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John 21:15-17,
"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest
thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love
thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time,
Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest
that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third
time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said
unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou
knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my
sheep."
This morning, our mind is drawn to a simple, yet paramount, responsibility of
the ministry. In my own little experience, I find that some self-examination
generally leads to awareness of some aspect of the ministry that I am
neglecting, whether it be in certain areas of Scripture or certain functions of
the ministry. Then, when I focus on those areas that seem neglected, I, in turn,
neglect something else just as vitally important as the one I am focused upon.
However, in all of our various duties and functions, the subject of feeding
God's lambs and sheep should never be "put on the back burner." We may feel some
correction is necessary and in order, but that does not, in turn, merit the
withholding of necessary food for their souls. One thing I have learned, since
having natural children of my own, is that no matter how much discipline they
need, they will continue to stand in need of food on a daily basis. Granted, we
may have "bad days" full of necessary spankings and other corrective measures,
but neglecting the feeding of them is dire indeed. Should we neglect the
correction, we have fat, lazy children or sheep. Should we neglect the food, we
will have whipped, starved little scarecrows. Therefore, let us labour in the
right balance, seeking to know the right measure of each.
Peter here is being asked by Christ about the very heart of the calling of the
ministry. While there are far more thoughts here than we will be able to
address, let us discover as many as suitable for this writing. Christ's first
question is more detailed than the subsequent two that will follow. The first
time Christ asks there is included in the question "more than these." Many men
have written many different ideas about what the "these" are that Christ
referred to here. Briefly, some have stated that 1. the "these" are the fish
laying on the shore that represented Peter's secular occupation, 2. the "these"
are the other disciples that Christ was asking if he (Peter) loved Him (Christ)
more than they did, or 3. the "these" are the other disciples that Christ was
asking if Peter loved Him (Christ) more than he loved them. The first thought
brings to light that the love we have for the Lord and His people needs to far
exceed any natural calling, occupation, or endeavour. The second thought brings
to light that we should be striving to love Him more now than before (although
not in the spirit of comparative competition). The third thought brings to
light that no matter how much we love someone else (even those in the household
of faith and church of the Living God) we should love Him more. Each of these
thoughts holds merit, and quite frankly, I would probably "amen" any one of
them, although I tend to lean towards the third thought more than the others.
As Christ moves on in continuing to basically ask Peter the same question, we
get the same response from Peter. The answer given to Peter then is the same
answer that ministers have today. If we truly love the Lord, His people, and our
calling, then we are to feed them whether in season or out of season. One of the
things that I have always found interesting about this scene between Peter and
the Lord is that the Lord did not give Peter any different instructions for
feeding the lambs than He did the sheep. Should there be any Biblical merit for
our children learning in church differently from the adults, there would not be
a more ideal place for it than here, in my opinion. Rather, Christ gives him a
basic instruction to feed them all alike. Peter understood from past experiences
with Christ that He fed them all alike in one accord in one place. Peter's
course, from this command, was to be no different. Christ refused not the
children to come unto Him, and they sat in the multitudes with their parents. So
likewise was Peter to feed and instruct old and young alike.
Now we get into something that I think about quite often and accomplish much
less. On one occasion, my late father was asked by a younger minister, "Why is
it that there seem to be three different types of preachers? There are those
that other preachers seem to enjoy but the congregation doesn't. There are those
that the congregation seems to enjoy but other preachers don't. Then, there are
those that everybody seems to enjoy. Why is that?" My father's response will be
paraphrased in the next paragraph, and it really gets to the heart of how we are
to teach and feed the people from the oldest to the youngest, the most sage and
wise elder to the youngest babe in Israel.
Preachers that are enjoyed by other preachers and not the congregation are those
that are appealing to people that have really dug down deep to study. They are
going to places that it takes a developed palate to taste and enjoy. These
ministers are loading up their buffet wagon with caviar, sushi, exotic meats,
and luxury items. My own mouth would be very unsuited to many of those natural
foods because I have not often or ever had the opportunity to eat them. Many of
the lambs of Zion have not been to these areas that these ministers go to, and
therefore do not enjoy it that much, while the fellow ministers do enjoy it as
they have studied similar things. Preachers that the congregation enjoys that
other preachers do not are those that preach very simply to the young, and they
load their buffet wagon up with fried catfish, fried chicken, hush puppies,
french fries, and a bottle of ketchup. The congregation enjoys the taste, but
the studied ministers may feel neglected in the ministration. The third group is
where we should all, as ministers, seek to be. Load our buffet wagon up and lay
the sushi next to the catfish. Take the tray of caviar and lay it down with the
french fries. Let all feed together, enjoy the meal, and glorify the Lord for
the effort.
When the lambs and sheep feed together from the same field and trough, their
stomachs may require certain things to promote healthy growth. A natural lamb
needs more milk than an old ram does. Too much grain or grass may be unhealthy
for a lamb's stomach, while the ewe needs such to grow. Ministers need to be
very conscientious of this so that the proper food reaches all together to
maintain healthy growth. Again, should this need to be done in separation from
one another, I believe the Lord would have here specified it, but dear friends,
He did not, as there is no need. I have witnessed as God blessed a minister to
stand and proclaim the rich truths of Zion to the hungry lambs and sheep in
which all rejoiced as all were fed the necessary food to promote their growth in
grace and knowledge in the Lord Jesus Christ.
One final thought about the feeding of God's sheep is this: God asked Peter
three times this question. Peter's final response included an extra clause (much
like Christ's first question included an extra clause), "Lord, thou knowest all
things." Peter understood that the One before him knew the thoughts and intents
of his heart, and was thereby grieved when the question came up three times. I
have always personally thought that Christ's three questions are directly
related to Peter's three denials of Him. Peter understands that Christ knows the
answer, but Christ is showing Him that we still need to re-affirm it. Saying we
love Him once would be akin to a married couple only telling each other of their
love on their wedding day. As a married man, I understand that my wife likes to
hear affirmed what she already knows to be true. Our Lord enjoys hearing us say
what He knows our hearts already speak. So, why the point of affirming love to
Him in
conjunction with feeding His heritage?
The logical link between affirming love to Him and feeding sheep is that they
must go hand-in-hand. What feeds the soul like nothing else? Hearing about the
love of God, manifested in the Person of Jesus Christ. Hearing of His great love
for us and how that love constrains us (II Corinthians 5:14) sparks the fire of
declaration of our love for Him. Souls are nourished up in this fashion as we
grow together by charitable affirmation. When the love of God is preached as it
ought to be preached or grace is heralded as it ought to be proclaimed, our duty
and labour of love and confirmation to these things will flow from it like a
river. By hearing how great things He has done for us, the logical course leads
to the love we have for Him and should show to Him. We may be dining on what the
world considers poor and pitiful herbs, but a meal with Christ where love is far
exceeds any of the stalled oxen in the world where hatred abounds. (Proverbs
15:17)
Therefore, may we meet together showing our love for Him above all others,
seeking as ministers to feed all what they stand in need of (looking to the Lord
for direction), and showing forth a bond of charity that someone from the
outside would freely confess upon seeing the sight, "God is in you of a truth."
(I Corinthians 14:25)
In Hope,
Bro Philip |