John 21: What is That to You? Follow Me!

Today’s reading is John 21.

Peter has been restored, given a role, provided reassurance. But he’s still Peter. So, of course, he’ll obviously do something that needs rebuke. And, he doesn’t let us down.

He can’t just let this interaction stand on its own, take comfort, and follow Jesus. Turning, he sees John and asks, “Lord, what about this man?” (John 21:21, ESV). Peter has just been able to tell Jesus he loves Him three times. He’s just been charged not only with fishing for men, but feeding the sheep of Jesus. Further, he’s been told if he will follow Jesus, he will succeed in his greatest promise. But the specter of competition rises up in Peter’s heart. “What about John? What will he do? Will he go as far as me? Will he suffer as greatly as me? Will he do as much for the Master as me?”

Jesus rebukes Peter, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (John 21:22, ESV). Whether John glorifies God by serving Him faithfully on earth until the end of time or he also dies a martyr’s glorifying death, doesn’t change Peter’s responsibility. Peter’s responsibility is not to turn and look at John or any of the other apostles. His responsibility is to follow Jesus.

That is our responsibility as well. This week, we’ve learned even if we fail royally after becoming disciples, we can turn back to Jesus, hang on to Him, and find restoration. We’ve also learned we can still be greatly used by Him. Of course, our first thought was, “But will it be as great as I always wanted? Will it be as great as so-and-so?” Jesus says to us, “If I use them to only provide a cup of cold water for my servants or if I use them to convert kingdoms, what is that to you. You follow me!” And, He is saying, “If I use you to convert kingdoms or only provide water for the one I use to convert kingdoms, what is that to you? You follow me!”

It’s not a competition. We are a team. When we win, I win. When we win, you win. Jesus is our Master. He deserves all glory, honor, praise, and service. Let us just follow Him and be amazed that He uses us for whatever part in the glorious expanse of His kingdom. If we can do nothing more than be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord, that is greater than being a king in the world, but outside of Christ’s camp.

Jesus is beckoning, “Follow me!” Will you?

Tomorrow’s reading is John 21.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does John 21 prompt or improve your hope in God?

John 17: Honor God by Doing His Work

Today’s reading is John 17.

A disciple honors God by worshiping Him as Jesus did in John 17. However, honoring God doesn’t end when we get up off our knees. Rather, that time spent honoring God in worship is intended not only to declare God’s glory but to transform us into people who honor God everywhere and at all times.

In fact, notice what Jesus prayed in John 17:4:

I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do (ESV).

Jesus honor and glorified God when He knelt in prayer, but He also glorified God when He got up off His knees and got busy doing God’s work. More specifically, doing the work the Father had planned for Him to do.

Notice, Jesus didn’t honor God by simply doing whatever pleased Him in the moment. He honored God by doing the work God wanted Him to do. He did that by traveling through the regions declaring the gospel of the kingdom. He did that by the miracles He worked. He did that by training the twelve. He did that by washing feet. He did that by greeting children. He did that by touching lepers. Ultimately, He did that by going to the cross.

If we want to honor God, we don’t do whatever pleases our senses. Further, if we want to honor God, we don’t just paint a veneer of God across our goals, wants, passions, and pleasures, as if merely saying Jesus’s name over an activity or work actually makes it done in Jesus’s name. Rather, we honor God by learning God’s work for us and doing it.

But how do we know God’s work for us? For that, you’ll have to come back tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s reading is John 17.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does John 18 admonish you?

John 14: If You Love Me, Keep My Commandments

Today’s reading is John 14.

Have you ever heard of love languages? Gary Chapman made the concept well known in his book The Five Love Languages. He wanted to help married couples grow closer to one another by recognizing different people more naturally communicate and recognize love in different ways. His five languages are:

1. Words of Affirmation
2. Quality Time
3. Receiving Gifts
4. Acts of Service
5. Physical Touch

The concept is really helpful. However, I think the list might not be exhaustive. At least, it doesn’t include Jesus’s love language. He spells out how He recognizes love from His disciples:

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

John 14:15 (ESV)

How would a modern author label this? The love language of listening? The love language of heeding? The love language of obeying? I’m not sure this would play well in a book on marriage. “Honey, if you want me to believe you love me, do what I say.” But that is Jesus’s declaration.

What makes this work coming from Jesus is knowing He tells us what He does because He loves us first. Further, His love is pure. His every command is for our good. Of course, this tells me something. If I love myself, I’m going to do what Jesus commanded. After all, whatever He commands me will be best for me. So it works out, doesn’t it?

