Main Point and Overview:
What an exhilarating time for the disciples. They watched their Lord and Master get murdered, only to rise again from the grave! It must have felt like a whirlwind of activity with their heads spinning! Now, Jesus would give to them some final words before he would no longer see them until heaven. In particular, he called them to selfless sacrifice and Gospel-centered boldness. In one of the most iconic confrontations in the Word of God, Jesus challenged Peter’s professed love for him. Having recently denied knowing Jesus, Peter was now confronted with how much he really loved Jesus. As the words must have pierced Peter right in the heart, Jesus asked him that very question three times in a row. Peter’s reaction showed that he was uncomfortable with the question. He flippantly reacted by “answering yes” but with frustration. He expected Jesus to already know the answer to this question, yet Jesus kept asking. Why? Well, because Jesus was trying to show Peter that “actions speak louder than words.” We can claim to love God. We can claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ. What if those claims when put to the test get exposed to be empty in actual results? Jesus demanded that Peter raise his level of commitment to him by shepherding the people that Jesus came to save. There will come times, and there needs to, where our profession in Jesus is going to be put to the test. It’s in these moments when “empty living” will be exposed. It’s in these moments where the conviction of the Holy Spirit has the power to “shock” us into a renewed commitment to God. Peter needed to have “tunnel vision” focusing on his own discipleship, instead of the future of others. Let this be a big lesson for all of us – God demands that our claim match our commitment!
What an exhilarating time for the disciples. They watched their Lord and Master get murdered, only to rise again from the grave! It must have felt like a whirlwind of activity with their heads spinning! Now, Jesus would give to them some final words before he would no longer see them until heaven. In particular, he called them to selfless sacrifice and Gospel-centered boldness. In one of the most iconic confrontations in the Word of God, Jesus challenged Peter’s professed love for him. Having recently denied knowing Jesus, Peter was now confronted with how much he really loved Jesus. As the words must have pierced Peter right in the heart, Jesus asked him that very question three times in a row. Peter’s reaction showed that he was uncomfortable with the question. He flippantly reacted by “answering yes” but with frustration. He expected Jesus to already know the answer to this question, yet Jesus kept asking. Why? Well, because Jesus was trying to show Peter that “actions speak louder than words.” We can claim to love God. We can claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ. What if those claims when put to the test get exposed to be empty in actual results? Jesus demanded that Peter raise his level of commitment to him by shepherding the people that Jesus came to save. There will come times, and there needs to, where our profession in Jesus is going to be put to the test. It’s in these moments when “empty living” will be exposed. It’s in these moments where the conviction of the Holy Spirit has the power to “shock” us into a renewed commitment to God. Peter needed to have “tunnel vision” focusing on his own discipleship, instead of the future of others. Let this be a big lesson for all of us – God demands that our claim match our commitment!
Posted in Devotional