Jesus answered
and
said unto him,
If a man love me,
he will keep
my words:
and my Father
will love him,
and
we will come
unto him,
and
make our abode
with him.
He that
loveth me not
keepeth not
my sayings:
[Word of God]
and
the word which ye hear
is not mine,
but the Father's
which sent me.
-Jn.14:23-24
Introduction...
The Lord Jesus Christ ... Creator of Heaven and Earth ... and ... God ... our Father in Heaven ... desire to receive our love.
Does God need our love?
No ... certainly not.
Almighty God "IS LOVE"... all-sufficient ... within Himself
(1Jn.4:8).
In fact ... it is God's great love for us ... that motivates Him to tell us ... that we can experience living in His presence (with all of the benefits implied)
..."IF"... we pursue a personal relationship with Him ... through His Word.
This invitation involves an amazing miracle ... that brings us from a limited physical existence ... into the spiritual reality ... of what it means to be truly "born again" of the Spirit!
...all motivated by the super-natural love of God.
What type of "love" qualifies us ... to receive the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit of God Himself?
This blog has provided many examples establishing the fact ... that love involves a transaction ... a mandatory response from us ... to grasp the extended hand of love ... from our Creator
... in order for this transaction to be completed and a genuine relationship securely established
... but here is another example ... that Jesus gave to the apostles ... specifically through this discourse with Peter
... Peter ... the one who was afraid to count the cost of being associated with the Lord Jesus Christ ... previously ... denying Him three times:
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.
-Jn.21:15-17
Spiritual Application
... Loving and Feeding
The first thing we notice ... is Jesus' concern regarding Peter's love for Him ... as He opens Peter's old wound ... to question three times ... whether he loves Him ... reminding Peter of the three times he denied ... even knowing Jesus
... but also drawing our attention to the repetition involved in this discourse
... questioning Peter's "love" X3
... and
... instructing Peter to "feed" X3
... 1X .."feed the lambs"
... young animals
... 2X .."feed the "sheep"
... the more mature animals
... giving us several things to consider:
● Love
... is the main issue
... provides evidence of
genuine conversion to
Christ
... association
... and relationship with
Christ
● Feed
... something Peter has to do
to demonstrate his love
for Christ
... spiritual feeding involves
preaching the salvation
message to unbelievers
... mentioned 1X
because the group of lambs
will be small
... but as lambs are fed
... and mature
... they will move into the
larger group of sheep
... spiritual feeding also
concerns continuing to
feed the sheep
... by preaching and teaching
the Word of God as sheep
grow ... therefore
... is mentioned X2
... indicating continual
feeding.
When Jesus tells Peter that feeding the lambs and sheep is something that will prove Peter's love for Jesus ... we understand that feeding lambs and sheep are not works by which we are saved
... any more than a preacher preaching and a teacher teaching ... are going to qualify them to enter Heaven.
This evidence of love Jesus is looking for ... from Peter ... is the same evidence Jesus is also looking for ... from every believer
...which can be seen ... when we understand that "feeding"... is referring to presenting the Word of God to unbelievers ... who are in the process of being converted to Christ ... the spiritual process of the regeneration of the "lambs"
... as well as mature believers brought into fellowship ... sharing the Word of God with one another ... as the Holy Spirit leads.
The work of spiritually feeding others is not the means by which we are saved ... it is evidence that we love Jesus and are already saved.
Unbelievers cannot successfully fellowship in the Word of God ... because they are still in their sin
... do not genuinely love Jesus ... therefore do not have the Holy Spirit to teach them the correct interpretation ... and application ... of the Word.
The best they can do ... is to parrot memorized bits and pieces of the Scripture and church doctrines ... while remaining void of genuine love for Christ and others.
