John 21:1-17 - Do You Love Me?
Introduction: The Questions Jesus Asked
Hello, Midweek. It is good to see you. Some of you I know very well, some I don’t, but it is just a privilege to be here. My name is Chris. I’ve been on staff here for about twelve years, and I am just so grateful for The Well. The Well has had so much influence on my life, on my marriage, and even on my calling to be here on staff.
We are in the middle of this summer teaching series called Questions That Jesus Asked. There are over 300 questions recorded that He asked. Jesus was a great questioner. He was God, so He knew everything, and yet He still asked questions.
John 16:30 (NASB)
‘Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God.’
Tonight, we are going to look at a question that I think is very simple and yet searching. In asking it, Jesus is able to restore relationship and restore purpose. If you have your Bibles, turn to John 21. We are going to begin in verse one.
John 21:1 (NASB)
After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested [Himself] in this way.
The Rise and Fall of a Leader
While you are turning there, I want to tell you a story about a young man. This young man would have been in his early twenties, married, and the co-owner of a small business with his brother. The industry he was in was hands-on, arduous, and gritty, demanding physical strength and mental fortitude. It was blue-collar work. This young man had a colorful personality. He had a bit of a hot temper. He was a “ready, fire, aim” kind of guy. He was blunt, to the point, and always ready to say the first thing that came to his mind, even if those words offended or provoked.
He worked in a very competitive industry with good seasons and bad seasons. One day, during a challenging time in the operation, a stranger walked into his place of business. This man had no expertise in the young man’s industry, but nevertheless, he offered some professional advice. Strangely enough, the young man accepted the advice, and his obedience was rewarded as the man’s tip helped him earn a huge payday—almost like winning the lottery. The young man was overwhelmed, delighted, and thankful to the stranger.
Then the stranger asked the young man and his brother to leave behind the family business and their family to come follow him. He was recruiting a group of men for a new enterprise, and he told the young man that there was a calling on his life—a purpose the young man could have never dreamed for himself. The young man willingly accepted. For the next three years, he was part of this man’s entourage. He served with him, learned from him, and became completely sold out for this enterprise. He quickly became one of its top employees. His performance, along with his strong personality, made him widely known within the group. Eventually, the leader asked him to join his executive leadership team, telling him, “I’ve got great plans for you. There are good things in store for you. I see a future for you in what we’re doing here.”
He was well-respected among the other employees, and the enterprise as a whole was thriving, gaining popularity and prosperity. But this young man allowed his success and leadership status to go to his head. He started to believe his own press. He began finding his identity, worth, and security in his accomplishments, and he became prideful. He started making arrogant statements about himself—claiming that he was the most committed, the most devoted, and the most important employee in the entire enterprise.
Eventually, the enterprise faced opposition and setbacks. Some of the other employees grew worried about the future, but this young man’s arrogance continued. In front of everybody at a staff meeting, he bragged, “Even if things go bad, I will never forsake this place, and I will never abandon the mission.” His leader looked at him, shook his head, and said, “Not only will you abandon ship when things get tough, but you will also personally betray me three times.” The young man scoffed at such an assertion.
Sure enough, within that very same day, the leader took the young man and some of the others to a park at night to pray and reflect. Authorities showed up to arrest the leader. In a fit of anger and fear, the young man pulled out a weapon and attacked, injuring one of the authorities. He was rebuked by the leader and told to put the weapon away. Then the leader was captured and taken away to a courthouse, and the young man followed at a distance.
While standing outside the courthouse in the middle of the night around a fire, the young man was confronted by different people, all asserting that he was associated with the leader on trial. “Ma’am, I don’t know him,” he boldly said the first time. “Sir, I am not with him,” he defiantly said the second time. And, “Curse you, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” was his final definitive answer.
When he uttered those words, a rooster crowed. The young man caught the eye of the leader and realized the leader was right. He had not lived up to his bold claims. Instead, he had failed miserably, betraying the one who had given him everything. In that moment, there was anguish, sorrow, and shame. The man wept and walked away, overwhelmed by the guilt of his sin and the failure of his mission. Thoughts flooded his mind: I blew it. I was supposed to be the hero, and instead, I ended up being a coward.
He was wracked with regret and filled with remorse, convinced that this failure would define him forever—that he had divorced himself from his relationship with the leader and disqualified himself from any future leadership. He wallowed in pity and felt utterly dejected.
Does anybody know who I am talking about? I am talking about the apostle Peter. That narrative is his life leading up to the moment we find in John 21. Peter had failed miserably, and in many ways, he thought he had forfeited both relationship and purpose. Like many of us, he fell on his face, and his sin had horrific consequences. But my prayer is that we can see the grace God offers us—a grace that can overcome our greatest failures and restore us in the most amazing ways.
