John 21:15-17 (NIV)
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon
Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you
love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of
John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do
you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I
love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
Jesus asks Peter if he loves (agape) Him. Peter answers of
course he loves (filios – brotherly love) Him. Jesus asks him again, and again
Peter answers the same way. Then a third time Jesus asks Peter if he loves
(agape)Him.
Jesus recognizes that Peter does not yet understand, or have
as part of his experience, the agape love of the Father. At this point in his
relationship with Jesus, he was only able to love Him with brotherly love, much
like he would a friend. It wasn’t until Pentecost that Peter could know and
receive Christ’s love through the empowering and enabling of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus met Peter where he was. Jesus meets us where we are and then works toward
our knowing and receiving this kind of love. Obedience and love go hand in
hand. As we remain in God’s love, obedience is the fruit. We want to obey.
Jesus uses Himself as the example of being obedient to His
Father. It was love for us and obedience to the Father that held Him to the
cross. The cycle goes like this: God loves the Son; the Son loves us; the Son
obeys the Father; we obey the Son. As a result, our joy is made complete: As
the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. (John
15:9)
Jesus desires that you receive His agape love today:
intimate love, the same as He has with His Father. He longs for us to love Him
with more than brotherly love, with agape love. He describes this relationship
in John:
Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear
fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. (John 15:4) As believers, we are
the branches connected to the vine.
The branches cannot live apart from the vine. As you receive
God’s love, you, the branch, will bear much fruit.
Thought for today:
How will people know that you are aligned with God and Christ?
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