Do You Love me?

DEVOTION

 THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

DO YOU LOVE ME?

John 21:15-19

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly 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 truly 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. 18 I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."  19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!" 

NIV

It is doubtful we could apply this last portion of this dialog between Jesus and Peter to our lives as this was specific to Peter’s form of death, on a cross. But still we could certainly apply those words, “Follow me”, but first we should deal with the three times Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. What part of “you know that I love you” did Jesus not understand that he had to ask again and again? Perhaps the reason Jesus asked Peter three times is because Peter had denied Jesus three times and Jesus was allowing Peter to make his amends so to speak. The interesting thing is that Jesus used the word agapaoo and Peter used the word phileoo. We cannot be certain why Peter did not use the same love that Jesus did, other than Peter was unwilling to express that kind of love toward Jesus in front of all the others, at least at that time. Yet the point we can take to heart here is that question of Jesus, “do you love me?” The first time it is asked of more than these, which is doubtful Jesus meant the rest of the disciples, but more than likely he meant the fish and loaves. Peter do you love me more than food, more the material things? Do we love him more than what sustains our life? Jesus had already taught that life is more than food, so the question then put to us, is our love for Jesus more than our daily life, food, clothes, our body, our home, cars, and stuff? The other points the feed my sheep, take care of my sheep, feed my sheep. Although once again we could simply believe Jesus was only talking directly to Peter, and as some believe that placed Peter at the head of the church, but we do not know the exact dynamics of the scene. Jesus could have been looking around at all his disciples as he spoke to Peter, indicating he was meaning they all had a responsibility to feed the sheep, to care for the flock, to mentor the rest of the people in the ways of God. We cannot be sure of exactly how that all was played out, but we can be certain it is recorded for us to know that Jesus asks the same question time and time again of each one of us. “Do you love me?” We must always contemplate our answer. Do we love him enough to follow him, or just enough to include him in the life we desire to live?