John | Chapter 21

c. 21:1-25 The commission

John 21:1-14

“Fishers of men”  

I. Intro.

II. Vs. 1-3 Fishermen

III. Vs. 4-9 My Boy’s

IV. Vs. 10-14 Full net ministry


Intro.

We now move into what I call the epilogue to the gospel of John which by definition rounds out and concludes John’s gospel. John finished up the 20th chapter by saying, “Truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” Which seems to be a natural place to end the book but John prompted by the Holy Spirit moves on to include one more story which took place off the shore of the Sea of Galilee. But why this story? I mean when you consider the other gospel accounts Matthew concludes with the “Commission” Luke with the “Ascension” and Mark includes both of these but John uses neither. John’s focus is not the on:

  • Jesus’ “ascension”
  • Nor upon the disciples’ “commission”
  • But rather on the believers “restoration”.    

It is important to realize that the epilogue was not written to prove the resurrection as John has already established this in the 20th chapter. I rather think that the 21st chapter was placed here to reveal the practical aspects that the resurrection has on saved individuals which is to continually restore us to usefulness in spite of our failures. And in this one story of an impromptu gathering at the Sea of Galilee which none of the other gospel’s records John gives us Jesus’ threefold restoration of these seven fellows to be:

1. Vs. 1-14 Fishers of men

2. Vs. 15-19 Shepherds of the flock

3. Vs. 20-25 Followers of Christ     

John also seems to have two side aims:

  1. That some how Peter had never been restored and this story reveals that Peter had very much been restored.
  2. Second based upon verses 22-23 that some how John wouldn’t die until the Lord returned and being that at this writing John was in his 90’s there were some looking at John saying man the Lord is coming back in minute and John set’s the record straight.

Vs. 1-3 Fishermen

Vs. 1 The key to this chapter then is to be found in the very first verse where we are told by John that “in this way He showed Himself” or as some have put it “Jesus shone forth”.

Jesus wasn’t playing “hide and go seek” with these disciples He continually wanted to make Himself visible to them but in ways that would transform them. Friends that ought to be the desire of our hearts when ever we gather together, whenever we approach His throne of grace in prayer whenever we open His word, “Lord show your self to me and if there be anything in my heart or life that would limit my vision of You remove it”.  

I’m very aware as a teacher of God’s Word that I could very easily be an obstruction rather than a window with regards to you seeing Jesus. Every time when someone tells me that the illustration was funny or the story was good I ask the Lord to forgive me because I blocked His view. Oh how wonderful that Jesus desires to show Himself to us again today right now at this very moment in your life.

Vs. 2 Apparently 7 of the 11 remaining disciples were fishermen one would think that Jesus would choose His followers from the ranks of academia or communicators so as to better present Him to a needy world but instead He chose fishermen.

  • Those who by profession had to know how to navigate through difficult circumstances.
  • Those who had to preserver through times of disappointment.
  • Those who knew the value of team work and could take orders as well as give them.
  • Those whose very profession required above everything else patience.       

Come to think of it sounds like the perfect profession in which to gather folks to reach the world for Jesus. 

But hold on a minute as true as those examples are we are told in Matthew 28:10 prior to this while still in Jerusalem Jesus had told them to“Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.” Then in Matthew 28:16 we are told that “the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.” The Mountain not the beach, apparently 4 of them stayed where Jesus had told them while seven of them decided to kill some time by the Sea fishing. John records the identities of five of them but leave out the names of the other two and I kind of think that the Holy Spirit prompted John to do that so that we could see that at times we are like those two unnamed fellows who were suppose to be waiting on the mountain instead of fishing at the beach. 

Have you ever noticed that the hardest thing to do in our Christian life is WAIT, to hang out where it is appointed for us? Some folks are hanging out in a tough job, some are waiting through a difficult marriage, others have lingered through the height of despair do to illness but there they sit because Jesus has appointed the mountain for them to wait. Listen carefully to Paul in 2 Cor. 12:9-10 where He said, “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” How is that possible you ask? Well in this same verse Paul repeated the words of Jesus to his mountain top experience saying, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

In Acts chapter one Jesus will again command them not to depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the Promise of the Father. I wonder how many times because we refused to wait that we missed the promise of the Father. “Oh Jesus”, we say, “I didn’t travel very far away I only went back and did what I knew to do!” I rather think that these fellows learned their lesson as the next time Jesus said not to depart they didn’t even though He blessed them. One other observation before we get to far into the text, interesting to me that Jesus knew right where to find these seven and in fact already had breakfast waiting. Oh we may not much like waiting but aren’t you glad that our Lord is long suffering towards us?             

