ON BEING CONTENT WITH ONE’S OWN PERSONAL PATH
John 21:20-25
Rev. Paul Wrightman 5/5/24
A YOUNG MAN DESIRED TO GO TO INDIA AS A MISSIONARY
WITH THE LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
[A] MR. WILKS WAS APPOINTED TO CONSIDER
THE YOUNG MAN’S FITNESS FOR SUCH A POST.
HE SENT A TELEGRAM TO THE YOUNG MAN,
AND TOLD HIM TO CALL ON HIM
AT SIX O’CLOCK THE NEXT MORNING.
ALTHOUGH THE APPLICANT LIVED MANY MILES OFF,
HE WAS AT THE HOUSE PUNCTUALLY AT SIX O’CLOCK
AND WAS USHERED INTO THE DRAWING ROOM.
HE WAITED – AND WAITED – AND WAITED
WONDERINGLY, BUT PATIENTLY.
FINALLY MR. WILKS ENTERED THE ROOM ABOUT MID-MORNING.
WITHOUT APOLOGY, MR. WILKS BEGAN,
“WELL, YOUNG MAN, SO YOU WANT TO BE A MISSIONARY?”
“YES, SIR, I DO.”
“DO YOU LOVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST?”
“YES, SIR, I CERTAINLY DO.”
“AND HAVE YOU ANY EDUCATION?”
“YES, SIR, A LITTLE.”
“WELL, NOW, WE’LL TRY YOU; CAN YOU SPELL ‘CAT’?”
THE YOUNG MAN LOOKED CONFUSED,
AND HARDLY KNEW HOW TO ANSWER
SO PREPOSTEROUS A QUESTION.
HIS MIND EVIDENTLY HALTED BETWEEN
INDIGNATION AND SUBMISSION,
BUT IN A MOMENT HE REPLIED STEADILY, “C, A, T, CAT.”
“VERY GOOD,” SAID MR. WILKS. “NOW CAN YOU SPELL ‘DOG’?”
THE YOUTH WAS STUNNED BUT REPLIED, “D, O, G, DOG.”
“WELL, THAT IS RIGHT; I SEE YOU WILL DO IN YOUR SPELLING,
AND NOW FOR YOUR ARITHMETIC;
HOW MUCH IS TWO TIMES TWO?”
THE PATIENT YOUTH GAVE THE RIGHT REPLY AND WAS DISMISSED.
MR. WILKS GAVE HIS REPORT AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING.
HE SAID, “I CORDIALLY RECOMMEND THAT YOUNG MAN;
HIS TESTIMONY AND CHARACTER I HAVE DULY EXAMINED.
I TRIED HIS SELF-DENIAL. HE WAS UP IN THE MORNING EARLY;
I TRIED HIS PATIENCE BY KEEPING HIM WAITING;
I TRIED HIS HUMILITY AND TEMPER
BY INSULTING HIS INTELLIGENCE.
HE WILL DO JUST FINE.”
(Charles H. Spurgeon, Lectures to my students)
I THINK THE BEST WAY TO UNDERSTAND
THIS MORNING’S SCRIPTURE READING FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
IS TO APPROACH IT ALONG THE LINES
OF THIS INTERVIEW WITH THE MISSIONARY CANDIDATE.
IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THIS ENCOUNTER
BETWEEN JESUS, PETER, AND JOHN,
WE HAVE THE STORY OF HOW JESUS ASKS PETER
THREE TIMES IF HE LOVES HIM.
JESUS REPEATS HIS QUESTION THREE TIMES,
ONCE FOR EACH TIME THAT PETER BETRAYED JESUS
ON THE NIGHT OF HIS TRIAL.
AFTER EACH PROFESSION OF LOVE,
JESUS ASKS PETER TO LOOK AFTER HIS SHEEP.
THIS STORY OF FORGIVENESS AND COMMISSIONING
IS PROBABLY THE MOST SOLEMN ENCOUNTER
THAT PETER EVER HAD WITH JESUS.
IT ENDS WITH JESUS TELLING PETER
THAT HE WILL DIE A MARTYR’S DEATH:
YOU WILL STRETCH OUT YOUR HANDS
AND SOMEONE ELSE WILL PUT A BELT AROUND YOU
AND TAKE YOU WHERE YOU DON’T WANT TO GO,
THEN SOBERLY SAYING TO PETER “FOLLOW ME.”
(John 21:18b-19)
ONE WOULD EXPECT THAT GIVEN THE SERIOUSNESS
OF THE SITUATION – AFTER ALL, JESUS HAS JUST
COMMISSIONED PETER AS CHIEF SHEPHERD –
THAT PETER’S RESPONSE TO JESUS
WOULD HAVE MIRRORED SOME OF THAT SERIOUSNESS.
