So Loved

The message was brought by Rev.  Reynolds Frye.

John 21: ¹⁴ This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. ¹⁵ So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. ¹⁶ He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. ¹⁷ He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

John 3: ¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The word so means according to the facts.  It’s time to love God like he loves us.  If we were loved enough to die for, it is time to stand and be counted for him.  The world doesn’t have what we have.  It’s in his love that we show Jesus to others.

It hadn’t been long since Peter denied the Lord three times.  God can see how we love him and how we love each other.  It’s time to go out of our way to love and help others be more stable in the Lord.  Jesus asked the disciples to come and dine.  How do we dine?  We do it best when we glorify and worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth.  The love of God is what put enough fear in me that I thought about my salvation.  I thought I had it all until my eyes were opened by God.  I saw that I really didn’t have anything because I didn’t have him.

Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him.  Peter was about to get a little upset.  When we get ourselves out of the way, we can bring others into The Way—God’s way.  Each time Jesus asked Peter about how much he loved him, he said either feed my sheep or feed my lambs.  It was after this that Peter went into the “feeding business.”  At one time Peter was one of the most rugged in the Bible, but now he had a mission to bring the light of Jesus into the darkness of this world so people could come to know the Lord.

God loves you.  He made a way for you.  He’ll see you though if you’ll come to him.