"Faith, Hope, Love"
John 21:1-25
“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” [1 Corinthians 13:13]
Paul wrote this in the context of Spiritual Gifts. The Corinthian church moved in spiritual gifts but encountered challenges because of immaturity. Paul addressed this by emphasizing the greatest gift of love: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” [1 Cor. 13:1-2]
Love was the supreme instruction Jesus gave his disciples before returning to heaven. Our John 21 passage this morning provides us with valuable insight into this time after Jesus returned to heaven [i.e., the time of the church]. These last verses of John transition us from “the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us” to the Word that is “living and active” in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Next week when we begin the book of Acts, we will see this transition.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [Acts 1:8]
John 21 highlights three key components to this time of the church: faith, hope, and love. Firstly, Jesus will no longer be physically “in their midst.” He appeared to His disciples at the Sea of Galilee and then returned to heaven.
This began the life of faith for the church. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” [Heb. 11:1]. They would no longer see Jesus with physical eyes, but rather, with Spirit-filled eyes of faith. It is faith, however, established on the sure hope of the Resurrection. Because Jesus is raised, we can know without a doubt that we will one day be raised as well.
Finally, and most importantly, is the unconditional love of God that comes by way of the Spirit. Jesus said to His disciples, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” [Jn 15:12] His prayer was that the love of the Father for His Son “may be in them” [Jn 17:26].
Peter’s restoration highlights this love. Disciples are commanded to love! It is not the touchy feely love you see in the movies; it is a deeply committed unconditional love imparted by the Spirit. In this time of the church, faith, hope, and love, “but the greatest of these is love.”
May we ask the Lord this morning for more of this love.
