First Church of God in Harvey
Sunday Morning, August 5th, 2012
Let us pray
Welcome
As we listen and watch the news during the course of last week, so much has happened. We have heard good news, bad news, baffling news, but amidst all the news, we are still alive, and still being kept by the mighty hand of God. Are you thankful to be in God’s house one more time?
Last Sunday we were blessed as our speaker spoke about the Christian armor, and that we should put on the whole armor of God, so that we may be able to withstand in the evil days, and having done all to stand. Just in case you have forgotten, we are living in evil days, and Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3 about the evil days, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come,” or “You may as well know this too, Timothy, that in the last days it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian.” There used to be a time when Christians would have the desire of wanting to be in the house of God, but do not be surprised, because the Bible says in Matthew 24 verse 12, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” Today as we look into God’s Word, a personal question is asked us, Do you really love the Lord?
Our scripture reading will be taken from St. John 21 verses 15 through 17.
Our topic for today is, “Do You Really Love The Lord?” Number 1: Do you love me more than these? Number 2: Do you love me with God’s love? Number 3: Do you love me as a loyal brother?
In St. John 14 verse 15, Jesus said, ‘If ye love me, keep my commandments.” In St. John 14 verse 21, Jesus said, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13 verse 3, “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” In 1 John 2 verses 3 through 6, the apostle John writes, “And hereby we do know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” Listen to what the apostle John writes in 1 John 4 verses 20 and 21, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen. And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” So the question for us today is, Do you really love the Lord?
What do you do when someone says something offensive to you? How do you react? Do you show that you really love the Lord? What do you do when your faith is tested? Do you try to fight back? Or Do you show that you really love the Lord? What do you do when you have made some great achievement in life, and great honor is bestowed upon you? Do you say, look what I have done or do you show your love for the Lord? At age 16, Gabrielle or Gabbe Douglas, an Afro-American gymnasts won the gold medal in the Summer Olympics in London, England. When she was interviewed, amidst all the glory, she took the time to give thanks to the Lord. This young girl somehow showed to the world her love for the Lord. I do not know anything about her Christian walk, but at that moment of glory, she gave thanks to the Lord. Do you really love the Lord?
I imagine Jesus might have said to Peter, Peter, you said you did not know who I was. I was the one who called you from a life of fishing to fish for men. We have walked and talked for over 3 years. You were part of the inner circle, but you said you did not know me. Peter, do you remember in the garden you were ready to fight, when I was arrested, you even took your sword and struck off the ear of a servant of the high priest. Peter you also said, “though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.” (Matthew 26: 33)
How often as Christians have we failed to show our love for the Lord. We talk about baseball; we talk about football; we talk about basketball; we talk about the Olympics; we talk about politics; but how often do we talk about the Lord? We talk about the weather; we talk about the world condition; we talk about our brother and sister; but how often do we talk about the Lord? We get on the telephone and talk to our friends, and now and then we might share a word or two with others we are not very close to, but how often do we talk about the Lord?
Our text for today “is a critical passage for the church and its ministers.” It has one great lesson, it is the lesson of love. Jesus and his disciples had just finished eating their bread and fish. It is quite possible they were all filled, and now they were just sitting around talking and sharing together. As they were talking and sharing, Jesus had a personal question for Peter. He turned and focused on Peter. He called Peter by his full name. I believe all eyes were on Peter, and then came the all important question, ”Simon, son of Jonas, ‘lovest thou me more than these? Peter might have been taken off guard, but knowing who Peter was, Peter always have an answer. It is not quite clear what is meant by “these.” One might assume the these is in reference to the disciples sitting around; so Jesus might be saying, Peter, “do you love me more than you love these men or your family?” or maybe Jesus was talking about the fish, the nets, and the boat, and so he was asking Peter, Peter do you love me more than the fish, the nets and the boat? or Peter, do you love me more than your profession or career? It seems Pater had gone back to his old profession of being a fisherman. Since it is not quite clear what “these” might mean, then it is quite possible it could “apply to anything and everything in our lives.’
The question today is not for Peter anymore, but it is for us today, do you really love the Lord? Do you love the Lord more than these? What could be the these in your life or my life that might be hindering us from being the best for the Lord? For some it might be money. For some it might be popularity. For some it might be getting to the top without thinking who might get hurt. For some it might be family, friends, the job, so the question is, do you love the Lord more than these? I want to send out a warning today, be careful of the “these” that could cripple your life. Be careful of the “these” that could jeopardize your walk with the Lord. Be careful of the “these” that you think nobody knows about, and remember the question, do you love me more than these.
How many of you when you just got saved had a zeal in serving the Lord? You could not wait for the church doors to open. You could not wait to be among the saints one more time. You could not wait to be singing with the saints, “Once again we come to the house of God, To unite in songs of praise, To extol with joy our Redeemer’s name, And tell his works and ways.” You remember those good old days when we used to sing, “To thy house, O lord, with rejoicing we come, For we know that we are thine; We will worship thee in the Bible way, As the evening light doth shine.” What has happened to that zeal” What has replaced that zeal? Has the zeal for the Lord been overtaken by the “these” in our lives, whatever they might be.
