The Lovers of God Pt. 2 | Campus Pastor Kendrick Durant

The question, “Are you a lover of God?” presses on God’s people as one of the most serious questions a believer can face. The love under examination is not mama love, not friendship love, not emotional church love, and not a tongue that says the right thing while habits tell another story. Biblical love has substance, conviction, behavior, and fire.

Matthew’s gospel sets Jesus before the people as King, and the religious leaders claimed to love God while fighting what God sent. The issue was not that they lacked religious language. The issue was that their traditions resisted the mind, will, and way of Christ. The headship of Christ requires submission before commission, because the hand may reach, but the head governs.

Matthew 26 refuses to hide that all the disciples fell away. Peter and Judas are not the only ones in trouble. The text says the Shepherd would be struck and the sheep scattered, and that warning exposes how dangerous double lives are among leaders and saints alike. The devil is not afraid of a tongue with no power, because he knows which tongue has been backed by the Spirit.

Peter’s “not me, Lord” sounds solid, but Jesus already knows the rooster will not crow until denial is complete. Peter has a testimony without substance, a bold mouth without purified love. Jesus puts a sign on an animal and lets the rooster become a witness that heaven has intel. Conviction can expose wrongdoing, but change is what proves conviction has gone deep enough.

The heart becomes the battlefield, because smart people can still have no heart for God. Motives matter before the Lord, and nothing in the spirit realm is hidden from Him. God will shut down seasons when His people keep playing with Him, because love cannot keep hiding behind gifts, preaching, singing, praying, or position.

Peter’s denial also shows that a person marked by Jesus cannot hide. Another servant girl, another witness, another atmosphere, and still the mark remains. Comfortability opens the door to compromise, and compromise forgets that blood paid the price. Christ purchases His people as vessels made virgin unto God.

John 21 brings Peter back before Jesus after rebellion, fishing, and failure. Jesus does not leave him alone. He asks, “Do you love me?” until the question reaches beneath shallow answers. Love without understanding becomes religion. Love is more than enthusiasm, excitement, and emotions. Real love transfers wills, transforms behavior, bears fruit, keeps commandments, yields to the Spirit, loves the brethren, and remains faithful.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Love Must Be Tested And Proven Biblical love cannot stay in the mouth only. Abraham was tested and proven, and Christ Himself was driven into the wilderness before public ministry began. Love becomes real when flesh, anger, sexuality, jealousy, and secret appetites are told no because God is worth more than the craving. [40:34]
• 2. Christ’s Headship Demands Real Submission The phrase “He is the head of my life” carries weight. Headship means the believer comes under the mind, will, instructions, and authority of Christ before claiming any commission. A life that reaches far with the hand but refuses the Head becomes religious motion without holy government. [25:29]
• 3. Conviction Must Become Actual Change Conviction alone does not prove transformation. A person can feel wrong, know wrong, and still stay wrong unless godly repentance strikes the heart deep enough to turn the life. Change carries authority because only the changed can call others into change without hypocrisy. [32:20]
• 4. Marked People Cannot Hide Easily Peter moved from one place to another, but witnesses still recognized that he had been with Jesus. The mark of Christ follows a believer into courtyards, gateways, and compromised atmospheres. God’s mercy often sends even unexpected voices to say, “This is not where that vessel belongs.” [44:49]
• 5. Love Transfers The Will Love for God does not allow personal will to dominate divine will. “Thy will be done” is not church language only, it is the exchange where God’s desire takes the seat of control. When love is real, behavior begins to tell the story that the mouth has been telling. [71:54]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [13:06] - Calling The Lovers Of God
• [16:24] - Matthew 26 And The King
• [18:17] - Tongue Without Holy Habits
• [20:23] - All The Disciples Fell Away
• [25:29] - Christ As The Head
• [27:13] - Peter’s Claim Without Substance
• [32:20] - Conviction Must Become Change
• [40:34] - Tested And Proven Love
• [44:49] - Peter Denies Jesus
• [51:09] - Conviction And Destiny
• [55:31] - John 21 And Sonship
• [60:23] - Jesus Questions Peter’s Love
• [68:21] - Love Beyond Emotion
• [73:39] - Evidences Of Loving God

Bible Reading

Matthew 26:31-35
“Then Jesus said to them, ‘You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.’ Peter answered him, ‘Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.’ Peter said to him, ‘Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!’ And all the disciples said the same.”
[16:33] [18:17] [20:23] [25:29] [27:13] [32:20] [44:49]

John 21:15-17
“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ He said to him a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’”
[55:31] [01:00:23] [01:08:21]

1 John 5:3
“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.”

Observation questions

1. In Matthew 26:31-35, who does Jesus say will fall away that night, and how does Peter answer Him? [20:23]
2. In that same passage, what sign does Jesus give Peter before the denial happens, and how many times does He say Peter will deny Him? [32:20]
3. In John 21:15-17, how many times does Jesus ask Peter, “Do you love me?” and what responsibility does He give Peter each time?
4. What are some concrete signs that love for God is more than words only—especially in the areas of behavior, fruit, commandments, and faithfulness? [01:13:39]

Interpretation questions

1. Jesus says, “You will all fall away,” and the text does not hide it. What does that reveal about the weakness that can exist even in real disciples, and why is honesty about failure so important? [22:09]
2. Peter speaks boldly before the test but fails in the moment of pressure. What does that show about the difference between strong language and purified love? [27:29]
3. Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?” before entrusting him again with the care of the sheep. Why might love for Christ need to be settled before responsibility for people is given or restored? [01:04:39]
4. “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” How does that help define love for God as something deeper than emotion, enthusiasm, or church activity? [01:08:37]

Application questions

1. Where is there a gap right now between what is being said to God and how life is being lived before God? What habit, attitude, or private compromise keeps telling a different story? [18:17]
2. Christ’s headship means submission comes before commission. In what area of life is there a struggle to come fully under His mind, His will, or His instructions? [25:29]
3. Conviction is meant to lead to change. Is there anything the Lord has already put His finger on that has been felt deeply, but not yet turned from fully? What would actual repentance look like there? [32:20]
4. Tested love says no to flesh when God is worth more. What kinds of pressures most often test love for God right now—anger, sexuality, jealousy, comfort, pride, attention, or something else? [40:34]
5. Marked people cannot hide easily. Have there been moments when God used an unexpected person, place, or interruption to remind someone, “You do not belong here”? How was that correction handled? [44:49]
6. Love transfers the will. Where does personal desire most often compete with “Thy will be done,” and what would it look like this week for God’s will to take the seat of control there? [01:11:54]
7. Jesus asked Peter about love and then connected that love to caring for His sheep. How might real love for Christ change the way someone serves, speaks to, forgives, or carries other believers? [01:00:42]