Do you love Me?

Love is what makes the world go around we are told. It is the foundation of God’s relationship with each of His Children.

John 15:13 NKJV

13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

1 John 3:1 NKJV

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

In these two scriptures the evidence of God’s love is experessed. His desire is that each and every person born into this world would know how much He loves them.

Isn’t great to know there is a kind of love out there that loves us that no matter what we have done. But can that kind of love opporate or continue in a kind of vacum. Where one side loves so deeply forever with no acceptance or can go on with no respond. I would say that it is impossible at some point this pure expression of love will eventually move away.

Now you might be thinking that there is no way I can be talking about God. God loves us even while we were yet sinners.

Romans 5:8 NKJV

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

This is true but if we turn away from it Judgement is the result. A day will come that for all those that turn away the Love of God they will need to give an accounting.

We see this with Peter. Peter in our text needed to come to a place where he turn back to the love of God.

John 21:15–17 NKJV

15 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.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

To give you a little context remember that Peter acted as though he loved Jesus so much he would be with him nomatter what. But we see on the night Jesus is put o trial Peter denies knowing him three times. Peter had walked away from the love of Jesus for him. Peter is like many of us. We can quickly be in the same place as Peter. But becuase of the awsome Love of God Jesus persue Peter. This is where we are in our text.

It is not a coincdence that Jesus asks him three time if he loves him. I wonder how many times Jesus would need to asks us the same question?

TO see how far away Peter was from his love for Jesus. Notice that Jesus call Peter by his old name. You see Peter had fallen back to his old self and his old ways in fact he was back fishing like the old days.

How often when we slip away from the love of God do we find ourselves right back where we started do the same things we used to do.

Jesus knew where Peter was in his walk. He knew that Peter was not where he needed him to be. If Jesus was going to use Peter to change the world and preach to thousands, Peter need to be challenged to come back to the centre of God’s Love

Do you love Me more than these?

What a hard question to be asked. Do you love me more then our stuff, more then your famliy, more then your car, more then your job, more then....? Peter will you let life get in the way?

We are all faced with this question. For Ardell and I it is our children, our grandchildren, would we go where Jesus wants to go? Do we love him more then these?

Do you love Me?

Jesus just stepped it up. Peter do you love me? Peter are you able to put everything second to your love for me?

I have heard for a long time church people talk about their love for Jesus, their love for God. But ask them to go on a mission trip, ask them to give up their vaction, ask them to do things that they have never done, like teach a children, or adults or give a tithe and I think that you wiil see how much they love Jesus.

Matthew 7:15–20 NKJV

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

You will know what people really love by where they spend their time. Peter do love me? I need to see that when the hard times come.

I believe a time is coming if we are not in it already where in Canada being a christian is not acceptable. I believe that it is time to stand up for our relationship with Jesus. Will you deny him? Dennis do you love me? Is a real question we will need to be asked.

Jesus ask Peter a thrid time and Peter is hurt, he is grieved or distressed. I believe Peter finally understood and he knew he needed to completely surrender to the Lord.

Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.

Peter at this point surrenders his heart completely to Jesus.

In our lives we can be asked over and over if we Love Jesus. Over and over we say we do. But our lives don’t always reflect that we love Jesus. There needs to came a point where we realize that we need to give our whole heart to Jesus.

Peter is one that looks like he is a follower. Throughout the gospels we see him answer right, do amazing things, he even defends Jesus in the garden. Yet it was a surface love, a surface disciplship. It was not until this moment in John 21 that he totally surrenders to Jesus his whole heart.

Then Jesus finally gives him his marching orders, because Peter is truly ready.

John 21:19 NKJV

19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”

Do You Love Me?

Think about this question for amoment. What is your answer? How many times has the Lord ask you this question?

Are you ready to truly Follow Him.

1 John 4:17–19 NKJV

17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us.