Now just what is Jesus getting at in this dialogue with Simon Peter? On one level, he is giving Peter the opportunity to cancel out on his three cowardly denials. While Peter had insisted three times that he was not a disciple of Jesus, now he affirms three times that he loves his Lord. What's going on? Three denials, three affirmations. Everything is now wiped clean. He goes from a cowardly lion to a loyal disciple.
But there is even something more significant happening here, and it has to do with the work of tending Christ’s sheep. Jesus is mapping out a sort of job description for disciple wannabes.
If you love Jesus, you can't sit at the seashore and watch things happen.
No! If you love Jesus you have to get yourself dressed, roll up your sleeves, and get into the work of discipleship if you want to tend and feed the flock of God.
Ya gotta do it! Ya can't just think about it!
Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep.