Today, our Lord speak to each of us, and it is a personal question. He is calling us by name, Peter John, Mary or whatever your name might be, do you love me more than these? Who do you love more? Is it the Lord or “these?”
Number 1: do you love me more than these? Number 2: do you love me with God’s love? It is said that there is a difference between the three questions Jesus asked Peter. In this second question, Jesus asked Peter if he loved with God’s love. In our world today, we talk a lot about love, and there is a lot of confusion about love. In this second question Jesus asked Peter, Jesus is using the highest form of love, the love of God himself, and the word used is agape.
As a child of God, do you love with God’s love? This agape love “is the highest level of love possible, it is the love of God.” This love we are talking about is the love that causes God to send his son to a sin cursed world to live and to die for sinful man. The Bible says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” “Agape love is Christ dying for people who have no strength.” “Agape love is Christ dying for the ungodly.” “Agape love is Christ dying for sinners,” that includes you and me. “Agape love is Christ dying for the enemies of God.” Agape love is God’s love. It is his very nature. It is the love that God extended toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” This love I am talking about is the love that holds believers together. As Christians we are known by the love we have for each other. In St. John 13 verse 35 we read, ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” For over three years Jesus had held the apostles together. Now that he was about to leave them, what was going to keep them together and keep them at the task? It would be the agape love. It is the love believers are to have for each other.
How much do we love each other? Do we love with God’s love? How much do we care for each other? Quite often we say we care, but do we really care? Listen to what the Bible says in 1 John 3 verses 17 & 18, “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up the bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” Do you love with God’s love?
This Agape love, ‘seeks the welfare of all.” In Romans 15 verse 2 we read; “Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.” Let’s not forget, we are all family, and as a family we should love with God’s love. This agape love works no ill to its neighbor. As a Christian, have you ever wished something bad happening to your neighbor? The Bible says in Romans 13:10a, “Love worketh no ill to his neighbor.” This agape love we are talking about, “seek opportunities to do good to all men, especially to those of the household of faith.”
When was the last time you helped a brother or a sister in need? When was the last time you reached out to a neighbor in need? The Bible speaks to us from Galatians 6 verse 10, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, (not just some men, but unto all men) especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Do you love with God’s love?
“Agape love is proven by obedience to Christ.” “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Do you really love the Lord? If your answer, and my answer is yes, then we are called upon to keep his commandments.
Finally, do you love me as a loyal brother? Do you really love the Lord? We said agape love is God’s love; it is the highest form of love; the love of God himself. The final question Jesus asked seems to be the same as the second question, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me,” but it is different. The question is, Peter do you love me as a brother? There is a word called phileo, which means brotherly love, the love between two brothers. Here we find God’s son, the one who was both human and divine, the one who was both God and man, “descended to the human level of love.” Jesus simple asked Peter, Peter do you really love me? Peter do you phileo or love me even as a brother. In our Bible class last Wednesday night we were reminded that Jesus was truly human, and he was also truly God. God left his glory, came to earth as a man by means of the virgin birth, became God incarnate to identify himself with man, to live as a man, and to die for man.
Peter had denied the Lord three times, and here in our text it seems Peter’s loyalty of his love was being questioned. On the third time around, Peter was grieved, because the Lord had asked him three times if he loved him. Peter, do you love me more than these? Peter, do you love me with God’s love? Peter, do you love me as a brother? Peter, do you really love me? If you really love me then feed my lambs. God’s flock is made up of both lambs and sheep. The Bible identifies “the lambs and sheep as the flock of God, that is, the Church of God.” If Peter really loved the Lord he was commissioned to be a shepherd to the flock of God. Peter if you really love me, feed my sheep. It is said that the lambs are “children, young converts, the handicapped or special cases, believers who need special attention.” It is said that the sheep are “mature believers, believers who have walked and grown in the Lord for a long time.” Both the lambs and the sheep are to be fed from the Word of God. The lambs might just need milk in order to grow, while the sheep might just need meat, but both the lambs and the sheep needs to be fed. So here Peter is being instructed as a shepherd to feed both the lambs and the sheep.
What are you eating? Where is your food coming from? Is your food coming from the Word of God or is there some other source? The Bible says in Matthew 5 verse 6, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.” Are you hungry and thirsty for the things of God? When we truly love the Lord, we will be hungry and thirsty for the things of God.
Do you really love the Lord? Is your answer a yes or a no, or maybe you are not quite sure. If you are not quite sure or if your answer is no, now is a good time to come and talk to the Lord about it. Has your love for the Lord been a bit shaky? Have you found yourself sometimes denying the Lord like Peter did? Today God wants to hear from us, how much we really love him.
Let us stand
Call to discipleship
Closing song/prayer
