John 21: 20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask, “Lord, who is going to betray You?” 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
Whew! Of all the questions Simon Bar Jona, a.k.a. Peter, had ever been asked in his life, being asked three times by Jesus whether or not he loved Jesus had to be the worst! He would far rather take a beating than gaze into his Master’s eyes and face the reality that the love he had for Jesus was only at a the level of a brother and not of any degree higher. How wonderful it would have been for Peter to be able to say, “Yes, Lord, I love you with a sacrificial love and no act of bravery will be too much for me.” But Peter had already made sweeping declarations like that one, only to find himself denying Jesus when it really counted. But was Peter alone the night he denied Jesus?
No, Peter was not alone. It’s likely that Peter accompanied John to the high priest’s house. John later described the scene at the high priest’s place in great detail.
John 18:15 “Now Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he also went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. 16 But Peter stood outside at the door. Then the disciple who was known to the high priest went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in.”
It was while Peter was in the courtyard at the High Priest’s house that he denied Jesus three times. John was a very modest man and frequently referred to himself indirectly in the third person. John was probably “the disciple known to the high priest.” If John was known to the high priest, the household probably also knew that John came from Galilee, making it more certain that Peter was probably also a Galilean. John may have been standing close to the religious rulers when they queried Jesus. While Peter went away to grieve over his failures, John followed Jesus all the way to Calvary.
John 19:25 “Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother and her sister, as well as Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” So from that hour, this disciple took her into his home.” John was the disciple to whom Jesus gave the care of his mother.
Perhaps Peter, although thankful to be reinstated by Jesus as a leader, was also just a trifle jealous of John and his close relationship with Jesus. Who knows? Anyway, Peter asks Jesus a question that so many of us want to ask when the Holy Spirit is convicting us of our sins. “Hey, Jesus! Give me a break! I’m not such a bad person. What about that guy/girl over there?” And Jesus’ answer to us is the same answer he gave Peter. ”What is that to you? Follow me.”
Jesus wasn’t actually saying that John was going to live until Jesus returned; he was telling Peter that his will for John should be of no interest to Peter. Rather than envying John for his closeness to Jesus, Peter was to focus on his particular calling as a leader.
Comparisons are both harmful and useless. God has given each of us special gifts that fit us for the calling He has on our lives. If we waste time grieving over the gifts we don’t have, we will never achieve anything with the gifts that we do have. And this was Jesus’ final personal lesson for Peter before ascending. “Peter, follow me! Feed my lambs. Shepherd my sheep. Feed my sheep. Don’t worry about anybody else’s calling; go forth and fulfill the one I have for you. I am telling these things to you alone; don’t worry about someone else’s purpose.”
Perhaps today you feel sidelined. Before the COVID – 19 threat, you were active and working and now you are stuck in your house, wondering if you will even have a job when all of this is over. Perhaps you are tempted to compare yourself to others. Stop it! God has a special purpose for every part of your life, including this time. Perhaps this is the time when God wants you to “be still and know that I am God.” Perhaps this is the time that God wants you to become closer to your family members. Perhaps this is also a time when God wants your prayer life to deepen. Never worry that this time is wasted! Simply ask God to reveal what He wants for you.
PRAYER: Father God, today we come to you asking that you show us what you want us to do during this time of uncertainty. Lord, help us to draw close to you. Help us to serve those around us. And if there are things you want us to do or people who need us to be your hands and feet, please show us these things also. We thank you that you are a God of infinite variety and that you are always doing new things! We praise you and bless you, that you are going to show us daily your perfect will for that day, to the praise and glory of your Name. In the mighty and matchless Name of Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment