peace . love . joy

'When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"

"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."'

~ John 21: 15

There by the sea, Jesus first called them to become fishers of men and women. There by the sea of fishes, Jesus first called them to look beyond the material and see the immaterial: the sea of souls. To go and share love of the Father, the joy and peace of the Spirit, and the hope of the Son.

That was three or so years ago. Now comes the call to be a shepherd.

But why did the passage note Jesus especially instructing Peter, but not the others?
And why did He ask if he loved Him?

Perhaps Peter secretly thought his love for the Lord is far greater and magnificent as compared to that of the others. Perhaps his love really was 'better' than the others'.

But love is only evident in obedience, and a willing servant's heart.

"Feed my lambs."
Lambs are baby sheep. At that point in time, followers of Christ were just beginning to take heart that the man they believed to be the Messiah really was the Messiah. They were babies in the Faith. Only later would the first babies grow into youths and adults, and then it would be their turn to care for the new babies from the new generations.

What was Peter to use as lamb feed?
Jesus, of course!
Just as Jesus had been feeding Peter and the other eleven especially for the past three years with fish and bread, so now Peter is to take over the reins.

Sheep must be cared for and tended. Rather like people. And the role of caring and tending is that of the shepherd.

For the rest of their lives, the apostles will take on the role and responsibility of the shepherd of souls.

In many of Peter's letters to come, 'shepherd' will always be there written between the lines.

That is what the word 'pastor' means, by the way =]

You are called to become not just fishers of men, but shepherds of souls. To willingly allow the Almighty to reach those who have yet to see and hear and taste and feel and smell through you, for His glory. And to willingly allow Him to use you to tend His sheep on Earth.

Scary?

Well, let me put it this way:

Do you truly love Jesus Christ more than these?

'"Hear then the parable of the sower:

When anyone hears the word of the kindgom and doesn't understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."

~ Matthew 13: 18-23

This was yesterday's lesson, in my group, led by Clarence, for the 16 year olds. It was titled "Spiritual Receptivity". Daunting title, isn't it? But I thought Clarence did a swell job, managing to make sense and hold the fort by himself simultaneously =]

Anyhow, here're some of my thoughts about the passage:

'When anyone hears the word of the kindgom and doesn't understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.'

What does it mean to not 'understand' the 'word of the kingdom'? Sounds pretty simple, you say, well then you think about it and tell me what it means to 'understand', then. Comprehend, to grasp the meaning of, to 'get'. Yes, yes, but what does it mean to comprehend? To grasp the meaning of? To 'get'?

I looked to the next few verses, hoping for some light to be shed on the subject, and I found it, or at least I think I did. I found what it means to 'understand' the 'word of the kingdom'.

'As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.'

Does this second person 'understand'?
I think he went one step further: he 'received it with joy'. In Faith.
But he 'has no root in himself', and enduring for a bit, he backs down and runs away, tail between his legs.
He lacks the 'root'. Virtue & Knowledge.

'As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.'

Does this third person 'understand'?
This one 'hears the word', but is overcome by the world.
He too lacks. Self-control & Steadfastness.

'As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.'

This last person Jesus describes as having heard and understood.
Which means he has it all.

And by reference to the prior verses, I take having heard and understood to be:

Having heard the good news, he received it in Faith, supplementing it with Virtue. And by those, he pursued Knowledge, developing Self-control and Steadfastness. In exercising these pearls and treasures, he sheds his mortal coat in exchange for the robe of Godliness, which in turn aligns his heart with that of the Holy One, filling it with Brotherly Affection. He is engulfed by a wave of Love.

Does it sound like this is for non-Christians and for non-Christians only? To comfort the Christian when he evangelises but receives no immediate visible return?

Simeon Peter, servant and apostle of Jesus the Christ wrote a letter 'to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ' (aka Christians) in 2 Peter:

'For this very reason, adding your diligence [to the divine promises], employ every effort in exercising your faith to develop virtue (excellence, resolution, Christian energy), and in [exercising] virtue [develop] knowledge (intelligence), And in [exercising] knowledge [develop] self-control, and in [exercising] self-control [develop] steadfastness (patience, endurance), and in [exercising] steadfastness [develop] godliness (piety), And in [exercising] godliness [develop] brotherly affection, and in [exercising] brotherly affection [develop] Christian love.'

~ 2 Peter 1: 5-7

This advice and exhortation is given to you, Christians. The 'you's here refer to you, Christian.

Do you 'understand' your Faith?

'Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say , "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.'

~ John 21:7

"It is the Lord!" That is all Peter needed to hear. Those four monosyllabic words. "It is the Lord!" And he believed it.

