Grown-Up Bible Stories Jesus and Peter by the Lake
"Follow Me"
Peter was back on Lake Galilee. In fact, he and six of Jesus' other friends went fishing. Peter had suggested the venture. Perhaps he needed money. Then too, their world had moved through disaster to a whole new understanding of death and hope in a few short days. Perhaps they all needed to step back and regroup. In any event, Peter was fishing on Galilee again. We don't know that Peter intended to return to fishing as a career, but he did go fishing this particular night. He was doing what he'd done before Jesus came along and said, “Follow Me.”
Jesus was not with them. Of course, Jesus had died, but He had also risen again. The surviving disciples had seen Him as a group twice. Peter had also been privileged with a personal visit. Thomas, one of the seven men in the boat that night, had doubted Jesus' resurrection until Jesus showed him the wounds in His hands and side. Now, at Jesus' direction, the eleven were back in Galilee where they expected to meet with Him again.
The risen Jesus they had seen and touched was the same Jesus they had watched die.
Still, much about Him had changed. He wasn't with them all the time now. He came and went suddenly, mysteriously. His body had come out of the tomb physically alive, but it had also gained a spiritual aspect that allowed Him to move through solid walls, to temporarily hide His identity, and to appear and disappear suddenly. Bible scholars think such mixed physical and spiritual qualities are similar to what Christians can expect when resurrected at Jesus' Second Coming.
As he sometimes experienced in his years as a professional fisherman, Peter's night's work proved disappointing. The fishing party tossed their net over the side of the boat only to pull it in empty, time after time. Peter hadn't necessarily lost his touch. Nature, as ever, refused to be thoroughly predictable.
As morning dawned, the men in the boat looked toward shore. They were about three hundred fifty feet (108 meters) out. They didn't recognize the man who had lighted a fire, and was cooking bread and fish on the coals. Then, the man on shore turned to them. “Do you have any meat?” he called across the water. [Quotations are not necessarily exact unless accompanied by a reference.]
“No,” the tired fishermen answered. After all, it hadn't been a good night.
“Throw your net on the other side of the boat,” came the response.
Somehow, the ridiculous suggestion wasn't a taunt. We aren't told the fishermen's thoughts, but they likely remembered another day when Someone made a similar suggestion with startling results. Three years with Jesus had taught them not to depend too heavily on their own expertise. They tossed the net over the other side. At once, the net filled with large fish. It had happened before, but only when one Man was involved.
John, one of Peter's former business partners, caught on first. “It's the Lord!” he said.
The other six agreed immediately. Peter, who'd been largely unclothed in the dark, wet boat, threw his outer garment on and jumped into the water. Splashing ahead of the boat, he swam to shore. He was the first to greet Jesus on this third appearance to assembled disciples.
The other men came to shore, dragging the bulging net behind the boat. Once again, Jesus confirmed the almost unbelievable reality of His resurrection by appearing in the flesh. He'd been a wonderful Friend, Teacher, Prophet, and Mentor. They loved Him greatly. There wasn't time to bother with throwing mere fish in a boat. They drug the net as they pulled hard to shore.
Jesus already had a breakfast of bread and fish cooking on the coals. Now, he suggested they bring some of their catch. Peter went to the water's edge and drug the net in. One of the men even counted the 153 large fish it contained. Their weak natural-fiber net normally broke under such loads but somehow, it held this morning. Soon, they were eating with the only Man in history to be permanently raised from the dead.
After breakfast, Jesus turned to Peter. History has not recorded the thoughts of either man, but Jesus and Peter both would have remembered Peter's brave declarations of loyalty prior to Jesus' arrest. They both would have remembered, Peter's denial and the shame he'd felt. It is possible that Peter still wondered about his standing with the risen Son of God. We do not know either man's thoughts, but we do know their words.
Jesus said, “Simon, son of Jonas, do you love Me more than these?”
Peter, answered, “Yes, Sir, You know I love You.”
Jesus responded, “Feed my lambs.”
Jesus addressed Peter again, “Do you love me?”
“Yes,” said Peter. “You know I love you.”
“Feed my sheep,” said Jesus.
