Title Do You Love Me?
Contents It is the Thanksgiving Day. As a believer, it is important to give thanks. The Bible tells us to give thanks in everything. Gratitude is found not only in humans, but also in the animal world. Have you ever heard the story of a pig saving its owner? Is it true that the pig saved its owner? It's true. This pig was a pet pig. The pig saved its owner. These beasts also have a heart to thank their master who loves them. However, if we, who received the love of Christ Jesus through the cross, do not give love and thanks to Him, we will be less than animals.
Today's text deals with the problem of our attitude toward the love of the Lord. Through the conversation between the Lord and Peter, the Lord is asking us to respond. Therefore, the Lord asks us through the text, “Do you love me?” you are asking the question. How do you want to answer the Lord's question? I hope you will surely answer the Lord's questions.
1. The Lord loves us.
The Lord asked Simon Peter if he loved him. Verse 15: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Verse 16 says, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Verse 17 says, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” The Lord asked Simon Peter about love. The Lord asked the same question three times over and over. This shows that love is a very important issue in the relationship between the Lord and the disciple, Peter.
Do you love “me” in the Lord’s question? Do you love the Lord soon? 's question. This question presupposes the Lord's love for Peter. This is a question that demands Peter's response to the Lord's love for Peter. “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). That's right. The Lord loved Peter. Because he loved Peter, he said, “Do you love me?” asked him.
How does the Lord love you? John 10:11 testifies that the love of the Lord is the love that lays down his life for us. “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” It is repeated in John 10:15. “I lay down my life for the sheep.” The love of the Lord is the love of the cross. John 13:1 says that the love of the Lord is eternal love. “Jesus loved his people in the world, yet he loved them to the end.” It is unchanging love. Eternal love. Jesus showed this love to Peter. Even though Peter betrayed him three times, he still loved him. He gave his life on the cross for him. He loved Peter to the end and came to see Peter after the resurrection. He helped Peter with his fish and prepared breakfast. After breakfast the Lord said, “Why did you do that?” or “How much have you repented?” You didn't ask the question. The Lord just asked, “Do you love me?” Because the Lord has already covered Peter's fault and loves him.
Gentlemen, the Lord loves us as disciples like Peter. He loves us, but He loves us to the end. In John 15:9, the Lord confesses His love for us. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.” As the Father loved the Lord, so the Lord loves us. What is the evidence? Jesus gave his life for us on the cross. Ladies and gentlemen, the cross is the proof of the Lord's love for us. It is objective evidence. Historical evidence. It is a powerful proof that gives us salvation. Gentlemen, the Lord loves us with his life.
2. We must love the Lord.
The Lord who loves you so much, the Lord who laid down His life on the cross, who loves you, but who loves you to the end, asks a question. “Do you love me?” How would you guys answer? How should we respond to this love of the Lord? We too must love only the Lord.
In the first question, the Lord asked Peter if he loved the Lord more than others. Peter replied that he loved him. No wonder. If you know the love of the Lord, who can accept Him and reject Him who loves you to the end? If you have experienced that love, there is no one who will not love the Lord. But here, Peter did not respond by comparing his love to others. Verse 15. “Lord, nothing else. You know that I love you.” Peter was once proud of himself. He knew that he loved the Lord more than anyone else. He thought he was better than the other disciples. I was very proud of myself. What was the result of Peter like this? He denied the Lord three times before the Lord. Peter is a complete failure. Now I know through failure. So Peter answers that he loves the Lord without comparing his love to others.
Having discovered more who he was through failure, Peter became wiser. He could not trust his feelings or his will. “Lord, I can't trust myself anymore. I rely solely on the omnipotence of the Lord. You know that I love you.” Verse 16 says, “You know that I love you.” After being asked the same question three times, Peter couldn't believe himself even more. So he was troubled. Verse 17. “Peter was grieved and said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
How would you guys answer? Compared to others, can you proudly say that you love the Lord? Can you confidently answer the Lord's questions? Gentlemen, Peter's answer makes us look at the heart of our hearts. Let us see our true heart. Although we are diligent in our service in the church, we may not love the Lord with all our hearts. I teach children in Sunday School, but I can do it without love for the Lord. We go to church to worship on Sundays, but we can do it while forgetting the main character of the worship service who is the owner. This is like celebrating a wedding without a groom. Folks, the Lord knows everything in our hearts. When we serve in the church, evangelize, or teach the Word in Sunday School, we must check our hearts. You must love the Lord from the center of your heart.
Polycarp, known as a disciple of the apostle John, was tried before the governor. The governor swore in the name of the emperor and promised that if he cursed Jesus, he would spare him. Polycarp said, "I have served him for 86 years, but he has never forsaken me. How can you curse my king who saved me?” After responding, he was happily burned at the stake. He loved the Lord with his life, whom he loved with his life. Ladies and gentlemen, the question of the Lord who loves us so much: “Do you love me?” How would you answer the question of Please answer like Peter. Please react like a polycarp. Please make a confession of your love before giving the gift of thanks. “Lord, you know.”
3. We must love the Lord's Church.
The Lord asked Peter if he loved me. You repeated the question three times. Hearing Peter's answer, in verse 15 he asked to feed my lambs. It is repeated in verse 16. You have commanded me to feed my sheep. The same goes for verse 17. I have given you a mission to feed my sheep. Here the Lord did not tell Peter to feed your sheep. This is a request to feed the Lord's sheep, not Peter's. What is? If Peter truly loves the Lord, he must love the Lord's sheep, bought by the blood of the Lord. Peter's love for the Lord must be specifically demonstrated by his love for his church.
Everyone, yes. Confessing our love for the Lord with our mouths is not enough. Specifically, it must be manifested in love for the Lord's Church. The question of whether you love me is the same as the question of whether you love your body, the church. Because the church is the bride of the Lord. Even if we confess that we love the Lord, if we do not love the body of the Lord, the church, that confession will not be sincere. Our Lord's love must be expressed to other saints in the church. Love must be poured out on the poor and weak Lambs of the Lord. It should be specifically shown to young souls in Sunday School. It must be witnessed to new believers who are weak in their faith. It should be provided to the saints in need.
Gentlemen, the Lord first loved us. I love you on the cross. He loves us unconditionally. Our Heavenly Father loves us as He loved the Lord. How should we respond to the love of the Lord who loves us like this? It is a thrilling love. We too must love only the Lord. We must show our love in the body of the Lord, the church. This attitude of ours is probably the driest attitude to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Everyone, now the Lord says, “Do you love me?” you are asking I hope you will reply that I love you.