Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” (John 21:20-23 ESV)
Peter was having a discussion with Jesus - pointed to him, but overheard by the others. Then the old telephone game began: as the story was passed from one to another it became a little bit twisted. But that is not the core issue here; the main point is that Peter was not to compare his ministry to that of others. Peter and John, though often close together, would not always be able to stay with each other. Christ had different goals and places for them. They would share much during the opening days of the church, but where they would go and what they would experience would be very different. We are all called to do different things, and that does not mean we will be weird or different in a bad way, but that God is sovereign and creative and wanting to use us in His way for His glory.
No comments:
Post a Comment