He Meets You

A few weeks back our Pastor, (who I might mention is a very smart, intelligent and cute guy) gave a sermon on John 21:1-19. I have been thinking a lot about one aspect of that sermon and thought I would share a bit of it here. There is actually quite a bit in this passage to look at, but I wanted to draw your attention to verses 15-17,

15When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simeon Peter, , "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"

"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"

He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."

The interesting thing here is the word, Love. In the Greek (which was the original language of the New Testament) there are 3 different kinds of love. There is Eros, which is where we get our English word erotic. It is a sexual love. Then there is phileo, which we get our word Philadelphia or the city of "brotherly love". It is a brotherly type of love. Then the final love is agapao which is a self-sacrificing love. A love that would give all else up for another.

So now back to the passage. Read these words again with the original word for love inserted.

"Simon son of John, do you truly agapao me more than these?"

"Yes Lord," he said, "you know I phileo you."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly agapao me?"

He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I phileo you."

Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you phileo me?"

...He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I phileo you."

Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."

Did you catch that? The first two times Jesus asks the question he is asking for a love that will set all else aside and focus solely on Jesus. But Peter's response is a brotherly love. "Lord, You know that I phileo you." It is more of a distant love. Then the third and final time, Jesus changes it. He asks, "do you phileo me?" and Peter responds, "you know that I phileo you." What Jesus is asking is, Peter, are you willing to die for me and for my sake?

Jesus sees where Peter is and goes to him. He meets him where He is. Peter wasn't ready for a love that would give up everything and sacrifice all. So Jesus goes to Peter and says, it's OK Peter, you and I have a relationship now that is not a self-sacrificing love, but we have a starting point. Jesus meets Peter where he is and tells him to, "Follow Me." (verse 19). Jesus wants us to come to Him. He promises to meet us where we are and then if we will follow Him - He will take us to amazing places. He will teach us what it means to have an agapao kind of love, or self-sacrificing.

In the end, Peter died for his love for Jesus. It was the ultimate self-sacrificial death.

So where are you today? Are you willing to say, Lord, I agapao you? Or maybe you have a phileo, brotherly, love with Jesus. It's OK. He promises to meet us where we are and if we will follow Him he will teach us what it means to have a self-sacrificing love with our Savior.