BUT NO.
PETER SENSES THAT HE AND JESUS ARE BEING FOLLOWED
AS THEY WALK TOGETHER ALONG THE BEACH CONVERSING.
HE TURNS AROUND AND, SURE ENOUGH, THERE IS JOHN
RIGHT BEHIND THEM, OVERHEARING EVERY WORD.
SEEING JOHN PROMPTS PETER TO ASK,
BUT WHAT ABOUT HIM, RABBI?
(John 21:21)
GIVEN THE COINSEQUENCE OF WHAT HAS JUST TRANSPIRED
BETWEEN THEM, PETER’S QUESTION – BUT WHAT ABOUT HIM? –
COMES ACROSS AS COMPETITIVE AND ABSURD.
THIS PROMPTS AN EQUALLY ABSURD QUESTION ON JESUS’ PART –
IF I WANT [JOHN] TO STAY BEHIND UNTIL I COME,
WHAT DOES IT MATTER TO YOU?
(John 21:22)
BASICALLY JESUS IS TELLING PETER TO MIND HIS OWN BUSINESS!
IN DOING SO, JESUS REVEALS ONCE AND FOR ALL
THAT EACH PERSON’S CALL FROM GOD IS UNIQUE TO THAT PERSON
AND IS NOT TO BE MEASURED AGAINST SOMEONE ELSE’S CALL.
AS OSWALD CHAMBERS PUT IT:
“THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS
AS PROMINENT SERVICE AND OBSCURE SERVICE;
IT IS ALL THE SAME WITH GOD.”
(Oswald Chambers, So I Send You)
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE TEXT ALSO REVEALS
A PREOCCUPATION WITH JOHN ON THE ROLE OF PETER.
THERE ARE SEVERAL STRONG INDICATIONS
THAT JOHN AND PETER WERE RIVALS FOR JESUS’ ATTENTION:
PETER BRAGS ABOUT HOW MUCH MORE FAITHFUL
HE IS TO JESUS THAN THE OTHER DISCIPLES.
JOHN CAN’T HELP BUT MENTION SEVERAL TIMES IN HIS GOSPEL
THAT HE (NOT PETER, NOT JAMES, NOT THOMAS)
IS THE DISCIPLE WHOM JESUS LOVED.
ON EASTER MORNING WE HEARD THE TEXT FROM JOHN’S GOSPEL
ABOUT HOW PETER AND JOHN RACE TO JESUS’ TOMB.
(John 20:3-9)
JOHN CAN’T RESIST TELLING US TWICE
THAT HE WAS THE ONE TO GET TO THE TOMB FIRST!
CAN WE SENSE A BIT OF COMPETITION
GOING ON HERE BETWEEN JOHN AND PETER?
YOU BET!
THIS IS PRECISELY WHY JESUS ASKS PETER
WHAT DOES IT MATTER TO YOU?
AND IMMEDIATELY REPEATS THE COMMAND
YOU’RE TO FOLLOW ME,
AS IF TO SAY:
STOP OBSESSING OVER JOHN.
YOUR STORY IS NOT HIS STORY.
IT’S NOT ABOUT WHICH OF YOU TWO IS THE GREATEST.
IT’S SIMPLY ABOUT YOUR FOLLOWING ME
IN THE UNIQUE WAY THAT I’M CALLING YOU TO FOLLOW ME,
AND JOHN’S FOLLOWING ME IN THE UNIQUE WAY
THAT I’M CALLING HIM TO FOLLLOW ME.
LET’S DROP THE COMPETITION FOR COOPERATION.
JIM STUART, COFOUNDER OF THE LEADERSHIP CIRCLE
“FAST COMPANY,” WRITES:
“I’VE LED FROM A PLACE OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP,
AND I’VE LED FROM A PLACE OF TOP-DOWN LEADERSHIP –
AND THERE’S NO QUESTION WHICH KIND OF LEADERSHIP
IS MORE EFFECTIVE.
MY CLASSMATES AT HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL
USED TO CALL ME THE PRUSSIAN GENERAL
BECAUSE FOR MANY YEARS THAT WAS MY APPROACH
TO LEADERSHIP.
THEN I WAS HIT BY A SERIES
OF PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SETBACKS.
MY WIFE DIED.
A MAIL-ORDER VENTURE THAT I STARTED WENT BANKRUPT.
RATHER THAN LAUNCH ANOTHER BUSINESS,
I ACCEPTED A FRIEND’S OFFER TO HEAD
AN AQUARIUM PROJECT IN TEMPA.
