Memory Verse:
And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
(John 21:25)
Epilogue to John’s Gospel (John 21)
In John 20:30–31, the reader can sense a definite climax and conclusion to the gospel. It is the summation of the gospel, with Thomas’ confession and profession of his faith in the risen Lord and God.
It appears that this final chapter was presented to explain the restoration of Simon Peter, and also explain John’s long life. The other gospels were likely written prior to Peter’s death and John, being a life-long companion to Peter, likely wanted to tell the story of Peter’s restoration at Galilee (called “Tiberias” by the Romans).
Can you imagine being the Apostle John, writing down the final eyewitness gospel? He had seen his brother James killed. Then, Andrew, his best friend from his days with John the Baptist, martyred, crucified at his request on a cross in the shape of an X, unworthy to die like Christ. John outlived and had buried the precious Mary, the mother of Jesus whom His Lord entrusted to his care. He had read the biographies penned by Matthew, Mark and Luke, pondered what they put in and more importantly what they left out.
He reflected on what others had written. He had preached many of these sermons at Ephesus. He saw fallacies and lies spreading about the Lord whom he had known personally. He had read and even received letters from Paul, then heard of his beheading in Rome, followed by Peter’s crucifixion upside down in the same city. There had been too many deaths at the hands of his fellow Jews, only to be replaced by the Romans.
He was tired. He had journeyed to heaven during his exile to Patmos, written the book of Revelation, and he likely wished he could have stayed with his now white-haired, nail-scarred handed Lord in that heavenly realm. He had been boiled in oil, served as pastor of Ephesus, seen faithful followers fall away. It appeared that his cry of “Come quickly!” (see Rev.22:20) was not going to be answered by His Lord any time soon. So now what?
Many had undoubtedly asked John to transcribe his recollections of his short and now oh-so-distant three and a half years he had spent with the Messiah. John truly reflected on the life of Christ and contemplated on the significances of Jesus’s statements and miracles. His gospel would be fiery, yes, but deep and full of theology from the years of sermons he had preached. His young, tender heart had been prepared by John the Baptist and then he graduated to attend the best seminary in all of human history, taught by Son of God and Son of Man Himself.
But there is one more chapter to write…
Day 46: Morning
Look for Jesus
(Read John 21:1)
After the resurrection, the angels and Jesus told the women that Jesus would appear to the disciples at what location? (see Matt. 28:7–8; Mark 16:7). _____________
Jesus appeared to the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–32), to Simon Peter (Luke 24:34) and in Jerusalem Sunday evening after the Resurrection. The disciples then likely went to Galilee, taking along “Doubting Thomas.”
But didn’t Jesus also tell them to remain in Jerusalem?
Jesus said to remain in Jerusalem in Luke 24:49, but there is an apparent 40-day gap between Luke 24:43 and 44, explained by Luke in Acts 1:3–4. John 21:1 says that “Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias,” indicating that the appearance to Thomas in John 20:26 was also in Galilee.
Read 1 Cor. 15:5–7
5and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.
Most of Jesus’s followers were in Galilee. The phrase “all the apostles” in verse 7 likely means all of those who had been “sent out” in Luke 10:1. “After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two … where He Himself was about to go.” The verb “sent them out” is “apostello” from which we derive the noun “apostle.”
After He appeared to the 500, He went to His own brother, James, who would later become a strong leader in the church. Although the Bible never tells us specifically, He surely appeared to His own mother, Mary, and the rest of His brothers, who are next seen in Jerusalem with the 120 disciples in Acts 1:14 after Jesus ascended to heaven.
Jesus went to Galilee because it was there He had been so well received and where people would have been anxious to see Him alive. John 21 is the third appearance of Jesus to the disciples, but not the last.
Read Heb. 9:28 about how Jesus will appear to those who look for Him: “Christ…will appear a second time for salvation…to those who eagerly await Him.”
Heb. 11:6 says “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
James wrote, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8).
If you want to see the Lord spiritually, you must seek Him and He will come to you.
