Do You Love Me?
Christ's love expressed after forgiveness, restoration, and the death's defeat.
I’m not sure I’ve ever read just this portion of this passage. There’s a lot going on in Jesus’ post-resurrection conversation with Peter on the beach. You’ve likely studied a lot about it in the past.
Today, our purpose is simple: Jesus makes clear that loving him results in the active care of people. We’ve noted multiple times now in this study on the fruit of the Spirit that love is the essential key in all of them.
The prayer below for today has been a life verse for me and my wife for almost 25 years now. Paul’s prayer from Philippians now hangs above my bed on a 3 foot by 4 foot wooden sign, painted in fancy letters. It first found me late one night as I was laying in a dorm room on a hot summer night. I was actually reading Peterson’s The Message at the time.
So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.
It taught me a lot about love I hadn’t considered before:
…not only much, but well…
…appropriately…
…test your feelings…
…sincerity…
…intelligence…
…not sentimentality…
Love is so misplaced today, isn’t it? Misused, misunderstood. Both understated and overstated at the same time. We use the word broadly, for what we think of tacos and what we hold about our spouse. Hopefully those are not the same. And in the Church, we hardly do much better.
Both Jesus on the beach and Paul in prison are saying the same thing - love produces action. It is the fertile ground from which all else expected of Jesus’ disciples comes forth.
Use the word all you want, Peter. But unless it results in particular things, it means nothing. Emblazon it on your church walls, put it above your bed, script it all pretty - but it’d better be measured and doled in specific ways for you to pair it with righteousness. It’s notable that this pivotal conversation between Jesus and Peter comes with forgiveness, restoration, and after death is defeated.
Love is not proven by what we say about Jesus, but by what we are willing to carry for others because of him, because of his Spirit already at work within us.
Love, as Jesus insists here, is never merely declared. It is entrusted with responsibility. Do you love me? then feed my sheep. Love takes on weight. It accepts care of real people with real needs, not abstractions or ideals. This is the love the Spirit forms in us. Not loud, not performative, not sentimental, but patient, discerning, and faithful. A love that shows up again tomorrow. A love that bears fruit because it has learned to remain close to Christ.
John 21:15-17
When they finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Simon replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Simon replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.” He asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was sad that Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” He replied, “Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”
Prayer
God,
This is my prayer: that my love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight. Give me the ability to decide what really matters, that I will be sincere and blameless on the day of Christ. I want to be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to you.
Holy Father of all creation, I see your loving justice in Jesus of Nazareth. By your Spirit, make me more like him.
Amen.
Amen. Such a good word right now.