Less than 24 hours passed between the establishing of the new covenant, and Jesus’ followers’ disappearance. When He died, they were devastated. Initially, they forgot that resurrection is only possible with death. After His return to them, the disciples’ attitude shifted, and soon they were back in the old routine. But their world had shifted. They knew the extreme to which things could go wrong, and that Y’shua would not physically be with them always. But Y’shua had a different plan for their lives. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat.
John 21:15 CEVDCI
[15] When Jesus and his disciples had finished eating, he asked, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than the others do?” Simon Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know I do!” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus said.
Love & Obedience
What an exchange!
Y’shua asks Peter to prove his love to Him. The proof, now that’s where things get interesting. The request was innocuous, or so it seemed. Peter was to simply feed Y’shua’s lambs.
But, there was a slight challenge.
Peter was a fisherman.
In the most literal sense of the request, Peter was not qualified to feed sheep. He was an expert at fishing, not shepherding. One could say the two were antithetical to each other. One was on land, the other at sea. A fisherman wasn’t a shepherd nor was a shepherd a fisherman. The only thing they had in common was the low status due to the smells and nature of their work.
Yet Y’shua was sending Peter to tend sheep. Lambs to be precise. Had Y’shua lost it when He died? Did He have any idea of who He was tasking with such a job? Peter’s livelihood involved taking life; Y’shua was asking him to support life. It was in the other end of the spectrum.
Peter was rough, uncouth. Feeding lambs demanded gentleness. Lambs live to frolic, lambs require patience. They need to be fed frequently until they can manage on 3-4 meals daily with constant access to water. It’s demanding, tiresome work. It didn’t really make sense.
Self-Check
Have we found ourselves in a similar situation with Y’shua?
Application
We know that Y’shua’s request wasn’t literal. Nevertheless the contrasts above serve to show that what Y’shua was asking of Peter wasn’t at all as simple as it sounded. For sure, Y’shua’s call to Peter demanded a career, rather a vocational shift. And we know that Y’shua had already declared His intent when He called Peter and the other fishermen to discipleship in Matthew 4:19. In following Him, Peter indicated his yes to Y’shua’s offer.
Y’shua discipled Peter and the others for 3 years. During that time Peter even had the opportunity to go out for a practical (see Luke 9 and 10). He wasn’t as inexperienced as it seemed. Moreover, Y’shua trusted him to do the job.
Y’shua’s call on our lives may feel as stark as fisherfolk turned shepherds. Prior to Christ we were also involved in death dealing existence.The world is passing through the Valley of death’s Shadow presently, and needs to experience the resurrected Christ. Yet Christ calls us to the ministry of abundant life. I guarantee us that Christ will either equip us on the job or He has already equipped us for the task to which He has called us.
If we believe that He has, it’s up to us to decide whether we will respond in love. Yet Y’shua is confident that we can do the job. Isn’t it awesome to know Y’shua believes in us? In this time of uncertainty and comment, the world needs shepherds to feed starving lambs. Who will go for God? Is it you and I?
Point to Ponder
Will we obey Y’shua’s request to feed His lambs?
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May all we seek be found in Christ
