Summer Series, Part 3

Do You Love Me? Part 1 Do You Love Me? Part 2

In our final 3-part Summer Series, you and I return to the shores of Lake Galilee to listen in on a conversation between our Lord Jesus and Peter.

Divine Instruction

The simplicity of wisdom shakes the earth. From a question of four words, “Do you love Me?”, Jesus gives instruction with two words: Feed and Follow.

Peter’s focus and future—his holy homework assignment from Jesus—fell within those two words. It was as if our Lord told him, “Peter, I want you to shepherd My people and to follow your Shepherd. Keep company with the sheep and keep company with Me.”

And later, in the Spirit anointed writings of First and Second Peter, we feel deeply the apostle living out of those Directives.

Divine Destiny

The Greatest Question pairs with the Greatest Commandment to guide us to The Greatest Discovery: LOVE. Like Peter, our soul’s destiny, and our daily satisfaction rest within our response to the Question of Jesus: “Do you love Me?”

Do you love Me? (with all your heart)

Do you love Me? (with all your soul)

Do you love Me? (with all your mind)

Do you love Me? (with all your strength)

“Yes Lord, you know that I love you.”

May it be so, OH MAY IT BE SO!

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ

whom You have sent” (John 17:3).

Looking back on this 3-part series, what is one life application take away?

If Jesus asked you, “Do you love Me?”, how would you answer Him?

This content originated in Bob Tiede’s recent book, 340 Questions Jesus Asked, where it was my privilege to contribute Chapter 6.

Summer Series, Part 2

Do You Love Me gives Part 1 in our Summer Series.

Then, there was Jesus.

Divine Realities:

Failure, futility, and frustration permeated the setting. Peter’s three denials of Jesus made a return to fishing his default mechanism. Others joined him in the boat, but their all-night endeavor yielded no catch. Morning sun and shallow water brought a bitter end to their exasperating pursuit.

Then, there was Jesus.

Divine Intervention, Divine Invitation:

Seeing the group of fishermen, He stood, gave them instructions on how to successfully (miraculously) catch 153 fish, and then He extended an invitation: “Come and have breakfast.”

Without options of take out, drive through, Door Dash, or Uber Eats, our Lord Jesus served a dual role of Host and Chef. The bread and fish menu cooked with the culinary skills of The Master must have tasted delicious to the men who had worked through the night. (Did anyone have the courage to ask Him how and when He acquired the bread and fish that He had on hand?)

Divine Conversation:

When they finished eating, Jesus engaged Peter in dialog. And here in this closing scene in the Gospel of John, Jesus articulated His one final question: “Do you love Me?” Three times Jesus asked, Peter answered, Jesus instructed. (One notes the tenderness of correlation to the three denials of Peter.)

To be continued . . .

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ

whom You have sent” (John 17:3).

How do you relate to Peter’s desire to go back to his former life?

When has Jesus stepped right into your failure and engaged you with His greater purposes for your future?

Do You Love Me? Part 1

A scene saturated with miracles brings us to one final question from Jesus at the end of the Gospel of John. But before we go there, allow me to share my personal journey with Biblical questions.

When we lived in Budapest and as our three children grew from childhood to adolescence and into young adulthood, they asked penetrating questions; and they expected authentic answers. This dynamic revealed a deep need for my own growth.

On my knees, in raw honesty before God, I prayed, “Lord, I cannot lead them where I have not walked. With every fiber of my being, I long to be authentic before them and be obedient to You. I ache for real answers to real questions—not just for my teenagers—but also for myself.”

In this pilgrim’s pursuit, God took me to His Word and the passage in Mark 12:28-30, not for the question, but rather, for His answer to the question.

“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked Him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”

And years later, I make my home in His response. If Jesus called this commandment “The Most Important”, then it needs to be the North Star for my life.

Engaging with that question-and-answer dialog led to an insatiable desire to become a student of the questions we discover in Scripture. Not surprisingly, my quest stirs within me a keen interest in the topic: The Questions of Jesus.

So, this summer, will you please join me on the shores of Lake Galilee for a breakfast conversation between Jesus and Peter. (John 21:1-24)?

In Parts 2 and 3 we will consider: Divine Realities, Divine Intervention, Divine Invitation, Divine Conversation, Divine Instruction, and Divine Destiny. May our time together please our Saviour and feed your soul. This content originated in Bob Tiede’s recent book, 340 Questions Jesus Asked, where it was my privilege to contribute Chapter 6.

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ

whom You have sent” (John 17:3).

When is the last time you enjoyed time with the Lord in an outdoor setting? Consider the opportunity summer affords for you to enjoy Jesus in the beauty of His creation.

Note: Living with Eternal Intentionality® will appear once a month for June, July and August. In the fall we will resume our regular schedule.