So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
John 21:15-17
Today: Read John 21
It is a beautiful exchange between Peter and Jesus, between the disciple and His Master, between the redeemed and His redeemer. I believe that this exchange was necessary for Peter to be able and move beyond his past failures and into the mission for which Jesus has called him.
Peter had been given three opportunities to openly confess the name of Jesus and on each occasion he failed to meet the challenge of the moment. Peter denied Jesus three times. I do not believe it is a coincidence that Jesus brought Peter back to those three denials by giving him the opportunity to redeem each of those moments. As Jesus would ask Peter, “Do you love me?” He would do so three separate times. Jesus always does what is best for us and in this case, this repetitive questioning would put Peter back on course in pursuing his mission for the kingdom of God.
In each case, Jesus would respond to Peter’s response of, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you” with, “Tend My lambs” or “Shepherd My sheep” or “Tend My sheep.” All of these instructions indicated that Peter was still fully called and equipped to accomplish what only he could do. The core principle to all of Jesus’ questioning is the issue of love. The Bible gives us numerous examples of the importance of loving God and loving others. Here are three principles involving this all-important concept of love:
- Love legitimizes our claim of redemption
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
1 John 4:7-8
If we ever want to truly impact the world with the gospel, we must take seriously the issue of whether or not we truly love others. The word for “love” in much of scripture carries with it a three-fold definition.
First, love we must have a disposition of affection for others. This is not exclusively romantic love rather it is a general concern for others in the world. In other words, love doesn’t write anyone off when it comes to salvation and redemption.
Secondly, love carries with it goodwill or a desire to see the wellbeing of others. Love always wants the best for the other person. Love means that we want to see others healthy, thriving, and successful. Love always extends the hand of friendship and has a general attitude of goodwill.
Thirdly, love is a willingness to do or act on behalf of others. It is a sense of benevolence in assisting others when they are in need whether that is physical, emotional, or spiritual. Love always seeks to sacrifice and give in order for these things to be accomplished.
John reminds us that if we are to be heard by others, we must come with an attitude and a heart of sincere love. The one who does not love demonstrates that they do not know God because God is love!
- Love is imperative for effective Christian living
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Paul also reminds us of the importance of love. For some, the Christian faith may be a set of doctrinal viewpoints, theological leanings, or denominational standards. For others, faith might be reduced to a series of debates or discussions over doctrinal philosophy. Still others want to make sure that they have dotted all of their theological “I’s” and crossed all of their “T’s.” But Paul instructs us that none of this is profitable if it is void of love. No matter what we say or proclaim, no matter what we believe, and no matter what we do, if it is accompanied by an absence of love, it simply is not profitable to anyone.
- Love fulfills the Law of God
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Romans 13:8-10
Finally, love is the fulfillment of the Law. Because the new covenant has been established by the finished work of Jesus on the cross and because of the new nature that has been given to us by the power of the Spirit, Christians are to love others as themselves (Matthew 7:12) and are to consider others as more important than themselves (Philippians 2:3-4). This is the new commandment of God, that we believe in His Son and love others (1 John 3:23). Every commandment that we can think of is rooted in the reality that we are to love. That is the reason why Paul announces that love is the fulfillment of the Law (Romans 13:10).
As we conclude the Gospel of John, let us consider the instructions that Jesus gave to Peter and dedicate ourselves to the proposition of being ambassadors of a new covenant… one that is rooted and grounded in the love of God and the gift of Christ on our behalf! (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)
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