Don’t just tell Jesus you love Him. Love Him. Do what He says. That’s His love language.

Tomorrow’s reading is John 14.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does John 14 prompt or improve your trust in God?

Make the Covenant Your Life, Not Your Hobby

Today’s reading is Psalm 50.

When it was time to offer their sacrifices, Israel was getting it done. When it was time to live for the Lord, they were busy with other things. As far as they were concerned, the covenant could be compartmentalized. At the temple, keep the covenant. At home, on the job, in the neighborhood, who cares? They were offering the right sacrifices at the temple, but hanging out at home with adulterers and thieves as they slandered their brethren.

Can we become guilty of this same kind of sin? Can we let discipleship be what we do on Sundays and perhaps Wednesday nights? Then can we turn around and live the rest of the week as if Sunday and Wednesday night make up for it? We can. Many do.

We must not treat our covenant with God the way many treat golf. For most people who play golf, it’s a hobby. They hit the links on the weekend, maybe the odd round throughout the week here and there. Golf, however, doesn’t dictate their daily exercise, daily diet, daily schedule. It’s a hobby, not a life. Some people treat their covenant with Jesus the same way. They go to church on the weekend, maybe drop a prayer or two in at meal time throughout the week. But it doesn’t really impact their daily lives.

Walking with Jesus is not our vacation, it is our vocation. It is not our hobby, it is our life.

Let’s live like it today. I’m game. How about you?

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 50.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the psalm and the written devo above?
2. Do you know what a covenant is? If so, what?
3. Why must we not let keeping our covenant with Jesus be merely a hobby?
4. If Jesus actually lived with us, do you think we would behave differently? How?
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this psalm and our discussion today?

But He Didn’t Have to Be Circumcised!

Today’s reading is Acts 16.

Didn’t we just have a whole debate in Jerusalem that discovered Christians didn’t have to be circumcised? In fact, in Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he will brag that no one made Titus get circumcised during that meeting (Galatians 2:1-3). Yet, Paul circumcised Timothy. What’s up with that? Paul didn’t circumcise Timothy because of God’s law. He didn’t circumcise Timothy to qualify for the gospel. He circumcised Timothy because of the Jews in the areas they would be preaching. He circumcised Timothy because they would know that Timothy had Jewish mother and a Greek father. He circumcised Timothy because it was enough of a negative in the mind of the Jews that a Jewess would marry a Gentile, but then for her son to be raised as a Greek instead of a Jew would be an almost insurmountable barrier to the Jews. Why would they listen to a man who had been unfaithful to what should have been his upbringing and religion? Timothy wasn’t circumcised out of obligation to God or as part of the gospel. Rather, he was circumcised so he wouldn’t hinder others listening to the gospel. Sure, his circumcision shouldn’t matter to those folks. It was really none of their business. He had every right to remain uncircumcised. Many of them likely wouldn’t even know or find out about Timothy’s parentage or uncircumcision. However, Paul and Timothy weren’t going to take the chance. They would remove the obstacle so it wouldn’t be a problem no matter what. Paul and Timothy were most concerned about souls. May we all be so concerned.

Tomorrow’s reading is Acts 16.

On Gifts and the Giver

Today’s reading is Luke 12.

The rich fool in Jesus’s story is so close to wisdom. In fact, when he says he should eat, drink, and be merry, he is practically quoting Ecclesiastes 5:18 (see also 8:15). He is so close and yet so far because he missed Ecclesiastes 5:19. He missed the basis for eating, drinking, and being joyful. His ability to do so was a gift from God. When we recognize this, we see part of the rich fool’s problem. He was focused on the gift and ignored the Giver. He thought the reason he would have no worries was because he had been so successful and he had produced such a big crop and he could build bigger barns. In all of this, he forgot God. He needed to rely on the Giver, not on the gifts. The same goes for me. I struggle with this. I often view money as security. So, I beg God for financial prosperity and gifts. But savings accounts won’t save me. IRAs and 401(k)s will not preserve me. If God blesses me with those gifts, fine. But my security is God. Today, I want to depend on the Giver more than on His gifts. I don’t want to be a rich fool (or even a middle class fool). I want to know God. I want to love God. I want to be close to God. I want to rely on God. How about you?

Tomorrow’s reading is Luke 12.

Give Yourself as Alms

Today’s reading is Luke 11.

