John 21:18

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.

From Background Notes [BN] for August 17^th & 18^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Using the familiar formula, “Truly, Truly” (amēn amēn), Jesus swears a solemn oath to Peter in which he contrasts “when you were young” with “when you are old.”  This contrast has serious theological significance to it. 

In the former life Peter “used to” do whatever he “wanted”; the future life means to “stretch out your hands” and be carried “where you do not want to go.”  The writer annotates these remarks with the words, “This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God” — i.e. crucifixion.  In the old life (the “used to”-life), Peter made his own decisions, followed his own inclinations, and remained in charged of his own life.  In the future life (the “will be” life), Peter must surrender his heart to the will of God, and, in fact, will one day make the ultimate sacrifice of dying for Jesus, accepting the cross as the instrument of his execution  [BN,3-4]

Join us this week in Study, Worship, Praise and Celebration at Chicago First Church of the Nazarene:

* Saturday 6:00pm
* Sunday 8:30am & 11:00am, 5:30pm