Do you love me?

Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me …? (John 21:15a KJV)

He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? (John 21:16a KJV)

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? (John 21:17a KJV)

How would you feel if someone you loved and trust – someone you’d left home and family to be with – asked three times the same question, even after you’ve answered? Who was not clear here? He who is, was and evermore shall be? The one who was with God, and who was God? So it must have been Peter who wasn’t clear?

When someone asked Him what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? (Mark 10:17 KJV) Jesus let those around know the man was loved, but even then His answer was not completely clear: Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. (Mark 10:21 KJV)

Give up everything? His followers … were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. (Mark 10:26-27 KJV)

There are many today who love Him, but they are much like … the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. (John 12:42-43 KJV)

There are so many things we love more than God. Look around us and we can see things we’ve put before our love of God. Yet He loves us, and tells us so: … Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. (John 13:1b KJV)

He loved us. He came for us. As with Jerusalem, He says to us, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! (Luke 13:34b KJV)

How do we know when we love Him? 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. (John 14:21 KJV)

Can we stand with the centurion who watched Him die then said, Truly this man was the Son of God. (Mark 15:39 KJV)

That man did so without knowing of the resurrection. How can we do less Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (Hebrews 12:1 KJV)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 38-39 KJV)