Feed My Sheep
by Dwayne Conyers
In the early 1990’s, I was a volunteer worker in a Washington, DC soup kitchen. My responsibilities ranged from helping to prepare meals for the homeless people that came in, to sharing the gospel with any who were willing to hear.
During one Saturday morning visit, I was sharing with a young man who apparently was involved in a sinful lifestyle, resulting in his destitute situation. As he told me about himself, I was shocked to find out that he had been "saved" and baptized in my church only a few weeks earlier.
Unfortunately, he did not receive the fellowship or encouragement that he needed and, when satan came knocking on his door (see Matthew 13:20-21), he fell away.
I left this young man with a grieving heart; wondering what I might have been able to do to help him grow spiritually and to keep him from returning to a lifestyle that would lead to death. I also began to search my heart, asking the Lord if I had ever, intentionally or through thoughtlessness, caused anyone to fall astray.
It is a sobering thought to imagine that, on the day of judgement, we might see some poor soul being cast into the lake of fire and realize that we could have led him or her to the Lord.
As churches grow in size and activities, we can get so busy that we often forget the true purpose of our being there. It’s good to serve in an official position, to sing on the choir, to run church equipment, to work in the office, etc. But when we allow our responsibilities to get in the way of reaching out to those who are in need, then we’ve entered into an area of sin. Even if your "official responsibility" is keeping the pew warm, do you come to church only to receive a blessing, or do you seek out opportunities to be a blessing? Now would be a good time to pause and consider in your heart how much of this might apply to you. Allow the Holy Spirit to minister to your heart as to how you may be better used by Him in the lives of His precious lambs.
I want to look at a passage of scripture that should provide encouragement and exhortation in this regard. St. John, chapter 21:
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So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
This occurred after the resurrection as Jesus was making another appearance to His disciples.
Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him "more than these." More than these... what? These fish? These disciples? What was Jesus referring to?
Consider how much Peter loved fishing. Peter, Andrew, and the Zebedee brothers left a thriving business when Jesus called them to the ministry. According to Mark 1:20, their business had employees. After Jesus was crucified, the disciples had forgotten His frequent reminders that He would rise from the dead after three days. Rather than expectantly waiting for His return from the grave, Peter decided to return to the fishing business. Peter was so convincing, not only did the former fishermen join him, three disciples who weren’t even fishermen joined him (see John 21:2-3).
Some of us are very career oriented. We love our jobs. Although career is important, nothing should come before our devotion to the Lord (see Matthew 6:33). Not only will serving the Lord bring you a blessing, the Lord could use you in some small way to encourage and strengthen a brother or sister. For example, I’ve entered many meetings to find myself blessed by the words of individuals who had no idea that they were encouraging my soul. Likewise, to my surprise, I’ve had individuals express that I have blessed them during church gatherings.
Was Jesus asking, "Do you love Me more than these fish, Simon Peter?" Do you love Jesus more than your job (secular or church-related)? Have you ever ignored a brother or sister who needed a ride to church because you didn’t want to be late for choir practice? Have you failed to greet someone seated alone in the rear of the sanctuary because you had to run downstairs to check on something? We should never allow our positions — inside or out of the church — get in the way of true Christian service.
Although the question, "Do you love Me more than these fish" seems an interesting possibility, Jesus was, more likely, referring to the other disciples. "Do you love Me more than these other disciples, Simon Peter?"
In Mark 14:29, Peter had declared that he loved Jesus more than the others. Yet, despite his bold-sounding promises, he failed to keep his word and deserted Jesus at His greatest hour of need. How could Peter do that? A better question... "How could I desert Jesus at His greatest hour of need?" What? Don’t you realize that doing something to the least of Jesus’ brethren is the same as doing that to Him? Read Matthew 25:31-46.
I am constantly amazed at how some Christians can seem to be so in love with the Lord... shouting and dancing and speaking in tongues... and yet can run over their fellow saints without even batting an eyelid. Can you really be so in love with the Lord, whom you have never seen, and yet hate your brother whom you see every day? According to John (see 1st John 4:20), it is impossible and your faade of loving God is a lie.
