TRUE WORSHIP

TRUE WORSHIP

Sunday, January 24, 2016

John 21:14-17 This is now the three times Jesus was revealed to His disciples, He being risen from the dead. [1Cor.15:20-23] Then when they broke fast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah, 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 the second time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? Peter was grieved because He said to him a third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, You know all things, You know that I love You. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep.

  As recorded in John, chapter 21, Jesus spoke personally with Peter evidencing several important points, all having to do with true worship.

·         Our Lord pointed out that true worship is evidenced by which love of our life is preeminent. (Note that He did not say we must only love Him, or that we cannot love more than one person at a time.)

·         In conversing with Peter, Christ showed that preeminent love is not always so easy to discern, sometimes necessitating personal confrontation.

·         Jesus revealed that serious plumbing of loves depths can be extremely uncomfortable.

·         He showed that we must individually choose consciously and firmly. We are not to be fickly hopping (hoping?) from one love to love allowing circumstantial emotional reactions to dictate.

·         We are to act out love in accord with God’s will, not according to our will - that which feels good or is momentarily convenient.

  After Jesus pointed these things out to Peter, he still stumbled by following his momentary emotion of fear, but after Peter was converted fickle faltering ended. (Lk.22:31-32)

  What of us today? Are not Christ words to Peter meant for us too? Who or what is the object of true worship in our life?  EBB4

My Jesus, I Love Thee

Anonymous/A. J. Gordon

My Jesus I love Thee, I know Thou art mine, For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;

My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou; If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now.

I love Thee, because Thou first loved me, And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;

I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow; If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death, And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;

And say when the death-dew lies cold on my brow, If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight, I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;

I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow, If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now.