This brings us to the next application:
Physical Application
... Loving and Feeding
Because "God is Love" and His Love reflects ... illuminates ... everything that is written in His Holy Word
... love and His Word ... should ... logically ... motivate everything we do ... and keep us from defaulting
... keep us from rebelling against His will ... keep us from doing only that which benefits us economically
thus ... making money our real "god"... making money the idolatrous preeminent authority ... by which ... all of our decisions ... in life are determined.
George Mueller ... was a man who put love first in his life ... by helping those ... who had no help.
This humble Englishman ... had almost nothing himself ... and while he never asked for a penny ... God used other people to bring everything he needed to his door ... so that he was able to care for thousands.
Many times the children and staff would sit before empty plates ... at the breakfast table ... praying and thanking God for the food they were about to receive ... but had not yet seen materialize ... before their eyes
... and then ... hear a knock on the door.
It would be someone from the village ... bringing food ... or ... at other times ... someone would stop Mr. Muller on the street to give him money ... or slip an envelop under his door.
Amazingly ... God had put it upon their hearts at that specific moment ... to do this
... because ... no matter how humble a life ... they still valued every human life ... young or old ... seeing their value as God saw it
... therefore ... loved them more than their own economic "security"... and had the faith to overcome the fear of financial loss ... themselves ... to be able to trust God ... to continue to supply their own needs.
[See: "The Autobiography of George Muller" ... a book worth its weight in gold ... written in the 1800s ... printed in 1985 by Whitaker House.]
*The Word of God commands that our priority to love others begins by loving those who are "of the household of faith"... brothers and sisters in Christ ... then to provide for our own family.
If we fail to do this ... God considers us to be worse than an unbeliever ... certainly not going in the rapture.
And then to be sure to care for parents.
If children fail to do this ... He tells us in Mark 7 ... "Let them die the death."
[This blog has much more info regarding what God expects of those who say they are Christians.
When you get to the very bottom of each page ... look for the tiny print on the right and click on that to see other more recent posts on this subject ... links which have not yet been included in the list.]
*The Word of God commands that our priority to love others begins by loving those who are "of the household of faith"... brothers and sisters in Christ ... then to provide for our own family.
If we fail to do this ... God considers us to be worse than an unbeliever ... certainly not going in the rapture.
And then to be sure to care for parents.
If children fail to do this ... He tells us in Mark 7 ... "Let them die the death."
[This blog has much more info regarding what God expects of those who say they are Christians.
When you get to the very bottom of each page ... look for the tiny print on the right and click on that to see other more recent posts on this subject ... links which have not yet been included in the list.]
If a fellow human ... considers me to be a "financial liability"... or because of a temporary physical weakness ... piously prophecies that this could be my "time to die"
... would it be wise to give that person "power of attorney" over my life?
Those who make decisions based on their own economic benefits are ... the ungodly ... fearful ... and unbelieving who will be left behind.
(Rev. 21:8)
They do not see their own personal responsibility to love ... as Christ loved ... and the eternal value in every person God has created
... all because their own fear ... that God will not supply their own needs ... motivates them to cling to every dollar
... instead of clinging to the Word of God ... and unselfishly following Christ's Word and example ... by investing their life in the lives of others.
21
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Luke 16:1-31 ...
19
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20
And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21
And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
[Note how "dogs"... unclean animals ... come forward to feed off of what is left of those ... destined for Heaven ... but at the moment ... have no earthly help.]
[Note how "dogs"... unclean animals ... come forward to feed off of what is left of those ... destined for Heaven ... but at the moment ... have no earthly help.]
22
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24
And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27
Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28
For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29
Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
He that loveth not
knoweth not God;
for God is love.
-1 Jn.4:8
*****
If you have suddenly realized that you have not successfully completed the love transaction that is required to possess eternal life ... please do it now.
... Scroll to the top of this page
... Click on the gift wrapped
in gold in the left column
... and follow the directions
with your whole heart
engaged
... and then
... begin to follow Christ and
His Word ... loving Him
... and personally
(one on one)
... looking to help others
... who have no earthly help.
♡♡♡
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