LOVEST THOU ME?
JOHN 21:15-17
Let me ask you a question this morning. What do you love most of all? If we would be honest, we would have several answers.
One might say, I LOVE MONEY. I am going to get all of it I can. But you need to remember, the Bible says, THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL.
Another might say, I LOVE GOOD HEALTH. I am going to keep my body in tiptop shape for the Bible says, this body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. But may I remind you, the Bible also says, IT IS APPOINTED UNTO MAN ONCE TO DIE.
Another might say, I LOVE POPULARITY. I’ll do anything to rise in the social world. But again, the Bible says, A MAN’S PRIDE SHALL BRING HIM LOW.
Another might say, I LOVE MY-SELF. I am going to look out for number one. But again the Bible says, HE THAT TRUSTED IN HIS OWN HEART IS A FOOL.
Our chief love should be JESUS CHRIST. For in Him is all blessing, all that we need.
In this passage that I have read, Jesus asked Peter, not once, but three times, did he love Him. He was saying to him, if you really love me, go out and give me the best of your life.
Peter did that. There would be no more denial, no more profanity, no more failing to pray, no more pride. Until the day he died, the Lord had all of him, his life, his talent, his all.
I-NOTICE THE PERSON WHO ASKED THE QUESTION: 15A
So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?
Lets notice something about His character in this story
A-HE IS A KNOWING SAVIOUR: 15B
He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.
The one who asked the question already had the answer. He was not asking the question to get information, for Peter said, thou knowest. He was doing it to teach Peter a lesson.
Peter knew that Jesus knew all thing for he remembered that Jesus had said, he would fail and when he did, it must have amazed Peter. But it didn’t Jesus, for he knew the future.
Three great characteristic of our Lord is that of ALL POWER, ALL PRESENCE, AND ALL KNOWLEDGE.
A son asked his father after a church service, does God know everything? The father replied why do you ask such a question? The son said, well I just wondered because the preacher was so long in his his prayer telling God everything. I just figured maybe God didn’t know.
The Greeks would throw parties at their temples and they would be so wicked that they would cover up the eyes of their gods so they couldn’t see what was gong on. (as they could?)
But one can’t do that unto our Lord, for He has all knowledge, he knows our good and our evil. This should stir our hearts to greater purity in our lives.
I remember one time when I was a boy, I was out in the backyard playing with a neighbor’s boy. He had made me mad and I was just getting ready to give him a whipping when I heard a tapping on the window. I looked up and it was my mother, she had saw the whole thing. Of course, I changed my intentions and was nice to the boy.
B-HE IS A KIND SAVIOUR:
He is not beating Peter with a rod for his failures but He is caring for him, talking with him, being kind to him.
Bro. Cecil Sewell, a preacher friend told me the story about a man who had served in WWII. But after the war he disappeared, he was never found until much later when he was dying in a hospital in California. He had lived a life of sin while away from his family. When his mother and kin went to visit him, he begin to say how sorrow he was, but his mother said, I didn’t come to get on you, I came to let you know I love you.
When Queen Victoria first came to the throne many of the court officials came to wish her well. Among the number was an old man who was a little lame, and in his excitement he partly stumbled up the steps. The queen sprang forward and helped him; she forgot for a moment that she was Queen, and only thought how youth might help old age.
Our King Jesus showed us ultimate kindness as He walked this planet. You and I should follow in his example, especially showing kindness to those who have fallen away from the Lord.
C-HE IS A KEEPING SAVIOUR:
Peter had strayed away at the fires of the world, but now he was back. Not because he was seeking Jesus, but Jesus was seeking him.
Someone has said, the Love of God is like a strong rubber band. He puts it around us and if we stray away, he keeps drawing us back to Him.
Back in Luke 22:32, Jesus had said I am praying for you that thy faith failed not.
A psychiatrist going through the wards of a state asylum was intrigued by a patient who sat huddled in a corner all by himself, scratching for hours on end. "My good man," the doctor said to the patient, "Why do you stay huddled in a corner all by yourself, scratching?" "Because," said the man, "I’m the only person who knows where I itch."
We are reminded that there is Someone who knows where we itch, and Someone who cares. AND THAT SOMEONE IS JESUS
He cares for His own by praying for them. His prayers keep us.
II-NOTICE THE PERSON WHO WHOM THE QUESTION WAS ASKED: 15A
So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter,
Although Peter had sinned, he was a saved man. He didn’t get saved again, because Jesus had kept him and restored back His fellowship with him.
Some ask the question, can a saved man sin? Well, we know the answer, for we see it in many of the Bible characters. We know, because we sin also. BUT WHY DID PETER SIN?
A-THE FIRST REASON WAS PRIDE: LUKE 22:33
And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.
The Bible says, Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
(Prov.16:18)
Peter was resting not in the ability of Jesus but resting in his own ability. And that is bad.
When personalized license plates were introduced in Illinois, the Department of Motor Vehicles received over 1,000 requests for the number "1". The state official whose job it was to approve requests said, "I am not about to assign it to someone and disappoint a thousand people." What was his solution? He assigned the number to himself.
It all began in the Garden of Eden when the devil convinced Adam and Eve that he had found a way for them to move God over and become "Number 1." And the beat goes on--and we keep looking for ways to succeed where Adam and Eve failed.
"We are Number 1! We are Number 1!" All well and good, perhaps, to hear the chant ringing out from football fans, but when we hear it ringing out from our hearts, it is all pride and imagination. Remember, therefore, "He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts" (Luke 1:51).
