April 18
JOHN 21
20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. 25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.– John 21:20-25
JOHN 21 HINDRANCES TO OBEDIENCE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When Jesus told Peter to tend and feed his flock
Peter wanted to know what task is given to John
The Lord told him to follow what is asked of him
Someone else’s charge is none of his business.
In this account, we witness the responsibilities given to Peter and John. Peter was given the responsibility to shepherd the body of Christ, which is the church. John on the other hand was to witness to the Lord’s work and his life and to reveal the truth given to him by God himself. It seems to me that Peter’s personality is so much like many of us. We try to deflect the responsibilities, roles and gifts given to us and justify why we need to obey and do it. We want to know how much work it requires from us and compare it with others.
Barclay comments on this: “Let a man serve Christ where Christ has set him. As Jesus said to Peter: ‘Never mind the task that is given to someone else. Your job is to follow me.’ That is what he still says to each one of us. Our glory is never in comparison with other men; our glory is the service of Christ in whatever capacity he has allotted to us.”
REFLECTION
• What are some of the hindrances to obedience that humans fall into?