Vs. 3 Back in Mark 1:16-18 as Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea and He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And we are told that “They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” Three years later they leave the Lord for their nets and go away from their calling to be “fishers of men” and go back to being just fishermen. These fellows were restless they didn’t know what the future would hold for them so Jesus is going to reveal to them Who holds the future. 

Peter said, “I am going fishing.” And they said to him, “We are going with you also.” The problem with going off and doing your own thing is at times it can influence others as well. There are three things that are very picturesque to me in this story:

  1. “They went out and immediately got into the boat”: I have always noticed that when I choose to go back and do my own thing instead of waiting on the mountain where the Lord told me that there will always be a “boat immediately” available to take me back. Sometimes we even think because there is something waiting for us to take us back it is a sign that we should disobey and not wait where the Lord told us. 
  2. “And that night”: Fishermen used torches to attract the fish to the boat and then netted them. But although they were expert fishermen, the disciples had labored throughout the night and had caught nothing. It is always a dark and unproductive time in our lives when we chose not to wait on the Lord and instead choose to go back to doing what we used to do.
  3. “They caught nothing”: Finally, (and this is important friends), when we aren’t obedient even though we will find everything necessary to take us back to where we used to be we will never find it productive in our lives. These fellows haven’t been fishing for several years and you got to wonder what the long night might have brought them with regards to grumbling about not catching anything.

That must have been a rather unusual experience for them. Yet as this account makes clear, it was the Lord’s intention that they catch nothing. Failure is often the only test by which the real worth and quality of a man or woman can be tried. It is in failure that a man begins to think, to wonder where his failure comes from, to look around and seek the reasons, to put into his work watchfulness as well as energy, and to look upwards to Him who can turn failure into a glorious achievement.


Vs. 4-9 My Boy’s

Vs. 4-5 You got to give it to Peter and the boys as they left at night and stayed until morning even though they caught nothing. Now one would have expected Jesus to cause a wave to come and tip the boat over just to show them that they were all wet for not staying and waiting. But that is not what we see instead we see Him on the shore lending encouragement, offering instruction, preparing a warm place to gather and food to eat. In fact in the 5th verse Jesus calls out to them from the shore but He doesn’t call out to them saying, “Hey you bunch of losers, you dopes, who told you to go fishing?” No instead the Greek word rendered “Children” is literally “My Boy’s”, these fellows who wouldn’t follow orders, couldn’t wait on a hill for Him to show up hear words of extreme devotion and security. Now when Jesus asks this question in versed 4 in the Greek it is, “My, Boy’s you don’t have food do you?” And you can bet that their answer in verse 5 was a frustrated fisherman’s NO, “What’s it too you, came close, should of seen the one that got away, they were bighting all night, Peter was a bit rusty and didn’t guide us to the right spot” kind of NO. 

Hey friends pay attention, Jesus doesn’t reward our disobedience but He does love those that disobey. Even more amazing to me is the response of the Boy’s on the boat when asked if they caught anything, “NO” was their answer. I love the honesty from the fellows as they didn’t attempt to justify their disobedience by miss stating the fruitfulness of their endeavor.

Vs. 6 Even more remarkable than being honest about fishing and the lack of success is to take advice from someone one the shore who isn’t fishing. There are those that try to say that Jesus instruction here was a cultural thing seeing that He was only 300 feet from them that He was a fish spotter but their reaction does not indicate this. 

Imagine being out on a stream fly fishing casting back and forth trying different fly’s and spots in the river but you haven’t caught anything all day not even a bite. And some fellow stands on the shore and tells you to cast with your left hand, what would you think? “Oh, man I never thought of that, what difference does it make?” That’s the picture here as they had been out all night tossing the net on this side then on that side hour after hour and not one fish in the net. Then you hear “Haven’t caught anything have you?” And now you wait for the EXPERT advice that no one wants to hear in the midst of failure do again what you have been doing all night only this time from the right side of the boat, “Oh, really like we never thought of that!”. Yet amazingly to me Jesus’ boys do just what He told them to do.   

