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.” (John 21:17)

Jesus was arrested. As Peter followed and waited at some distance, he was asked three times whether he was a disciple, and three times he denied that he was a follower of Christ. It was unacceptable, and he knew it. A disciple must be faithful under all circumstances. He must boldly proclaim his master and identify with him not only where Christ is welcomed, but also where Christ is scorned and hated, and where the very mention of his name stirs up hostility and violence.

Peter was afraid. His master was in trouble, and if he confessed his loyalty now, he could be next. So he said, “No, I am not his disciple. No, I do not even know the man!” Jesus had been to him a perfect father, teacher, and friend, but in this hour of darkness, Peter abandoned him. To add insult to injury, earlier at supper he boasted that even if all fell away, he would not, and that he was ready to go to prison and even to die for his master. Now he discovered that a man’s best intentions are easily reduced to nothing. He went outside and wept.

Yet with God there is forgiveness and restoration. If God marks our transgressions, who could stand? But he would have us learn that our righteousness and our faithfulness are all of him, so that no one may boast in his presence. His chosen ones are never finally fallen, for he causes them to repent, to stand up again, and to return to the service of the gospel. But the arrogant and self-righteous are brought low.

Jesus was killed and buried, but after three days he was raised from the dead. He returned to his disciples and encouraged them. He took Peter aside and allowed him to reaffirm his loyalty. He asked, “Peter, do you love me?” And Peter would answer, “Lord, you know that I love you.” As Peter did this, Jesus also reaffirmed his calling to the ministry of the gospel, and commanded, “Feed my sheep.”

Thus we are reminded that the motivation and authority behind the gospel ministry is first a love for the Lord Jesus, and not a love for the men that we teach and serve. Men are sinful, immature, and ignorant. They will to distort the command of God and manipulate those who minister to them in order to satisfy their own desires and promote their agendas. But if the ministry is first about serving and pleasing Christ, and not about serving and pleasing men, then we will not accommodate them.

As long as we are holding forth the standard of God, we will not care when men complain and criticize, because they are nothing. What we do, we do for Christ. Of course we love the men that we teach and serve, but we love them only because we first love Christ. If I do not love Christ, I would not be in the ministry. I would not try to lead men in the way of salvation and righteousness. This is the way it ought to be. For if you say that you would work in the ministry even if you do not love Christ, but because you love men even apart from Christ, then your whole attitude and labor are centered around men. Your work caters to sin and evil. It is wrongheaded and worthless.

After Jesus ascended to the right hand of God, he poured out his Holy Spirit. Peter and the other disciples were clothed with power from heaven. From then on he boldly declared Jesus Christ to the masses. Under the cloak of darkness, when men warmed themselves around a fire, he denied knowing the Lord. But now he marched to the temple and openly confessed to be his disciple and witness. And then he faced interrogation and imprisonment with a composure that honored his master.

We would like to say that Peter was never again intimidated by men. But he later stumbled again because of religious tradition and human opinion. When he was in Antioch, he became afraid of the men of circumcision, and so he drew back from the Gentiles and stopped eating with them, that is, as if to acknowledge that they were unclean. But God had taught him, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” No one is clean because he is a Jew, and no one is unclean because he is a Gentile. A person’s race, gender, or status is irrelevant. Any non-Christian is unclean, but anyone who believes in Christ has been cleansed by his blood. Peter knew this, but he fell into error and denied the gospel because he was afraid of what certain men might think of him. So Paul opposed him to his face, and we can only assume that Peter repented and received mercy.

Take heed that you do not stumble over human traditions and opinions. Do not be intimidated by churches and denominations. Let Christ be enthroned in your heart, and let men be brought low. Only then can you truly serve the Lord, and feed his sheep. The Bible says, “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe” (Proverbs 29:25, ESV). Love casts out fear, and our love for Christ casts out the fear of men.