Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good. TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!
WOWSERS!! So many thoughts ricocheting through my mind this morning. One, Jesus asking Peter 3 times if he loved him; WHY?? Two, Jesus tells us he came down to do Gods will, not his own; and thirdly, Is my character as Jesus would want it to be.
I think I will do today with Jesus asking Peter about loving HIM. This is in John 21. Now Jesus appeared to the disciples several times after the crucifixion. When Jesus was gone, what did the disciples do? They went back to what was comfortable to them--------FISHING. The interesting thing here is they fished all night and caught nothing. Why fish at night? The water is cooler and it is a better time to fish. How often do we go to what is comfortable.
As they were coming in there is a man on the shore who calls to them and says cast your nets on the right side of the boat. Now, here are some men who, prior to Jesus, had made their living fishing. Don't you think that it is after dawn, the water is warming up, and there may have been questions if not conversation about this. You know----we fished all night and nothing why would you think there is fish now.
Anyway, they cast on the right side and their net was full. It was at this point that they realized it was Jesus standing on the shore. They came ashore and Jesus had a fire and cooking fish on it and fed the disciples. This is the second time HE personally fed them. The first time was the last supper; this time with nail scarred hands HE fed them again.
Now, this will be long so I will get back to Jesus asking Peter if he loved him in a moment. Peter was impulsive, jumping out of the boat and walking on water to Jesus UNTIL he took his eyes off Jesus; cutting off the ear of the guard; and then denying Jesus 3 times. During the course of the 3 years Jesus changed Simon, son of Jonas' name to Peter meaning the rock. This he proved, to a point, to be UNTIL the denial of Jesus 3 times.
John 21:15-17. So Jesus asked Peter do you love me? Notice here Jesus did not call him Peter, but Simon, son of Jonas. Obviously Peter had not, at this point, proven himself to be a "rock".
Peter replied yes LORD I love you. If you read in the original language Jesus asked Peter if he loved (agape) him. Agape is unconditional love. Peter was probably still hurting from denying Christ and responded with you know I love you but used the word phileo, a Greek word meaning brotherly love, not agape. Jesus tells him to feed the lambs. Lambs? Here can be another discussion for a later time.
Then Jesus asks Peter again with the love word agape; once again Peter responds with the love word phileo, or brotherly love. Says yes and Jesus tells him to feed my sheep (not lambs).
Now, a third time (as many denials as Peter did) Jesus asks Peter if he loves him but Jesus uses the word Phileo or brotherly love. This time Peter is probably frustrated and tells Jesus yes he loves him, again using the word phileo or brotherly love.
Jesus had a reason for asking this way. The third time seems to reflect Jesus asking, in a way and the number of denials, are you even my friend to show me affection or brotherly love. Jesus always went to the heart of the matter. Peter had to face his true feelings and motives now.
How would you respond if Jesus asked you, "Do you love me? Do you really love me? Are you even my friend? Good for thought. Love you all.
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny.
No comments:
Post a Comment