SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1152

“Do You Love Me?”

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, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him 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, “Tend 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 everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him “Feed my sheep. – John 21:15-17

The first time Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him Jesus uses the word ‘agape’ for love. Agape is the unconditional love of God for man and man for God.

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. – Matthew 22:37

Note that Peter replies to this first question using ‘phileo’ for love. Phileo is an affectionate friendship type of love. Peter is perhaps being cautious about using such a strong word as agape given his recent boasting about never falling away and then denying Christ three times.

Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. …Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” – Matthew 26:31-33

Jesus sees Peter’s weakness in heart, yet still commissions him commanding him to ‘Feed My lambs’. The same exchange transpires with the second time Jesus asks Peter if He loves Him. Again the Lord continues Peter’s restoration with the command to ‘Tend My sheep’.

The third time Jesus asks, He meets Peter where his heart is at and uses the same word for love that Peter is comfortable with, ‘Phileo’. Peter responds as before although he is now grieved in heart that he was asked three times and perhaps because he was unable respond with agape love. Yet again, Jesus completes his restoration of Peter as a forgiven friend and commands him to ‘Feed My sheep’.

Don’t miss the significance of this third dialog between Jesus and Peter. The Lord will meet us right where we are at in our relationship with Him and help us to grow from that point. He loves us unconditionally, and died for us while we were as yet steeped in sin.

Do you (Agape) love the Lord?

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. – Matthew 22:37

Do you love Him more than the things of this world? We cannot effectively fulfill the Lord’s commission to us with a phileo relationship with Jesus. To feed and tend the sheep and to faithfully proclaim the Gospel requires the agape love of God working in and through us.

May the Holy Spirit come upon you as He did at Pentecost. May He fill you with the presence of Christ and the power to overcome the flesh. May He fill you with His agape love to fulfill your purpose and His plan for you.

We love because he first loved us. – 1 John 4:19