John 21:15-16: When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love (agape) me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love (phileo) you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love (agape) me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love (phileo) you.”
Do you love Jesus?
It’s an important question. In fact, it’s a fundamental, transformative question. Do you love Jesus?
The most important questions are not, “Do you attend church? Do you tithe? Do you pray? Do you read the Bible? Do you volunteer for Vacation Bible School?” Do you love Jesus is a primary question because if you can honestly answer “Yes!” to the question, then all other areas of spiritual responsibility and spiritual growth will take care of themselves. This is an important, fundamental, and transformative question because how you answer it determines everything else about your spiritual life, health, and growth.
Notice several things from today’s reading. First, notice that it’s from the 21st chapter of John; the last chapter in John’s Gospel. It’s here that Jesus appears to his disciples after he is resurrected. In John 19 Jesus is crucified and dies on the cross. In John 20 Jesus is raised, and appears to his disciples in the upper room. In John 21 Jesus appears to them again and has a breakfast on the beach with some bread and fish that they had caught.
And when they had finished eating, Jesus said to Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me?” And he asked it again. And he asked it again. What’s going on here? Why three times?
Tomorrow we’ll be looking at the words that are used for “love” in these verses. But today let’s think of Peter.
Peter was, in many ways, the premiere disciple. He is listed as the first disciple whenever the rest of the disciples are named. He was the one who had the courage to get out of the boat and walk on water toward Jesus. He was the one who was renamed Cephas, the rock on whose confession Jesus said he would build his church. Peter was always there by Jesus’ side, and when things got tough, Peter was always there.
But there were many “lows” in Peter’s life. Peter got into trouble more than any of the other disciples because of all the times that he took his eyes off of Jesus. Peter took his eyes off Jesus in the story seas, and he began to lose his faith in the power of Jesus and he began to sink into the stormy seas. Peter took his eyes off Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration when he heard that Jesus had to suffer, and Peter said, “God forbid, no!” Peter took his eyes off Jesus in the courtyard and instead of focusing on Jesus, he focused on his fears and denied Jesus three times in the courtyard.
Maybe that’s why Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Maybe that’s why Jesus gave Peter not once, not twice, but three times to redeem himself after he had denied Jesus three times. God, after all, is primarily a God of second chances, and here Jesus gives Peter even more than a second chance. He gives him a third chance.
Do you love Jesus? Even if you’ve had “lows” in your life when you’ve taken your eyes off Jesus, you can still say “Yes.” You always have a second chance.
And a third…
Questions to Ponder:
- · Are there times in your life that you’ve taken your eyes off Jesus? Are there times when you feel you’ve denied him with your words or actions?
- · How does it feel, knowing that Peter denied Jesus, but that Jesus still gave him a second and third chance to redeem himself? What do you need to do, or what do you need to release in order to feel unconditionally loved by a God of Second Chances?
Prayer for Today: O God, you have prepared for those who love you joys beyond understanding. Pour into our hearts such love for you that, loving you above all things, we may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Amazing. Amazing Love. From Jesus, our King.
When I read this post I thought of a question that was asked of me on Sunday. A member of my church asked my why it is in Germany that some churches don't have a cross on their steeples, but a rooster. I don't know if that is true, I have never been to Germany, and I don't know if they were referring to Lutheran churches or churches of another denomination. When I heard this meditation about keeping our eyes on Jesus, and how Peter for a moment took his eyes off of Jesus, and then how the rooster crowed and reminded Peter of his promise, I think I found the answer to that question. I said something about the rooster's role in Peter's life at that moment, and so I said maybe the rooster on the church steeple was there to remind people of their promises to Jesus in their baptisms as they see the church steeple and pass by.
ReplyDeleteYoure meditation about keeping our eyes on Jesus, gave a better answer to that question.
I can't remember how I got connected to your blog, "Beyond Question". I have appreciated your creativity, insight, and thoughts behind this series. It is excellent!
The Rev. Ronald A. Orovitz S.T.S.
Christ United Lutheran Church (NALC)
Granite Falls, North Carolina