So why did Jesus say to cast the net on the right side of the boat? Well because any side Jesus tells you to cast the net is the right side of the boat. Do the same things you have been doing in the same place and “You shall find some”. Are we willing to listen to Jesus in the area we are most experienced in? Finally notice that it say’s that they “were not able to draw it in”, Oh mark this dear saints as this is a key phrase had they only realized this sooner before they went out that night fished they would have caught them earlier. Think about this the next time you’ve been out for a long time toiling, casting you’re net of this side and on that and you are coming to shore ready to quit when success was only a boat width away if you were only willing to obey the word of the Lord. How do you find success? It’s simple friend just do what the Lord has to say if He say’s wait on the mountain tell I meet you then wait on the mountain, if He say’s cast your net on the right side then cast it on the right side. Remember back in Luke 5:5 where the Lord told Peter to launch out into the deep and let down his net and Peter replied, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” Friend’s success is only three feet of obedience away remember that and when we obey we will be fishing from the right side of the boat. Now when these fellows fished all night in their own strength and understanding they were unfruitful but when they fished at the direction of the Lord they caught a boat load. Now what this suggests is that we can be involved in an activity in our wisdom and experience and see no fruit in it and do the same thing in obedience to the Lord and in the energy and power of the Spirit and see fruitfulness. Hey saint’s sometimes the lack of fruit is not in what and where we have been fishing but rather at whose direction and whose power!

Vs. 7 Folks we can be sincerely believing that we are doing God’s will but if we serve without the direction from the Lord we cannot expect blessing from the Lord. They had forgotten the Lord’s words of John 15:5 “For without Me, ye can do nothing”.

Isn’t it interesting that it was the fruitfulness of work that caused them to recognize the Lord was the One behind it. “It’s the Lord” cried John and Peter who had been stripped down to his underroos for work grabbed his clothes and jumped in. Isn’t that a great picture, Peter all dressed for work toiling working hard at it and nothing but when he obeys the word of the Lord in his life fruitfulness and he grabs his clothes to go hang out with the Lord. That is the key friends obey the Lord’s word and just hang out with Him and you will catch a boat load.

Vs. 8-9 All night long those seven were looking for fish all the while the Lord had some on the Barbie with fresh bread just waiting to bless them if they would only show up. They couldn’t wait for Him but there He was waiting for them, that’s just the kind of Lord Jesus is. When ever you see the nets so full that you can’t draw them in you know it was the Lord’s work and not your own. Again notice impetuous Peter who can’t wait to get the boat a shore and instead jumps into the sea to get to Jesus faster. Let me just add here that I think there is a big difference in Peter; first he wasn’t willing to wait for the Lord and here he can’t wait to draw near the Lord. Peter didn’t care about the catch of fish that the Lord gave them where as the other 6 wasn’t about to leave it behind. Obeying Jesus instructions tells us all that, “You may have had a bad night and caught nothing but when you obey His word He can give you a blessed morning.” If it was dead fish they wanted obeying Him would grant that and likewise if their aim was to catch dead men and see them come alive in Christ obeying Him would grant that as well. 


Vs. 10-14 Full net ministry

Vs. 10-11 The only other place where you will read the phrase “fire of coals” is in John 18:18 when Peter stood by the fire of coals of the world and warmed himself, so I rather think that the fish and the bread weren’t the only thing cooking that morning. 

As some of the fish were roasting on the fire Jesus invites the boy’s to add to what He had already supplied. What is interesting is that in verse 6 there were so many fish in the net that the 7 of them couldn’t drag the net on board but Peter at the word of the Lord could do what the 7 of them couldn’t do combined and that is bring to shore the fish that had been caught. Amazing to realize that what seven couldn’t do in their own strength one could do in the strength of the Lord. There are two significant details in this story that John tells us:

  1. One hundred fifty three fish: Not a hundred and fifty but the exact count 153 large fish. There are many differing opinion as to the significance of the count of 153 fish other than the fact that they counted. The most intriguing to me is that it was widely taught by the Greeks that there were only 153 species of fish, thus the idea that the gospel when directed and empowered by the Lord will catch all people in the net of His love and none will be lost. But what this speaks to me is that these fishermen counted the catch they knew what the Lord had done, this wasn’t just some fish story; no John lets us in on the fact that he counted those fish. And so does the Lord, He counts each of us that He has caught and you know what that means? Well it means that “WE COUNT”, some of the time we think that we are under the size limit that we don’t much measure up to the “big fish” but the truth is we are all apart of His catch and everything done in obedience to His name will be apart of the same catch.  
  2. The net was not broken: Back in that Luke passage I quoted above we are told in verse 6 that “they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.” But not here and I find this wonderful that those whom the Lord places in the net none will be lost all will come to shore.

