ONE ON ONE
Prayer
Praying On The Journey With Christ
A Commitment To Encounter Christ Through The Gospel Of John
Object:
John 21:15-19
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go." (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, "Follow me."
COMMENTARY
Jesus begins every one of his three questions to Peter with the calling of his name. Like Mary at the empty tomb, the calling of his name made him know it was one on one.
Peter could not help but recall that he had denied Jesus three times. This threefold questioning of him was designed to never let him forget that God knew his name, and he was never to betray God again. It may have grieved Peter for a season, but through the ordeal he became a seasoning himself, a salt, an inspiration for the rest of us, even as they tightened the promised belt around him and led him to a martyr's death.
As Jesus pulled Peter gently away from his friends, in order that his primary loyalty might be established forever, he did it by asking him about his loves. "Do you love me more than these?" Jesus asked, and Peter had to compare his love for the friends of this world to the love he had for Christ.
Jesus' commands to Peter are for our sake: "Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep." In a way, Peter is expendable, as are any of us individually, because Jesus can, and will, resurrect us. But until that day, our witness of faithfulness in the midst of adversity is grist for the mill of Christian faith.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, three times you called Peter by name, three times, formally, at length, before asking him anything. You named him, and he could never deny that you knew him inside and out, intimately, lovingly.
Did Peter know that hearing his name on your lips, Lord, meant that he was being called to die to this world? Probably so. The two of you were on the wrestler's mat, and you would win, because you are who you are. You are irresistible when you call our names.
Lord, sometimes we like to be incognito. We like to get lost in the crowd and have no demands placed upon us. If you know our names, how can we hide from your presence, even for a moment's worth of privacy? If we want to take a moment away from being your person, but you know our name, how can we ever be free from your gaze, free from your presence, free from responsibility for the next chore? You give us no rest. You know how to find us in our most secret places. You come in through our hearts and minds, and no place is secure from your calling.
We could die serving you, Lord, and who would care? Like Peter, we could be called upon to give up not only our fishing boats and friends and leisure, but also our lives; and what would we do for you without them?
It is hard to believe that we are expendable to you. It is hard to believe that death for the sake of love is the only message that most of the world can hear. So long as it's your death, okay, but not ours. We have no desire to be martyrs. We like the thought of a quiet and peaceable life. We would rather go fishing with Peter.
Lord, you pulled Peter away from his nets. You sent him out with the knowledge that he, himself, was caught. You knew his name, and he could not get away.
In the end, Lord, that had to be the most wonderful of all the facts of his life. You gave him singularity. You marked him with your cross and you called him by name. Then, and only then, did you give him work to do.
Lord, you know my name. You know our names. We cannot pretend it is otherwise. First you call us by name, ask us about our first love, then you send us. You mark us with your cross, and at baptism you adopt us. Once we were no one. Now we are someone. Now we are your sent followers. Amen.
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go." (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, "Follow me."
COMMENTARY
Jesus begins every one of his three questions to Peter with the calling of his name. Like Mary at the empty tomb, the calling of his name made him know it was one on one.
Peter could not help but recall that he had denied Jesus three times. This threefold questioning of him was designed to never let him forget that God knew his name, and he was never to betray God again. It may have grieved Peter for a season, but through the ordeal he became a seasoning himself, a salt, an inspiration for the rest of us, even as they tightened the promised belt around him and led him to a martyr's death.
As Jesus pulled Peter gently away from his friends, in order that his primary loyalty might be established forever, he did it by asking him about his loves. "Do you love me more than these?" Jesus asked, and Peter had to compare his love for the friends of this world to the love he had for Christ.
Jesus' commands to Peter are for our sake: "Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep." In a way, Peter is expendable, as are any of us individually, because Jesus can, and will, resurrect us. But until that day, our witness of faithfulness in the midst of adversity is grist for the mill of Christian faith.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, three times you called Peter by name, three times, formally, at length, before asking him anything. You named him, and he could never deny that you knew him inside and out, intimately, lovingly.
Did Peter know that hearing his name on your lips, Lord, meant that he was being called to die to this world? Probably so. The two of you were on the wrestler's mat, and you would win, because you are who you are. You are irresistible when you call our names.
Lord, sometimes we like to be incognito. We like to get lost in the crowd and have no demands placed upon us. If you know our names, how can we hide from your presence, even for a moment's worth of privacy? If we want to take a moment away from being your person, but you know our name, how can we ever be free from your gaze, free from your presence, free from responsibility for the next chore? You give us no rest. You know how to find us in our most secret places. You come in through our hearts and minds, and no place is secure from your calling.
We could die serving you, Lord, and who would care? Like Peter, we could be called upon to give up not only our fishing boats and friends and leisure, but also our lives; and what would we do for you without them?
It is hard to believe that we are expendable to you. It is hard to believe that death for the sake of love is the only message that most of the world can hear. So long as it's your death, okay, but not ours. We have no desire to be martyrs. We like the thought of a quiet and peaceable life. We would rather go fishing with Peter.
Lord, you pulled Peter away from his nets. You sent him out with the knowledge that he, himself, was caught. You knew his name, and he could not get away.
In the end, Lord, that had to be the most wonderful of all the facts of his life. You gave him singularity. You marked him with your cross and you called him by name. Then, and only then, did you give him work to do.
Lord, you know my name. You know our names. We cannot pretend it is otherwise. First you call us by name, ask us about our first love, then you send us. You mark us with your cross, and at baptism you adopt us. Once we were no one. Now we are someone. Now we are your sent followers. Amen.
