“DO YOU REALLY LOVE ME ?”
ONE DAY YOUR SPOUSE COMES TO YOU VERY SERIOUSLY AND ASKS THAT. IT MUST BE A CONCERN TO THEM. YOU CAN’T BE FLIPPANT OR MATTER OF FACT. YOUR SPOUSE REALLY WANTS TO KNOW.
John 21:15-17 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto him, Feed My lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto him, Feed My sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto Him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love Thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed My sheep.
JESUS WANTS TO SEE YOUR LOVE, NOT JUST HEAR ABOUT IT.
1. LOVE OF GOD CAN BE SEEN.
A. IT ISN’T HOW MUCH YOU LET GOD DO FOR YOU THAT PROVES LOVE. IT IS WHAT YOU DO FOR HIM. FEED MY SHEEP.
John 14:21 He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.
B. IF YOU LOVE JESUS, DO WHAT HE SAID.
John 14:15 If ye love Me, keep My commandments.
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him.
C. HE SAID TO DO A LOT OF THINGS.
IS DOING ONE OR TWO OF THEM ENOUGH TO SHOW THE DEPTH OF YOUR LOVE ? WILL A PERSON WHO LOVES ANOTHER TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT PLEASES THEM, OR DO THEY SAY, TAKE ME AS I AM, I’M NOT CHANGING.
- PEOPLE WHO DON’T LOVE EACH OTHER…ONE CAN POUR ALL SORTS OF MONEY, GIFTS, AND AFFECTION TO THE OTHER WITHOUT THE OTHER PERSON TRULY LOVING THEM BACK. SAME WITH MANY CHRISTIANS.
2. THE WORLD WANTS YOU TO REDEFINE WHAT LOVE OF GOD REALLY IS.
***People years ago would lay down their lives for the Lord. Would people today ? People years ago looked forward to Heaven. People today would do anything to stay out of Heaven for as long as possible.
A. THERE ARE DEGREES OF LOVE, AND GOD SHOULD BE ON THE TOP.
Matthew 10:37-38 He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me.
B. IF A PERSON LOVES GOD, THEY WILL LOVE HIS CHILDREN.
THERE IS NO SUGGESTION THAT THEY ARE ALL PERFECT OR EVEN NICE ALL THE TIME, BUT WE ARE COMMANDED TO LOVE THEM, ANYWAY. ***CONSIDER HOW YOU LOVED YOUR PARENTS, BUT WERE UPSET AT THEM FOR A LONG TIME FOR THINGS THEY DID THAT WERE NOT RIGHT.
1 John 4:21 And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
C. LOVING THE OTHER PERSON’S BIBLICAL THINKING MAKES IT A MORE BIBLICAL LOVE.
Psalms 45:7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
D. WHEN WE SAY WE LOVE GOD’S WORD, WHAT DO WE DO TO PROVE IT ?
Psalms 119:140 Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.
3. THE WRONG KIND OF LOVE RUINS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD.
A. LOVING MATERIAL THINGS CAN LEAD US TO BAD DECISIONS WITH BAD CONSEQUENCES.
Genesis 27:9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:
B. LOVING MATERIAL THINGS IS A CANCER THAT GROWS. PARENTS CAN WARN AND MOLD THEIR CHILDREN AGAINST THAT.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.