IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Follow Me

Date: Sep. 8, 2024

Passage

John 21:15-25 (ESV)

15 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.” 16 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.” 17 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. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”

24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 21:15

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.”

Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” He followed it up with, “Feed my sheep”. Jesus was not trying to have Peter prove his love for him. Jesus wants us to know that the way of loving him is not just through being with him, but through practicing the way of love that Jesus demonstrated. The more we love like Jesus did, the more we can experience Jesus’ presence and grow in deeper communion with God.

As a shepherd cares for a sheep, we have a duty to love and care for the lost and weary. We can do this not with a sense of superiority, but as one who was lost and found by Jesus; one who was extended mercy and given a love that wells up inside our souls and overflows to others around us. This love cries with those who are lost and rejoices with those who find new life. This love washes one another’s feet. This love finds meaning not through personal achievement, but through serving the least of those among us. Jesus came to love us that we may love one another. What a beautiful life that extends beyond the shadow of death!

Prayer: Lord, you gave your life for me while I was still lost in my sin. May I believe in you and practice the love you displayed so beautifully.

One Word: Feed my sheep

Daily Bread

Ahaz, a Fearful King of Judah

2 Kings 16:1-20

Key Verse: 16:2

Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD his God, as his father David had done,

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