Do You Love Me? [John 21]

Jesus didn't just appear to the 12 disciples, he also appeared to hundreds of others.

In this account Jesus appears to the disciples while they were fishing and then ate breakfast with them. During this time, Jesus singles Peter out. He asks Peter a question. "Do you truly love me more than these?" Meaning... is Peter's love for Jesus more than the friends around him or even his work. Are there things in our lives that fill our minds more than our thoughts and love for Jesus? Many things can come between us and our relationship with Jesus. Do we have a deep-seated intelligent love for Jesus?

Peter's life had been changed since he'd heard the teaching and ministry of Jesus. His life had been turned around. Peter knew Jesus was the Son of the Living God. He had given his life to Jesus, and Jesus was confirming Peters love by asking him this question. This question was very important to Peter because he had denied his allegiance to Jesus just days before. He had cracked under the pressure when he feared he may be crucified with Jesus, and pretended not to even know Jesus. Like this, we too can deny what we have learned from the Bible when our friends pressure us. We can become ashamed of the Bible and Jesus when under pressure from those around us.

Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. And each time asking him a different way. When Peter three times confirmed his love for Jesus, He told Peter to look after His sheep. These sheep being people who hear Jesus voice and follow Him. We are all like sheep going astray. We need Jesus to restore us and bring us back to Him, the great shepherd.

Jesus is asking us all the question "Do you really love me?"