Title Do you love me/John 21:7,17
content do you love me
(John 21:7, 17)
Seeing that Peter was not coming up to his level, Jesus came down to his level by himself. // Peter knew that. So, I felt sorry and sorry for the love of Jesus, and my heart ached.
If Jesus had continued to stand on the lofty position of agape love and scolded or commanded Peter, "Come up here, why are you there in such a shameful way, saying that you are a disciple," Peter would never have been able to stand up. However, Jesus did not rebuke or glare at Peter because he did not rise to the level of his expectations. Instead, he came down to the level of Peter. Through Jesus like this, we come to know that asking for what we can ask for is true love. Instead of accusing him of being a bad person, it was Jesus' love for him to go down to the other person's level, encourage and comfort him, and finally lead him to his level. Peter eventually rose to the love of Agape. With that love, he was able to give his life for all people. And like Jesus, I could die on the cross.
Jesus confirms our love today.
"Do you love me with agape love?" Peter answered with Philia's love, but we have nothing to say. Because what we offer as love is too humble, meager, selfish and opportunistic love. Then don't blame yourself or wither. Because Jesus is with us who is willing to accept even that old and humble love, embrace us, and lead us to the great river of love.
1. Love is the willingness to descend to the level of the other person.
Jesus confirmed his love and gave Peter a mission each time. "Feed my sheep, feed my sheep, feed my sheep." It's the same command, only "feed, hit" is different. However, if you look through the original language, the word sheep appears three times, each using a different word.
The first time you used a word meaning "newborn lamb". In the second command, the word you used meant "a sheep in its spear", and in the third command, you used a word that meant "an old sheep that had finished growing." What does it mean? It means to love everyone. A newborn lamb means someone lower than me. Peak sheep refers to people on the same level as me. A sheep that has stopped growing means someone who is not helping me at all. Jesus said these people were His sheep, and loving them was what Peter was going to do. That is, we are to love no one, like a shepherd who feeds and shepherds the sheep.
Napoleon's tomb is said to be inscribed with the following words of his will:
“I want to rest in the midst of the French people, whom I loved so much.” He said he loved the French people so much. So how did Napoleon love the French people? He said he was conquering Russia, and he took young people and made many precious children of other people's houses freeze to death and starve to death. For his desire to become the emperor of the world...
Even Hitler said he loved Germany and he loved the German people every time he spoke. But in keeping his love, he killed young Germans on the battlefield, and how many more Jews did he kill?
Our love is self-subjective, self-centered. It's not love. Selfishness, greed. Still, they misunderstand, misunderstand, and claim that it is love, so the more you continue to love it, the more you annoy people and run into people. The Gospel of Luke tells the story of a young man who came to Jesus and said, "Teach me who my neighbor is." How great is this young man who says, "Who is my neighbor? Please tell me who it is. I will love him as myself." However, this is the wrong way to love that we still have today. This kind of person is my neighbor who I can love, and that person is not the object of my love. To make that distinction, my preconceived notions, my life experience, my knowledge, my material, and even my appearance had an impact.
2. People love whoever they meet.
3. Love is about being polite.
Take a look at today's text again. What does Jesus call Peter? He called him "Simon son of John." Then what was the second time you called? In verse 16, he also called “Simon, son of John.”
What about the first? The same is true. He never called me Peter.
In Israel, when addressing a person in official manners, it was customary to call the person by their father's name. Of course, when calling a servant or calling a subordinate, they simply called their name or called them randomly.
Jesus called Peter with all his heart, but not only this time, but Jesus was always courteous to his disciples. In Matthew 16, there is also a scene where Jesus calls Peter himself, and at this time he also called “Simon Bar-Jonah.” The word "Bayona" is the Greek word for "Son of John". And a more moving scene comes when Jesus washes the feet of his disciples. In John 13:4, after taking off his outer garments, he wiped the disciples' feet. But verse 12// “After he washed their feet, he put on his clothes, and sat down again, and said to them.” Washing the feet of the 12 must have been hard and must have been sweaty. Water would also have splashed on clothes. Still, after wiping it all off, he put on his coat again.
That is, you have refined your will. Then he quietly explained to his disciples why he had washed their feet. Jesus' attitude toward his disciples is not disturbed.
We can find in verse 7 that even the impatient Peter learned from Jesus became a disciple with courtesy. At first, Peter did not know that Jesus had come to him. But when the Apostle John said that Jesus had come, he jumped into the water and swam to the beach.
Look at verse 7. "The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is Lord." Simon Peter was naked, and when he heard the word "Lord," he put on his robe and jumped into the sea."
Love is being polite. Not rude.
A person who is full of love in front of God and people always keeps politeness.
What is worship? Literally bowing to God// yes-- politely// bowing-- bowing down to God, isn't it? May we all be filled with this love. I hope it will become a Gangnam Church that loves the Lord and loves my brother.