Being a Follower: No Longer In Control

After the "instant replay" of the fishing miracle, the risen Jesus prepared breakfast for his fishermen. Then he took some time to help Peter re-focus on what following him means for his life.

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

Peter's calling, his life focus, is to care for God's people. The followers may have been thinking that the passion (arrest, trial, cross and resurrection) put an end to all that. It didn't put an end to following, it made it permanent.

Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”

Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”

Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”

"Make hay while the sun shines" is an old cliche. Fact is, life tends to impose restrictions on us the older we get. Jesus was preparing Peter for what was ahead -- service, yes, then loss of freedom and comfort, then finally death. In Peter's case, it was a death much like the one he followed -- execution on a Roman cross. Jesus said that the time would come when Peter would be taken where he wouldn't have chosen to go. Like I said, circumstances, particularly aging imposes things on our lives that we don't choose and would like to avoid. That is why we need to make preparation while we can.

Peter had a way to make his ministry outlive him. He was a writer (at least he was a speaker who had a ghost writer). Through his letters, his travels, his speaking opportunities, he encouraged the believers to persevere under trial and obey -- to get their nourishment from the Scriptures and to be committed to maturity in life and character. He invested his life in younger men, like John Mark, who would continue after his death. This is how he "laid up treasure" in the Kingdom of Heaven. Today, 2000 years later, it is still paying off in my life, as well as others'.

A frequent topic in the news is how my generation -- the baby-boomers -- have not prepared for our retirement years. We might plan to bask on the sunny beaches in our golden years, but instead we end up as greeters at Wal-Mart so we can pay the bills. We did not save and invest, we did not prepare for that inevitability.

The same thing holds true for our service to the Kingdom of God. If we don't prepare for that inevitable time when we can't work like we used to, to let our investments in the Kingdom keep working for us and outlive us, we are missing an important point Jesus was making to his follower, Peter.

The same point is made by the apostle Paul and, in fact, the issue of preparing for what is to come is raised many times in the book of Proverbs. Seems like an important thing for a follower to pay attention to.

What will be leave behind? What will be our "legacy"? Presidents worry about their legacy, but it is not just for the rich and famous. It is for us little guys, too. Will others still be benefitting from my work after I'm gone?