WEEK THREE | YOUTH BIBLE STUDIES
Do You Love Me?
Read John 21:15–17
Talk about it
In this story, after breakfast on the beach, Jesus asks Peter, ‘do you love me?’ This is a big question, especially when you think about what kind of love Jesus is talking about. There are different words for love in Greek:
• Storge—love for family.
• Eros—romantic love.
• Philia—love between friends.
• Agape—unconditional love, no matter what.
When Jesus asks Peter, He’s asking about agape—do you love me even when it’s hard?
Despite Peter denying Jesus three times (you can read about this in John 18), Jesus still invites him to love him back. And then Jesus says, ‘feed my sheep’.
This back-and-forth conversation happens three times, and we see from Peter two responses and a call for him to respond in a third way.
The first response from Peter was that he had to accept Jesus’ love for him. This involved moving past and through the regret he felt about denying him.
He then committed to love Jesus no matter what, this was his second response.
The third response that Jesus is asking of Peter is to feed his sheep. This is not a literal request for some sheep that Jesus owns to be taken care of, but to go and do what he can to feed, nurture and care for others.
What this means for us, is when we’ve received God’s love, we’re called to share that love with others.
This is a great reminder: our love for God isn’t just about us—it’s about loving others too.
The Self-Denial Appeal this year is a perfect way to show the love we’ve received from God to people around us—both locally and globally.
Think about it
• How can you love God more deeply? Is there something in your life you need to surrender to him?
• How can you love others better, not just in words but through actions that show God’s love?
Do it
This week, reach out to someone in need—whether it’s a friend, a stranger or someone in your church. Find a way to practically serve them and show God’s love in action.
Pray about it
God, thank you that you love us no matter what. Wow, that is amazing. We pray that we would find ways to love you more deeply. We also pray that you would help us to love others, that out of our love for you, and your love for us, we would love people better. Thank you Jesus, Amen.
