John 21 (KJV): So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
This occurs after Jesus had been crucified and was raised from the dead. This is Jesus’ third appearance to His disciples after the resurrection. Note that after Peter had betrayed Jesus three times before the rooster crowed, Jesus essentially gave him three chances to erase it! In this passage, Jesus also tells Peter that he would be led away to a crucifixion of his own and would die a martyrs death.
This whole idea of loving Jesus though, bears a bit of thought. Do you suppose anyone who really loves Jesus would ever go to hell? Personally I doubt it. The question then becomes central – how do we love Jesus.
- We are commanded to love God!
Luke 10:27 – And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.
Deuteronomy 6:5 – And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
2. Why should we Love Jesus and God (same person!). Following is a partial list of reasons from a Charles Stanley In Touch web page.
“The Lord will never leave nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5).
He’ll supply all our needs (Phil. 4:19).
He’ll answer our prayers (Matt. 7:7).
He has forgiven our sins (1 John 1:9).
He has given each of us at least one spiritual gift that enables us to live productive, fruitful lives and accomplish whatever He asks.
He fills us with the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to live in a way that pleases and honors God.
Christ has prepared a place for us in heaven and will someday come again to take us there (John 14:2-3).
The Lord will give us beautiful and perfect resurrected bodies.
Through Jesus, we can have personal relationships with God that transcend any other human relationships.”
3. How do we know if we love God?
John 14:21 – He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
John 14:15 – If ye love me, keep my commandments.
(KJV) Luke 9: 20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God. 21 And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing; 22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. 23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? 26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.
Do you love your spouse and your children? What does that mean? It means you love to spend time with them, or at least you require yourself to spend time with them as often as possible. You think about them often and you would give anything for them, to include your life. Do you love Him? What does that mean to you?
