Daily Prayer Guide - April 18, The Personal Commission of Love

Read: John 21:15-19

¹⁵ When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you 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 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. ¹⁸ Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” ¹⁹ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

Consider:

Jesus is nearing the end of his time with his disciples on earth.  He had done so much while he was with them and now he is bringing things to a culmination and he was going to make things very personal for Peter. 

Jesus knew Peter well, he had even changed his name, but he wanted to get Peter’s full attention and he calls him by his formal name, ‘Simon son of John’.  He wasn’t speaking to him on the basis of a friendship or past experiences, but on the very personal basis of who he was, and he asked ‘do you love me more than these?’

Peter had failed him, he had expressed his devotion to Jesus in the upper room, but only hours later denied he knew him to protect himself.  Now, Jesus asks ‘how much do you really love me?’  More than these?  Maybe he is pointing to Peter’s boat and haul of fish, or perhaps to the other disciples, his friends and companions.  ‘Do you love me Peter, more than these other things and people in your life? How important am I to you?  What are you willing to sacrifice for me?  Jesus was not playing around with metaphorical words here, the point was clear to Peter and his response was ‘Yes, Lord’.

Three times, Jesus asks Peter about the nature of his love for him, like the three times he had denied him in the courtyard where Jesus was being condemned.  And three times Peter affirms his devoted love to Jesus, each time drilling his commitment deeper into his soul.  With each confession Jesus commissions him personally that a love for Jesus looks like service to others, feed the tender, care for the many, meet the needs of those who belong to Jesus.  Everything Jesus does is an expression of love, and in this crucial conversation with Peter he looks past Peter’s failings, he doesn’t even bring it up, but instead he commissions him personally into his future. 

In these days, when things are different and you are staying in your home, could this be a time for Jesus to ask some very important questions to you? 

Do you love me, more than these?  Do you love me more than your profession, more than your belongings, more than the people who are important to you, your friends, family, and companions?  Where does Jesus line up with everything else in your life?  He already knows the answer to that question, but do you?  Maybe it takes many weeks at home for him to be able to ask that question in a way you are ready to respond to him. 

Maybe you have already responded to his call to follow him in your life, but have you heard his very personal commission for you.  We are not talking about a call to spiritual vocation, but a call to personal ministry.  Maybe you have been waiting for that for a long time, and he would say ‘feed the tender, care for the people, meet the needs of people.  His personal commission will always look like sacrificial service to others.  Perhaps this is a season at home for you to hear his voice call you by name and say ‘how much do you love me?  Serve others.  Then when our doors finally open you will have a new direction to move out. 

Prayer: Father, Thank you that you love us so much that you won’t let our past deter us from loving you and serving others. 

·      Thank God that Jesus has restored you into a right relationship with him.

·      Tell him how much you love him that is greater than… tell him specifically what those things are.

·      Ask him to use this time in your life to do deep work in your own heart and mind.

·      Ask that he would show you personally who and how you are to serve others when your are free to leave your home. How can you serve others even now?

·      Ask that those who are serving us by working in the grocery stores, pharmacies and medical facilities would remain safe from the coronavirus.

Father, Thank you that Jesus cares for us to call us by name to follow him by serving others.  Help us to be faithful in this call, for your glory and honor.     Amen 

Meditate: John 15:12-13

¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends