November 17, 2024 Devo

Yesterday, I talked about how the “more than these” in Jesus’ question could refer to Peter’s old life as a fisherman and the serenity of living on the lake. Today, I’d like to look at that question from a different angle. What if Jesus was referring to the other disciples? In other words, “Peter, do you love me more than you love these men who have become like a family to you?” That’s not as easy a question to answer as you might think.
This group had become quite a tight-knit group. For three years they had shared incredible experiences and been through a lot together. Though Andrew was the only actual family member that Peter had in the group, they ALL felt like family. They were there for Peter when he needed them and even took him back after he denied that he knew Jesus. We feel a great sense of debt to people like that.
But Jesus knew what was coming. Jesus knew He would soon return to the Father, and the group would be left alone to found the Church. Persecution was on the horizon. Gentiles would be added to their group, and there would be lots of questions, disagreements, and arguments about what this new-found faith would look like. Jesus could have been pushing Peter to remember that regardless of what stance his friends took or how hard they leaned on him to join sides, his commitment was first and foremost to Christ. When the heat is on, will Peter choose to love Jesus first and make decisions based on that love, or will he choose his love and allegiance for his friends?
That’s a great question for all of us to answer. God has always challenged us to love Him first, best, and above all. As much as we love our friends, we must choose God above them. As much as we love our church family, we must choose God above them. As much as we love our families, we must choose God above them. When asked to choose between human loyalty and devotion or obedience to God, we must choose God. That’s loving Jesus “more than these.” That’s God’s Word for you today.