LOVEST THOU ME?

 

(John 21:15-17; 1Cor.13:1-13).

 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. After His resurrection He still had the same message – LOVE! When He comes back again He will have the same message (Mat.25:30-46) He will have the same message: “Simon, son of Jonas,” said Jesus, “lovest thou me?”

1.   A SOLEMN QUESTION: LOVEST THOU ME?

This question is not for Christ’s information but for Peter’s examination! It is also important that we so examine ourselves daily to learn where we stand with the Lord!

Ask yourself then, in the Saviour’s name, for your own profit, “Lovest thou the Lord? Lovest thou the Saviour? Lovest thou the ever-blessed Redeemer?”

(A) He Did not Ask About Other Graces – Faith, Hope, Fear, Adoration

This was a question concerning Peter’s love, not fearest thou me.” nor “Do you admire me? Do you adore me?” He did not say, “Simon, son of Jonas, believest thou in me?” but “Lovest thou me?”  

Love is one of the very best evidences and one of the easiest signs of discerning whether we are alive to the Saviour.

Note then these points, (i) He who lacks love, must lack also every other grace in the proportion in which he lacks love. (ii) If love is little, it is a sign that faith is little; for he who believes much loves much. (iii) If love is little, fear of God will be little, and courage for God will be little, giving to God will be little; and whatsoever graces there may be, though faith lies at the root of them all, yet do so hang on love, that if love is weak, all the rest of the graces most assuredly will be weak also. Hence the question,  “Lovest thou me?”

(B)He Did Not Ask About Peters Doings

Not, “Simon Peter, how much have you wept (Mat.26:75)? How often have you repented on account of your great sin? You can weep and not repent (Mat.27:3-5)! You can weep and not love! How often have you gone on your knees to seek mercy at my hand for the slight you hast done to me?

It was in reference to the state of his heart that Jesus said, “Lovest thou me?”  What is the lesson of this? It is that though works do follow after a sincere love, yet love excels all works, and works without love are dead works, they are not evidences worth having. Tears, works, ritual and outward observation of religion will not be acceptable to God if we do not love Him!

 Looking back at your actions this week how would you answer if Jesus asked you, “Lovest thou me?”

 Have I not wasted many hours within this week that I might have spent in winning souls to him (Mat.28:18-20)?

Have I not thrown away many precious moments in light and frivolous conversation which I might have spent in earnest prayer(Luke 18:1; 1Thes.5:17)?

Have my words this week ministered grace to my hearers (Mat.5:13-16)?

How many souls have I lifted with my words and my actions this week?

 How have you been occupied with the world, from Monday morning to this Saturday afternoon?

What corners have you pushed Jesus into, to make room for your studies, for your work and other daily occupation, for your bales of goods? How have you stowed him away into one short five minutes, to make room for your shift at work?  Imagine how little time you have given to him! Now answer the question, “Lovest thou me more than these”

2. A SENSIBLE ANSWER: Thou knowest all things?

“Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?” Simon gave a very good answer. He did not answer as to the quantity but as to the quality of his love. He could affirm that he loved Christ, but he would not claim that he loved Christ better than others. “Lord thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I do love thee”.

 Peter’s answer was wise; “Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.” Jesus knows all things. He knows things about me I don’t know! He knows a lot about you that you do not know.

Peter could not appeal to his works. “Yes, you may preach, and yet not love me; you may pray, after a fashion, and yet not love me; you may do all these works, and yet have no love for me (1Cor.13:1-13).

How Would You Answer?

Now if the Lord could come here this afternoon and ask us that question how would we answer? Would you say, “Lord, my pastor knows that I love you; Lord, the workers know that I love thee; they think I do, for they have given me a ticket to be a worker; the members think I love you; for they see me serving in the Church; my friends think I love you, for they often hear me talk about you.” You may say all that but your own heart is witness that your secret works belie your confession, for you are without prayer in secret; but you can preach a twenty minutes’ prayer in public. Are you not beggarly, miserly and parsimonious, stingy in giving to the cause of Christ?

You are an angry, petulant creature; but when you come to the house of God, you become pious and talk as if you were a gentleman, and never seemed angry. Lovest thou me? We need to let the Lord examine you today. So we can sincerely tell the Lord, “Thou Knoewst all thing!” Help me! Save Me! Help me to love you more than these!

3.   A SERIOUS DEMONSTRATION REQUIRED: feed my sheep.

(Mat.25:31-46; Haggai 1:1-10; 2:18-19)

“Feed my lambs: feed my sheep.” That was Peter’s demonstration. He must forgo fishing and feed the sheep and lambs of Christ.

It is not our way of showing our love but Christ’s. There are different ways for different disciples. All disciples cannot feed sheep or preach and teach, but there are other things they can do to show.

“Lovest thou me?” Are there little children in the Church that could be won to Christ? Sit down with them and teach them. Don’t try to sit with the elders and debate in the Temple. “Feed my lambs.”

Those young children, teenagers can someone with grace teach them Christ and His love, His salvation? Lovest thou me?

What about your own children? Are they truly being taught about Jesus Christ? Lovest thou me?

What about that new comer? Did you show them the love of Christ? That could be Christ visiting the Church in disguise. Lovest thou me?

“Lovest thou me?” What about the bible Study, The Revival, even the Sunday worship? Have you always been there to support the work, to encourage the pastor and the brethren by your presence? Lovest thou me?

Can you do more to serve the Lord? If you can, then do it. If you cannot do more, then God requires no more of you; doing to the utmost of your ability is your best proof that you truly love the Lord.

But if you can do more, and you keep back any part of what ye can do, in that degree ye give cause to doubt and distrust your love to Christ (Haggai 1:1-10).

 Do all you can to your very utmost; serve him abundantly; aye, and superabundantly: seek to magnify his name; and if ever you do too much for Christ, come and tell me of it; if you ever do too much for Christ, tell the angels of it-but you will never do that. He gave himself for you; give yourselves to him and that is not too much (1Tim.5:10)!