All four Gospel accounts record Peter’s denial and betrayal of Jesus, making it a point of significance in the story. But only John records Peter’s restoration. Only John tells the story we are looking at tonight.
A Familiar Shore and a Frustrating Night
In verse one, we see Peter and the disciples back in Galilee, back where they came from, doing what they know how to do: fishing.
John 21:1-3 (NASB)
After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested [Himself] in this way. Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the [sons] of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing.’ They said to him, ‘We will also come with you.’ They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.
At this point, Jesus has been resurrected. He has already appeared to Peter and the disciples on two occasions.
John 20:19-20 (NASB)
So when it was evening on that day, the first [day] of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace [be] with you.’ And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Luke 24:34 (NASB)
saying, ‘The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.’
Mark 16:14 (NASB)
Afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining [at the table]; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen.
They know He is alive, but they don’t fully understand what that means for their lives. Jesus had told them to go back to Galilee and wait for instructions.
Matthew 28:10 (NASB)
Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.’
They are sitting there waiting, and Peter—being the impulsive “ready, fire, aim” guy that he is—decides he cannot sit still. He announces he is going fishing, and six other disciples follow him.
The Sea of Galilee is the lowest freshwater lake in the world, and fishing was a major industry there. The most common species was tilapia—smaller fish, about seven to eight inches long. Fishermen typically fished at night to avoid the scorching heat, but also because fish hid in deeper waters among the rocks during the day and swam into shallower waters under cover of darkness.
Peter and the guys are out on the lake all night long, working hard, but to no avail. Not a single catch. That is incredibly frustrating. These are seasoned fishermen; this was their livelihood. For Peter, this may have felt like adding insult to injury—one failure after another, a tangible reminder of his inadequacy. He was frustrated, exhausted, and confused.
Breakfast on the Beach
At the end of this long, fruitless night, a man appears on the shoreline. The text tells us it is Jesus, but the disciples in the boat do not recognize Him.
John 21:4 (NASB)
But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus calls out to them: “Children, you do not have any fish to eat, do you?”
John 21:5 (NASB)
So Jesus said to them, ‘Children, you do not have any fish, do you?’ They answered Him, ‘No.’
That word children can be translated as friends. It was a common, working-class greeting. The disciples call back with a frustrated, “No.” Then the stranger shouts unusual instructions: “Cast your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you will find fish.”
John 21:6 (NASB)
And He said to them, ‘Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find [a catch].’ So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish.
Any knowledgeable fisherman in ancient times would have thought this was an absurd suggestion. If there were no fish on one side of the boat, why would throwing the net ten feet to the other side make any difference? Yet they comply. Perhaps they were delirious from being up all night, or maybe they just figured they had nothing left to lose. They cast the net, and immediately they are unable to haul it in because of the great quantity of fish.
Instantly, Peter and the boys must have flashed back to three years earlier on that very same shoreline, when Jesus gave them similar instructions and performed the exact same miracle of provision.
Luke 5:1-11 (NASB)
Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and [began] teaching the people from the boat. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ Simon answered and said, ‘Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say [and] let down the nets.’ When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets [began] to break; so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw [that], he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, ‘Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!’ For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also [were] James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.’ When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.
Back then, Jesus not only provided for them financially through the catch, but He also called them into a relationship and a kingdom purpose.
In verse seven, John makes the connection and exclaims, “It is the Lord!”
John 21:7 (NASB)
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’ So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped [for work]), and threw himself into the sea.
John is the discerning one; Peter is the impulsive one. As soon as Peter hears that it is the Lord, he puts on his outer garment—since he had stripped down for work—and throws himself into the sea. Just like in Matthew 14, Peter is the first one out of the boat and into the water.
Matthew 14:28-29 (NASB)
Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ And He said, ‘Come!’ And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
Why put clothes on to swim? In Eastern custom, when meeting a superior, putting on your outer garment was a sign of respect. Peter realizes who is standing on the shore, puts on his garment, jumps in, and swims to Jesus.
When the disciples reach the land, they see that Jesus has been busy cooking breakfast for them.
John 21:9 (NASB)
So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire [already] laid and fish placed on it, and bread.
Jesus has a charcoal fire going with fish and bread. Then He invites them, “Come and have breakfast.”
John 21:12 (NASB)
Jesus said to them, ‘Come [and] have breakfast.’ None of the disciples ventured to question Him, ‘Who are You?’ knowing that it was the Lord.
I love what Jesus does here. It is not just about the meal; it is an invitation into relationship. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus is constantly saying, “Come.” Come and see, come and learn, come and follow, come and rest, come and dine. He is inviting them into fellowship.