Vs. 12-14 Three times in the John we read that Jesus word “come”:

  • John 1:39 where Jesus says, “Come and see”
    • John 7:37 where Jesus says, “Come to Me and drink”
    • John 21:12 where Jesus says, “Come and eat”

And I think that this sums up the ministry of the Word of God to people as first they just come to see to check it out. Then having done so they find that the Word quenches what their souls long for as nothing satisfies our hearts desire like His word. Finally we will desire more then an occasional drink to quench our thirst we will desire to feast upon the meal of the word of God on a daily basis, having a three coarse meal each and every time we open our Bibles.

            A fisherman catches living fish, but when he gets them, they die. A fisher of men catches “dead fish” (dead in their sins), and when they are caught they are made alive in Christ! The difference between and empty net ministry and a full net ministry is between self sufficiency and Christ sufficiency, the difference between thinking we know what we are doing and knowing that He alone knows what He is doing. 


John 21:15-25

“Shepherds and Followers”  

I. Intro.

II. Vs. 15-19 My Sheep

III. Vs. 20-25  Follow Me


Intro.

Last week we started this final chapter of John with a look at the first of the threefold division of this chapter verses 1-14 where Jesus restored Peter to being a Fishers of men. Now we move to the final two division’s verses 15-19 Shepherds of the flock and verses 20-25 Followers of Christ. Of primary focus is still Peter who’s favorite bumper sticker probable would have been “Ready, fire, aim!” as it always seems to take him three times to get it and I think I’m very much a Peter kind of guy myself.

The lesson of this section has to do not only our calling in life but our success in it. The value of the individual is never to be found the persons personality or his presence but rather in his relationships with others and Peter is about to hear that from the Lord. He had thought that his personality, his presence was superior then the other men who walked after Jesus but he found that his dynamic personality and fortitude was not enough to keep him form denying his relationship with the one who loved him. There is a great mystery that every person must face and that is only in self denial and obedience to Jesus do we really discover our true personality.


Vs. 15-19 My Sheep

Vs. 15 Now after breakfast Jesus questions Peter’s heart and specifically what he loves. There are four words for love in the Greek:

  1. Storge: Which is the affection one feels for a puppy
  2. Eros: Which is a sexual kind of affection
  3. Phileo: Which is a brotherly kind of affection
  4. Agape: Which is the kind of love that gives without ever expecting anything in return

The word Jesus uses here is the word “agapao” which unconditional love. The type of love Jesus of in verse 15 is defined for us in 1 Cor. 13:4-8 where Paul would write, “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” Paul further describes how this “love” operates in Galatians 5:22 saying that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness”. So when Jesus said this to Peter this was what He was saying to Peter, “Do you suffer long towards Me, Peter?” “Are you bearing all things?” “Is your love for Me Peter, visible in joy, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness”? “Or are there other things choking out this love in your life?” The first commandment in Exodus 20:3 is “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Oh how many times we have broken that commandment and how many times the god we have placed before Him is none other than ourselves. In Matthew 22:37 Jesus quoted Deut 6:4-5 by saying, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

So what are the “these” in your life what part of your life has been come a distraction to loving Him with all your hear, with all your soul, and all your mind? No wonder Peter’s response was I have a brotherly relationship towards you. “I admire you Jesus, I look up too You Lord, I respect you and am very found of You.” And as wonderful as those affirmations are towards Jesus it is not the same as 1 Corinthians 13 and Galatians 5:22. If we love Jesus then we will love what He loves and what He loves is His flock, His brothers and sisters and therefore we won’t be first considering how something benefits us we will be thinking sacrificially on how it will bless our brothers and sisters. Notice that Jesus didn’t say take care of YOUR lambs but rather they are Jesus’ lambs. Apparently Peter caught this as in his letter in 1 Peter 5:1-4 he admonishes “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”

Another question mark of the passage though is just what Jesus meant by the word these?

  1. There are those who believe that Jesus is referencing the other disciples and this has some scriptural backing. Peter had always thought that his love was more pure than the other disciples. In Mark 14:29 just prior to his denial he said to Jesus, “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.” So perhaps Jesus was asking, “Do you still think that your love for me is perfect, better than everyone else’s?” Friend’s this is a good word us not to find our security based upon our relationship to Jesus but rather upon His Love and devotion towards us. Simply put our security must not rest upon us never leaving or forsaking Him but rather upon the truth of Hebrews 13:5 “He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
  2. The second possibility is that Jesus is referencing the 153 fish the boat and the net. If that is the case than Jesus is asking Peter what He is devoted more towards Him or his fishing career.

