Living And Dying For Jesus

"Today's Devotion" For April 26, 2006

Read: John 21:19-23; I Peter 2:20-25

LIVING AND DYING FOR JESUS

"For none of us lives to himself alone and none of dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord."
(Romans 14:7-8)

None of us is a stranger to the, "But everyone else is doing it" mentality. In an attempt to justify one's behavior, it's the classic way of trying to lay the responsibility of one's actions at the feet of the "masses" of people who are having the same behavior "excused." Then, of course, there's the take off on this theme - the "equality of opportunity" questions - "Why can't I do it? You let him do it" and "Why can she do it and I can't?" Whenever it comes to taking responsibility for their actions - particularly when they're harmful or wrong (Oh, I know this isn't "politically correct" - "wrong" is relative, isn't it?>:) - human beings have a strong desire to foist that responsibility onto others. At the same time, when prohibited from doing something that others are allowed to do - for a multitude of legitimate reasons (that aren't "unfair") - people frequently believe they're being treated unfairly.

According to John's account, just before this conversation with Peter, Jesus had "reinstated" him after his fear-filled, triple denial of Jesus on the night Judas betrayed Him. Apparently walking by themselves (v.20), Jesus asked Peter three times if Peter loved Him. Three times Peter replied, "Yes, Lord, You know that I love You," and feeling hurt that Jesus would ask him over and over. All three times Jesus points to His purpose for Peter with the responses, "Feed My lambs" (once) and "Feed My sheep" (twice). His last response to Peter includes a warning about the manner in which Peter was to die when his service of "feeding" Jesus' "lambs" and "sheep" was over.

We're told that it was at that moment that Peter turned and saw "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John himself - v. 24) following them. Peter's response to John's presence and the obvious reference of Jesus to Peter's manner of death was to ask Jesus, "Lord, what about him?" Peter doesn't want to be the "only one" to suffer for Jesus. If he was going to suffer an ignominious death, how about “the disciple whom Jesus loved?” Would he share the same fate? The question seems to imply that it would be unfair if the other disciple didn’t.

Jesus' response, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow Me," is a response for all of us to hear. It doesn't matter if we know and understand God's purpose to be carried out in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ. It's only important for us to know that He has a purpose for each of us, personally, in Christ. Each of us, individually, hears Jesus' call - "Follow Me." He calls each of us to follow Him in the various vocations of life in which His call comes to us - parents, grandparents, spouses, aunts, uncles, children, pastors, teachers, postal workers, firefighters, attorneys, politicians, "butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers." Our concern in following Him is not how His purpose is accomplished in and by others, only how His purpose is accomplished in and through you and me.

As St. Paul reminds the Roman Christians, "If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord." We are His witnesses, in word and deed, of His love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness for a lost and fallen world. Moreover, by the power of His Word and Spirit, He works in us to touch the lives of others with the special gifts He has given to each of us. Peter was reminded by Jesus that his life belonged to his Lord and Savior. Jesus' call of "follow Me" to Peter, was Jesus' call to Peter. Jesus' call to each of us of "follow Me" is a call to each of us individually. It's a call we answer individually, but also a call which we support in one another as well. After all, our lives belong to our Lord, who lifts us up and sustains us every day. While each of us is called to Jesus' specific purpose for us in our lives and can't be transferred to others, we also support each other's callings - vocations - so that we might, as the redeemed children of God in Jesus Christ, reach many with His love and serve Him faithfully in all of life.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You called on Peter to follow You according to Your purpose for his life and ministry in Your name. You also call me to Your purpose as well, issuing the same call, "Follow Me," as Peter heard from You. At the same time, I, too, like Peter, am inclined to find out if You're treating me "fairly" - I want to know if others have been called to the same purpose in the same way. My sinful nature wants to "share the burden" that it often sees Your call to follow You to be. Forgive me, Lord, for my reluctance to trust Your purpose in my life and humbly and faithfully heed Your call as it comes to me. Help me to pay attention to how You want me to serve You and be grateful, rather than jealous, for how You choose to use others to serve You. Help me to keep my focus on sharing Your love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness as a witness to others in the way You provide for me to do so. Use me, precious Savior, as a willing and effective instrument of Your grace so that many may come to know Your love through me Hear me, gracious Lord. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2006 The Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.