Do You Love Me More Than These?

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THEN THESE

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

Remembering that Peter denied Jesus three times after also being the one who confessed that Jesus was the Son of the Living God. How bold Peter was in his confession when he told Jesus that even if all the other disciples fall away, he would never. Then he turns right away within the same evening deny he ever knew Jesus those three times and hearing the rooster crow, went out and wept, feeling remorse. Now as Jesus has prepared this meal of fish and bread, having given them such a large catch of fish they had to drag it behind the boat to shore, he gives Peter the opportunity to repair his words of denial three times. Jesus asks Peter three different times if he loved him. With each response of Peter of, Yes Lord, you know I love you, Jesus tells him to feed his lambs, take care of his sheep, and feed my sheep. Much has been said about Peter being the first leader of the Church, the first pope. However, this may not be about Jesus telling Peter to take charge of everything as much as it is about mending the heart of Peter because of his brokenness over his denying Jesus those three times. Those denials may well have been the reason Peter decided to go fishing, doing that which he knew how to do well. But even that proved unprofitable for him and again Jesus showed him how much he needed to be a follower of Jesus. Is that not the case with us as well? Whenever we fall the Lord in some way, he is always there mending our broken heart over our failure. Jesus does not want us to live in the brokenness of failure, or in a sense denial of him. He always gives us that opportunity to confess our love for him and he calls us to his service. We can hear his words within our heart and soul, “Do you love me, more than these?” That is a question that has been debated. What did Jesus mean when he asked Peter about loving him more than these? What were the “these”? Did he mean the other disciples? Did he mean did Peter love him more than the other disciples loved Jesus? Did he mean did Peter love him more then he loved the other disciples? Did he mean did Peter love him more than the food he supplied for him? The point Jesus was making is Peter needed to put Jesus first before anything else in life. This is the point he makes in our lives as well. We cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve both God and money, or self, or the things of the world. We cannot chase after the material things or emotional attachments more then we chase after Jesus. Yes, we are to love one another, even those who do not love us. But in doing that we are following Jesus, loving him more than these.