I believe both are appropriate questions to ask ourselves: What masters our heart, what’s the great passion of our lives? Do we recognize that what sets us apart isn’t what we do for God, it isn’t our works compared to others. I’m afraid that our flesh is always on a continual quest for significance, something that we can claim before others that makes us lovable. Either way we take Jesus’ question it is the same point, “Do you still think that there is something qualitatively or quantitatively superior about you?” “Or is what makes you special centered in and rooted on that I love you?”, Jesus asks. What you ask most folks if they believe in heaven they say yes and if you ask them if they are going to go to heaven they reply yes and the reason they say is that they are a good person, which makes their qualification based upon something within them.

            “Are you devoted to me”, twice Jesus asks Peter to which Peter replies Lord you know I’m found of you. Peter answers in the informative but what is interesting is that he changes the word for God’s love to brotherly love or friendship. In other words Peter says, “You know I have a brotherly love but it obviously isn’t perfect love.” To which Jesus replies “Guide my little lambs to pasture”. Interesting that with Peter’s honesty came a call to service to get involved guiding little ones to good grazing land, that’s the word Jesus uses for feed as it means to shepherd. Many folks don’t think themselves equipped enough to pastor a church but listen up parents you all ready are shepherds of your children.

Every week you hear us announce an opportunity to serve in children’s ministry but I’m afraid that far to many folks hear that as a need and not an opportunity. You see if you want to grow closer to Jesus then be involved in guiding little ones into green pastures and you will grow along the way. Parents it’s the best way to instill Jesus into the lives of your children to volunteer once a month, once a week in their class. You think oh if I do I’ll miss out on the service my self, no you won’t because you will be digging into the study prepare to teach your children. Right now if you hear God tugging on your heart about this don’t let this opportunity go by it will change your life and the life of your child. 

Vs. 16-17 Do you love Me more than these fish, more than these other men? I believe both of these have application in our lives. Friends we must not judge our relationship to the Lord upon other people but rather upon the condition of our own heart. Peter in his reply makes no reference to the others as he had prior. In the garden Peter felt that the best way to demonstrate his devotion was to assault Jesus enemies and here he learns the best way to demonstrate his devotion is to feed and care for the Lord’s sheep. Jesus will issue these challenges to Peter:

  • Feed My lambs
  • Shepherded My sheep
  • Feed My sheep 

The first thing that stands out is what each of these three challenges have in common and that is in each case what Peter is being challenged with is a stewardship not ownership, the task may change and the age of the sheep may differ but the ownership never does. The sheep, the lambs they belong to the “Good Shepherd” and we must never forget this as we shall give an account. Therefore the care of them must be in the same manor by which He cared for them and we are told them in John 10:15 “As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” “Peter, this isn’t going to be about you any longer, it is going to be about you caring for those I’ve given you and as such you will lay down your life for My sheep as I have.” It had been only a few years earlier when Jesus stood on a hill over looking this very spot as Mark records for us in 6:34 that “Jesus saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.” Those that Jesus has taken in need to be cared for, guided, feed and loved no longer could Peter cast a net and haul in live fish and watch them die, it was he that was going to need to die to self that the sheep may flourish.

Three aspects of feeding are suggested here:

  1. “Feed my lambs”: Teach the children. Do not wait for them to grow up. Teach children from the Word what life is all about.
  2. “Shepherd my sheep”: The word means, watch over them, and guard them. In Peter’s first letter he says to the elders to whom he is writing, “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, watching out for them,” (1 Peter 5:2). Try to discern where they are at, apprehend the coming dangers, warn and guard them. That is the work of a shepherd.
  3. “Feed my sheep, my grown-up ones”: The instrument of feeding, of course, is the teaching of the Word of God. Open their minds to the thoughts of God.

Someone has well said, “People are not thinking the thoughts of God, not looking at life the way God sees it, but following blindly after the fantasies and the illusions of the world. What is necessary is the unfolding of the mind of God in obedience to the word of Jesus: “Teach the word.” The weakness of the church flows from a famine of the Word of God.”

The personal qualifications for such a stewardship is:

  • “Do you love Me”: Asked three times which suggests “Devotion to the Good Shepherded”. 
  • “Feed, tend, My lambs and sheep”: Again repeated three times thought varying ways it suggests that there must be “Denial of self both towards others as well as interests”.
  • “Follow Me”: And here we see that to do so is not just once in a while it will be a continue call and will require “Discipline to continue doing so to the very end”.