I’ve attended all types of churches across the United States, Europe and Asia. It’s wonderful to be freely welcomed into a fellowship of believers, regardless of how much or how little you have in common... even if you’re in a foreign country and don’t speak the language. Don’t you realize that’s how heaven will be (although we will understand each other)? Don’t you also realize that if you can’t accept one another... chances are you may not find yourself in heaven?
Do you love Jesus? Do you really love Him? If so, are you obeying His commandments (see John 14:15)? Are you feeding His sheep? Let’s look at John 21:15 again:
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So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. In the Greek, Jesus asked, "Do you AGAPAO me?" He was referring to AGAPE love... which is God’s love. Agape love is an uncompromising love. It loves whether or not the subject returns that love. It loves even if the subject returns hate. Agape love is an unconditional love. It loves even the un-lovely. It loves those who don’t want to be loved. If you truly love Jesus, feed His sheep.
The word "Feed" in this verse in the original Greek language means to promote the spiritual welfare of Jesus’ AR-NEE’-ON (little lambs). Would any mother give birth to a baby, then leave it to fend for itself? Of course not! When a soul comes to Christ, we need to embrace that spiritual babe and foster his/her spiritual growth. When a new convert (or even a veteran believer) comes to the church, it is imperative for you to wrap your arms around that person and agape them. Lift them up in your prayers. Let them know that somebody cares about them. They may not look or act like the type of person you would want to love... which is even more reason to agape them.
Peter’s reply to Jesus’ question, "thou knowest that I love thee," wasn’t really a direct answer. Peter was saying "Lord, you know that I PHILEO (not agape) you." The Greek word phileo means friendship, fondness, affection or personal attachment. Phileo love is qualified by a relationship or attachment of some sort. It is very conditional. It is not the pure, high AGAPE love that Jesus was asking for.
Sometimes, we’ll love our Christian brothers and sisters... but only if they’re doing what we want them to. We won’t love them if it is uncomfortable or inconvenient for us. THAT IS SIN! Look at what happens in John 21:16
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He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Jesus repeats his question to Peter. However, this time the word "feed" in the Greek is POY-MAH’EE-NO, which means to oversee or to provide their soul needs. You see, once a baby Christian progresses along the path of spiritual maturity, we no longer need to "bottle feed" them. I like the way Keith Green put it... we’re simply like the curb on the street. We keep them from running off the road. Although the primary responsibility for providing POY-MAH’EE-NO falls upon the pastor, we all play a part in edifying the body of Christ in love (see Ephesians 4:16).
Jesus also uses a different word for "sheep" in this verse. He calls them PROB’-AT-ON, which means sheep but, in its most literal translation, means a thing that walks forward.
The body of Christ does not sit still... we are moving forward, taking the gospel to the world. In order for us to effectively move forward, we must remember to lift each other up in a spirit of love. In fact, if we don’t receive support and fellowship from each other, we can’t walk forward. Not only that, we couldn’t do anything without the "mutual support" of our sisters and brothers.
I heard a minister say that if it was God’s responsibility to hold the church together, that He was doing a "lousy job of it." At first, I found that statement to be shocking. Later, I realised that the truth is, it is not God’s job to hold the church together. It is our job! Look at what Ephesians 4 says:
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) {fill: or, fulfil}
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And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
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For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
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Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: {in: or, into} {stature: or, age}
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That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
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But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ: {speaking...: or, being sincere}
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From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
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This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
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Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: {blindness: or, hardness}
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Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
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But ye have not so learned Christ;
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If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
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That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
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And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
We see in verse 16 of Ephesians 4 that the body is joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies. You supply a little love, the next person supplies a little exhortation, the Pastor supplies preaching... etc. Each one of us has a role to play. Each one has a gift to use. Now, let’s move on with John 21:17
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He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
This time, Jesus used Peter’s word for love. Jesus asked, "Do you PHILEO me?" Notice that, when we can’t seem to make it to Jesus’ level, He will always meet us where we are. He did the same with the woman at the well, starting the conversation with a request for a drink of water, not with a diatribe about the woman’s sinful life (read the account in John 4:4-42).
