Pastor Kurt Skelly challenges students to rediscover their motivation for ministry by examining the familiar passage where Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him, emphasizing that this question gets to the heart of why we serve.
Scripture Text
John 21:15-17
Main Points or Ideas
- The rebuke of Christ - Jesus' repeated question "Do you love me?" serves as a rebuke, calling Peter (and us) to examine our motivations and go back to those foundational moments when God called us to ministry
- A range of considerations - The phrase "more than these" could refer to loving Jesus more than other disciples, more than material pursuits (the fishing industry), or more than these other disciples love Jesus, with the latter being most likely given Peter's previous claims
- The repetition of the command - The emphasis is not just on the repeated question but on the repeated command to "feed my sheep," showing that love for Jesus must be demonstrated through service to His people
Conclusion
Jesus isn't looking for verbal declarations of love but for us to show our love by feeding His sheep, serving the people around us, and making our devotion practical through ministry to others.
