LOVING THE LORD

“So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these? He said to Him, Yes, Lord; You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My lambs” (John 21:15 NKJV).

This conversation between the Lord Jesus and Peter took place shortly after the resurrection. The Lord had just performed a miraculous catch of fish for Peter and some other disciples on the Sea of Galilee. He then enjoyed a meal of fish and bread with them. After the dining, the Lord asked Peter a question about loving the Lord. To understand this conversation about loving the Lord, we want to note the emphasis on love, the earnestness of love, and the evidence of love.

Emphasis on love – “Do you love Me?” This question about loving the Lord was repeated two more times in vv. 16-17. This shows the emphasis that the Lord Jesus places on loving Him. He is very interested in our love for Him. And we ought to be just as interested. Few things affect our lives as much as our affections for the Lord Jesus. Our eternal destiny is based on our affection for the Lord. The Apostle Paul said that “If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed” (1 Cor. 16:22). Thus, loving the Lord Jesus is extremely important.

Earnestness of love – “Do you love Me more than these?” There are two ways to understand the phrase “more than these.” Firstly, Peter was quite outspoken at times about performing better than the other disciples. So, “more than these” can mean that he needs to excel if he is going to do better than the others. Secondly, “more than these” could refer to the catch of fish. How often we have to confess that this is an area where we too have failed. We have allowed ourselves to love other things more than we love the Lord.

Evidence of love – “Feed my lambs.” If we truly love the Lord, then we must show it in our conduct. In John 14:15, the Lord Jesus explicitly declare, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” Love is to be more than mere words; it must also include deeds. Love for the Lord means that we will serve Him faithfully and fervently. Does your life evidence love for the Lord?

(Adapted from Butler’s Daily Bible Reading 3)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“The degree of your devotion to Christ is the barometer of your love for Him!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Fashion

In 1 Peter 1:14 we read, “As obedient children, not conforming (fashion) yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance” (NKJV).

“Fashion” is the Greek word suschēmatízō (συσχηματίζω = soos-khay-mat-id'-zo). It is made up of two words: “sun” which means together with, and “schema” which means external form, appearance. Thus, suschēmatízō means to form according to a pattern or mold, to fashion alike, to conform to the same pattern outwardly. Schema gives us our English word scheme. The word is only used here and in Rom. 12:2. In the present context, the apostle Peter is exhorting us to stop our evil practices. We are not to be fashioned or conformed to outward evil patterns. The child of God is not to be assuming, as an outward expression, the habits, mannerisms, dress, speech expressions (off color jokes), and general behavior of the godless world out of which the Lord has saved them. This would not give a true expression of our true inner character which is holy since we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

Did You Know…

According to Deut. 3:11, king Og’s iron bed was “nine cubits is its length and four cubits its width.” A cubit is 18 inches, so the bed was over 13 feet long and 6 feet wide.

Bible Quiz

What did God say about a man whose body is hung on a tree?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz

Who calls himself a “Hebrew of the Hebrews?” The apostle Paul (Phil. 3:5).

Prophecies Fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ

Called “Shiloh” or “Sent One” (Gen. 49:10; John 17:3)

"The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people” (Gen. 49:10 NJKV).

The word “Shiloh” has been variously translated as “He whose it is,” and ‘tranquility.” Thus, it is generally understood as denoting the Messiah, “the Peaceful One.” “Shiloh” was also an ancient city in the hill country of Ephraim, located in present day Israel. In the Bible, Shiloh served as a religious center for the Israelites before the construction of the temple in Jerusalem. It was where the tabernacle was erected and where sacrifices were offered to God. The name “Shiloh” is also often associated with Messianic prophecies, particularly here in Gen. 49:10. This verse ties into the New Testament as the Lord Jesus refers to Himself as, “Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3). For Christians, the Lord Jesus Christ is seen as the fulfillment of the prophecies related to Shiloh. He is the ultimate descendant of Judah Who came to bring salvation to all people.

Did You Know – Christian History

Peter Marshall was born May 27, 1902, in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was a Scottish-American preacher, pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., and Chaplain of the United States Senate.

Marshall’s father died when he was four, so he was reared by his mother and a stepfather who was a jealous alcoholic who made life miserable for him. From 1916-1921 he studied electrical engineering at Coatbridge Technical School. However, things went from bad to worse when his stepfather kicked him out of his home. Without financial support, he could not fulfill his educational requirements. But he had made a definite commitment to work full-time in the Lord’s service. He began taking night classes. It was hard. Sometimes he failed courses, having to work nine hours a day.

Then the Lord led a cousin to urge him to go to the United States, assuring him he could expect greater opportunities there than in his native land. The cousin promised to pay Marshall’s way. For three weeks he was in prayer to God about it. Then one day he knew God meant for him to go. However, in America, things proved tougher than he expected. He had to dig ditches. He had no friends. He had no church. Then God sent him an offer from Alabama. Within the space of a few short weeks, he had joined the First Presbyterian Church, spoke at a prayer meeting, and was asked to teach a Men’s Bible Class. Further, the Lord supplied the money for his education - he graduated from Columbia Theological Seminary in 1931.

The Lord then sent Marshall to specific pastorates. The last of them was at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington. D.C. His sermons so thrilled the Capital that hundreds of people had to be turned away from the church each Sunday. On January 4, 1947 the Senate appointed Marshall to be their chaplain. Senators used to come early just to hear him pray. His prayers were known for their eloquence, passion, and relevance to the challenges facing the nation. He often drew upon his Scottish heritage, and Biblical wisdom into his devotions. His words resonated with Senators and visitors alike, transcending political and ideological divides.

Marshall was chaplain only a couple years. He died of a heart attack in 1949 at the age of just forty-five years.

A Little Humor

A policeman was taking a vandalism report at an elementary school when he was interrupted by a six-year-old girl. She looked up and down at his uniform and asked, “Are you a policeman?” “Yes, I am,” he said. “My mother told me that if I ever needed help, I should ask a policeman. Is that right,” the girl asked. “Yes, it is,” said the policeman. The girl extended her foot to the policeman and said, “OK, then, would you tie my shoe?”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“If you don’t plan for your future, you may not like what you get!”