Laughing Jesus by Robert Wilson, Sr.
Happy Friday, my friends! As you can see, I’m starting a new title for our Friday gathering around God’s Word. It dawned on me that perhaps I should at least give you a glimpse into what I’m thinking and the direction I’m going with the day’s Word.
Today, I’m so excited to share what God showed me one morning this week during my Bible study time. You know those moments when you’ve read a verse a hundred times during your life, and yet God suddenly shows you something new? Well, I had one of those moments this week.
I had started Judy Huitt’s Bible study Our Beloved, Our Friend a couple of months ago, but had to put it aside while we did a church-wide Bible study by Rick Warren, 40 Days in the Word. We finished a few weeks ago and I was thrilled to back to Judy’s study for the last few days of Our Beloved, Our Friend. On Tuesday this week, I turned to her last lesson, “Do You Love Me?”
Before I even looked at the references, I knew immediately at least one passage would most likely include the John 21 story of Jesus’ conversation with Peter after His resurrection, where He talked about feeding His sheep.
If you recall, three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him and three times Peter said “Lord, you know that I love you.”
Each time after Peter said he did love Him, Jesus responded with a command.”…Feed my lambs…” “…Take care of my sheep…” “…Feed my sheep…” And He ended it by saying, “Follow me!”
To me, it was a familiar, comforting story of Jesus’ desire for and command to each of us as Christ followers to live and love as He did.
But what caught my eye–and challenged my heart–was the rest of the story:
Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?“ Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” John 21:20-22 (NIV)
“What is that to you? You must follow me.”
Jesus was saying, “What business is that of yours, Peter? You concentrate on what I’ve called you to do and I’ll deal with what I’ve called John to do.”
When we compare our successes and our failures with others…when we watch as spiritual leaders fall, and thank Him that we’re not like them…when we ourselves fall, and ask Him to make us like the stars of Christiandom…He asks, “What does her life have to do with yours?”
Jesus is simply telling me to follow Him and His example…and He’ll deal with my brothers and sisters, whether they rise or fall, whether they obey or not. My responsibility is to focus on my own heart and my own relationship with Him.
Then the Lord blew me away with another application of this passage. Some of you know that I have a lost brother who is not only lost, but fully antagonist to the Gospel of Christ. I’ve struggled for years as I’ve talked with him about the Lord. No matter how clearly I try to explain it, he can’t see beyond me and my past sin. Regardless of how passionately I deliver the gift of grace, he continues to point to my failures as blatant hypocrisy that he wants no part of.
The truth is, he can’t get to Jesus because he can’t get past me.
Now I know that the next time I have a chance to point to Christ as the only way to salvation and he points to my sin instead, I can take him to the words of Jesus: “What is that to you? Your relationship with Me has nothing to do with Vonda. You get yourself right with Me…and let Me deal with her.”
And praise God, He deals with me with a scarred hand of grace…instead of what I deserve.
That’s what I want for my brother.
I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,
Vonda
(Laughing Jesus image art courtesy of RobertWilsonFineArt.com)
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