2017-04-02 Do You Love Me? (John 21:15-17)
At this point, Peter the disciple is a lot like us – he has all the failures we are all too familiar with. He over-estimates himself. He under-estimates temptation. He thinks he’s more committed than he actually is. He thinks he loves the Lord more than he really does. He thinks he can handle any trial (but he can’t). Here in John 21, Peter is still a broken man. And Jesus is calling him back. The Holy Spirit is still coming. And then Peter – along with the other apostles – will turn the world upside-down. But to be useful to the Lord requires a certain commitment. That’s because while salvation and coming to Christ is absolutely free, it is not cheap and it is not easy! It will require some hard things – it might require a great strain between you and your father (or mother or sister or brother or daughter or son…) It might require you to turn away from possessions (or desires or ambitions or dreams or …) Jesus said, “If you want to follow Me, you must deny yourself, take up your cross (which might mean anything from inconvenience to death) and follow Me!” Jesus said, “You have to count the cost!” – and that cost could be your life. It is a very, very extreme call. So why would anyone do this? Why would anyone actually become a slave of Christ, abandon their own ambitions, turn away from their own desires, give up their “personal autonomy” and so on? This is truly extreme behavior! What would motivate people to do that? That is the focus of our passage today. The motive is love! What else could it possibly be? Love is the strongest power on earth! Welcome dear friends, to Home Church Langley!
At this point, Peter the disciple is a lot like us – he has all the failures we are all too familiar with. He over-estimates himself. He under-estimates temptation. He thinks he’s more committed than he actually is. He thinks he loves the Lord more than he really does. He thinks he can handle any trial (but he can’t). Here in John 21, Peter is still a broken man. And Jesus is calling him back. The Holy Spirit is still coming. And then Peter – along with the other apostles – will turn the world upside-down. But to be useful to the Lord requires a certain commitment. That’s because while salvation and coming to Christ is absolutely free, it is not cheap and it is not easy! It will require some hard things – it might require a great strain between you and your father (or mother or sister or brother or daughter or son…) It might require you to turn away from possessions (or desires or ambitions or dreams or …) Jesus said, “If you want to follow Me, you must deny yourself, take up your cross (which might mean anything from inconvenience to death) and follow Me!” Jesus said, “You have to count the cost!” – and that cost could be your life. It is a very, very extreme call. So why would anyone do this? Why would anyone actually become a slave of Christ, abandon their own ambitions, turn away from their own desires, give up their “personal autonomy” and so on? This is truly extreme behavior! What would motivate people to do that? That is the focus of our passage today. The motive is love! What else could it possibly be? Love is the strongest power on earth! Welcome dear friends, to Home Church Langley!