I SPENT THE NEXT SIX YEARS IN A JOB
THAT GAVE ME NO POWER, NO MONEY, AND NO KNOWLEDGE.
THAT SITUATION FORCED ME TO DRAW
ON A DEEPER PART OF MYSELF.
WE ENDED UP WITH A TEAM OF PEOPLE
WHO WERE SO HIGH-PERFORMING
THAT THEY COULD ALMOST WALK THROUGH WALLS.
WHY, I WONDERED, WAS I SUDDENLY ABLE TO LEAD A TEAM
THAT WAS SO MUCH MORE RESILIENT AND CREATIVE
THAN ANY TEAM THAT I HAD RUN BEFORE?
THE ANSWER: SOMEWHERE AMID ALL MY TRIALS,
I HAD BEGUN TO TRUST MY COLLEAGUES
AS MUCH AS I TRUSTED MYSELF.
AND THAT IS THE ESSENCE OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP.”
(End Quote)
IT’S IRONIC, BUT NOT AN UNCOMMON DYNAMIC,
THAT JOHN IS ACUTELY SENSITIVE TO JESUS’ SERVANT LEADERSHIP
WHILE NOT BEING MUCH OF A SERVANT HIMSLEF.
JOHN’S IS THE ONLY GOSPEL TO SHARE WITH US
THE DETAILS OF JESUS WASHING THE FEET OF HIS DISCIPLES
PRECISELY TO DEMONSTRATE TO THEM
THAT THEY ARE TO BE SERVANTS TO ONE ANOTHER.
HE RESONATES WITH JESUS’ SERVANT MODEL OF LEADERSHIP
THEOLOGICALLY AND INTELLECTUALLY,
BUT NO SO MUCH PERSONALLY.
AFTER ALL, HE CAN’T RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO GO ON AND ON
ABOUT HIS BEING THE ONE WHOM JESUS LOVES,
AND HIS BEATING PETER IN THEIR FOOTRACE TO THE TOMB.
SOME BIBLICAL SCHOLARS EVEN THINK THAT ONE OF THE REASONS
JOHN WROTE HIS GOSPEL SO MUCH LATER THAN THE OTHERS
IS BECAUSE HE HAD TO WAIT FOR THE OTHER DISCIPLES TO DIE
SO THAT THEY WOULDN’T MOCK HIS CLAIM OF BEING NUMBER ONE!
SO THIS ODD INCIDENT AT THE EVERY END OF JOHN’S GOSPEL
OPENS A WINDOW FOR US ON A MAJOR ON-GOING CHALLENGE
FOR TWO OF THE MAJOR DISCIPLES:
PETER NEEDS TO WORK ON KEEPING HIS FOCUS ON JESUS
AND DROP THE COMPARING AND THE COMPETING.
JOHN NEEDS TO WORK ON LETTING JESUS LOVE OTHERS
AS MUCH AS JESUS LOVES HIM.
WHILE BEING EXPOSED TO THESE PERSONAL FLAWS
ON THE PART OF PETER AND JOHN CAN BE A BIT DISCONCERTING,
IT CAN ALSO BE LIBERATING IN THE SENSE THAT
IT ENABLES US TO SEE JOHN AND PETER AS FLAWED HUMAN BEINGS
AND NOT JUST AS FLAWED SUPER-HEROES.
WE CAN CONNECT TO FLAWED HUMAN BEINGS
BEING CALLED TO FURTHER GROWTH IN LEADERSHIP AND LOVE,
WHILE TRYING TO BECOME MORE AND MORE
LIKE A SUPERHERO – EVEN A FLAWED ONE –
IS SIMPLY BEYOND OUR REACH.
ONE WAY OF LOOKING AT PETER AND JOHN’S
RIVALRY AND COMPETITIVENESS IS THAT THEY WERE BOTH
TRYING TO TAKE A SHORTCUT TO LOVE,
PETER BY BRAGGING THAT HE WAS THE MOST LOYAL TO JESUS,
AND JOHN BY BRAGGING THAT HE WAS ALREADY
THE MOST LOVED BY JESUS – NOT TO MENTION
THAT HE WAS MORE ATHLETIC THAN PETER!
AND AS ALL OF US ALREADY KNOW,
SHORTCUTS TO LOVE SIMPLY DON’T WORK.
THIS REMINDS ME OF THE STORY OF HEIDI NEUMARK.
WHILE A COLLEGE STUDENT, HEIDI TOOK A YEAR OFF
TO SERVE IN A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM SPONSORED BY
AN ORGANIZATION CALLED “RURAL MISSION.”