The significance of this exchange is partly lost in its translation into English. In the Greek of the New Testament, there were two words used for non-romantic love. One was phileos, or brotherly love. The other was agape, or selfless love. Brothers have phileos for each other. Friends have phileos for each other. Mothers have agape. God has agape. Jesus asked Peter if he had agape. Peter only claimed phileos.
Jesus spoke again, this time using the lesser word. “Simon, do you love Me?”
Peter recognized the lowered expectation in Jesus' question. It hurt, and it hurt bad. But at least he could answer this one with full assurance. “You know everything, Sir,” he said. “You know I love you.”
“Feed my sheep,” said Jesus.
Then, Jesus moved from question to statement. Looking at the man who had failed Him dramatically, Jesus told Peter his future. Peter had lied to avoid crucifixion after bragging he'd do whatever it took. Peter had just tacitly confessed his love wasn't all it should be. Jesus knew all this, yet He chose to show Peter that his love would be agape one day and that he would yet do whatever it took. Jesus said, “When you were young, you dressed yourself. You went wherever you wished. When you are old, you will stretch out your hands. Other people will dress you and take you where you do not wish.”
Peter realized Jesus was predicting his death. Apparently the reference to stretched-out hands indicated crucifixion, the same excruciating way Jesus had died. As strange as it may seem, Jesus had just told Peter that his failure had only been temporary after all.
Then, Jesus gave Peter a challenge. “Follow Me,” He said.
Peter was committed to following Jesus. He was committed, but the prospect of a cross still had about as much appeal as, well as a cross. Looking at John, the youthful fisherman who was especially close to Jesus, Peter asked: “What will this man do?”
Jesus response was simple: “If I want him to live until I come back as King, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
“Follow Me,” said Jesus. He said it to a man who was far from perfect. He said it to a man who had just admitted the weakness of his own love. Jesus spoke to an ordinary man. He spoke to a man who was still learning to live spiritually instead of only naturally. Jesus looked at this imperfect, semi-faithful man who had let Him down. Jesus looked at him. Jesus loved him. Jesus said, “Follow Me.”
Peter did follow Jesus. Peter was with Jesus when He left for Heaven. Peter was doing his best to live for Jesus when Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to fill him with the power to truly follow. Peter spent the rest of his life following Jesus. He lived according to Jesus' teachings. He used God's power to heal sick people and to raise a woman from the dead.
Peter used God's power to proclaim the good news that Jesus had died to bring forgiveness, peace with God, and eternal life to all who would put their trust in Him. It was Peter, following Jesus by obeying the Holy Spirit, who first brought the Gospel to those outside the Jewish nation. Peter followed Jesus by helping guide the early church and proclaiming the truth of the Gospel during theological controversy. Peter lived the rest of His life trying to do what Jesus said and to copy how He lived. Peter followed all the way to the cross and to Jesus' throne in Heaven.
One day, Jesus spoke to a fisherman who had begun to believe in Him. He said, “Follow Me.” Peter followed. After His resurrection from the dead, Jesus spoke to Simon Peter again. He said, “Follow Me.” Peter followed. Jesus knew Peter's strengths and weaknesses all along, but He started and finished their earthly time together with that call “Follow Me.”
***
The stories of the Bible are not given as mere history or inspiration. They are given to communicate to all people of all time. These four stories of Jesus, Peter, and the Lake speak to us all. They bring those same words to each of us: “Follow Me”. You and I aren't a lot better or worse than Peter, yet Jesus calls us all with: “Follow Me.”
Peter made his decision. He can't make yours. It's up to you. Jesus says: “Follow Me.” Will you?
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. (Galatians 6:14)
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. (Mark 8:34-38)
This story is the fourth in a four-part series, "Jesus and Peter by the Lake." For the previous story, click here: Nature and Super-Nature
Please note: the story of Jesus and Peter by Galilee after Jesus resurrection is found in John 21 of the New Testament. I had previously told this story from a somewhat different perspective. If you would like to read that version, please click here: Reclaiming a Failure. Of course, you would also do well to read the story from the Bible to see the original perspective from which God gave it.
This work is in the pubic domain and may be copied and distributed freely.
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