April 20 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

John 21:15–17

Devotional

Christ asks Peter the searching question, “Lovest thou me?” Peter replied, “Lord thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee.” Peter loved his Master because his Master had first so eminently loved him. In Peter’s answer Christ hears the effect of His own love for Peter.

In the same hour that Peter stood swearing that he did not know Christ, an oath was asked of Christ. “I adjure thee,” said Caiaphas, “that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.” Christ had to confirm this under oath, and when He answered that He was the Son of God, it cost Him His innocent life. According to the Jewish law, the death penalty was due to one who dared to call himself the Son of God.

So there were two giving an oath in the judgment hall of Caiaphas. Peter was renouncing his Master, while Christ swore faithfully. The love of Christ echoes through the hall. In the same hour when Peter swore, “I know Him not,” Christ, under oath, said, “I do know him.” Because of this He would be put to death. If then Christ would have been asked if He still loved this Simon, He would have said to His Father, “Father, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love him.”

It was also by His love that Christ, after His resurrection, sought Peter in order to restore their mutual bond of love. He came to Peter. He was the first. He is always the first. He could have ascended to heaven immediately after His resurrection, but He remained on earth forty days for the comfort of His church. Has it ever impressed you that He, the Prince of Life, stayed and went about to comfort a weeping Mary, to convince an unbelieving Thomas, to instruct wavering travelers to Emmaus, and to restore a fallen Peter? Is this not encouraging, poor sinner?

You did not love Him but He loved you! He holds onto you with His seeking love. The Lord knows those who are His. He has known them with an eternal love. He knows them when they no longer know themselves; and, yes, even when they no longer want to know Him, He never forsakes them. The price with which He bought them was too high to do so.

When Peter confesses his love to Christ, it is a different love from what he had before. Peter used to think that he was able to accomplish something for Christ, but now he understands that Christ has to do all things for him. Is this not true, people of God? Your love for God is because He first loved you. You owe a debt of love for what He has done for you.

The Lord Jesus could have given up His work as Mediator when Peter denied Him. The tempter could have asked Him, “Must Thou enter into death for such a one?” What a faithful Surety He was to take up the cross even for those who denied Him! He wanted to know them when they did not want to know Him. He entered the agonies of hell for Simon, the son of Jonas, and for all those who with shame grieve because of their unfaithfulness.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.