Can you imagine what Peter is thinking right now? He is living with guilt and shame over his denial of Christ. Sitting around that charcoal fire, his mind must have gone back to a few nights earlier around another charcoal fire, where he betrayed his Master three times. He is consumed with his past, trapped by his mistakes, and wrestling with despair.
In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis wrote that one of Satan’s primary strategies is to get Christians preoccupied with their failures, because from then on, the battle is won. When we fail, we often wallow in self-pity, become paralyzed by our shortcomings, and feel unable to move forward.
I am mindful of this in my own life. I think back to seasons where I fell short and felt disqualified. I remember moments in my marriage where I sinned against my wife and wondered if our relationship was broken beyond repair. I remember times when work became an unhealthy idol, forcing me to step away and wonder if I would ever be trusted in leadership again. I think of times when I wounded friends with my words and feared those relationships were severed forever. We have all experienced failure, and we have all been tempted to believe that our failures define us.
Yet here, Jesus says to Peter—and to us—“Come, break bread with Me. Come, let’s talk. Let’s deal with your past.” Peter experiences the reconciling and restoring power of the gospel on that shoreline. Notice that Jesus initiated all of it. He showed up, He called out to them, He gave the instruction, He provided the miracle, He prepared breakfast, and He invited them in. When we feel that sin separates us, God pursues us because He loves us.
Three Questions, Three Confessions
Jesus is not only interested in restoring Peter’s relationship with Him; He wants to restore Peter’s purpose. He asks a simple yet searching question three times, leading to three confessions, which result in three exhortations.
John 21:15 (NASB)
So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, [son] of John, do you love Me more than these?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Tend My lambs.’
Jesus begins by addressing him: “Simon, son of John.” When Jesus first met Peter, He gave him a new name:
John 1:42 (NASB)
He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ’You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas ’ (which is translated Peter).
Peter means “rock”—something solid, firm, and foundational. Jesus had essentially named him Rocky, calling him to be a strong fighter for the kingdom. But here on the beach, Jesus calls him Simon. Instead of Rocky, it is as if Jesus is addressing him as “Shaky.” It is a gentle reminder that Peter had not lived up to his calling.
Then Jesus asks, “Do you love Me more than these?” He is likely referring to the other disciples, because Peter had previously boasted that even if everyone else fell away, he never would. Peter has to eat humble pie. But Jesus is not asking this to shame or condemn him; it is a progression to restore him.
In the English language, we have only one word for love, which can be inadequate. I can say I love my wife, I love my children, I love ice cream, and I love Star Wars. But they do not mean the same thing. In Greek, there are distinct words for love: agape is unconditional, self-sacrificing love; phileo is brotherly, affectionate friendship love; and eros is romantic love.
In this exchange, Jesus and Peter use agape and phileo. The first time, Jesus asks, “Do you agape Me? Do you have unconditional, self-giving love for Me?” Peter, humbled by his failure, concedes, “Lord, You know that I phileo You—I have brotherly affection for You.” Jesus responds, “Tend My lambs.”
A second time, Jesus asks, “Simon, son of John, do you love (agape) Me?” Peter responds again, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love (phileo) You.” Jesus commands him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
John 21:16 (NASB)
He said to him again a second time, ‘Simon, [son] of John, do you love Me?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Shepherd My sheep.’
Then comes the third question. Jesus asks, “Simon, son of John, do you love (phileo) Me?”
John 21:17 (NASB)
He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, [son] of John, 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, ’Tend My sheep.
This time, Jesus meets Peter where he is, using Peter’s word. The text says Peter was grieved because Jesus asked him a third time. It is as if Peter thinks, Really? A third time? With a sigh and perhaps tears in his eyes, Peter says, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
This was painful for Peter, but it was not punitive pain—it was redemptive pain. These three questions corresponded to Peter’s three denials. Jesus was performing gospel surgery on Peter’s heart, and it was about to change him forever. God uses redemptive pain in our lives to conform us to the image of Christ. We don’t ask for pain, but it is often part of God’s restoring work.
Notice that Jesus does not rush this process. He doesn’t simply ask, “Peter, are you sorry?” Parents know how that goes—a child gets caught red-handed and says, “I’m sorry! Are we good? Can I go now?” They want to say the magic words to escape consequences. Jesus doesn’t let Peter off the hook with a quick phrase. He slows the moment down to deal with Peter’s heart.
He doesn’t demand behavior modification. He knows that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23 (NASB)
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
He knows that there is no one righteous, not even one.
Romans 3:10 (NASB)
as it is written, ’THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
He knows that our best righteous deeds are like filthy rags.
Isaiah 64:6 (NASB)
For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
Jesus is after the heart. He knows the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.
Luke 10:27 (NASB)
And he answered, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’
Jesus was looking for a humble, contrite heart that was honest about failure. Jesus didn’t ask because He lacked information; He asked so that Peter could process his confession, grasp the depth of his sin, and fully receive grace.