B-THE SECOND REASON WAS PRAYLESSNESS: LUKE 22:46
And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
Our Christian life is no stronger than our prayer life. It is either weak or strong.
One might say, I don’t need much praying in my life, I am strong enough without it. THAT PERSON HAD BETTER WATCH OUT
Billy Sunday said, if you will do three thing daily, you will never backslide, READ THE BIBLE, PRAY TO GOD, AND TALK SOMEONE ABUT GOD.
A preacher asked a hard-working servant girl what she was doing for the Lord. She explained that she had very little time to be involved in "church work." "But," she added, "I always take the newspaper to my bedroom each night."
Surprised, the preacher asked what possible good that could do. "Well," she explained, "I turn to the column of births. I pray that each of the newborns will be led to the Savior at an early age and become a great blessing to the world. Next, I check the column of weddings and pray that the couples will always remain true to each other and build their homes on Christ. Then I go over the death notices and mention the bereaved families by name to God, asking that, in their sorrow they will turn to the Lord."
C-THE THIRD REASON WAS PEOPLE: LUKE 22:55
And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.
He was with the wrong crowd, the enemies of Jesus. Proverbs 1:15-My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
One might say, I can run with any crowd, it won’t affect me. Well it did Peter.
A man said to D. L. Moody, "Now that I am converted, have I got to give up the world?" Mr. Moody answered, "No, you do not have to give up the world; if you have a good ringing testimony for the Son of God, the world will give you up pretty quick; they will not want you around." BUT IF YOU DON’T, YOU WILL FIND TROUBLE
The story is told of a little boy who was scratching on a windowpane. "Don’t scratch on that windowpane," his sister said. "Why not?" asked the little boy. "The scratches will not come off," his sister replied.
Scratches on the human brain and on character will not come off either. Men are never better because they have sinned.
Sam Jones was a great preacher in spite of the fact that he had been a drunkard. But having been a drunkard did not make him a great preacher. It is better to be saved when we are young before sin has wrecked us than it is to be saved after we have been wrecked.
Where sin abounds grace does much more abound (Rom.5:20). This means that the grace of God is sufficient to save any sinner; but even after men are saved, they carry the marks of early sins. .
III-NOTICE THE PERSONALITY OF THE QUESTION:
Three times Peter had denied Him, now three times Jesus give him a chance to reaffirm his love toward Him.
Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.
A-THIS WAS A REVEALING QUESTION:
By this I mean, this question revealed Peter’s love toward Him.
Do you love Me more than these: Jesus strangely asks Peter to compare his love for Him with that of the other disciples. It is possible that "these" refers to the fish and a fisherman’s life. Jesus could be asking Peter if he is willing to give up fishing again to follow Him.
Jesus asks about agape love (all giving, uncaused, unselfish love) and Peter answers with phileo love (reciprocal, friendly affection). Some translations have Peter answering "I am your friend."
Thus the first two times Jesus asked Peter did he love Him, it was a !00% love? Peter answered back with a 60% love?
But the last time Jesus asked him if he loved Him, it was with a friendly love. It broke Peter heart for he said, I am not going to brag like I did last time, but I do love you Lord.
At least he said he loved Him, it wasn’t fake love like the following girl love letter.
Dearest Jimmy,
No words could ever express the great unhappiness I’ve felt since breaking our engagement. Please say you’ll take me back. No one could ever take your place in my heart, so please forgive me. I love you, I love you, I love you! Yours forever, Marie.
P.S., And congratulations on willing the state lottery.
B-THIS WAS A REQUIRING QUESTION: 17B
Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
If you love someone you want to fellowship with that person. Peter had jumped out of the boat to walk on the water in fellowship with Jesus. Don’t tell Jesus you love Him and don’t want his presence. Don’t tell Jesus, you love Him, and you will not serve Him.
Peter is told to feed "my lambs", v. 15, these are the "little ones." Then, he is told to feed "my sheep.", v. 16. These would be those who are more mature. The point is clear. Jesus expected Peter to communicate the mind of God to all ages.
The main thing is that if you love someone, you will do something toward them or for them. LOVE REQUIRES SOMETHING
The coach said to the quarterback, "Give the ball to George." But instead he gave it to John, and there was no gain. Demanded the coach, "Why didn’t you give the ball to George?" "Sir," replied the quarterback, "George said he did not want the ball."
There was a player on our Lord’s side named Demas. Like George, he did not want to carry the ball. He valued comfort above character, ease above effort, gold above God, self-indulgence above self-control. Of him Paul wrote, "Demas has forsaken me, having loved the present world."
ARE YOU WILLING TO CARRY THE BALL FOR THE LORD?
Do you love Jesus this morning? If you do, give Him your all, your time, your talent, your tithe, and you testimony.
CONCLUSION: Philip Yancey tells about a friend of his who worked with homeless people in Chicago. One woman his friend was trying to help was a cocaine addict: "She was so desperate that she would rent out her two-year-old daughter to men so they could have sex with her. The woman would get $100 per man which would be just enough for another fix. She was homeless, she had bad health, she had no one to care for her. She poured out her story to my friend who is a Christian minister, and he was overwhelmed and amazed. At the end he said to her, ’As you went through all this, did you ever think about going to a church for help?’ He said that he would never forget the look of absolute naive shock that crossed her face as she said, ’Church! Why would I ever go there?
I’LL TELL YOU WHY, BECAUSE JESUS IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH AND HE WANTS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE’S LIFE.
HE MADE A DIFFERNCE IN PETER’S. HAS HE MADE A DIFFERNCE IN YOURS?
