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Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Trust and Follow the Lord {John 20-21}


Tuesday, October 23, 2018


A friend and I used to always compare how our personalities were “planners”.  We were good at knowing what was going to happen when and where.  After a couple of years, I had to admit to her that I was actually a “wanna be planner”.  I told her that it seems that everything I plan seems to backfire.  It seems that the older I get the more I realize that my husband’s favorite phrase, ‘make a plan, and see God laugh’, is so true. 

These final two chapters in John help us to remember that we can trust and follow the Lord for how and where we serve Him, without being concerned about how He uses others.

It seems like Peter wanted to know what was going to happen to John after Jesus had told Peter to “take care of My sheep”.  Aren’t we all a little curious about what is going to happen in our lives?  This is the second time this fall that I’ve had a conversation with one of my adult children about not worrying so much about their lives.  They seem to want to know everything that is going to happen to them.  Or why their personalities are like they are.  Actually, it’s the third time I’ve had a similar conversation.  Even my dad, now that he’s a single man, has confessed to me that he’s waking up every night worrying about his life now that my mom is gone.

We don’t know whether Peter asked out of curiosity or concern for John or the need to compare himself with John.  But whatever his reason, Jesus in effect replies, “It’s none of your business what I do with John.  Your business is to follow ME!”

Jesus is the Lord of every person and He has authority to determine how each one serves Him.  Jesus bluntly tells Peter, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?  You follow me.”  Jesus determined how Peter would serve Him and when and how Peter would die.  He did the same for John.  He does the same for all who follow Him.  Paul tells us in Romans 12:1 to take our everyday, ordinary life – sleeping, eating, going to work or school, and place it before God as an offering.  We cannot know God’s will until we have first yielded totally to Him, being willing to do whatever He wants us to do with our lives.

The Lord uses the different personalities of each person for His purpose and glory.  Peter and John had very different personalities, but God used them both.  Peter was a natural leader.  He often spoke when he should have held his tongue and thought more carefully before he opened his mouth.  At the Transfiguration, he felt the need to say something, so he suggested building three tabernacles, only to have God say in Luke 9:35, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him  When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, Peter was the one to protest.  He was a man of action, again, often without thinking carefully first, he whacked off Malchus’ ear without considering that the Roman soldiers could have easily have taken off his head.

John on the other hand, was more reflective and introverted.  Granted, at first Jesus called him and his brother James the sons of thunder (Mark 3:17), but he often referred to himself, as he does in our reading today, as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”  He was close to Jesus in a quieter manner than Peter.  We see these two men’s personalities when they went to the empty tomb.  John stood outside, but Peter brushed by him and went inside.  John saw the grave cloths laying there and believed, but Peter went away wondering what he had seen.  Then, when the risen Jesus provided the miraculous catch of fish, John was the first to recognize Him, but Peter suddenly jumped in the water to get to the shore first.  So they were very different men, but God was pleased to use both men in His service.

God sanctifies our personalities, knocking off the rough edges as we mature in Christ.  He doesn’t change our basic bent.  Introverts grow into godly introverts, extroverts grow into godly extroverts, and both are okay!  Before Paul met Christ, he was a zealous man of purpose, persecuting the church.  After he met Christ, he was a zealous man of purpose, boldly preaching the gospel, even after he had been stoned and imprisoned.  Paul’s dedicated zeal caused him to reject Barnabas’ desire of giving Mark a second chance.  But later Paul mellowed and said that Mark was of use to him for service (2 Timothy 4:11).  So you see, you don’t have to deny your personality to serve the Lord, but you do have to allow Him to build the fruit of the Spirit into your personality as you grow in Him.

We definitely can learn from those who are different than we are, but it is not worthy to compare our lives to theirs.  After the Lord told Peter that he would die a martyr’s death, Peter asked about John, “What about this man?”  It seems the Lord just says to Peter, “It’s none of your business.  Just follow ME!”


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As I was preparing for this post, I looked back at my notes and I’d like to share them with you all.

Peter was big and bold, always eager to get out there and do things.  Yet, he was quick to forget and deny all he actually knew.

At this point in our reading, the disciples have seen the risen Lord 3 times!

Peter is asked 3 times to feed, take care of, feed.  And yet Peter would die a horrible death.  Being led to “Follow Me” we have to die over and over to ourselves.

I have wanted to see changes in people’s lives, but it hasn’t happened.  We are commanded to go and do as Jesus did.  Take off our outer garments and wash the feet of others.  Think of just one person whom you’ve struggled with; (old boss, former neighbor, a child, brother or sister).  Now, take off your pants and shirt and put on your bathrobe.  Get a tub of water and wash cloth and towel.  Get your favorite soap, you know, the one that makes you feel soft and good.  Now wash their feet.  Don’t’ get up because your next door neighbor is setting next to her.  And now your husband.  Your children.  And that woman who sized you up at the store.  You are here on this earth to follow Jesus and you don’t get to get up until you have washed the feet of everyone He has given you.

That’s what I’ve come to realize.  God wants me to serve a lot of people and it’s not always going to be the way I had planned.

Just like Peter, we may be “natural born” leaders, but we are called to feed and take care and feed Jesus’ sheep.