Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

 ¹⁷  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.”  John 21:15-17.

———————————–

Jesus redeemed Peter by leading Peter to confess his love for Jesus three times, the same number of times that Peter previously denied Jesus. 

And, Jesus led Peter to recognize that love truly does things for the person loved.  Just as we learned yesterday in the first part of John Chapter 21, Jesus did not just tell His disciples that He loved them, Jesus did things for His disciples.  Jesus provided another appearance of  Himself to Thomas.  Jesus provided the miracle and instruction as to how to catch the fish.  Jesus provided the fish.  Jesus provided the bread.  Jesus provided the grilling.  Jesus provided the serving.  Jesus provided the breakfast.  Jesus provided another comforting appearance that indeed He was risen. 

Think of your spouse.  You could tell your spouse many times that you love her.  But, she has the right to expect that you will demonstrate your love for her by doing things for her, by caring for her.

Accordingly, and led by Jesus’ example, we are called to show our love for Jesus by tending Jesus’ sheep. 

Who is adequate to tend Jesus’ sheep?

But, there is hope!

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. 

^” ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH,
         ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH;
         FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER
         WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’ ”  Matthew 2:6.

Jesus will accomplish His work.  Jesus will use us to tend His sheep.  “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13. 

Because of the fact that the Church is Jesus’ body and Jesus is the Head of the Church, we can have even more confidence that Jesus will use His body to accomplish His work to tend His sheep.  Jesus gives gifts and ministries to accomplish His work.     

“⁴  Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.

 ⁵  And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.

 ⁶  There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.

 ⁷  But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

 ⁸  For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;

 ⁹  to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

 ¹⁰  and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.

 ¹¹  But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

…

  ¹⁸  But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.

… 

 ²⁷  Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.

 ²⁸  And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.”  1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 18, 27-28. 

In conclusion, here is how Ephesians 4:11-13. states it.  “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;  until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”