John 21

Rev Stegen shared from John 21 how God called him right at the beginning (read the full report here). God commanded the children of Israel to tell their children their redemption story from Egypt, lest it's forgotten. You need to teach your children how God saved you from worldliness, the lust of the flesh, resentment, anger, etc. They don't know, unless you teach them. Some children of Christian parents don't know the basics of the Christian faith, which they should know, simply because their parents never teach them.

• Jesus asked Peter, 'Simon... do you love me?' He uses Peter's old name, and asked him if he loved Him with godly love (agapé). Peter answered that he loved Jesus as a friend (phileo). Jesus asked him the 2nd time the same question and Peter answered the same. The 3rd time Jesus came down to Peter's level and asked him whether he loved him as friend (phileo). That broke Peter's heart.
• Jesus asked Peter whether he loved Him more than the others. Peter loved John, Thomas, Nathaniel, his wife, children., etc. However, Jesus wanted to know whether he loved Him more than them. When you compare your love for your friends, your wife, children, etc., to your love for Jesus - do you love Jesus more? If you love them more, you cannot be His disciple.
• We can also read the question, do you love Me more than they love me? i.e. Jesus wants you to love Him more than others do. When you're right with God you will concern yourself more with your own sin than those of others. Even when the whole world is wrong, Jesus expects you to love Him and do what's right.
• Lastly, we can read it too, do you love Me more than these fish? Do you love Jesus more than your ambitions, possessions, sport, etc.? God gave the best He had to save us from our sins, even while we were His enemies. You must love the same.

Jesus told Peter that when he's old, another will dress him and take him where he would not like to go. Peter, who was very vocal and self-assured of his love for Christ, failed miserably when put to the test. He was ashamed of Christ, His shame and His suffering and denied His Lord. However, when he became old, he counted it a privilege to be mocked and even killed for the sake of Christ. Peter was crucified upside-down, counting it a privilege to die for his Lord, but not worthy to be crucified the same.

The question Jesus asks of you today, is not how long you've toiled for Him, but 'do you love (with agape, godly love) Me more than these?'