacrificial love!

The conversation ends with these words to Peter: "You follow me." The story of Peter's restoration of relationship and ministry with Jesus is so beautiful and gentle. It reveals the heart of God to all of us. He is a God of second chances—and more if we need them.