Jeff Klein 0:07
Welcome to Elmhurst CRC's daily dose in the Word of God. It's Friday, May the 5th. This is Jeff Klein, the Pastor of Outreach here at the church. I'll be reading from John 21, verses 15 through 19, as we stumble with Peter away from the tomb.
Jeff Klein 0:22
After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep. “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
Jeff Klein 1:12
This is one of the most well-known conversations between Jesus and Peter recorded in all the Scripture. If you've been around church for a while, you've heard the explanations about the different Greek words use for love here. As Jesus asked Peter, if he loves him “agape” and Peter answers that he loves him with "phileo." Agape being this deep love, deep in your soul. Phileo being more of a brotherly love, like a friendly love. Well, that's certainly an insightful observation that we've all heard (probalby a lot of times) before. I wonder if it makes the whole thing too academic. Instead of seeing ourselves in the story, instead of seeing how we have stepped away from Jesus and how Jesus has to come looking for us to actually ask us the same questions, we can dig into the academics instead. So, think about it. When have you stepped away from Jesus? Like, you know, wandered-off or either out of shame or disillusionment or distraction; kind of walked away and headed somewhere else? And then Jesus had to come find you and ask you, like me, "Jeff, do you love me?"
Jeff Klein 2:21
Because I thought about this beach conversation in my own life, I realized that I've been in Peter's shoes more than once. How about you? And when Jesus found me, how did I let him know that I really did love him, in spite of whatever happened that made him come with this question: "Jeff, do you love me?" How about you? Can you think of those times? If Jesus asked you the question today,how would you respond