“DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME?” (Outline)
April 26, 2009 --
EASTER 3 --
John 21:15-19
INTRO: God’s great love at Easter still echoes in our ears every day. On that first Easter God’s angel announced: “He is not here, he has risen!” Those words echoed in the empty tomb. The women heard those words and told them to the disciples. The disciples heard those words and told them. Those same words are still ring true today. Last week the disciples fished all night on the Sea of Galilee. They caught nothing. Early in the morning Jesus directed them to try again. They caught 153 fish and the net did not tear. John recognized Jesus. “It is the Lord!” The words echoed over the calm sea that day:
Our echoing words today are the very words of Jesus. Jesus asks the question that searches the depths of every soul. “Do you truly love me?” Being a Christian means knowing what that word love truly means. God’s love is true love. "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us"(ROMANS 5:7,8). This is love: God’s love for us!
“DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME?”
I. More than these?
II. Enough to follow?
I. DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE?
A. Verse 15a. Jesus made breakfast for the disciples on the shore of Galilee. They were refreshed.
1. Jesus questions Peter, verse 15b. Jesus uses the name Peter = Rock, given to him by Jesus.
2. Jesus asks about the depth of Peter’s love. Do you really, really love me? “Yes”, verse 15c.
3. Do you love more than these: disciples, other followers, or even fishing occupation.
B. Verse 16a. Again, do you really, really, deeply love me? This time no comparison of “more…these”.
1. Verse 16b. Again, “yes”. Peter’s answer uses the term for a “friendly love”.
2. Verse 17a. The third time Jesus’ uses Peter’s term for love.
C. Verse 17b. Peter was hurt. Peter had denied Jesus three times. Peter was sad for his sinful behavior.
D. Our gracious God and loving Lord speaks directly to us: “Do you truly love me?” This love is a deep, soul-felt love. Do we really, really love the Lord? Our sinful nature constantly stands in the way of our loving the Lord God perfectly. Still, we know what Scripture says over and over again. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength"(DEUTERONOMY 6:4,5). This is a simple statement of God’s truth for every believer. It is an easy statement to make but much, much harder to keep.
E. Let’s face it. We are more attached to this world than we like to admit. Daily we spend a far greater amount of our time living in this world rather than in the word of God. The fact is we are even created from the dust of the earth. Our attachment to this world is real. The things of this world often become the attractions that distract from the very love of God. "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 JOHN 2:15). “Do you really love me more than these?” “Yes” we do – but not always. Not perfectly. We always have room to improve.
F. Our sinful nature is selfish. Our sinful nature always wants to please the desires that are centered in an earthly satisfaction. It is an attitude that Jesus warned about. All too often and all too easily we often fall into the sinful ways of this world. “Eat, drink, and be merry”. In the blessings of our great nation we can forget that we are to be more heavenly minded than worldly centered. The world offers much but provides very little. "Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things"(PHILIPPIANS 3:19). How often do we think about the next meal before we are finished eating the present meal? How often don’t we worry what to make for supper while we are preparing breakfast? “Do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes” but it takes work. We always want to remember that our citizenship is in heaven.
II. DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME ENOUGH TO FOLLOW?
A. Jesus put Peter to the test by asking him three times to express his deep love for the Savior.
1. Each time Peter answered positively, “Yes…yes…yes”. Peter also confessed, “You know”.
2. Peter had to admit that the Lord knew his heart better than Peter did himself.
3. Peter denied he would deny the Lord. The Lord knew he would. The Lord knew Peter’s love.
B. At the end of the first three verses Jesus restores Peter completely. “Feed…take care of” my sheep.
1. In chapter 10 of John Jesus called himself the Good Shepherd and the Gate for his sheep.
2. Now Peter would become the shepherd for God’s flock. This included the other disciples.
C. This did not mean that Peter would have an easy life, verse 18. Earlier Peter did as he pleased.
1. In the end others would stretch out his hands. This meant crucifixion, verse 19a.
2. In his death Peter would glorify God. Peter would not deny but die for the sake of the gospel.
3. Verse 19b. Peter would follow. The other disciples would also follow. They could do no less.
D. The Lord says the very same thing to us today as his modern day disciples, “Follow me!” We will not follow anyone unless we know him or her. We will not show love until we have been shown love. By looking to the Lord we learn what love really means. "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God"(EPHESIANS 5:1,2). We imitate God because we are his loved children. More than that we are called “dearly loved children”. Our gracious God really, really, deeply loves us. God loves us so much that he sent his Son to die for our sins. Because of God’s great love for us we can and do really, truly love the Lord enough to follow him.
E. Following Jesus takes commitment. Our commitment to Christ comes about because of Christ’s great love for us. Our lives are completely changed because of the sacrifice of Christ our Savior for our sins. Therefore, our commitment is not to be a convenient commitment. All too many plan to worship God whenever it might be convenient. We plan to read our Bibles or study his word when we have the time. Satan makes sure that we do not think we have enough time. Even during Jesus’ time well-meaning followers made excuses not to follow. "Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God’"(LUKE 9:62).
F. What does it mean to follow Jesus? Will we follow him to the ends of the earth? Jesus actually says his word will be carried to the ends of the earth. We may not be the ones to do that task. But we can pray for and support those sent to the ends of the earth in our place. Following Jesus means being concerned about the needs of others more than our own needs. This runs contrary to the philosophies of this world. As Christians we do not seek fame and glory for ourselves. "Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it"(MATTHEW 10:38,39). The first will be last and the last first. The greatest in God’s kingdom is the least. We truly love God as we follow Jesus.
CONC.: Each day we can start our day with Easter echoes. “He is not here, he is risen!” The empty tomb blesses every day we live. “It is the Lord!” This confession blesses us every day. We confess these facts only by faith through grace. Knowing these blessings the Lord then asks his soul-searching question: “DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME?” With Peter we answer positively, “Yes!” It is God who first loved us so that we can, do, and want to love him. "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain"(1 CORINTHIANS 15:58). Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
SERVICES: 1:00pm @ NCF Min.(Sat) / 12:00pm @ NCF Medium (Sun) / 9:30am @ Redeemer (Sun)
BIBLE STUDIES: TUES. -- 6:00pm (Min) + 7:30pm (Med) @ NCF / 10:55am @ Redeemer (Sun)
/ Sunday radio broadcast @ 9:05am on KQNK 106.7FM or 1530AM
SUNDAY 3 readings.:
ACTS. 4:8-12;
1 JOHN 1:1-2:2;
LUKE 24:36-49;
(PSALM 118)
