4-16-23 Do you love me?

Scripture      John 21:1-25    

DRAMA READING: Peter fearful of his beach conversation with Jesus (p147)

SONG: Build my life

MESSAGE: "Do you love me?"

          Have you ever been in need of grace? Have you ever felt unworthy of God's love?

Why do we ever feel unworthy of God's, or anyone's love? We have not loved them by our actions or inactions. With God, we call that sin. Sin is anything that separates us from God. And, sin did separate God from us. But through the cross, God stays with us through all things, even when we sin, he still loves us.

Romans 5:6-8     You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 

That kind of love has a Greek name = Agape

It is a love that creatively and compassionately works for the benefit of someone else.

Does God work creatively and compassionately for the benefit of someone else? YES - that is Agape love. That is the highest form of love? Who does God love with Agape love? Sinners - you and me. Peter - even after denying him 3 times.

 

How does God want us to love Him? With that same kind of Agape love. We are to love God creatively and compassionately working for His benefit.  That is what Jesus was asking Peter. Peter, will you love me creatively and compassionately by working for my benefit? YES LORD he says 3 times. And Jesus gives him his work to do; "Feed my lambs, Take care of my sheep, Feed my sheep!"

          Just as God's agape love in Christ for us was Jesus giving his life for us while we were his enemies, our agape love for Jesus will sometimes look exactly like that: AGAPE LOVE = Matthew 5:43-48  "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

COME TO THE ALTAR

Are you hurting and broken within? Overwhelmed by the weight of your sin?
Do you thirst for a drink from the well? Jesus is calling

O come to the altar The Father's arms are open wide
Forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ

Leave behind your regrets and mistakes. Come today, there's no reason to wait
Jesus is calling
Bring your sorrows and trade them for joy, from the ashes, a new life is born

John 21

Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" "No," they answered. 6 He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.  9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught." 11 Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

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!"

20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"

22 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."  23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"

24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.