SHE WENTS TO JOHNS ISLAND OFF THE CAROLINA COAST,
WHERE SHE LISTENED TO THE STORIES
OF THE GRANDSONS AND GRANDDAUGHTERS
OF PLANTATION SLAVES.
HEIDI WRITES:
“THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON I LEARNED ON JOHNS ISLAND
WAS FROM MISS ELLIE, WHO LIVES MILES DOWN
A SMALL DIRT ROAD IN A ONE-ROOM, WOODEN HOME.
WE’D SIT IN OLD ROCKING CHAIRS ON THE FRONT PORCH,
DRINKING TALL GLASSES OF SWEET TEA,
WHILE SHE’D TELL ME STORIES.
I NEVER COULD FIND OUT MISS ELLIE’S PRECISE AGE,
BUT IT WAS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN NINETY AND ONE HUNDRED.
SHE STILL CHOPPED HER OWN FIREWOOD,
STACKED IN NEAT LITLE PILES BEHIND THE HOUSE.
MISS ELLIE HAD A FRIEND NAMED NETTA,
WHOM SHE’D KNOWN SINCE THEY WERE SMALL GIRLS.
TO GET TO NETTA’S HOUSE,
MISS ELLIE HAD TO WALK FOR MILES
THROUGH FIELDS OF TALL GRASS.
THIS WAS THE SWEET GRASS THAT SEA ISLAND WOMEN
MAKE FAMOUS BASKETS OUT OF,
BUT IT WAS ALSO HOME TO NUMEROUS POISONOUS SNAKES.
ACTUALLY, NETTA’S HOME WAS NOT THAT FAR
FROM MISS ELLIE’S PLACE,
BUT THERE WAS A STREAM THAT CUT ACROSS THE FIELDS.
YOU HAD TO WALK QUITE A DISTANCE TO GET TO THE PLACE
WHERE IT NARROWED ENOUGH TO PASS.
POOR MISS ELLIE, I THOUGHT, OLD AND ARTHRITIC,
HAVING TO WALK ALL THAT WAY,
PUSHING THROUGH THE THICK SUMMER HEAT,
NOT TO MENTION AVOIDING THE SNAKES.
I HIT UPON THE PERFECT PLAN.
I ARRANGED WITH SOME MEN TO HELP BUILD
A SIMPLE PLANK BRIDGE ACROSS THE STREAM
TO MISS ELLIE’S HOUSE.
I SCOUTED OUT THE IDEAL PLACE –
NOT TOO WIDE, BUT TOO DEEP TO CROSS.
OUR BRIDGE WAS BUILT IN A DAY.
I WAS SO EXCITED THAT I COULD HARDLY WAIT
TO SEE MISS ELLIE’S REACTION.
I WENT TO HER HOUSE
AND PRACTICALLY DRAGGED HER OFF WITH ME.
‘LOOK!’ I SHOUTED, ‘A SHORTCUT FOR YOU TO VISIT NETTA!’
(PAUSE)
MISS ELLIE DID NOT LOOK GRATEFUL.
INSTEAD, SHE SHOOK HER HEAD AND LOOKED AT ME WITH PITY.
‘CHILD, I DON’T NEED A SHORTCUT,’ SHE SAID.
THEN SHE TOLD ABOUT ALL THE FRIENDS
SHE KEPT UP WITH ON HER WAY TO VISIT NETTA:
MR. JENKINS, WITH WHOM SHE ALWAYS SWAPPED GOSSIP;
MISS HUNTER, WHO SO LOOKED FORWARD
TO THE QUILT SCAPS SHE’D BRING BY;
THE RAISIN WINE SHE’D TASTE AT ONE PLACE
IN EXCHANGE FOR HER BISCUITS;
AND THE CHANCE TO LOOK IN ON THE ‘OLD FOLKS’ WHO WERE SICK.
‘CHILD, YOU CAN’T TAKE SHORTCUTS
IF YOU WANT FRIENDS IN THIS WORLD,’ SHE TOLD ME.
‘SHORTCUTS DON’T MIX WITH LOVE.’
(End Quote) (Heidi Neumark, Breathing Space)
IF WE REALLY THINK ABOUT IT,
PETER’S BRAGGING THAT HE WAS THE MOST LOYAL,
AND JOHN’S BRAGGING THAT HE WAS THE MOST LOVED,
ARE BOTH WAYS TO TRY TO GET JESUS TO LOVE THEM
BY SHORTCUTS.
BRAGGING IS A SHORTHAND WAY
TO TRY TO GET SOMEONE TO LOVE US
WITHOUT DOING THE NECESSARY WORK.
