Do You Love Me?
- Jeff Kent
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
We often wonder why some people who begin the Christian journey never seem to get too far. Some just kind of poke along the road. Others appear to stand around and watch fellow travelers hike on by down the highway. There are many, sad to say, who leave the route at various junctures and head out for vague, fanciful destinations.
What is the cause for this? Let’s first eliminate one possibility. And that would be belief or faith. Now I do realize that some who have begun the discipleship journey get to a point (for whatever reasons) that they stop believing in Jesus, even in God. From my experience, these are in the minority. Many “stragglers” on the road will say something like “I still believe in God” or “I still have faith.” The scriptures give us several examples of people who believed in Jesus and/or the gospel but failed to build on that faith and never made it (as far as we know). So, what’s the key? Let’s look at John 21.
Jesus has been resurrected and gone to Galilee where He said He would meet the disciples. They had gone as instructed, but when Jesus had not yet shown Himself to them, Peter said, “I am going fishing.” Galilee, the lake, was his old haunt, and fishing was his livelihood. All familiar and comfortable. Well, they caught nothing after fishing all night. Jesus appears on the shore, tells them to cast their net on the “right-hand side of the boat,” and they haul in 153 large fish. Of course now, they recognize the Lord. After a charcoal-fired breakfast, Jesus is ready to talk sheep with Peter.
“Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” I don’t know why so many people struggle with what the “these” is here. It’s the key to the whole story and to devoted discipleship. The “these” are the fish which represent Peter’s former passion and life. Is he ready to give it all up now in order to shepherd God’s people?
“Do you love Me more than these?” More than yourself, your own life, your husband/wife, your children, your career, your greatest passion in life...? Jesus is alive. He is a real person. He gave Himself for you. Do you love Him? Will you follow Him?
“Do you love Me more than these?” That is the question.
><> Jeff