Do You Love Me?

Text: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

If someone were to ask you if you love Jesus, what would you say? If you simply answered “Yes” do you think you would positively convince the person who asked you that question? How do people know without a shadow of doubt that we truly love Jesus?

I believe it shows in our daily walk through life. It shows within our family; it shows where we work; it shows in the grocery store; it shows in the restaurant where we dine, and it shows in ever facet of our life.

What is it that shows forth and indicates our love for Jesus? It is the light of His love shining upon us that makes us glow. We become as lights which cannot be hidden.

Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). When we turn on the living room light, the darkness disappears and the entire room becomes visible. The same thing should occur when a child of God, who really loves the Lord, walks into the presence of other people.

When we truly love Jesus, that love will be reflected in the way we treat other people. The words coming from our mouth will be uplifting and positive to the people who hear them. The appearance of our face will be one of radiance and warmth.

Our actions will blossom with joy and kindness. Goodness and gentleness will flow from us like water flowing from a natural spring. The peace in our heart will be reflected by our desire go the second mile for those who are in need of comfort and encouragement.

We will have no enemies, because our love for Jesus will be extended to all of our neighbors regardless of how they might treat us or the things they might say about us. People will know we love Jesus by the way we live our life.

Last week we talked about Jesus’ third appearance to His disciples after His resurrection. Jesus had just provided a miracle for seven fishermen who fished all night and caught no fish. These seven disciples were at a low point in morale for several reasons.

They were like wandering sheep that were deserted by their shepherd. The last week had been difficult. The Jesus who hand-picked them as His disciples had been crucified. In fact, each one of them deserted Jesus. Peter even denied knowing Jesus on three different occasions.

Jesus did appear to eleven of the disciples on the evening of the His resurrection. “Then, the same evening, being the first day of the week….Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you’” (John 20:19).

He did the same thing one week later when all twelve of the disciples were present. “And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you’” (John 20:26).

Jesus not only appeared to the disciples, but He talked to them. He encouraged them to view the nail holes in His hands and the wound in His side. “He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (John 20:22). Jesus then commissioned them to carry on His mission, but He had to know they truly believed He was alive and that He was their first love.

His third appearance would be His final appearance to them. He would do something that would really be convincing to them. His plan was to give them an unsuccessful night of fishing and then bless them with an abundance of fish in a net that should have broken under the weight of the fish.

Do those words sound familiar to you? Isn’t this what Jesus does for us when we are unsuccessful in some manner. When we fail to accomplish that which we set out to do our feelings are hurt. We feel as though the wind has been taken out of our sails. We are not happy with ourselves. We are unhappy with others.

This is the time we are on the edge of success. This is when Jesus has something better and bigger in store for us. This is the time we are in for a blessing just as were the disciples. Jesus is preparing to fill our net with an abundance of blessings.

Jesus would not go to the disciples, but instead, He would have them come to Him. After He talked to the fishermen from the shore, John recognized Jesus and shouted with joy, “It is the Lord!” (John 21:7). John was able to recognize Jesus because of past happening or miracles.