MISS ELLIE KNEW THAT THE LENGTHY JOURNEY SHE HAD TO TAKE
TO GET TO HER FRIEND NETTA’S WAS AN ESSENTIAL PART
OF THE GIFT OF LOVE THAT SHE WANTED TO BRING.
SHE KNEW THAT WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE,
SHORTCUTS JUST DON’T WORK.
WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPING A LOVE RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS,
SHORTCUTS DON’T WORK EITHER.
RATTLING OFF A CREED, BRAGGING TO HIM
ABOUT THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER THING,
REPEATING ENDLESSLY HOW MUCH WE LOVE HIM,
ARE SIMPLY NO SUBSTITUTES FOR ACTUALLY TIME WITH HIM
IN INFORMAL, CONVERSATIONAL PRAYER
AND WORKING WITH HIM TO FEED THE HUNGRY,
FREE THE OPPRESSED, AND WELCOME THE STRANGER.
I LIKE TO THINK THAT PETER AND JOHN
BOTH HAD AN “AHA!” MOMENT
AS A RESULT OF THIS ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS,
AN AHA MOMENT THAT TRANSCENDED THEIR OWN NEED
TO BE THE CENTER OF ATTENTION
AND SHOWED THEM THAT THERE WAS MUCH MORE
TO BEING A FOLLOWER OF JESUS
THAN EITHER OF THEM HAD ANTICIPATED.
CRAIG BRIAN LARSON WRITES:
“ON MY DESK I LIKE TO DISPLAY, ON A BOOKSTAND,
THE KIND OF GIFT BOOKS YOU PUT ON THE COFFEE TABLE –
THOSE FILLED WITH PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS OF NATURE
OR TOURIST DESTINATIONS.
MY CURRENT BOOK IS AMERICA’S SPECTACULAR NATIONAL PARKS
BY MICHAEL DUCHEMIN.
FOR SEVERAL DAYS I HAVE HAD THE BOOK OPEN
TO A PHOTO OF THE GRAND TETON MOUNTAINS,
AN EXTRA-WIDE PHOTO THAT FILLS THE LEFT PAGE
AND CROSSES THE FOLD TO TAKE UP HALF OF THE RIGHT.
IT IS A MAJESTIC DISPLAY OF DEEP BLUE SKY;
RUGGED, GRAY, SNOW-CAPPED MOUNTAINS;
AND A CALM LAKE IN THE FOREGROUND.
THIS MORNING I DECIDED TO TURN THE PAGE
TO THE NEXT PHOTO, AND AS I DID
I DISCOVERED THAT I HAD MISSED SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
THE RIGHT PAGE OF THE GRAND TETONS PHOTO
WAS [ITSELF] AN EXTRA-LONG PAGE FOLDED OVER,
COVERING PART OF [WHAT I HAD BEEN LOOKING AT].
SO WHEN I OPENED IT UP,
IT ADDED SOME SIXTEEN INCHES TO THE WIDTH OF THE PHOTO.
WOW! THE GRAND TETONS BECAME EVEN GRANDER.”
LARSON CONCLUDES:
“THE CHRISTIAN LIFE HAS UNFOLDING MOMENTS LIKE THAT.
WHEN WE DISCOVER THERE IS MUCH MORE TO GOD
AND [GOD’S] KINGDOM THAN WE KNEW,
MUCH MORE TO [GOD’S] PURPOSE FOR US
THAN WE IMAGINED.” (End Quote)
I LIKE TO THINK THAT FOR BOTH PETER AND JOHN
THE ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS
RECORDED IN TODAY’S SCRIPTURE LESSON
SPARKED IN THEM A MUCH GRANDER VISTA
OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
THAN EITHER OF THEM HAD HAD BEFORE.
I LIKE TO THINK THAT JESUS’ QUESTION TO PETER
WHAT DOES IT MATTER TO YOU?
IS A QUESTION THAT JESUS ALSO ASKS EACH ONE OF US,
AND THAT WHEN WE’RE TEMPTED TO COMPARE
OUR STORY WITH SOMEONE ELSE’S STORY
WHO SEEMS TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED MUCH MORE THAN WE HAVE,
WE’LL REMEMBER THAT THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION
WHAT DOES IT MATTER? IS NOTHING.
I LIKE TO THINK THAT,
WHEN WE’RE FINALLY ABLE TO ANSWER “NOTHING!”
WE THEN REMEMBER WHAT JESUS SAID TO PETER
IMMEDIATELY AFTER ASKING THIS QUESTION:
“FOLLOW ME.”
AMEN.