Do You Love Me? | 1.22.23 | Sunday AM | On Fire Christian Church
Do You Love Me?
Jesus made many statements about love for Him
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:5 NKJV
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?” Deuteronomy 10:12-13 NKJV
“Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints! Psalms 31:23
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15 NKJV
“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21 NKJV
We are commanded to love God because it is for our benefit
I command you today for your benefit. Deut 10:13
It’s just the way it is. You can’t force love but there is a truth written in stone and that is that God know that if we do not love Him we will not be full of true life
What does that love look like? Are we as fallen humanity capable of that kind of love? Jesus was raising followers that would love Him!
Peters declarations of love- “Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.” Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.” John 13:36-38 NKJV
Peter was the first to openly confess who Jesus was
“He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.” Mark 8:29 NKJV
Peter did say He would die for Him! Peter had heard the sermons and the words of Jesus therefore came to that conclusion
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:24-26 NKJV
“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 10:34-39 NKJV
Peter heard these words of Jesus and was making a declaration to Jesus that He would stick with Him to the death.
Jesus calling to Peter and to all is a love that is greater than all.
“But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.” Luke 22:33-34 NKJV
“Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples.” Matthew 26:33-35
Peter’s betrayal
“Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance. Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.” But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So Peter went out and wept bitterly.” Luke 22:54-62 NKJV
Jesus raises front the dead and has a conversation with just Him and Peter
“So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.” John 21:15-17 NKJV
Do you love me more?
Do you love me more than food? More than your job? More than the money you make?
Peter would have run into a burning building to save his wife or kid but when it came down to it he would not for Messiah until He did!
Prior to the resurrection Peter didn’t really know the love for His God
What did Messiah request from His followers?
To love God more than Mother or Father , Son or Daughter even one’s own life
Do you love God more than these?
More than even a son or daughter?
Sooner or later we will be called to such a decision
To love God over all is the only thing and it will cost you everything
Love more that your own life.
Peter told he would die for messiah. John 21
Jesus was humiliated and so will we. Matt 27:27
“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” John 15:20 NKJV
