Who Do You Love?

Before Jesus left the scene in Acts 1, He had a dialog with His disciples that most of us know about. You've likely heard sermons on it.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs." He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" and he said to Him, "Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep." (John 21:15-17)

Now, I'm sure most of you have heard the interesting discussion about the particular use of terms in this exchange. You know, how in the first two instances Jesus used the term for unconditional love and Peter answered with the term for brotherly love, but in the third Jesus used the term for brotherly love, as if He came down to Peter's level. Interesting, sure, but not where I'm going. I'm simply looking at the face-value question: "Do you love Me?"

Most of the sermons I've heard on the text focus on "How do you love?" You know, is it agape or philos or whatever other fancy terms you like. But the basic question Jesus asked was "Who do you love?" He asked, "Do you love Me?" Because, you see, in general--the default human condition--is self-love.

Paul assumed this. He told husbands that they "should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church." (Eph 5:28-29) No question. "Learning to love yourself" is not an issue. We all do it. Not a question. But Jesus asked Peter something different. "Do you love Me?" And that is the question, isn't it?

We all have things and people we love. Truth be told, that list starts with "Me". If you don't recognize that, you won't be able to address it. Because, as it turns out, while self-love is a given, it is not the important one. Because I am not the important one. Christ is. So, who do you love? Or, rather, who do you love first? That is the question.