Vs. 18-19 Peter never lacked the conviction when he was young what he lacked was the commitment and as he grew in the grace and knowledge of Jesus his commitment grew to his conviction which lead Peter to the cross. When Peter was young in the Lord he was prone to being carried away, ah but as he grew in his relationship with Jesus he would be carried off because of his commitment. What John comments on is that Jesus words were a manual on how to tend and feed the sheep and that is that you are going to have to die to self. The Lord doesn’t tell us that once we give our lives to Him that everything is going to work out up to our expectations; no H says, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24) Job cried in Job 13:15 “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” The word “Follow Me” can be rendered “Travel with Me” and in saying this Jesus is revealing to Peter and us that we are called to travel with Him not blaze a new trail. “Peter, join Me on the journey that will take you to wonderful places where you will witness indescribable beauty in transformed people”.  

Eusebius, the church historian tells us that when Peter went to Rome at the close of his life he was finally imprisoned, his hands were bound and he was led out to the place of execution, and there he was crucified. At his own request he was crucified upside down because he did not feel he was worthy to share the manner of his Lord’s death. Peter’s life that was once filled with self assurance would be characterized by self denial, which is best understood by Jesus’ words “follow Me”. It ought to serve as a contrast to what we are so prone to see in the Church today which seems to be geared around the members instead of around ministry of service to one another. Are we truly following Jesus if we aren’t walking the same direction that He did?


Vs. 20-25  Follow Me

Vs. 20-23 Here we have the problem of rivalry and competition in the church. Jesus says we do not have to worry about what others are doing, but to be faithful to what God has given us to do; he will put it all together. The church has followed the world in this regard, competing and struggling within itself, thereby diminishing its message, and often destroying its effectiveness. Yet with the call to adventure still in the ear of Peter he speaks out,  “But this one what?” is the literal translation and it is apparent that Peter just didn’t get John they were so opposite. Jesus called Peter to travel with Him and Peter wants to know if John is going to be on the journey as well. What does it matter who travels along with us as long as we are going with You Jesus! We must not look at one another and ask, “Lord, what do you want to do with him?” Jesus’ word is, “That is none of your business. Follow me. I will put it all together.” How simple, how beautiful that is! How effective the church would become if we would but return to it. I’m afraid that far too much of our focus is upon the Lord’s other servants and not enough upon ourselves.

I wonder how John thought of those words years later as he would face death many times before finally exiled. According to Iranius what was a disciple of Polycarp who was a disciple of John. We John stayed ministering for a season in Jerusalem then traveled through out the Roman empire finally landing in Rome where the enemies of the gospel tried to poison him but he survived. Caesar Nero then placed him into a cauldron of boiling oil and although his skin was badly burned he still didn’t die. So in frustration Nero sent him to the Island of Patmos a Greek Island which where they sent the worst prisoners and there he stayed for 18 months and right below the temple of Diana in a cave God gave him the further unveiling of Jesus.  Peter says, “What about him” Jesus says, “What’s that to you?” and John looks back at that day and say’s “Peter do you want to trade?” We are all prone to thinking that we are getting the short end on the stick of life aren’t we? But the fact is John suffered far more for far longer in Christ than did Peter. For the most part we have no idea what it is to live in someone’s else’s world and what I  have come to believe is that Jesus has placed me in the right place for He alone knows what is best for me. If you go back to Matthew chapter 4 and analyze Jesus’ call to follow Him to both John and Peter it is rather interesting:

  1. Vs.18 Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee and saw Peter, “casting a net into the sea”. That is an apt description for Peter he is a net caster his heart is always towards gathering people for the kingdom, that’s evangelism isn’t it.
  2. Vs. 21 Then we read that Jesus saw the two sons of Zebedee, and John was “in the boat mending their nets” when He called them. Again what a great description of the heart of John as he seems to have heart to make sure that none that are caught fall through the holes in the net.

Why do I bring this up? Well only as a way of understanding why the Lord deals with His children differently, because we are different. You may thinking you are being crucified while the other person is cruising along but the truth is cruising may be far more difficult than we can imagine. Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” When we are before the throne of God we will discover that we all had our moments where life became unbearable and it was then that we realized that we can entrust our life to the One who has already bore our sins on Calvary. So remember that Jesus says, don’t compare just follow Me.        

Vs. 24-25 Jesus words and works have no end and it is our privilege to see that they continue as we “follow” Him. John adds that the roomer that had circulated that Jesus words to Peter amounted to a prophecy that he wouldn’t die was not what Jesus was saying to Peter but rather Jesus was speak by way of illustration.