A Tale of Two Fires
So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread....Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast."...So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My lambs." He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep." He said to him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep." John 21:9-17, NASB.
It all began and ended around two charcoal fires. Before that first fire Peter was the most exuberant of the disciples, telling Jesus that he would never let Him down, that he would follow Him no matter where the path led--even to prison or death. He claimed that he was willing to lay down his life for Christ.
And then came that charcoal fire, where the servants of the high priest and certain officers stood warming themselves (John 18:18). Peter joined them. Fateful move. Beginning at that fire he would step by step deny Christ three times, eventually cursing and swearing that he did not know Him. During the days and nights of agony that followed, Peter could never escape the genuine guilt of his betrayal. Life had lost its sparkle.
The second charcoal fire reminded Peter of the first one. The very smell brought back memories. Jesus knew what he had done. God knew. John knew. And Peter knew. Not even the Resurrection itself could dispel his feelings of guilt and the haunting memory. Only revisiting the scene in a healing context would ever help.
Around that second charcoal fire the number three is again significant. But this time it relates to three questions from Jesus and three agonizing responses from Peter. As the charcoal fire burns, the number three becomes a reminder of Peter's betrayal of the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). And, to Peter's inexpressible relief, the Lamb takes his sin away. But Jesus doesn't just say "It's all right, forget about it." No, three times He recommissions His fallen disciple to work for Him.
There is something for each of us in this story. If we are awake at all to spiritual things, we will notice the smell of a charcoal fire in the air that we breathe. But there is also our Lord willing not only to forgive us but to restore us.
So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread....Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast."...So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My lambs." He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep." He said to him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep." John 21:9-17, NASB.
It all began and ended around two charcoal fires. Before that first fire Peter was the most exuberant of the disciples, telling Jesus that he would never let Him down, that he would follow Him no matter where the path led--even to prison or death. He claimed that he was willing to lay down his life for Christ.
And then came that charcoal fire, where the servants of the high priest and certain officers stood warming themselves (John 18:18). Peter joined them. Fateful move. Beginning at that fire he would step by step deny Christ three times, eventually cursing and swearing that he did not know Him. During the days and nights of agony that followed, Peter could never escape the genuine guilt of his betrayal. Life had lost its sparkle.
The second charcoal fire reminded Peter of the first one. The very smell brought back memories. Jesus knew what he had done. God knew. John knew. And Peter knew. Not even the Resurrection itself could dispel his feelings of guilt and the haunting memory. Only revisiting the scene in a healing context would ever help.
Around that second charcoal fire the number three is again significant. But this time it relates to three questions from Jesus and three agonizing responses from Peter. As the charcoal fire burns, the number three becomes a reminder of Peter's betrayal of the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). And, to Peter's inexpressible relief, the Lamb takes his sin away. But Jesus doesn't just say "It's all right, forget about it." No, three times He recommissions His fallen disciple to work for Him.
There is something for each of us in this story. If we are awake at all to spiritual things, we will notice the smell of a charcoal fire in the air that we breathe. But there is also our Lord willing not only to forgive us but to restore us.
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