Our second narrative on God being the God of agape love is the story of a man who deeply loved Jesus and professed to follow Him even to the point of death. This man took a while to come to faith, but when he did, he put aside his profession as a fisherman and chose to spend the rest of his life telling of the good news that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. When Jesus was arrested this young man drew his sword and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off Malchus’s ear. Peter, the young man, was ready to go to battle for his Lord. In his own words he said, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” (John 13:37)
But despite his passion, best intentions and zeal to follow Jesus to the end, this same Peter denied Jesus verbally in Jesus’ greatest hour of need, not once, not twice, but three times. Wow. He verbally denied knowing Christ to those around him. Jesus knew that this was going to happen but, surely, that was going too far. “Then Jesus answered, ‘Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” (John 13:38) After this, Jesus is arrested and carried away. The disciples follow at a distance.
Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in.
“You are not one of his disciples, are you?” the girl at the door asked Peter.
He replied, “I am not.”
As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?”
He denied it, saying, “I am not.”
One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the olive grove?” Again, Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.” (John 18:15-27)
Peter professes to lay down his life for Jesus and then denies Jesus 3 times just as predicted. If God is really and truly the God of agape, this should not affect His love for Peter. Agape love originates and exists because of the nature of the giver, not to the given. So, what do we learn from this encounter? Let’s look at how Jesus responds to Peter after his denial.
In John 21 Jesus appears to the disciples. This is after His resurrection. Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James, John and 2 other disciples are together fishing. Throughout the night they catch nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stands on the shore and tells them to throw their nets on the wrong side of the boat. They do so and the net is so full of fish that Peter declares, “It is the Lord!” He climbs out of the boat and into the water and makes his way towards his Lord. They sit by a fire, roasting and eating fish.
“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you truly love (agape) me more than these?’
‘Yes, Lord,’ he said. ‘You know that I love (phileo) you.’
Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’
Again, Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you truly love(agape) me?’
He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love (phileo) you.’
Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.’
The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love(phileo) 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 (phileo) you.’ Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
Agape love is an unconditional love because of the nature of the giver. Peter thought he would follow Jesus anywhere and even give his life for his Lord. And in the end, he does. Tradition tells us that Peter was to be crucified as Jesus was, but not feeling worthy to even die as his Lord did, asked to be hung upside down. But in the aftermath of his denial, back at the beginning of his walk with the Lord, what does Jesus do? He reaffirms His agape love for this disciple. He reinstates him and asks him three times, once for each denial, ‘Peter, do you love me?’ God’s love for us is agape, even if in our wisdom we can only answer, “I love you, Lord, but I cannot love the same way you love me. I am not able.” And that is good enough. Because God desires to love us with HIS agape love even though our best love back pales in comparison.
Thank you, God, that You are the God of agape love, giving unconditional love to us even in our feeble attempts to love you as we should.
Love. This week’s advent reflection.
Our song today is Reckless Love by Cory Asbury.