WEEK 48.7: Discussion questions below.

Show Notes

In this penultimate explore episode, Nick and Jamie examine Jesus's intimate restoration of Peter in John 21:15-25, where Jesus asks "Do you love me?" three times, mirroring Peter's three denials. They dismantle the popular teaching about different Greek words for love (agape vs. phileo), explaining that modern scholarship shows they were used interchangeably. The conversation explores what mutual love with Jesus actually means, why Jesus commissions Peter to "feed my sheep" as the action of that love, and the concept of "leadership with a limp." They wrestle with Jesus's cryptic prediction of Peter's martyrdom, Peter's awkward deflection to ask about John's fate, and Jesus's blunt response: "Mind your own business and follow me." The episode concludes with reflections on the gospel's final verses affirming the beloved disciple's testimony while acknowledging there's infinitely more to Jesus than any book could contain.

Key Points:

• Jesus takes Peter back to the moment of his failure and gives him three opportunities to reaffirm his love, mirroring his three denials. For every denial, Jesus gives a declaration of love and a reassurance that Peter is still called to ministry. Jesus doesn't let us avoid our failures but makes us face them squarely so they can be healed and we can move forward.

• The popular teaching about agape versus phileo love is incorrect. Modern scholars affirm these Greek words were used interchangeably in this culture. Jesus is simply asking for mutual love, and Peter affirms his mutual love three times.

• Loving Jesus means accepting him as he is, not as we want him to be. It means surrendering our demands and expectations, trusting him even when he acts in ways we don't understand or agree with.

• Love is proven through action. Jesus's love language is loving others sacrificially. Peter's love will be demonstrated by feeding Jesus's sheep, not by his confession of faith or his passionate declaration of his willingness to die.

• Leadership with a limp refers to leaders who have experienced brokenness or suffering, been restored, and now lead with humility and wisdom that their pain taught them. Peter would never again have the bravado of John 13 because he knew he only continued in ministry by Jesus's grace.

• Jesus calls us to different paths in discipleship. Peter was called to martyrdom; John was called to old age. The temptation is to compare our journey with others, judging ourselves as superior or inferior. Jesus tells us to mind our own business and follow where he leads us, not where he leads others.

• The gospel's conclusion affirms reliable testimony while acknowledging there's infinitely more to Jesus than any book could contain. This means we should be suspicious of anyone claiming certainty about fully knowing God and how he acts in the world.

Discussion Questions:

• Have you ever experienced a moment where Jesus made you face your failure directly rather than letting you avoid it? What was that like, and how did it lead to restoration?

• How does understanding that love for Jesus is proven through loving others (not through passionate feelings or declarations) challenge or change how you think about your faith?

• What does it mean to you that effective spiritual leaders are those who "lead with a limp," having been through brokenness and suffering? Who are the leaders with limps you most trust and why?

• When have you found yourself comparing your discipleship journey to others? How does Jesus's command to Peter to "mind your own business and follow me" speak to that tendency?

• The gospel ends by acknowledging there's infinitely more to Jesus than what's written. How does living with this mystery and uncertainty about God affect your faith? What makes that difficult or freeing?

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