Hello Friends,
I apologize for the lack of a blog last week. I was crazy busy getting services together for Holy Week at Water's Edge. I pray your Easter celebration was one of just that, a celebration! All of the services at Water's Edge where amazing! The 2004 Easter service had 35 souls in attendance. This year we had over 600!!! On top of that Good Friday was 460! Numbers are not the only thing we care about, but it is amazing to see how God's word does not return void. The band rocked it big time at all of the services. Anyways...
With all of that excitement over the weekend I laid low yesterday and worked on some new songs. They are turning out really good.
Today I am wrapping up my John study. Today I am looking at John 21: 15-25. This is the last section of the book of John. First, I love the title this section is given. In my Bible it reads, "Jesus talks with Peter." I want to emphasize the WITH. He does not yell at him, or talk down to him, but talks with him. With out understanding the past few chapters this idea does not make as much of an impact. A few short days before this, Jesus, had been brutally murdered. Not only had Peter witnessed the whole thing, Peter even denied that he ever knew Jesus to save his own butt. Imagine your best friend, the person you admired the most was being murdered in front of your very eyes. While this is all going on you are asked by the angry mob if you know the man they are killing. In fear and out of self interest you say, "No way, I have no idea who that guy is!" Not once, but three times!
After your friend's heart has stopped beating...
and while people are trying to wipe up his blood..
you are left there with the guilt of betraying your closest friend...
Imagine the guilt...
and shame that is eating you alive...
How can you ever be the same?
This is what Peter had experienced. This is why the fact that Jesus talked WITH Peter amazes me. This section of scripture occurs after Jesus had resurrected. Jesus is appearing to his followers after they had all left him for dead. I think it would have been really easy for Jesus to bring the beat down. I imagine Jesus, God, had a pretty good and fair reason to be pretty disappointed with his friends. I know I would have. But, in the true Jesus fashion Jesus decides to show mercy, compassion, even forgiveness to Peter.
Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. Could you imagine the pain this must have brought Peter? Really Jesus, you know that I denied you, not once but three times. Rub it in why don't you. Not once, but three times Jesus asks Peter if he loves him! This part of scripture always confused me. I use to think Jesus was just rubbing Peter's mistake in his face. But this is not what he is doing at all. Jesus knows what Peter has done. The forgiveness and freedom come in Jesus' response to Peters answer. Peter says, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love love." Then Jesus says this, "Then feed my sheep." Peter, must have looked pretty confused at this point. He was probably thinking, "Jesus, I just failed you. When the hard stuff came at me, I ran away. Now you are asking me to take care of your people?" I would have said something like, "Jesus, you have been through a lot the past few days. You might want to take a nap then re-consider what you are asking me to do."
Jesus tells him three times, "Feed my sheep." Are you catching on to the three theme? Three times Peter denied Jesus, three times Jesus has asked Peter to feed his sheep. Jesus is actively showing Peter that his betrayal is washed away. He is saying, Peter, you are forgiven, not only that, but now I am asking you to continue the work I have created you to do in my name." Jesus knows that Peter messed up big time, that when things got tough Peter's first instinct was to watch out for his own butt. But Jesus sees past that and encourages Peter to move on and continue serving him.
This is amazing to me. How many times in our own life do we feel we are not worthy to go to church, let alone think we are good enough to do Jesus' work? We are all Peter at times. We all think about our selves more than Jesus or others, but Jesus is continually coming to us and saying, it is ok, feed my sheep.
Forgiveness is great. But Jesus doesn't just stop there, he always encourages us as well. With forgiveness comes freedom to be who you were truly created to be. With forgiveness Jesus showed Peter who he really is and what he was suppose to do in the name of Jesus. With forgiveness you and I are being shown we are more then selfish lazy jerks. We are loved by Jesus. He is asking you to feed his sheep. Please, believe that. Believe that you are loved and made for a purpose. May you find that love and purpose in the resurrected savior Jesus. Please join with me in feeding his sheep.
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