Pray this prayer to God: “Father, I want to draw nearer to You and have You come nearer to Me. Reveal Yourself to me today as I seek You. Thank You for rewarding those who seek You. Amen.”
Day 46: Evening
Fishermen Or Fishers Of Men?
(Read John 21:2–11)
You can take the fishermen out of the sea, but you can’t take the sea out of the fishermen! Seven men went out on the boat and after an all-night expedition, they caught nothing. The two unnamed disciples may have been Andrew and Philip.
In John 1:41, Andrew told his brother and fellow fisherman Simon about Christ. In John 1:45, Philip brought Nathanael to Jesus. If the two unnamed disciples in chapter 21 were in fact the first two “evangelists” in chapter 1, it may be a humble reminder that we never save anyone, but merely lead others to the Savior.
We may do the catching but God does the cleaning!
What do you imagine the mood would be of trained fishermen who were empty-handed after fishing all night?
______________________________________________________
The disciples may have wondered, “Now what?” Jesus told them to go to Galilee. Jesus appeared to them there, this time with Thomas present, as He promised. And now? Fishing was more than a hobby for Peter. It was an income. There is a sense of aimlessness in this part of the story, especially for Peter.
List all of the reasons you can think of that Peter may have gone back to the sea:
_________________________ _________________________
_________________________ _________________________
Once you come to Christ, there’s no going back. Even if you fail as Peter did, Jesus will restore you. If you try to live your life like you did before you met Christ, you will not only come up empty-handed, but empty-hearted. With Christ, your net will be filled to the fullest.
When given a choice between a boat-load of fish and the Lord Jesus, Peter jumped into the lake to get to Christ! One wonders if he thought about his failed attempt to walk on water (Matt. 14:29) as he swam. Or his conviction when he first caught a miraculous load of fish (Luke 5:5). Would he rather be a fisherman or a fisher of men (Mark 1:17)? When he saw the fish and bread on the fire, did he recall the five loaves and two fish (John 6:9)? When he remembered how the wind and the seas obeyed Him in the storm (Matt 8:27), did He wonder if the fish simply came ashore at the Lord’s command?
Are you looking for Jesus, but not living for Jesus? If you seek an encounter with God, be prepared to give an account to Him, as Peter soon would do. That is confession. God will forgive you, but you have the responsibility to confess and forsake your old ways of life.
Pray this prayer to God: “Like Peter, I sometimes want to pray ‘Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinner.’ Once again I confess my failures. And once again, I seek forgiveness. Fill my net with the only thing that can truly satisfy—Your presence in me. In Jesus’s Name. Amen.”
Day 47: Morning
How Do You Soften A Rock?
(Read John 21:12–18)
Forgiveness.
It is hard to forgive others. But oh, to forgive yourself, now that is a task.
Today’s passage is about Peter’s three-fold restoration at Galilee. This morning and this evening we look at three questions, three responses, and three commands. On this third visit, Jesus asked Simon three similar but slightly different ways, “Do you love Me?”
Peter had so many good qualities, but also so many faults. The Bible says as soon as they came ashore, they saw a charcoal fire. The only other time this word is used in the Bible was when John and Peter warmed themselves at a charcoal fire in front of the High Priest’s courtyard (John 18:18), when Peter denied Christ three times. Perhaps the fire reminded Peter that while Jesus had forgiven Peter, Peter had not forgiven himself.
Notice what Jesus calls Peter…Simon, son of Jonah. When Jesus first met Simon, He changed his name to Cephas, or Peter, a stone or a rock. Later, Jesus reiterated Simon bar-Jonah’s name change in Matt. 16:17–18 when Peter professed Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God.
But now Jesus called His disciple “Simon, son of Jonah.” Simon was one of the most common names in the New Testament, there were two Simons among the twelve apostles, one of the brothers of Jesus was named Simon, there’s Simon the Leper, Simon the Cyrenian, Simon the Pharisee, Simon the father of Judas Iscariot, Simon the Sorcerer, Simon the Tanner, not to mention all the Simeons, which is the Hebrew form of Simon. Simon son of Jonah was a common, regular man.
