If someone asked that question, how would you respond? Jesus! Of course, that’s the right answer for every question – when in doubt shout Him out! But seriously, think about it. If you had to tell someone what love was, what would you say? How would you describe it?
Love. It’s trending right now or it’s trendy right now. Both are true. But does anybody really know what true love is? Foreigner didn’t. Remember, “I Want to Know What Love Is…”
Nazareth didn’t — Love Hurts. Isn’t that funny? A rock group named Nazareth (actually for Nazareth, Pennsylvania), with the same name as the childhood place of the Father of Love singing about how love hurts. Wrap your mind around that one.
Remember Jennifer saying to Oliver – “Love means never having to say you’re sorry”? We know enough about God’s character to know that in fact the opposite is true. Love means constantly having to say you’re sorry.
The dictionary has 28 definitions for the word love. How do we know the world doesn’t know what love is? Eight of these definitions refer to – hold your ears youngins – sex. Remember Love American Style? Contrary to what the world would have us believe, sex is not love. You can have sex without having love. Okay, enough with the “S” word, I mention it only to show where we are, where we’ve been and where we’re heading.
Vine’s Bible Dictionary defines love as follows:
Christian love, whether exercised toward the brethren, or toward men generally, is not an impulse from the feelings, it does not always spend itself only upon those for whom some affinity is discovered. Love seeks the welfare of all and works no ill to any, love seeks opportunity to do good to ‘all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith.’
Hmmm. Does that help define or conjure up more questions?
What’s love got to do with it? Tina Turner didn’t know either or she wouldn’t have asked “What’s love…” 16 times in that one song. Can’t you hear it? “What’s love got to do, got to do with it? What’s love but a second-hand emotion?” What does that even mean? Anyway…
After breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter,
“Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
Once more he asked him, “Simon son of John do you love me?”
Peter was grieved that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.”
John 21:15-17
A story of redemption, love, service, but mostly love. God’s love.
The word love in these verses is translated from the word agape the first two times it is used. Agape love is charity, goodwill, benevolence, harmony. It is not romantic love or sexual love. Agape love is an action love. Agape love is not an emotional love, it is an act of the will. This is the kind of love God has for us. I know this for sure because I’m not always Miss Lovely, yet He loves me so. This kind of love is always an action, remember the Cross? God is love. It comes naturally to Him. It doesn’t come naturally to me because I’m a sinner. But I am to love as Christ loved, willfully. Remember the Cross? God is love. Mirroring Him would mean – Beth is love. If this is so, isn’t this how it should work?
Beth is patient and kind. Beth is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Beth does not demand her own way. Beth is not irritable, and she keeps no record of when she has been wronged. Beth is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Beth never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Egads! In reality, it’s more like this:
Beth is patient and kind (Sometimes, especially when people are patient and kindable). Beth is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude (Especially when the world resolves around me!). Beth does not demand her own way (I just don’t understand why folks can’t see how right I am!). Beth is not irritable (Just testy!), and she keeps no record of when she has been wronged (Every dog has their day, dog!). Beth is never glad about injustice (I’m sure they deserved it!) but rejoices whenever the truth wins out (It’s all about perception!). Beth never gives up (I’m weary!), never loses faith (Where are you Lord?), is always hopeful (I am walking in the Valley!), and endures through every circumstance (Just give up, you can’t change anything!).
Clearly, that’s not love, that’s Beth, under the influence of the Influencer. Flee from me Terrible Tempter!
The last time Jesus asks Peter if he loves him, the word love has a different meaning. This love is translated from the word phileo. Phileo is different. Phileo is not a willful love. Phileo is a friendship love, a brotherly love. A love that you cannot have for your enemies. Phileo is a hey, I want to hang out with you kind of love.
The world is all loved up but doesn’t know how to love. Love is not sex, it is not agreeing, it is not rude, it is not impatient, it is not hate. God teaches us lovers, through Peter, to get beyond ourselves to the real love. Then Peter teaches us lovers what he learned about love from God – to get beyond ourselves to the real love.
Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And because God raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory, your faith and hope can be placed confidently in God. Now you can have sincere love for each other as brothers and sisters because you were cleansed from your sins when you accepted the truth of the Good News. So see to it that you really do love each other intensely with all your hearts. For you have been born again. Your new life did not come from your earthly parents because the life they gave you will end in death. But this new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. 1 Peter 1:22-23
Because of His resurrection, redemption and cleansing we are able to sincerely love. Until we accept all that Jesus has to offer, we cannot sincerely, purely, freely, unconditionally love. It’s simply not possible.
Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me, the Cross tells me so. If you want to know what love is, ask the One who is love, He wants to show you.