Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”
This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.
Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. - John 21:18-25
This final statement of John is a great closer. It brings attention to the fact that there are so many things we want to know about Jesus. But the volume of written material about Jesus is not what matters. What's important is that we all (Peter, John, you, and me) have enough information about Jesus to make an intelligible decision about Jesus. Knowing every minute detail, like how our life will end, doesn't help. The only thing that quenches our thirst for understanding is faith-filled obedience anchored in the Word we have been given. Through faithful obedience, we discover the mystery of God's grace through Jesus.
Thus, Jesus instructs us to stop fixating so much on the future. That's for God to figure out. What we need to do is follow him.
This is an excellent message for right now because it is turbulent in our time. It's not just one thing. It's many things. There are significant national issues, but we also grapple with personal challenges like marital difficulties, job loss, financial strain, loneliness, and other concerns. The compounding effect of all this is wearing us all down. And we are all desperate for a way forward and a way out. Sometimes, we may even long for the ability to foresee the future (like Peter), thinking that knowing the future will provide the answers we seek. However, the real answer lies in the wisdom shared by Jesus when he said, "What is that to you? You follow me."
Church, we must become more competent and more intentional about following Jesus in our time. We cannot be carried away emotionally, philosophically, and intellectually by the teachings and beliefs of our time. We have to work a little harder to identify and ward off unbiblical beliefs and broken ideologies. And the only way forward is to follow Jesus more carefully, closely, and consciously, regardless of the chaos in our time.
Are you with me? Are you ready to "Follow Him" with everything you've got?
ASK THIS:
Reflecting on the passage from John 21:18-25, how do you interpret Jesus' message to Peter about the future and his call to follow Him? How can this message apply to your own life and circumstances, especially in times of uncertainty or challenges?
Vince emphasizes that knowing every minute detail about the future isn't as important as having faith-filled obedience in following Jesus. Share a personal experience of struggling with uncertainty or wanting to know the future. How did relying on faith and obedience help you navigate that situation, and what did you learn from it?
DO THIS: Just focus on following Jesus.
PRAY THIS: Lord, as I reflect on this devotional, help me to release my anxieties about the future and trust in Your guidance. May I have the faith and obedience to follow You faithfully, even in uncertain times. Amen.
PLAY THIS: I Thank God.
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