Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: "Apostle Tom" <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Mon, 23 Apr 2007 14:59:17 -0500
To: pressingon@hotmail.com
Subject: Morning Manna (Apr. 24); BP: Jn. 21:15-23; RBTTY: Lk. 18:1-23; II Sam. 19-20
April 24 “The Question of the Ages”
“So, when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of Jonas,
do you love Me more than these?’ He said unto Him, ‘Yea, Lord—You know that
I love You.’ He said unto him, ‘Feed My lambs’.”
John 21:15
As the old Gospel song’s lyrics say, “What will you do with Jesus?
Neutral you cannot be. One day your heart will be asking, ‘What will He do
with me’?”
Jesus’ coming to earth changed everything. His life, death, burial and
resurrection became the Watershed of history—and even though modern
revisionist of history have changed the “B.C.” (“Before Christ”) and “A.D.”
(“In the Year of Our Lord”) to “B.C.E” (“Before the Common Era”) and “C.E.”
(“Common Era”), the fact remains that each one of us must choose what we’ll
do with Christ before we die.
Some folks choose to do nothing. They write Him off as some misguided
zealot trying to restore Israel to her former glory. Others view Him as
little more than a religious teacher or mighty prophet. And, still others
regard Him as a deranged madman, unworthy of our consideration or
contemplation.
Even so, Jesus’ question of “Whom do men say I, the Son of Man am?” and
“Whom do you say that I am?” (Mt. 16:13-15) cannot compare to His question
in today’s Manna. While it’s very important for us to know Who He is—i.e.,
the Son of God, Promised Messiah, the “Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn.
14:6), etc.—our answer to His question of “Do you love Me?” is of utmost,
eternal importance.
When Jesus asked Simon Peter that question around the campfire that
morning on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, He used the word “agape” for
“love.” He basically was asking, “Do you love me the way God the Father has
loved you?” And, sadly, Peter responds with “phileo,” which means “I love
You like a brother.”
Even when Jesus repeated His question a second time (v.16), Peter still
responded the same way. So, we shouldn’t be surprised that Jesus used
Peter’s word for “love” the third time He asked the question, “Do you love
Me?” (v.17). In essence, He was asking, “Do you only love Me like a brother
or only have strong affection for Me?”
No wonder “Peter was grieved (Grk. ‘lupeo’—‘to be distressed, be in
heaviness, sorrowful, etc.’) because He said unto him the third time, ‘Do
you love Me’?” (v.17). Jesus asking three times reminded him of his having
denied Him three times (Lk. 22:54-65). And, His switching verbs caused him
to realize the shallowness of his response and the need to say “Lord, You
know all things—You know I love you with all my heart” (v.17).
Oh, dear Pilgrim, how we grieve our Savior’s holy heart when our lips
profess our love for Him, but our actions prove otherwise. May we allow the
Holy Spirit to search our hearts today and reveal to us any area where our
walk contradicts our talk. Then, may we repent of that sin and recommit our
lives to Him as Lord of all.
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