Has this ever happened to you? Grab a coffee cup out of the dishwasher indicating “clean,” flip it over without really looking at it, get your coffee carafe, and start to pour. Then you notice. There is junk all inside the cup. What seemed pristine and sparkling on the outside is full of disgusting filth and grime on the inside. YUCK! Jesus said that was the Pharisees. However, Jesus doesn’t simply say, “Clean the inside.” He oddly says, “But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.” The word translated “alms” is used nine other times in Luke/Acts. Every time it refers to merciful giving to those in need. In Acts 10, Cornelius’s alms were a memorial before God causing him to receive favor. In Acts 9, the term described Tabitha’s work among the widows of her congregation. In Acts 3, the lame man was asking for alms, but Peter and John healed him instead. With that in mind, Jesus doesn’t simply say, “Clean up your mind, purify your heart, and your behaviors will become clean.” He says, “Give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.” The Pharisees were full of greed on the inside. Even if they gave alms externally, they did so with ulterior motives of greed and self-promotion. By contrast, Jesus says our internal things should be given away as alms. That is, if we give our very selves away in the service of others, then not only will we be clean, but everything will be clean for us. Jesus takes us a step beyond merely trying really hard to purify our thinking. We must direct our thinking, praying, mindset, attitude, outlook toward service of others. When we do, we and all we do will become clean.

Next week’s reading is Luke 12.

Who’s the Greatest?

Today’s reading is Luke 9.

The kingdom of Jesus is upside down. The competition is not for who is the greatest, but who is the least. And Jesus set the bar high. Or maybe I should say low. He is the greatest. He is the King. Not of a country, not of the world, not even of the universe. He is the king of all things in heaven and on earth, of the earthly realm and the heavenly places, of the present age and the age to come. He is the sovereign ruler. However, He stepped off His throne and into the world. He didn’t come as a king or ruler. Rather, he came as the seemingly illegitimate son of a backwoods carpenter of an oppressed people. He grew up in the most backwater of their towns. However, that wasn’t low enough. Though He was beloved by many, He was ultimately arrested as an insurrectionist and died the death of a criminal. He stooped that low to save you and me. Jesus is no leader who says, “Do as I say, not as I do.” He stepped up (or I should say down). He showed the way. He walked the path. We do not impress Him with our greatness. Let’s quit trying to. Rather, let us be impressed by Him, by His way of life, by His stooping service. Let us be so impressed we let Him imprint His manner of living on us. “Make me a servant, just like Your Son,” we sing. Today, let’s live it.

Next week’s reading is Luke 10.

Listen to Jesus

Today’s reading is John 13.

Poor Peter. He just didn’t get it. But I completely understand why he did what he did. I can almost imagine as Jesus was washing feet that Peter thought this was a test. He was sure that because Jesus was the Christ, He shouldn’t act like a servant and wash feet. When Jesus got to him, he wasn’t going to stand for it. But Jesus was patient. He explained this wasn’t a test. If Peter wouldn’t allow the foot washing, he had no part in Jesus. So then Peter went the other way, “I want a huge share in you. Wash not only my feet, but my head and hands as well.” But he still didn’t get it. And this is the struggle when we try to intuit what Jesus wants instead of just listening to what He says and watching what He does. We are supposed to judge with a right judgment (John 7:24). Not everything gets spelled out. Some things are implied. We can draw some conclusions based on those implications. However, we need to realize that just because some judgment seems logical to us, doesn’t make it so. We need to trust that Jesus knows what He is about. Rushing ahead of Him in our haste and in our judgment is dangerous business. Trust Jesus. Listen to Him. Don’t get ahead of Him. Just follow Him.

Tomorrow’s reading is John 14.

What’s Up with the Sheep and Goats?

Today’s reading is Matthew 25.

What is going on with the sheep and the goats in Jesus’s teaching about judgment? What I have missed for years is this is actually a commentary on Ezekiel 34. There, Ezekiel spoke against the shepherds of Israel, but also the flock itself. In Ezekiel 34:17, God says, “Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats.” He then goes on to rebuke the members of the flock for selfishly caring for themselves while leaving others their muddy tramplings. These “strong” sheep would butt and abuse the “weak.” Jesus is providing a commentary about this passage. What does this judgment look like? It is not just judging against those who actively mistreat their brethren. It is also a judgment against those who do not care for the brethren in need. Only those who visit their sick, weak, hungry, oppressed brethren in their need, caring for their fellow flock and kingdom members will remain in God’s flock under God’s shepherd. The rest will be judged and cast out. The question then is are we caring for our brothers and sisters? Or are we focusing on ourselves and ignoring our brothers and sisters? Jesus cared so much He left heaven to lift up the weak sheep. Let’s follow in His footsteps because when we visit our brothers and sisters in their need, we are visiting Jesus in His need just as He visited us. Praise the Lord!

Monday’s reading is Matthew 26.