https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+21%3A1-19&version=ESV (John 21:1-9) “Do you love me?” This question is asked in almost every human heart. We all have a deep need to feel loved and to know we’re loved. We need to hear that we’re loved. “Do you love me” can be a painful question for us to be asked, especially when it comes from those with whom we are close. It implies we have not communicated our love very well. When a wife asks a husband, or a child asks a parent this question, it’s painful. I am reminded of a funny story I heard about a Scandinavian couple named Ole and Lena. Scandinavians are not exactly known to be very demonstrative. Well, Ole and Lena had been married forty years, and Lena was barely surviving on a starvation diet of affection from Ole.One day she broke down at the dinner table and said, “Ole, do you love me?”Ole responded sternly, “Lena, when we were married, I told you I loved you. If I change my mind, I’ll let you know.”Poor Lena. ☺ “Do you love me” is a question being asked by Jesus in today’s story. It was early morning a few days after Jesus had shown the disciples that He was resurrected from the dead. Seven of the disciples had been out on a fishing trip all night. A misty fog hovered over the waters as they headed toward shore with no fish to show for their efforts. They had gotten skunked. Suddenly they saw this figure. Someone was standing on shore and shouted out to them, “Catch any fish, boys?” “No, they responded. Then He told them to throw their net on the right side of the boat and they would get some fish. Surprisingly, they did! The next thing they knew, the net was full of big fish, and they were having trouble hauling it in. John, who liked to call himself “the one whom Jesus loves,” said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” Peter immediately jumped out of the boat and swam to shore on his own leaving the others behind with a huge catch of fish. He’s in a rush to get to Jesus. When they got to the beach, they saw Jesus who was cooking fish and bread over a fire. “Bring some of your fish and let’s eat breakfast together,” Jesus said. They sat with Jesus around the charcoal fire quietly eating breakfast, but they didn’t dare ask Him Who are you? for they knew it was Him. It strikes me as odd that they’d even want to ask the question for they had already encountered Him twice since the empty tomb, according to John’s Gospel. He was obviously transformed physically in some way after the resurrection. Then came Jesus’ question to Peter – and not once, but three times. “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” The first two times Peter responded, “Yes, Lord. You know I love you.” After the third time, Peter was grieved. “You know everything! You know that I love you.” I wonder, if something was coming back to him as he smelled that charcoal fire. He was being asked this question in front of everyone else. It’s like he had been in this place before. It was uncomfortable. Notice also, three times Jesus also gives a commission, an important job, to Peter. “Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep.” In other words, Take care of my Church and bring others who are not yet in the kingdom of God so they might know Me and be rescued for eternity. It is important to notice of what is actually happening in this scene. Peter, you remember, denied knowing Jesus three times as he stood around the charcoal fire in the high priest’s courtyard the dark Thursday night when Jesus was arrested and stood trial. A rooster crowed after the third time, just as Jesus had predicted. Now Peter stands among the other disciples and three times he is publicly asked, “Do you love me?” Three times Peter replies, “Yes,” and Jesus gives him an important ministry to carry out as a disciple. An absolution is, in fact, taking place. Peter is receiving forgiveness and grace as he is given a second chance and restored into the community of disciples. I think it was Max Lucado who...