Journey to Pentecost

April 26, 2010     John 21.17

Jesus has asked Simon Peter three times if he (Simon) loved Him.  By the third time Simon was grieved over it all.   I said this morning in our service that Jesus was interrogating Peter.  Interrogations are entered into because truth is being pursued.    Jesus was taking Peter on a truth journey.

Simon had already let Jesus down…and himself.  He had made the statement to Jesus that if everyone else left Jesus – he would not.  That didn’t last long!  Peter quickly realized that saying you would give your life for someone and actually doing it is two different things.   Although Simon Peter could only confess a “friendship love” to Jesus and not a agape love (unconditional).  Jesus, I believe, was testing Peter.  Having confessed one thing already to Jesus and failed in keeping that commitment – I think He was Jesus was testing Peter’s sense of humility, honesty and pure truthfulness.   In other words, Jesus was testing Peter to see if he would confess the truth or say what Jesus wanted him to say.

How many times have we been there with Simon Peter?  In a moment of worship or devotional – we say to Jesus – “I’ll follow you forever!  I will go to the ends of the earth for You!  I will give you my body, soul and spirit!”  But when test time comes – we high tail in reverse!  Difficult moments for those who have there.  

Jesus isn’t looking for you to confess something you can’t confess.  He isn’t looking for you to tell Him a lie.  He is looking for truth.  Simon Peter could only confess a “friendship relationship” with Jesus.   While you may not understand this…I think this is exactly what Jesus wanted out of him.  We always want to read into scripture the super hyper spiritual!  Not so here.  I really think Jesus was getting Peter to be honest with Him.   Can we still love Jesus and not love Him unconditionally?  Yes.  It’s not the highest level of love one can obtain in Christ but when it’s all we can do – it’s all we can do.  It is what it is!

Now that’s not to say that God doesn’t want us to go deeper with Him   He does.  It doesn’t mean that the Lord doesn’t want us to climb higher.  He does.  It’s not that Jesus wants us to remain at this initial or primary level of love forever.  He doesn’t.  But Jesus is more interested in relationship with us than He is our level of love.  He wants to love us…period.  He wants to love us and love is a choice.  We have to choose to let Jesus love us and then we choose to love Him back.

What about you?  On this journey to Pentecost take a little time to figure out how much you love Him.   Love is action.  It is behavior.  It is choice.  God has given you a Promise.  The Promise of the Holy Spirit’s baptism.  How hungry are you?  How much in love with Jesus are you?  How much do you want to experience the fullness of the Spirit in your life?  Jesus said in John 14.15 that if you love Him you will keep His commandments (the Word).  Jesus has given us instructions on being filled with the Spirit.  Why aren’t we? 

Could it be that we aren’t in love enough with Jesus to want the very best for ourselves? Could it be that we are so comfortable with “friendship” love that we don’t see the need to pursue anything different?  Just a thought!

I want to challenge your “love level” in Christ.   How much do you love Him?  Really now.  Be honest with yourself and with Jesus.   Scale one to ten with ten being the greatest love you could have for Him, where are you at?  Don’t say what you “think” Jesus wants you to say.  He just wants the truth.  That’s all.  He wants to know how hungry you are for the fulness of His Spirit.  Simple.  Nothing complex about it.  Just tell Him how much you love Him and  hungry you are for His Spirit.