Are You Ready To Follow Jesus?

Are You Ready To Follow Jesus?

Good Morning Friends,

Today we look at how John tells the story of Jesus bringing some closure for Peter. It is telling for we all need help forgiving ourselves. If you have ever been disappointed by someone, or have you been the source of their disappointment you know what I mean. But most of the time we avoid the discussion. You see the book of John could have ended very nicely with the twentieth chapter where the resurrected Jesus appears to His disciples but there is more that needs to be said. We need to come full circle and back to the fishing on the lake where it began and to the purpose to which we have been called. Peter needed to rethink as we need to rethink the events of our denial of Jesus. We as Peter in today’s scripture, need to repent and be redeemed for a purpose. But most of all we need to turn our love into action. Are You Ready To Follow Jesus?

Scripture:  Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter was standing outside at the gate. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in. The woman said to Peter, ‘You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing round it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself.

John 18:15-18 (NRSV)

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing.’ They said to him, ‘We will go with you.’ They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, ‘Children, you have no fish, have you?’ They answered him, ‘No.’ He said to them, ‘Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the lake. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.’ So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 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.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt 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. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.'(He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’

John 21: 1-19 (NRSV)

Message: Where Jesus leads we are required to follow. But it is not easy facing our true nature. We need help forgiving ourselves. It is not easy yielding to Jesus’ Lordship…to being a slave of God and not to sin. It is not easy facing our disappointment. And make no mistake about it, people we disappointed when Jesus died. All those following Jesus believed he was the Messiah, the appointed and anointed one. They were disappointed he had not kicked the Romans out of Jerusalem. So Jesus helps Peter and others remember the experienced they have just had in a new way. What we have going on here is a mini recreation of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. What is going on here is a linking of sight and sound and smells that spark memories of denials and substitutes and opportunity to love. For given the situation, only a deep love, into the deep water, could redeem the deep disappointment.
Indeed here Peter’s disappointment and separation from his calling becomes God’s appointment for Peter’s re-appointment. You see there is more power in disappointment than in mortal fear. We can fight or flee when faced with fear. But when it comes to disappointment the only place we have to turn to for closure is love. Disappointment left to smolder can be like the charcoal fire wafting through the air as Peter denied being a follower of Jesus in the courtyard on that night in Jerusalem or it can be the background smell that produced the energy that Jesus used to cook some fish on the beach. The word translated as charcoal fire, is used only twice in the Bible. Both usages are in the gospel of John, with one being on the beach, and the other in the temple courtyard where Peter failed. See how Jesus connects it all together.  Friends, as we consider our sin we have a choice. We can prepare to be punished or prepared to be loved. What will it be? Are you ready to follow Jesus? Are you ready to put love into action? Are you ready for a renewing of your mind?

Pray we realize that Jesus, the Good Shepherd does not give up on His sheep. Pray we realize that people want a leader to mobilize and lead them. Pray we realize that the power of ministry and our lives flows only from our love for God. Pray
we are not fearful of having Jesus call our name. Pray we receive forgiveness. Pray we follow in the footsteps of Jesus calling us to a purpose that glorifies God. Pray that we realize that perfect love caste out fear. Pray we realize that we have been recommissioned to serve. Pray we realize that our life speaks more powerfully than our words. Pray that we realize that the only thing worthy of following is the deep and committed motivation of our heart to love God manifested through a relationship with Jesus. Pray our disappointment, God’s disappointment is turned into an appointment for us to work together to help others multiple this love in others.

Blessings,

John Lawson