Wednesday: The Demands of Love
Love always manifests itself in action. Our love for Christ compels us to do something for lost humanity. Paul stated it clearly when he said to the church at Corinth, “For the love of Christ compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14, NKJV). Christianity is not primarily giving up bad things so that we can be saved. Jesus did not “give up” bad things in heaven so that He could be saved.
Image © Darrel Tank from GoodSalt.com
He gave up good things so that others could be saved. Jesus does not invite us merely to give our time, talent, and treasures to His cause; He invites us to give our lives.
In a morning meeting with the disciples on the shores of Galilee, Jesus brilliantly outlined the demands of divine love.
Read John 21:15-19. What question did Jesus ask Peter three times, and what was Peter’s response? Why did Jesus ask Peter this particular question three times?
Peter denied His Lord three times, and Jesus elicited a response of love from Peter’s own lips three times. In the presence of the disciples, Jesus was rebuilding Peter’s confidence that he was forgiven by divine love and that Jesus still had work for him to do in His cause.
Read John 21:15-19 again, this time especially noting Jesus’ response to Peter’s affirmation of his love for Christ. What did Jesus tell him to do in response?
Divine love is active, not passive. Genuine love is more than a warm feeling, more than a nice idea. It involves commitment. Love compels us to act. It leads us to reach out to a lost world of God’s children in desperate need. When Jesus said to Peter, “Feed My lambs”, it was both a command and a comforting reassurance. The Master called for a response to love, and He also encouraged Peter that He still had a work for him to do, even despite Peter’s truly shameful action when Jesus had been arrested, and Peter not only denied knowing Jesus but denied it with curses as well, exactly as Christ had told him that he would.
The point? You may have desperately failed your Lord. You may have denied Him by your actions more than once. The good news is that grace is still available, and God is not done with you yet. There is still a place in His work for you if you are willing.
| Like Peter, have you ever “denied” the Lord? If so, what does the story, not only of Peter’s denial, but of Christ’s words to Peter here, say to you? |
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The takeaway statement in today's lesson is:
We need to think through the implications of this statement.
We are so blessed that Jesus set aside His glory and power in heaven to become human, but not because He needed to be saved - He was sinless, He did it so we could be saved because He loves us.
Do I love others so much that I am willing to be meek, to share my funds that the LORD has supplied? Only if I allow Him to change my nature to be like His.
Beneficent giving (living to benefit others) is the only basis capable of promoting and supporting Life. Consequently, it is no surprise that beneficent giving is the foundational principle of Life on earth and in heaven - and that this principle has its source in the very heart of God (Ellen White, Desire of Ages, pg 20).
Christianity is therefore primarily about giving.
For God so loved the world that he GAVE...for our benefit. (John 3:16).
Romans Chapter 7:21So I find this reality at work: When I want to do good, my old selfish habits and residual feelings of fear are right there with me.22In my mind, I rejoice in God's methods and principles,23but I recognize that I remain damaged from years of being infected with distrust and practicing Satan's methods, so that even though the infection of distrust has been removed, the old habits of fear and self-promotion tempt me from within.24What a damaged and corrupt man I am! Who will deliver and heal me from a brain and body so diseased and deformed?
Jesus said "Feed my lambs" I believe that reaching the children with the love of Jesus is so important, especially in their first seven years. It is a foundation that will call them back to Him in later years even if the stray.
When we are awakened, we see the love of God, which draws us to Him, and if we don't resist the drawing, heaven and eternal life is our reward.
The story of Peter says, take hold of a second chance.
John also took hold of his second chance.
Even John, the beloved disciple, the one who most fully reflected the likeness of the Saviour, did not naturally possess that loveliness of character. He was not only self-assertive and ambitious for honor, but impetuous, and resentful under injuries. But as the character of the Divine One was manifested to him, he saw his own deficiency and was humbled by the knowledge. The strength and patience, the power and tenderness, the majesty and meekness, that he beheld in the daily life of the Son of God, filled his soul with admiration and love. Day by day his heart was drawn out toward Christ, until he lost sight of self in love for his Master. His resentful, ambitious temper was yielded to the molding power of Christ. The regenerating influence of the Holy Spirit renewed his heart. The power of the love of Christ wrought a transformation of character. This is the sure result of union with Jesus. When Christ abides in the heart, the whole nature is transformed. Christ's Spirit, His love, softens the heart, subdues the soul, and raises the thoughts and desires toward God and heaven. SC 73.1
Interesting how we can start with a selfish sacrifice to atain eternal life. The Devine One turns our human nature of thinking we have to earn our reward into hearing, doing, sharing, and following commands, as a reflection of our love for Christ.
I denied Jesus every day... Sad but true. That's my nature... Thank God, although I'm a sinner, He sees good and positive qualities in me. Thank God for His Son! And because of His love I also want to be a better person! That's basically what I need! Nothing else in this planet is much worth of! I was given some talents which I hope I can work on and give back to the people around me. With all my defects, thank God for Jesus have died for me! May I recognized this everyday, and it all would have been worth giving up!
Peter was a fisher man, one who caught fish, that was his profession. Jesus saw him and called him from catching fish and told him he will give him a promotion or a demotion to become a fisher of men. Peter didn't had any clue what to do or how to behave. At his old job he can do anything and say anything, he had no one to give account to. He was his own boss. You buy his fish or leave it there, someone else will purchase it. He curse and swore all the time. He was tough and hard. Love was out of the window.
Now he met someone who he called Master. He clamed he love his Master and will even die for him. His Master was not no ordinary master. He can see into Peter heart.
Christ words-Peter do you love me?
The first work that Christ entrusted to Peter on restoring him to the ministry was to feed the lambs. This was a work in which Peter had little experience. It would require great care and tenderness, much patience and perseverance. It called him to minister to those who were young in the faith, to teach the ignorant, to open the Scriptures to them, and to educate them for usefulness in Christ’s service. Heretofore Peter had not been fitted to do this, or even to understand its importance. But this was the work which Jesus now called upon him to do. For this work his own experience of suffering and repentance had prepared him. {DA 812.4}Before his fall, Peter was always speaking unadvisedly, from the impulse of the moment. He was always ready to correct others, and to express his mind, before he had a clear comprehension of himself or of what he had to say. But the converted Peter was very different. He retained his former fervor, but the grace of Christ regulated his zeal. He was no longer impetuous, self-confident, and self-exalted, but calm, self-possessed, and teachable. He could then feed the lambs as well as the sheep of Christ’s flock. {DA 812.5}
The Saviour’s manner of dealing with Peter had a lesson for him and for his brethren. It taught them to meet the transgressor with patience, sympathy, and forgiving love. Although Peter had denied his Lord, the love which Jesus bore him never faltered. Just such love should the undershepherd feel for the sheep and lambs committed to his care. Remembering his own weakness and failure, Peter was to deal with his flock as tenderly as Christ had dealt with him. {DA 815.1}
Jesus love for me compells me to love others.
We dont have to only give up on bad things to be saved we should also sacrifice precous things just like Jesus left the riches and glory in heven for us to be saved.We do deny Jesus through our actions everyday but there is still always another chance there was a second chance for Peter and he graped it.
love demands comitment,meekness and so on it makes us act,i do hope i do learn to love someday.