So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs” (John 21:15).

In this text, we find Jesus once again on the shores of beautiful Galilee, on this occasion recruiting disciples from among the fishermen of Capernaum. It is remarkable to see how Jesus was able to take these men of such a lowly trade and use them to do such great things. These men, along with those they converted by the power of God, were reported to have “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). Historians tell us that all of these men, with one possible exception, gave their lives for the Master who called them from their boats.

The most fascinating part of this story may lie in the fact that, at least for a while, it appeared certain to end in tragedy and defeat when the Lord was crucified under the direction of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. Immediately after the crucifixion, we read that the disciples wept together, and, as directed by Jesus before His death, they returned to Galilee where they resumed their work as fishermen. Here Jesus met them and asked Simon Peter concerning the fish he had caught, “[D]o you love Me more than these?” Jesus followed with the command to feed the flock of God, which Peter did faithfully as an elder in the Lord’s church (1 Peter 5:1).

The Lord can use each of us in the work of the church, regardless of our occupation or social status. If we will only preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified, you and I hold in our hands the power to turn this world upside down!