The Grace That Puts You Back on Your Feet
John 21 gives us a powerful picture of what happens when grace meets failure. After Jesus’ resurrection, Peter and several disciples went back to fishing. For Peter, it wasn’t just a hobby—it was the life he knew before following Jesus. After denying his Lord three times, he may have thought his ministry was finished.
But on the shore that morning, Jesus was waiting.
A charcoal fire burned, the same kind of fire where Peter once denied knowing Jesus. Smells carry memories, and this one would have flooded Peter with shame. Yet instead of condemnation, Peter found breakfast prepared by the Lord who had conquered death.
This was not a setup for guilt. It was a moment of restoration.
Grace Leads to Obedience
Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Each question was followed by a command: “Feed my lambs. Shepherd my sheep. Feed my sheep.” Jesus wasn’t looking for Peter’s perfection. He was calling Peter back into relationship and into mission.
Dallas Willard once said, “Grace is not opposed to effort; it is opposed to earning.” That’s what we see here. Peter wasn’t earning back his place. Jesus had already covered his failure. But grace was leading him into obedience that would carry eternal weight.
The same gospel that saves also calls us to live differently. Not out of fear. Not out of obligation. But out of love for the One who has already finished the work.
Immediate and Eternal Significance
Peter’s restoration reminds us that obedience has both immediate and eternal significance.
Eternal: When Jesus said, “Feed my lambs,” He was reminding Peter that caring for people has eternal consequences. Leading others to Jesus and helping them grow in faith outlasts anything else this world offers.
Immediate: When Jesus said, “Shepherd my sheep,” He showed that obedience makes a difference right now. When lives are transformed by the gospel, relationships change, forgiveness flows, and joy multiplies.
Personal: When Jesus said, “Feed my sheep,” He pointed Peter’s focus away from himself and toward others. Gospel-shaped obedience always shifts priorities outward.
Meeting Us Where We Are
The way Jesus spoke to Peter is also significant. Twice He used the word agape—a deep, committed love. Peter responded with phileo—a brotherly affection. Peter knew his limitations. He was no longer the overconfident disciple swinging a sword in the garden. He was broken.
And on the third question, Jesus met him there. He used Peter’s word, phileo. Jesus didn’t wait for Peter to climb higher. He met him at his lowest point. That’s the kind of Savior He is.
What This Means for Us
This passage is good news for every believer. For those worn out from trying to impress God with good deeds, Jesus reminds us that He has already done the work. For those who have slipped back into old patterns like Peter’s fishing trip, Jesus calls us out of the boat and back into the life He’s prepared. And for those who think they’ve gone too far to be restored, Jesus shows that His grace is enough to meet us right where we are.
The gospel always begins with repentance and faith. But it never ends there. It produces a new life marked by love, obedience, and mission. Like Peter, we are restored to obey.