Grace convicts us; it does not condemn us. It moves us outward toward God rather than inward into self-pity.
Restored to Purpose
Grace restores relationship, but it also restores purpose. With each confession, Jesus gave an exhortation: Tend My lambs. Shepherd My sheep. Tend My sheep.
Earlier in the Gospels, Jesus called Peter to be a fisher of men; now He calls him to be a shepherd. Jesus is reaffirming Peter’s pastoral calling. Peter thought he was permanently disqualified from ministry, but Jesus tells him, “You are still My guy.”
To tend means to feed and spiritually nourish people through God’s Word. To shepherd means to care for and guide people in their walk with Christ. Lambs represents young or new believers—like the 3,000 who would come to faith on Pentecost after Peter preached. Sheep represents mature believers who need continued discipleship.
Jesus emphasizes, “Tend My sheep.” They do not belong to Peter. Peter is not their savior or their king; he is an under-shepherd caring for Christ’s flock. Thirty years later, Peter wrote to church leaders:
1 Peter 5:2 (NASB)
shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to [the will of] God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;
Peter took that calling to heart. Jesus was saying, “Peter, you love Me? Good. I have a plan for you. You are going to lead My church. You will preach, and thousands will come to faith. You will heal the sick, train disciples, plant churches, and ultimately give your life for Me on a cross.”
Jesus entrusted the leadership of His church to the man who had failed Him most publicly. Peter’s failure did not disqualify him from God’s grace.
The Stolen Jacket and Tangible Grace
This story reminds me of an event from thirty years ago. In 1992, I was a college freshman at Fresno Pacific. My best friend was Jeff Harris, whom I had known since first grade. I spent countless days at the Harris home, and Jeff’s mother, Linda, was like a second mother to me. She was kind, fed us, drove us around, and put up with all of our antics.
That year, Jeff’s older brother, Rob, passed away from a heart condition—a heartbreaking tragedy. Shortly after his passing, I was at their house and went into one of the bedrooms. Hanging in the closet was Rob’s favorite leather jacket, his prized possession.
In a moment of sheer stupidity, selfishness, and sin, I stole that jacket. I snuck it out to my car and took it back to my dorm. I never wore it—I couldn’t bring myself to put it on—but I didn’t return it either. A few days later, the family realized it was missing and figured out I had taken it. Someone knocked on my dorm door and asked, “Do you have Rob’s jacket?” I had to say yes and hand it over.
I was overcome with fear, guilt, and shame. How could I do something so terrible? I knew I had to face Linda. What do you say to a grieving mother who just buried her oldest son, only to be betrayed by someone she treated like family? I went to her house, walked into the living room, and confessed. I told her how sorry and selfish I was, and I braced myself for the anger and punishment I deserved.
Instead, Linda offered me grace. She looked at me, told me she loved me, and said that even though she was deeply hurt, she forgave me. She embraced me, and I wept in her arms. I had never experienced that kind of love and acceptance before. It was a tangible picture of the gospel that I will never forget. That act of grace restored our relationship, washed away my guilt, and changed me.
Application: An Invitation to Grace
Why did Jesus ask Peter that searching question? Because Peter was wallowing in failure, convinced he was ruined and disqualified. Jesus met him in his brokenness and restored him.
Jesus asks us that same question today. We are all people who have fallen short, sinned, and made messes of our lives, marriages, and opportunities. In our culture, failure often leads to cancellation and rejection. But the gospel offers reconciliation, restoration, and renewed purpose.
1 John 1:7-9 (NASB)
but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
At The Well Community Church, we want to be a place where we can be authentic about our sin because we know the depth of God’s grace. We should be the most honest people about our brokenness because we know the Savior who redeems it.
As we close, I want to leave you with three questions to consider:
- What in your past or present do you feel defines you or disqualifies you? What guilt, shame, or regret are you carrying? Are you willing to bring it into the light and confess it to God and trusted community?
- How do you answer Jesus’ question: “Do you love Me?” Can you honestly express your sorrow for sin and your deep need for Him, telling Him you love Him even when you fall short?
- Will you receive God’s grace to restore your relationship and purpose? Sin has consequences, but grace is greater. What Jesus did for Peter, He is ready to do for you.
Let’s pray.
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for Your Word. What an amazing picture of Jesus meeting Peter in his darkest moment of failure and shame, initiating relationship and offering restoring grace. We recognize that we are so much like Peter. We fall short, we fail, and we disobey. Yet Your grace is sufficient for us.
Help us to confess our love and dependence on You. Restore our hearts and renew our purpose, that we might live for Your glory and be a testimony of Your grace to a world in desperate need. We pray this in Christ’s name. Amen.