The Lord, now resurrected, knew all things. He knew at this Galilean breakfast that in less than 40 days, Peter the Rock, will preach one of the most powerful sermons in all of Christian history at the very place where Simon, the Regular, had been terrorized by a servant girl on the night Jesus was on trial. Jesus knows Peter’s potential. Peter does not. Jesus will reveal it.
Has Simon learned his lesson? Will the Rock soften his self-reliance and solidly rely on Christ? Talk was cheap the night before Simon, the Regular, denied Christ three times. Peter, the Rock, will be tested and restored so that he soon can walk the costly walk.
Pray this prayer: “Lord, You know all things. If You want to know how much I love You, You know not to trust my words, but my actions will show. I will show You my love for You in showing it to those whom You love. Thank You for meeting me where I am and loving me anyway. Amen.”
Day 47: Evening
Do you love me?
(John 21:12–18)
“Simon, son of Jonah, do you…” and here we must learn some Greek. The word “love” here is agape pronounced “ah-gah-PAY” or “uh-GAH-pay” (definitely not “uh-GAPE” as it is pronounced in English). It is the highest, most selfless type of love. “Do you agape love me more than these?” Our Lord surely was referring to the other disciples and not to fishing (although there are some fishermen to whom Jesus might ask that).
Peter remembered his brash bragging that if all else left Jesus, good ole Pete would be there for Him. “Yes, Lord, you know I…” and here Peter responded with a word for love that is softer than agape love. It is phileo, pronounced “fil-LAY-oh.” It is a friendship love, stronger than “liking” someone but we could use that here. “Yes, Lord, You know that I ‘strongly like’ You.”
Peter did not say he loved Jesus more than the other disciples. Peter responded without bravado or overstating. Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Peter likely returned to looking at the fire.
The Lord, however, is not nearly done. “Simon, son of Jonah, do you agape love me?” Peter had no idea where Jesus was going with this. This second time, Jesus lessened his question slightly, not saying “more than these” but “do you love me, still with agape, love with abandonment, with no expectations, just pure godly love?”
Unprepared to answer more astutely, Peter responded identically with the phileo love. “Yes, Lord, You know that I ‘strongly like’ You.” Jesus replied with a similar but different command, “Tend my sheep.”
Do you feel Peter’s awkward, uncomfortable feelings? If he had a collar, he would be pulling on it, clearing his throat, wishing he could be somewhere else than under Jesus’s unflinching gaze. Sure enough, here it comes a third time. “Simon, son of Jonah, do you…” wait for it… “phileo love me?” Maybe the inflection was “Do you really even ‘strongly like’ Me?
Ouch! “Grieved was Peter…” The Greek puts “grieved” at the first of the sentence to emphasize Peter’s emotional response. Grief flooded back like the sobs he heaved after the rooster crowed. “Lord, you know all things. You know…” long pause. What will he say? Phileo? Agape? Has humility taken hold of his heart? Will he succumb to proud but empty promises?
“You know I phileo love you.” Jesus responds with a slightly different third command, “Feed my sheep.”
We will explore Jesus’s three commands next time. Until then, ponder Jesus’s question as if He were probing you with His searching eyes and searing question: “Do YOU love me?”
Pray this prayer to God: “Lord, You know all things. You know that I love You. Probe me as You did Peter, not to grieve me, but to restore me. Amen.”
Day 48: Morning
From Remorse To Restoration
(Read John 21:12–19)
When we fall, it is important not only to admit our mistakes and abandon our wicked ways: we must make amends. Jesus knew Peter was sorry (remorse) for his three denials. He knew he would never make that mistake again (repentance). But for full restoration, there must be more than remorse and repentance--there must be restitution.
Restitution means doing something to make amends for what was taken. It is not punitive but it is actually benefits both the victim and the perpetrator.
