"Do You LOVE Me?"

“Do You LOVE Me?”

 

 

When they finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John do you love Me more than these?”  He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Feed My lambs.”

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.”

A third time He said, “Simon son of John do you love Me?”  Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you Love Me?”  Peter said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love You!”  He said to him, “Feed My sheep.”      John 21:15-17

 

This incident happened after Jesus’ resurrection, early one morning Jesus stood on the shore, of Galilee, but Peter and the other disciples didn’t recognize Him.  Until He told them to cast their net on the right side of the boat, and so they did, and they caught so many fish they could not pull the net back into the boat.  Then the Apostle John said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” 

 

When they got to shore, Jesus had cooked breakfast for them and when they had finished eating, He looked at Simon Peter and said, “Simon son of John do you love me more than these?”  Basically, what Jesus was saying to Simon Peter was:  Do YOU love me more than these other followers do?  At one point in time, Peter had avowed that he would NEVER fall away from the Lord, no matter what the other disciples did.   

 

His denial of the Lord Jesus must have been weighing heavily on Peter’s mind, to think that he had denied Him not once, but three times.  And NOW Jesus asked Peter: “Do you love me?” three times, and added to it, “Feed my sheep.” 

No matter the strength of a person or the stability of their position in this life, they still can fall way from the Lord, but because of His GREAT MERCY and FORGIVING GRACE, they can be brought back into God’s good graces. 

 

Jesus didn’t ask Peter that question three times because He didn’t know if Peter really LOVED Him, but I believe He wanted Peter to KNOW his TRUE feelings for Jesus.  I think Peter had REMORSE for his denial of the Lord, and may have even been to the point of questioning his TRUE FEELINGS for the Lord.  And as Peter said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you!”  I believe Jesus definitely knew Peter’s TRUE FEELINGS, and I believe that He wanted Peter to be assured of his TRUE FEELINGS, in order to answer His call to Peter to “Feed My Sheep!”  Peter’s call was to help spread the GOSPEL to a lost and dying world.  It was not to tend to a flock of sheep, but to bring SALVATION to a LOST and DYING PEOPLE. 

Is Jesus asking YOU the same question?  “Do YOU love Me?”  If your answer is “YES!” then open your HEART to Him, and let Him use YOU to further His Kingdom by bringing the SALVATION GOSPEL to a LOST and DYING world.

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to Him, then you are a part of the LOST and DYING world, which is headed for an eternity in Hell.  However, Jesus is standing before you with open arms and saying to you:  “I Love you this MUCH!  Do you LOVE Me?”  He is offering you His gift of ETERNAL LIFE, all you have to do, is come to Him with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING your sins to Him, and asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and help “FEED HIS SHEEP!”  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!