Jesus asked, “Do you love me?” John 21:16

Picture yourself standing in the crowd at the foot of the cross, yet somehow you neither hear nor feel anyone around you. At this moment your mind is singularly focused on Jesus, hanging on a cross with steel spikes in His hands and through His feet. You hear him say, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” and you know that this must be the Christ, for how else could He pray such a prayer. Then at three in the afternoon the sky goes black and all doubt is removed from your mind. Jesus is the Christ. Then you watch him give up His spirit and die. Suddenly you feel alone. Picture yourself many days later in a room with your friends and suddenly, quietly, without fanfare, Jesus is standing next to you. You can feel Him, hug Him, touch him. Was the cross a dream? Surely it was a dream. And then you feel the nail prints in His palms and you realize the dream was not a dream. What you witnessed was real, just as real as the Christ standing before you. That’s when you realize that the ground upon which you are standing is Holy ground. You are holding the hand of Jesus Christ, the resurrected Son of the living God. Picture yourself beside a crystal blue sea many days later. Jesus has made a campfire and as you approach the fish are already cooking. He knows you are tired from your long night on the water and has breakfast hot and ready just for you. As you approach there is something about being in His presence. There is

Peace You Cannot Explain,

and a joy that is not of this world. You feel it deep in your soul. There is no longer a veil between you and God. God in Christ, the very Creator of the Heavens and the earth is with you. Then He looks you in the eye as He hands you a plate and says, “Do you love me?” Your response comes out without a second thought, “you know that I love you”. Then Jesus says something you are not expecting. “Then feed my sheep”, and it gives you pause. I do love Christ, you say, so why am I not doing what He’s called me to do. Am I scared? Afraid of losing my position or my status? Am I afraid of actually doing what He’s calling me to? Friends, you can do ALL things that Jesus is calling you to. All you have to do is rely on Him alone and not yourself for the strength. Jesus is asking you today, “do you love me?”