Jesus goes on to tell Peter about the sacrifice that would be required of him, closing in John 21:19 with "Follow me." In the Greek, Jesus was telling Peter, "Be in the same way with Me" or "Join/Accompany Me." Remember Jesus taught (and demonstrated) that the greatest love is to lay down your life for your friends (see John 15:13).
This is what Jesus did (see John 10:15). This is what He requires us to do... to be perfect (or, complete), as our Father is perfect (see Matthew 5:48). How can we be perfect? By being made perfect in love (see Ephesians 1:4 and Colossians 3:14).
Peter eventually caught on to what Jesus was saying. Jesus met Peter at the PHILEO level in John 21:17, but Peter met Jesus at the AGAPE level in I Peter 1:13-16 as he feeds the body of Christ.
If you love Jesus... if you really love Jesus, you will feed His sheep. As He took up the cross and died for us — when we were His enemies (see Romans 5:6-8, 10) — we must take up our cross daily (see Luke 9:23) and die on it. The cross is the first century equivalent to the electric chair. It’s not a shiny emblem that you wear like a piece of common jewelry. It is an instrument of death. To take up your cross (daily) is to kill the selfish and carnal works of the flesh (see Colossians 3:5-17) and be crucified with Christ... allowing Him to live through you (see Galatians 2:20).
Would Jesus walk over one of His sheep, callously ignoring it’s piteous bleating? No way! Neither should we. Make an extra effort to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and to be ready to encourage the hearts of your brothers and sisters in Christ with love and compassion. Help them to walk forward and continue to promote their spiritual welfare (see Hebrews 10:24 and II Timothy 4:2).
To help illustrate this point, allow me to close by sharing a personal testimony. I was raised in the church, constantly exposed to Christians during weekly church functions, in my neighbourhood, and in my school. Although some of us came from differing theological backgrounds (for example, I could never figure out why some children in the school cafeteria would wave their sandwich in the air and proclaim "Wave offering" before eating) we all had one thing in common. That was, Jesus. I experienced an even closer fellowship while attending University. We had frequent Bible studies and Prayer Meetings in the dormitories, in addition to attending church services together.
The members of our group were so closely bonded together in the Lord, it was difficult for one of us to fall out of fellowship. The young women on campus found one of our group, a brother I’ll refer to as "Paul" (not his real name), hard to resist. Paul, however, had committed himself to living holy before the Lord. Most of his pursuers, however, couldn’t see things his way and were constantly trying to find ways of seducing him. On one occasion, a young woman had Paul pinned down in his room and was close to breaking his will. Paul offered a quick prayer for deliverance from what seemed an inevitable fall into fornication.
Meanwhile, I was in my room about to tune in to my favourite television programme when, suddenly, I felt compelled to turn off the television and head up to Paul’s room. As I stepped into the hall, I saw another of the group. It seems he also had a sudden "urge" to visit Paul. As we boarded the lift, we noticed another of our brothers... on his way to Paul’s room. Eventually, there were four of us... not one had a clue (or even cared) why we were all compelled to go to Paul’s room.
As we kicked Paul’s door open with hearty shouts of "Praise the Lord, brother," we didn’t even notice that the young woman was present. We grabbed Paul’s Bible, raided his refrigerator, turned on his television. It was only after the frustrated young woman stormed out of the room that we noticed her. Later, upon reflecting on what has happened, we realized that God had, in fact, used us to protect our brother from falling into sexual sin. That’s one benefit of a close spiritual relationship... why God commands us to not forsake the gathering of ourselves together (see Hebrews 10:25).
No matter how strong you think you are spiritually, satan is standing by, waiting to hit you with some temptation. Remember that iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:12). In other words, you can sharpen the Christian walk of your brothers and sisters by following Jesus’ commandment to feed His sheep.