Do You Love Me?

There is one lesson I've learned after being involved in ministry for the last several years. It's a lesson that transfers across every kind of ministry, whether you're involved with youth, kids, the homeless, or whoever. It's one that I try to remind myself every single day, especially while I'm here in L.A.

It is simply this: We cannot minister to people without falling in love with Jesus Christ first.

Sounds simple, right? But then why do we find ourselves going through the motions of daily ministry? Have you ever found yourself "doing" ministry because it's what is expected of you or out of obligation? I only ask these questions because I have had to grapple with them myself.

The other day I was driving somewhere in the city and my mind wandered to some scripture that I've actually preached on before. But for some reason the Holy Spirit illumined a part of it that I hadn't focused on before.

It's in John 21, one of my favorite passages in the Bible. At this point, Jesus has been resurrected and shown himself to the disciples. In this setting, Peter and some of the other disciples are out fishing. The sheer irony of the setting is enough to raise some eyebrows. Think about it... Peter and the other disciples have just spent 3 years with Jesus, seen the miracles he performed, heard his incredible teachings, watched him die on the cross, and met him after he raised from the dead. And what do they do? They go fishing. They go back to what was ordinary or safe in their lives. I realize that Jesus told them to wait for the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, before they went out, but at the same time it just seems like an interesting activity of choice by these disciples, especially Peter, upon whom Jesus said he would build his church. But that's another blog, another sermon, for another day. That isn't the part of the passage that stuck out to me.

It's when Jesus starts talking to Peter that I realize the importance of Jesus' implications. We pick up in verse 15:

"When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?"
"Yes Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.""

The key thing to notice here is the order of Jesus' words. He first asks Peter if he loves Jesus. Only after Peter says that he loves him does Jesus commission him to "feed my lambs," "take care of my sheep," and "feed my sheep." Jesus does not tell him to begin his ministry until he knows for sure that he loves him with everything. The action words of feeding and taking care are synonymous with doing ministry.

In other words we are not to even presume that we can take care of God's flock, or the church, before we fall completely in love with Jesus Christ. How can we do ministry in the name of the one we do not love with heart, soul, mind, and strength?

Every morning now I wake up and pray that I will fall freshly in love with Jesus Christ and be filled with the Holy Spirit before I start any ministry. The second part of being filled with the Holy Spirit comes from Jesus telling the disciples the same thing; that is, they should not go out and minister until the Advocate, the Counselor, the Holy Spirit falls upon them. I've come to the realization that without these two things I can never be effective in ministry.

Again, I say these things because I am learning this in my own life. When the Holy Spirit opens my mind to something fresh in Scripture, I can't help but talk about it! Hopefully I will keep the aforementioned prayer alive in my walk and ministry everyday. I also hope that this encouraged you and that you fall in love with Jesus more every single day!

And, as promised, some verses that keep me going in ministry to the poor and broken:
1 John 3:17-18
"If any one of you has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in you? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."