He didn't call out to the figure on the shore, asking the man to bid him come to him by walking on the water as he did Jesus few years ago. No. At the sound of those words from John, Peter threw on his outer garment and rushed to be at the Lord's side the fastest, and perhaps only, way he knew how: he swam.

Bear in mind this was early in the morning still, and the water's probably, most definitely, cold. But Peter just swam those chilly choppy hundred yards or so just to be by his risen Lord's side once more. One might venture that that was all that was on his mind then: "I've got to get to Jesus. Now." That's probably not too far off.

The desperation and urgency and excitement to be by Jesus' side is evident in Simon Peter's response. You might've thought Peter, of all the disciples, would jump out of the boat and start swimming the other way; away from Jesus on the shore, considering that it was he who betrayed Jesus thrice before the rooster crowed, considering it was to him who Jesus directed that intense gaze after the betrayal. But no! Impulsive, fiery, passionate, broken Peter dove headlong into the cold waters of the sea and swam, fastest he could, burst out of the water, soaking and dripping wet, jogging stupidly towards Jesus, probably splashing Him a little too. He ran straight to the One whom he thrice betrayed.

I think Peter, like Judas, was numb with grief and misery at what he did; Peter with his denials of ever even knowing the Christ, and Judas with his transaction of his Rabbi with thirty silver coins. But here is where the similarities end. Peter, unlike Judas, knew what was in store for him by the stranger on the shore. Peter, unlike Judas, knew at least a bit about the Lord and His ways. Peter, unlike Judas, knew forgiveness incarnate was standing there waiting for him.

Whatever sins you have committed in your life; the things that you did that hurt the Lord, and, the things you did not do that would otherwise please the Lord, know that Jesus, your Lord and Savior, is forgiveness embodied.

What's stopping you from rushing to Him who stands on the shores of Life?
What's stopping you from running into His arms, sobbing like an idiot?

Pride?
Disbelief?

Jesus promises us forgiveness. Jesus is it: His sole purpose to come and die betrays His forgiving and loving nature.
So easy, huh? Just come and say you're sorry and really want to be forgiven so bad you could burst..

How do you respond to that: ready forgiveness?

'But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know it was Jesus...Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!"'

~ John 21: 4,7

Jesus appears to them under the same conditions and situations when He first called them.

Though at first they did not recognise Him (perhaps it was the soft but piercing flickers of the first sun rays on the constantly rippling waters of the sea that blurred their vision, or perhaps they were just too emotionally drained to look again at the figure on the shore), they did just 3 verses of Jesus' enquiry & instruction later.

What about you?

What if you were there, 2000 or so years ago, on a simple wooden fisherman's boat, riding the lapping waves. A slight sea breeze ruffles your hair, the brilliant sun rises in the East, but all these you barely notice for the one whom you thought would save all, the one whom you had shared a room with, a meal with, a walk with, had died on the Cross on Golgotha.

Suddenly a lone figure on the shore about a hundred yards away calls out, "Friends, haven't you any fish?"

You realise you are not alone out there. There is someone on the shore watching you and initiating contact with you.

Do you realise that that someone who is calling out to you is Jesus?

Do you realise that He is there, closer than you think, now, every moment of your life watching you? Listening to you? Seeing your thoughts?

Does that mean anything to you?

God's eyes are always trained on you.

But it's up to you how you'd respond to that.

'After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will also come with you." They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.'
~ John 21:1-3

Three years ago, Jesus appeared to Simon Peter, his brother Andrew, and the sons of Zebedee, James and John, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men", said He. And the Bible says immediately, they left their nets, their boats, their father, and followed Him. They left everything the world tells them they need in order to physically live at the instruction of a stranger they have never set eyes upon and followed Him.

Embarking on a journey none would have dreamt of in their wildest imaginations, they touched Jesus, heard Jesus, ate with Jesus, conversed with Jesus, walked with Jesus, the one they called the Messiah, the one they called the Son of David, the one they called Emmanuel. They've witnessed countless miracles, far more than the number recorded the the Bible, they've witnessed countless conversions to the faith, they've witnessed countless powerful yet gentle, mind-boggling yet simple exhortations and lessons and parables of the Truth. They've even fought over who's to sit at Jesus' right hand!

And yet three years later, at the death of their Rabbi, Simon Peter says "I'm going out to fish." Their nets were once more empty. One cannot help but imagine how it is a reflection of their hearts and souls. Empty. As though the past three years living with the Christ had never happened. Here they were, in a wooden boat riding stagnant on the calm waves of a sea, attempting to fish, but in vain. Back to where they started.

What is your life like, Christian?

Are you back to where you've started as though those moments, seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years with Jehovah-Eloheenu, the Lord our God, had never happened?

Where are you?