Jesus last words command us to focus on following Him and His mission regardless of the cost...

This week, we are looking at the final section of a letter in the Bible called the gospel of John. Wednesday, we saw Jesus provide breakfast for the disciples. Now imagine yourselves around that campfire eating breakfast with Jesus as one of the disciples. What would you be thinking? What would you be feeling? You might feel joy, excitement, and even a sense of reassurance. But would you still have questions?

How about Peter? Do you think it might be a little awkward? “Sure, Jesus obviously is God, so He knows how bad I felt after denying Him. He knows that I went and wept bitterly after failing Him so miserably. As God, He has to know how sorry I am, doesn’t He?” Well as breakfast is wrapping up, Jesus ratchets up the tension by calling out Peter in front of the other disciples. We see John record what happens in verse 15:  

So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?"

Now imagine yourself as Peter. Talk about being put on the spot!  Peter, do you love me more than you love these other six guys? Peter, do you love me with a selfless, sacrificial love, which is the meaning of the word love that is used here. Can you imagine what the other disciples were thinking? I bet you could have heard a pin drop.

 He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My lambs."

Jesus doesn’t stop there, however;

He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?"

This time, however, Jesus doesn’t ask the question in a comparative sense. Jesus doesn’t want to know if Peter loves Him 1 % more than he loves the other disciples. Jesus wants to know DO YOU REALLY LOVE ME? Are you consumed with me?

 He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep."

If that wasn’t enough, Jesus asks again;

He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep.

This time Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me with a brotherly love, a deep abiding relational love that stands over time, which captures the sense of the word used here in the original language. But why does Jesus have to ask Peter 3 times if he loves Him? Doesn’t He already know the answer? To grasp the significance of this, we must understand that Peter had failed the big test, not once, but three separate times. Peter had talked the talk, but failed to walk the walk. At issue here is not whether Peter was emotionally invested in Jesus.

The issue is whether Peter was willing to love at all costs. Peter was grieved after being questioned a third time as to his love for Jesus not only because of the repeated question but because Jesus, in essence is saying, “Peter is your love for me more than skin deep”? Peter, are you willing to leverage your life for me? 

Jesus’ responses are also important. The response of shepherding requires a total commitment to the care and well being of the sheep, regardless of the cost. Jesus, in His response is calling Peter back to be the fisher of men, not just a fisherman. Jesus is calling Peter back to be the leader that he is capable of being. Jesus is calling Peter back to the special and unique relationship that they had. Regardless of his failure, Jesus is calling Peter back to place of trust.

Jesus makes that same call to us. Regardless of our past, regardless of our mistakes and our failures, Jesus has created us and calls us to a special and dynamic relationship in which He works in us and through us to be the vehicle that He sues to reveal Himself to the world. The reality is that Jesus is not as concerned about where we started life as He is about how we are finishing life. The key requirement that Jesus has for Peter, and for us here today, is that of love. While other qualities, gifts and abilities can be desirable and helpful, it is love that is indispensable. Another reason for the repeated questioning can be seen in verse 18:

"Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go." Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me!"

Jesus let’s Peter know in no uncertain terms that this commitment will end up costing him his freedom and his life. It is as if Jesus is saying to Peter “Peter do you really love me? You better be sure of this because it is going to cost you your life”. The literal meaning of “follow me” in the original language conveys the sense of “keep on following me”.

Jesus is not just calling Peter to follow Him. It is not a suggestion. Jesus is commanding Peter to follow Him regardless of the cost, to deny self, pick up his cross and keep a laser focus on following Jesus. Peter, however, seems to miss the point, as seen in verse 20:

Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?" So Peter seeing him said to Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!" Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?"

Peter hears from Jesus that he is going to lose his life for the gospel, and responds “Jesus, what about John!! It’s not fair”! Can you relate to Peter here? Do you find yourself comparing your lot in life to others? Do you find yourself ranking yourself against others? Maybe its competing with a classmate. Maybe it’s with a coworker. Maybe it’s in your spiritual life. “Well I’m about an 85 on the spirituality scale, while she is only a 70. But he is a 95 and I could never be used by God like he can be”.

Here we see Peter doing the same thing with John. Jesus responds quickly and to the point. In modern terms Jesus says “What I choose to do with John is none of your business. Quit worrying about John and keep focused on following me”. The message to us is the same. When we lose sight of following Jesus and focus instead on comparing ourselves to others, we get off track and our Spiritual life suffers as a result.

And it is here that we see Jesus reveal a timeless truth for His followers. And that timeless truth is this: Jesus last words command us to focus on following Him and His mission regardless of the cost.  Just as it was for Peter; just as it was for the disciples; just as it has been for humanity throughout history; there is only one calling in the Christian life. There is only one focus in the Christian life. And there is only one mission in the Christian life. Jesus reminds Peter and us here today, when He says “You must follow me”. 

So let’s reflect on the same questions that Jesus deals with Peter on; First, do you love Jesus more than these? Is there someone or something that you love more than Jesus? Maybe a first step is to ask God what those things are and for the strength and love to place Jesus as your ultimate desire.

Second, do you believe that Jesus would really forgive you and desire to use you when you stumble and fail? Maybe you do not believe that God could use you in light of your past. I believe how God responded to Peter is how He desires to respond to us today. God desires to work in and through us, even in our weaknesses so that His grace and glory can be seen.

Third, do you have a laser focus on following Jesus, or do you get caught up in worrying about others?

And fourth, are you willing to love and follow Jesus regardless of the cost? At school? At work? In your relationships?

 

Because Jesus last words command us to focus on following Him and His mission regardless of the cost.