Almost right on the heels of Thomas, we have the story of Peter.
Some scholars believe that the book of John originally ended with 20:30–31. If the gospel had ended there, Peter could have breathed a sigh of relief, dodging the bullet of having to face the One he had betrayed and look Him in the eye.
After His resurrection, Jesus appears to seven disciples on the shores of the Sea of Tiberias and serves them breakfast. When Jesus is finished grilling the fish and bread, it’s time for Him to grill Peter. Jesus questions Peter three times about his loyalty – “do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because Jesus asked the question three times, yet he had earlier denied his Lord three times, referring to the night of the trial of Jesus, when Peter was confronted as to whether he knew Jesus, he vociferously denied it three times (John 18:12–25). “Do you love me?” and, if so, “Feed my lambs.”
Peter also is subjected to a grim vision of his own future, of a time when he, like Jesus, will be led where he doesn’t want to go and will die a martyr’s death (Jn 21:18).
Jesus stands on the shores of our lives. He stands at our front doors. And when we answer his knock, He has just two questions for us: “Do you love me?” and, if so, “What are you going to do about it?”
(Reverend Gordon)