Jesus restored Peter by giving him something to do.
“Feed My lambs” (John 21:15) or those who are young in the faith. Peter would soon be the first “elder” of the young church. An elder does not mean the oldest man in the church, but rather someone who is spiritually mature. To feed lambs means to gently nourish and lead them to maturity.
Secondly, Jesus charged Peter to “shepherd My sheep” (John 21:16, HCSB). This emphasizes the pastor’s role of protecting of the more mature flock of God. One of the favorite analogies Jesus used was calling His people “sheep,” so naturally he also referred to Himself as a Shepherd (John 10:11,14; Mark 14:27). He gave Peter one of the highest compliments in calling him “pastor.”
Finally, Jesus restored Peter by calling him to “feed” (the same word in verse 15) the mature church. Peter was to be an overseer of all of the flock, young and old. The seriousness of the charge was followed by a dire prophecy that Peter’s commitment will ultimately lead him to death.
Jesus then restored Peter by calling him to “follow Me.” All pastors are to follow the Chief Shepherd as leaders of the flock. Peter would later give that same charge to young pastors coming after him. See 1 Peter 5:1–5 (NIV):
 |
| Peter later would write 1 and 2 Peter and then was imprisoned and according to tradition, died in Rome, crucified upside down, deeming himself unworthy to die in like manner as did our Lord. |
1To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Pray this prayer to our Good Shepherd: “Jesus, Lover of my soul, thank You for not only forgiving me, leading me to repentance, but also for restoring my life to You. Set me apart, so that I can restore others when they fall. Amen.”
Day 48: Evening
Will You Follow, No Matter The Cost?
(Read John 21:17–19)
Just as this study is drawing to a close, Jesus’s ministry was winding down and only a few more lessons for the disciples to learn in the presence of Christ. Today’s lesson is a deeper lesson in following Him.
As we saw earlier, after every profession of Peter’s love, Jesus responded with a command to action. “If you love me, tenderly feed the young believers. Shepherd the mature believers. And feed the mature believers” (my paraphrase). True love calls us to action.
In John 10:5, Jesus had taught all of the disciples and especially Peter about how sheep follow the shepherd because they know his voice. “they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers” Peter knew his Master’s voice and although he soon would no longer audibly hear it, he would follow His Chief Shepherd until the day of his death.
On that horrible night, only hours before his three denials, Jesus said, “Where I go, you cannot follow, but later, you will follow Me.” Peter said, “Lord, why can’t I follow You? I will lay down my life for You!” (John 13:36-37 NIV, emphasis mine).
Circle what it may cost you to follow Christ?
Popularity Everything Ambition Selfishness Energy Business My life Sinful Pleasure Pride Money Time Friends Family Worries
Following Christ is costly. The call to follow is not limited to a few and neither is it without sacrifice.
Peter’s walk with Christ began with a call to follow and it ends with a call to follow. Dietrich Bonhoeffer died a martyr’s death at the hands of Adolf Hitler only days before Germany’s liberation. He knew the cost of following and wrote years before his death in the book The Cost of Discipleship (pages 44-45):
“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”
“Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow…
…and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ.
It is costly because it costs a man his life…
and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life.
It is costly because it condemns sin…
…and it is grace because it justifies the sinner.
Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “ye were bought at a price,” and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us…
…Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son
too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us.
Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.”
Pray this prayer to God: “Lord, lead me this day to know how to follow You. Help me count the cost of following You so that I can share in the grace of following You. Amen”
Day 49: Morning
What Is That To You? You Follow Me
(Read John 21:20–23)
Something happens when Jesus calls us to follow Him. I can’t explain it but suddenly our focus will go somewhere else -- anywhere else -- than where Jesus is calling us to follow.
You have gone through nearly one hundred devotionals in the gospel of John. Now it is up to you on whether you will continue to follow Christ. Prepare for a temptation to get distracted from following Christ.
