The Painted Door Church - Chicago

Do you love me?/ John 21:15-18

October 06, 2019 The Painted Door Church - Pastor Mark Bergin
The Painted Door Church - Chicago
Do you love me?/ John 21:15-18
Show Notes

Peter rebuked Jesus for prophesying of the cross. He drew his sword and sought to keep Jesus from the cross by way of violence. Finally, he abandoned and denied Jesus when the cross became inevitable. At every turn, Peter resisted the march of Jesus to the cross. He didn’t want Jesus to go, because he himself was unwilling to go. Peter wanted to follow his Lord to victory, not death.  But Jesus was undeterred, both in his mission to face the cross and in his love for Peter. After the resurrection, Peter had nothing to prove his devotion to Christ. He was empty-handed, stripped bare of any pretense that he was a loyal disciple. And there in that wretched place, Peter still heard the same invitation his Lord had always given: “Do you love me?” Though all the evidence of Peter’s life shouted of his failure to love Christ, Jesus simply asked again. And again. And again. This is the question that the one who loves us will never stop asking. Because no matter our failures his love and invitation never fails.