Do you Love Me?

Notes:

v. 14: “Third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.”

On the beach over breakfast.

Repetition of Peter Name:

Love and Love

Interchange of agape and philo:

Sacrificial Love and Friendship Love

John 15:12-13 “12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

Irony: “Why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

You can’t follow me yet...

[15] Jesus: Do you love [agapao] me?

Peter: I love [phileo] you.

[16] Jesus: Do you love [agapao] me?

Peter: I love [phileo] you.

[17] Jesus: Do you love [phileo] me?

Peter: I love [phileo] you.

Phileo: Inferior love?

““Do you possess a profound love for me?” and Peter responds, “Yes Lord, I am fond of you.” In the end (21:17) Jesus reduces his expectation to Peter’s humble and limited affections. This nuance is behind the NIV translation of ‘truly love’ and ‘love’ for the two verbs.” Gary Burge

Follow Me:

Let’s go! Come, follow me. BUT differently this time.

Bruce Milne: “Before Jesus can be followed and served, the sin in our lives has to be addressed. Jesus is insistent on this, even to the point of Peter’s being hurt, (17), and probably also embarrassed on the account of the public forum of Jesus’ insistence on full repentance.”

Milne: “No matter how desperate our failure, or how deep-seated our shame, he can forgive and renew us and then use us in his service. Failure is never final with God.”

Restoration for the Church

Expository Preaching

Verse-by-verse

But what happens when things are repeated?

Three Points this morning:

Do you love me?

Do you love me?

Do you love me?

Priorities of the Resurrected Jesus

Focus of Reinstatement

Bruce Milne: “The true significance of the incident lies in Peter’s being confronted with the last occasion on which he had warmed himself at a charcoal fire (9; cf. 18:18), and being called to undo his denials with these three public reaffirmations of his love and loyalty to Jesus. Until that has been done Peter is not ready to be a follower of Jesus; the barrier of failure and sin has not been removed.”

Having breakfast, all together with the rest of the disciples, reinstating Peter

“Peter restored is Peter recommissioned” Milne

Formal Reinstatement

“Simon, son of John”

“Each time Jesus questions Peter here, he uses this full and formal form of address.” Gary Burge

Repetitive Reinstatement

Resurrected Jesus restores and recommissions Peter

Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me?

Pushes the needle forward: Do you really love me?

Loyal Reinstatement

“More than These”

What does more than these refer to?

To the other disciples?

More than these fish? To his profession?

Do you love me more than your career?

Do you love me more than your closest friends?

Both?

Do you love me more than anything else? Am I your highest authority?

Gracious Reinstatement

Second chances

Focus on the Church

“Peter is directed to his work: Feed my lambs, Take care of my sheep, Feed my sheep.” Milne

“Following Jesus and loving Jesus mean accepting responsibility for Jesus’ people, a truth which is in need of rehabilitation at the present time. Commitment to Christ involves commitment to the church of Christ. Jesus Christ is not a ‘single’ person in the sense that he comes to us without other attachment. He is a ‘married’ person; he comes to us with a bride, whom he loves and for whom he sacrificed himself.” Milne

“Genuine New Testament conversion means not only turning to and accepting Christ. It also means turning to and accepting his bride, the church.” Milne

“Take it or leave it mentality”

Focus on Discipleship

18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Key passage: John 13:37-38 “37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.”