From the shores of Galilee, Peter had followed Christ, leaving his nets and boat to become a fisher of men. He had followed Christ to a mountain to see Moses and Elijah and Jesus transfigured. He had followed the Lord to see a dead girl raised.
He heard Jesus call others to follow, including Matthew who obeyed, and others, like the rich young ruler, who did not. Peter professed that “we left all and followed You,” (Luke 18:28) when nearly everyone else had stopped following. He had followed Christ so closely, he even walked on water, and then so distantly that he even denied Christ with an oath. Even now, Peter did not fully understand what it meant to “take up his cross” and follow Christ. Peter turns from literally following Jesus to see John “also following.”
Why did Peter ask about John? There may have been some jealousy…John reclined with Jesus at the final supper. The “disciple whom Jesus loved” had an inside connection with Jesus that made John’s mother ask for John and James to sit at Jesus’s right and left hands. Jesus had even called John to take care of His own mother Mary.
Jesus responded by focusing Peter’s gaze back to the path of following Christ. Perhaps as you follow Christ, your focus may drift to others rather than to Christ. Let His words to Peter fill your mind and your heart, “What is that to you? You follow Me.”
Jesus looked to the future and the end of Peter’s life. It is as though Jesus said, “You can’t go back to your old self-centered ways. And where you’re going will be difficult. But even in death, you will glorify Me. Now follow Me.”
John sensed his own death approaching and had heard the rumors that he just might live until Jesus returned. He wanted to set the story straight. Jesus did not say John would live until He returned but that it was really no one else’s business! The point Jesus was making was, “It doesn’t matter how Jesus deals with other people. That’s His business! You need to follow God!”
Pray this prayer to God: “God, take any and all distractions away from my focus as I seek to follow You. Thank You that You have gone before me and have prepared the path in which I am to walk. Amen.
Day 49: Evening
I Suppose ...
(Read John 21:24–25)
Do you suppose that John could have supposed what has gone on for the last two thousand years? Could he have supposed all that has been written about this Carpenter from Galilee? Go to a Christian book store and see that truth of John’s final statement “I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” We still have not finished writing about the Word, the Son of God, the Great “I AM,” Jesus of Nazareth!
Perhaps John actually finished his gospel in chapter 20 and then as age approached him, he wanted to quell the theory that he would live until the Lord returned. Maybe he was like I am, reluctant to close this study, knowing full well that I will revisit it again, just as John knew that more had already written about Jesus and more would still be written. And not just books.
The first film ever made about the life of Christ was released in 1902 (updated in 1905 and now it has even been colorized). I have lost track on how many films and television dramas have been made on the life of Christ. It appears the world may not be able to contain not only the books about Christ but also the films about Jesus.
I hope you have watched the 2003 film, The Gospel of John, which I mentioned at the beginning of this book. Another film, the Jesus film (1979), is the most translated film in history and also the most viewed movie of all time, based on the gospel of Luke. The Passion of the Christ (2004) is financially one of the highest grossing films of all time (in excess of $370 million at the time of this writing). But none conveys all of what Jesus did.
Then again, neither does John’s Gospel. John admittedly left parts out. Luke said that many had attempted to write down what Jesus did. We have what Matthew and Mark wrote. John put in enough that you would believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, and that you would receive eternal life.
None would write--could write--as John did. He had been there. Peter wrote in his epistle, “We did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty,” (2 Peter 1:16).
John was likely the last eyewitness and he along with Andrew had been the first eyewitnesses, before Matthew, before Peter, before any of the other disciples. All of the eyewitnesses Luke had consulted (see Luke 1:2) were now gone. John knew this was the last gospel, the last chapter, the last word.
But is it? By no means. You and I and all those who come after us, we continue the story of Christ. I suppose (rather I know!) that there are still more chapters to be written. Now that this book is finished, go write the next chapter in the story of Christ!
Pray this prayer to God: “As I finish this study, Lord, keep my focus on following You. You know all things. You know that I love You. Lead me to feed others. In Your Great and Holy Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.”
No comments:
Post a Comment