Touré Roberts - Getting Back to Love - Week 3

Today, I want to continue with the «Back to Love» series, but I want to express that if I could have my perfect wish, it would be this: what we want to walk away with today is that I want there to be another addition to your sense of identity. I want this love concept to not just be something you feel or believe in, but for knowing how God feels about you to actually become a part of your identity—part of how you see yourself. I want to show you an example of that in Scripture. Let’s go to John chapter 21, verse 20, real quickly. I want to show you something. Can I show you something? Can I tell you something? Y’all remember Fire Marshal Bill from back in the day? That was Jim Carrey at his finest!

So, there’s this guy named John who is writing this account of something that took place while Jesus was walking around. Look at what he writes: «Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following.» Let’s stop right there. He calls Peter by name, so we know he acknowledges names, but when he describes this other person, he doesn’t call him by his name; he refers to him as «the disciple whom Jesus loved.» That’s powerful. What’s intriguing is that the one writing this is writing about himself. It’s almost like he’s saying, «You know, Peter is Peter, but I’m actually the one whom Jesus loves.» It’s like he’s trying to be humbly vague—“I don’t want to draw attention to myself; there was Peter, and then there was this really amazing guy whom Jesus loved.» It’s quite amusing how he did that!

Some may look at it and say he was arrogant or presumptuous, thinking more of himself than Peter. But you know what? I kind of like it because, somehow, in his belief in himself and his self-perception—which is everything—he was bold and confident enough to define himself as the one whom Jesus loves. That might not seem like much, but it is everything. If you can find your identity not in Té, not in Sarah, not in Jennifer, but in being the one whom Jesus loves, it will change the way you live your life. It’s everything.

There are several passages of Scripture. One of the other letters that John writes—actually, the same John—includes a letter in one of his Epistles, where he writes, «Beloved.» He doesn’t call us by name; he refers to us as «beloved.» My question to you is: what do you call yourself? I understand we can say we are children of God, that we are sons and daughters of God, and all those titles are wonderful. But the most powerful thing you can ever call yourself—and truly mean it—is, «I am the one whom Jesus loves.» It sets you apart.

God is so amazing, and His love is so rich that He can love each of us in such a way that we feel like we are the only ones He loves that deeply. The truth is, if you’re honest, sitting next to your neighbor, you might feel just a little more special than the person beside you. But that’s how John portrayed it here: there was Peter, and then there was the one! To truly know God— not merely to know that God loves you, but to understand how God loves you—that specific anointing transforms your fears. It’s the way He loves you that eliminates your insecurities and inspires you to write songs like «I Believe I Can Fly.» It’s essential that you continue to press in and grow in your understanding of not just that He loves you, but how He loves you.

And here’s the tricky part: the way God loves you is completely different from any other concept of love you’ve ever encountered. Every type of love you know is based on reciprocity: «I love you because you’re good to me,» «I love you because you look good to me.» Even with our love for God, it tends to be reciprocal: «We love You, God, because You first loved us.» I guarantee that if God had never touched you, had never blessed you, many of you wouldn’t even be here. Oh, I wish I had some honest people in here today! All the other forms of love we know rest on reciprocity; we get something from the other person, and that’s why we love them. But His love is different.