THE IMPORTANCE OF TELLING OUR OWN STORY,
NOT SOMEONE ELSE’S
John 21:15-25
Rev. Paul Wrightman 5/14/23
IN VICTORIAN TIMES,
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 YOUNG MAN 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;
HOM 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 LESSON
IS TO APPROACH IT ALONG THE LINES
OF THIS INTERVIEW WITH THE MISSIONARY CANDIDATE.
FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE THE ACCOUNT
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 TELLS 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 IMPORTANCE 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 REVEALS A PREOCCUPATION WITH JOHN
ON THE PART OF PETER –
AND A PREOCCUPATION WITH PETER ON THE PART OF JOHN.
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 FOLLOW ME.
LET’S DROP THE COMPETITION FOR COOPERATION.
JIM STUART, COFOUNDER OF THE LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION
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 TAMPA.
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 UNCOMMON
THAT JOHN IS ACUTELY SENSITIVE TO JESUS’ SERVANT LEADERSHIP
WHILE NOT BEING MUCH OF A SERVANT HIMSELF.
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 NOT 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 VERY 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 DROPPING 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.
ON THIS MOTHER’S DAY 2023 I’D LIKE TO QUOTE ERMA BOMBECK.
DO YOU REMEMBER ERMA BOMBECK,
WHO HAD A SYNDICATED COLUMN ON FAMILY LIFE
A FEW DECADES BACK?
I FOUND HER WRITING TO BE A FASCINATING COMBINATION
OF FUNNY AND PROFOUND.
THE WAY JESUS RESPONDS TO HIS WAYWARD DISCIPLES
IN OUR SCRIPTURE TEXT THIS MORNING
REMINDS ME OF ONE OF HER COLUMNS ON MOTHERS:
“EVERY MOTHER HAS A FAVORITE CHILD.
SHE CANNOT HELP IT. SHE IS ONLY HUMAN.
I HAVE MINE – THE CHILD FOR WHOM I FEEL A SPECIAL CLOSENESS,
WITH WHOM I SHARE A LOVE THAT NO ONE ELSE
COULD POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND.
MY FAVORITE CHILD IS THE ONE WHO WAS TOO SICK
TO EAT ICE CREAM AT HIS BIRTHDAY PARTY. . .
WHO HAD MEASLES AT CHRISTMAS. . .
WHO DEVELOPED A HIGH FEVER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. . .
WHO HAD AN ASTHMA ATTACK. . .
WHO HAD TO BE RUSHED TO THE ER. . .
MY FAVORITE CHILD SPENT CHRISTMAS ALONE AWAY
FROM THE FAMILY,
WAS STRANDED AFTER THE GAME WITH A GAS TANK ON E,
AND LOST THE MONEY FOR HIS CLASS RING.
MY FAVORITE CHILD IS THE ONE WHO MESSED UP
THE PIANO RECITAL, MISSPELLED COMMITTEE IN A SPELLING BEE,
RAN THE WRONG WAY WITH THE FOOTBALL,
AND HAD HIS BIKE STOLEN BECAUSE HE WAS CARELESS.
MY FAVORITE CHILD SLAMMED DOORS IN FRUSTRATION,
CRIED WHEN SHE DIDN’T THINK I SAW HER,
WITHDREW AND SAID SHE WOULD NOT TALK TO ME.
MY FAVORITE CHILD IS THE ONE I PUNISHED FOR LYING,
GROUNDED FOR INSENSITIVITY TO OTHER PEOPLE’S FEELINGS,
AND INFORMED HE WAS A ROYAL PAIN TO THE ENTIRE FAMILY.
MY FAVORITE CHILD ALWAYS NEEDED A HAIRCUT
AND A CAR THAT COST A SMALL FORTUNE TO FIX.
MY FAVORITE CHILD HAD HAIR THAT WOULDN’T CURL,
AND NO DATE FOR SATURDAY NIGHT.
MY FAVORITE CHILD WAS SELFISH, IMMATURE,
BAD-TEMPERED AND SELF-CENTERED.
SHE WAS VULNERABLE, LONELY,
UNSURE OF WHAT SHE WAS DOING IN THIS WORLD –
AND QUITE WONDERFUL.”
BOMBECK CONCLUDES BY SAYING:
“ALL MOTHERS HAVE THEIR FAVORITE CHILD.
IT IS ALWAYS THE SAME ONE:
THE ONE WHO NEEDS YOU AT THE MOMENT.
WHO NEEDS YOU FOR WHATEVER REASON –
TO CLING TO, TO SHOUT AT, TO HURT, TO HUG,
TO FLATTER, TO REVERSE CHARGES TO, TO UNLOAD ON –
BUT MOSTLY JUST TO BE THERE.”
(End Quote)
JESUS WAS ACTING AN AWFULLY LOT LIKE THE MOTHERS
DESCRIBED BY ERMA BOMBECK
WHEN HE COOKED BREAKFAST FOR HIS WAYWARD DISCIPLES.
JESUS WAS ACTING AN AWFULLY LIKE THE MOTHERS
DESCRIBED BY ERMA BOMBECK
IN HIS DIFFERENT – BUT EQUALLY CARING – RESPONSES
TO PETER AND JOHN.
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.
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 SPENDING TIME
WITH HIM IN 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.
I LIKE TO THINK THAT FOR BOTH JOHN AND PETER
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 REMEMEBR 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.