Do You Love Me?

DO YOU LOVE ME?

John 21.15-25

S: Service

Pr: WE ARE TO SERVE THE LORD WELL.

?: How?

KW: Requirements

TS: We will find in our study of John 21.15-25 two requirements we should meet in order to serve the Lord well

Type: Propositional

The ____ requirement is a…

I. RIGHT RELATIONSHIP (15-17)

II. RIGHT FOCUS (18-23)

PA: How is the change to be observed?

• Love the Lord

• Shepherd!

• Follow God’s plan for you

• Don’t worry about God’s plan for others

Version: ESV

RMBC 27 May 2007 AM

INTRODUCTION:

ILL Ministry (H)

I was golfing one day with Tim Eliason and I drove the ball into the woods. I picked up my golf club, broke it, but I didn’t say a word. Tim just watched.

Then I picked up the golf bag and tore it to shreds but I didn’t say a word. Tim just watched.

I then took out all the golf balls and flung them into the woods, following the ball I had just sent in there, but I did not say one word. Tim, being a man of few words, just stood there sympathetically.

Finally I muttered, "I’m going have to give it up."

"Golf?" asked Tim.

"No," I replied, “the ministry."

OK, that did not really happen.

But it could have.

Many a time the golf course has challenged my faith.

So how about you?

Do you feel qualified when it comes to serving the Lord?

Do you have what it takes to serve the Lord in the ministry?

That is a question before us today.

TRANSITION:

Today is our last study in the gospel of John.

We first started studying John’s story about Jesus in December 2000.

We have done a little bit every year, and now we come to the end and we find that…

1. Jesus is now giving final words.

Final words are important.

We know that.

It is like the reading of the will.

Things are different now that Jesus has returned from the dead.

He is not staying with the disciples constantly.

He is coming in and out of their lives as He sees best.

So when He appears, the disciples are taking it all in.

On this day, after helping the seven disciples catch 153 fish and then have breakfast with them…

2. Jesus is preparing Peter for the next stage.

Peter has been the leader of the band, so to speak.

He has been the go-getter.

He has been the first to speak.

He has been the first one out of the boat.

He has been the one that has called the others to action both by his words and by his example.

And though his faults have been glaring, there is no doubt that he is the leader of the group.

Jesus knows this.

And Peter is going to continue to be a key figure.

He will play a key role in the establishment of the early church.

But not only that…

He serves as an example to us about what it means to serve Jesus well.

You see…

3. WE ARE TO SERVE THE LORD WELL.

But how do we do that?

How do we get that accomplished.

Well…

4. We will find in our study of John 21.15-25 two requirements we should meet in order to serve the Lord well.

OUR STUDY:

I. The first requirement is a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP (15-17).

(15) When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, 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 a second time, “Simon, son of John, 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 John, 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 everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

1. Peter needs to know restoration.

Peter needs restoration because when it was time to stand up for Jesus, he sat down.

When it was time to admit that he was a Jesus-follower, he denied that even knew Jesus.

And to make it worse, he did it not only once, but two more times as well.

He did it just as Jesus said he would.

And when he finished the third time, Peter wept bitterly about his failure.

Peter needs restoration.

Jesus has called him to ministry and service.

But if he does not get his relationship with Jesus back as it should, he will neither know forgiveness nor know the ability to be trusted.