John 21:15-17.. “Do You Love Me?”

¹⁵ When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

¹⁶ Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

¹⁷ The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 

In these following verses, we witness Peter’s restoration. One thing that must be brought to our attention is this: none of us desires to fail Jesus. None of us wakes up wanting to sin against Him. Yet, we must admit—God can use even our failures and falls for His glory. He uses them to humble us, to break our pride, and to draw us closer to Him… closer to His heart.

In these verses, we see a humbled Peter. He is no longer boasting in his own strength or making bold claims about his loyalty. Instead, he responds with a sincere, quiet love.

In verse 15, Jesus asks, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

The word “these” could be referring to a few things.

First, it may point back to what Peter once said in Matthew 26:33: “Even if all fall away, I will not.” Peter had compared his love to the other disciples, claiming his devotion was stronger. But that pride—that bold self-confidence—had now been broken. This time, Peter answers without comparison. Jesus may have asked this question this way to gently expose and heal Peter’s pride with grace.

Have you ever been asked a question by Him that brought conviction to your heart? Jesus often asks questions—not because He lacks knowledge, but to reveal what is within us, to confront us gently, and to lead us into humility.

Second, “these” could refer to Peter’s old life—his comfort, his past. Remember, Peter had returned to fishing, the life he knew before Jesus called him. In that sense, Jesus could be asking, “Do you love Me more than your old life?”

You cannot fully follow Jesus while holding tightly to what He has called you out of.

Matthew 6:24 says, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money.” The truth is, you cannot fully belong to God while still clinging to a life that pulls you away from Him. It is one or the other.

Or perhaps Jesus is asking an even deeper question:

“Do you love me more than everything?”

More than your plans… your relationships… your identity… your fears.

Peter responds, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You.”

No pride. No comparison. Just honesty and dependence.

Jesus replies, “Feed My lambs.”

Notice this—Jesus does not say, “Prove it.” Instead, He gives Peter responsibility. His failure did not disqualify him. Jesus gave him a responsibility—a calling. He restores him and entrusts him with purpose.

In a way, Jesus is saying, “If you love Me, care for what I love… feed My lambs.”

And who are the lambs? The young in faith, the vulnerable, those who need care and guidance. Peter is called to nourish them with spiritual truth—with the Word of God.

God has already given us that nourishment through His Word.

There may be days when you don’t feel spiritually hungry—but you still need the Word. You still need nourishment.

Matthew 4:4 says, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

There are days you may not feel like praying, reading, or even drawing near—you may feel disconnected. But that is exactly when you must open the Word. Just as the body needs daily food, your soul needs daily truth. The Word of God doesn’t just respond to hunger—it creates it.

God’s Word strengthens you when you are weak, corrects you when you drift, comforts you when you are hurting, and anchors you when life feels unstable. Without it, you begin to walk in darkness.

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

And this calling given to Peter extends to us. We are called to encourage others with Scripture, to share truth with those who are lost, and to remind others of God’s promises. But we cannot feed others if we are not being fed ourselves.

In verse 16, Jesus asks again, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?”

Peter responds, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You.”

Jesus says, “Take care of My sheep.”

The sheep are those who believe in Jesus—the people of God. This connects to John 10:11, where Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”

To “take care of His sheep” means to love people with a shepherd’s heart—to guide, teach, protect, and serve them with patience, humility, and truth. It is remembering that they belong to Jesus, not to us. We are not called to build followers for ourselves, but to care for people who belong to Him.

Then in verse 17, Jesus asks a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?”

Peter is grieved. This third question mirrors his three denials. He remembers the fire, the fear, the failure. But what hurts is also what heals.

Every question is undoing a denial.

Every response is restoring his heart.

Peter answers in full surrender:

“Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”

Jesus responds again, “Feed My sheep.”

This moment is not just Peter’s story—it is ours.

Jesus still asks us today, “Do you love Me?”

And we quickly respond, “Yes.”

But then the question lingers…

Do we truly love Him the way we say we do?

Do our actions reflect it?

Do our choices show it?

This is a question of reflection and conviction that reaches the heart.

This is what Jesus wants from you—your love, your heart. Love is sacrificial. He sacrificed His life for you. If we love Him the way we say we do, we must be willing to lay down our own lives, our own ways for Him.

A relationship that is close and personal with Jesus will involve sacrifice. We must choose to die to ourselves daily and carry our cross, just as Luke 9:23 says: “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me.”

If you love Him, will you choose to put Him above all things?

Will you deny yourself daily and follow Him wholeheartedly?

Will you put Him first… even when it costs you?

If you love Him, He gives you a responsibility:

to love who He loves, to care for who He cares for, and to live in a way that reflects Him.

Thank you for taking the time to read God’s Word. If this message touched your heart, please consider sharing it with others—you never know who may need to hear it.