"Follow Me" Part Three

Here we are in our last post of the three part series "Follow Me." When I first began writing about John 21 I believed it would be one simple post. It quickly morphed into a series and the Lord has used this to show me areas in my own heart that are in need of His touch. I am so thankful for this journey with you all, thank you for being here with me.

Last week we discussed the trap of comparison and the call from Jesus for us to simply follow Him. This idea of following Him might seem broad and unreachable but I assure you He has given us everything we need in order to enter into relationship with Him. If I could boil it down into action steps for us I would say there are two major disciplines every disciple of Jesus should learn to walk in on the road to discipleship:

1. Reading the Word of God

2. Solitary prayer

Unlike the disciples who walked with Jesus on earth, we don't have the privilege of having Jesus in human, physical form with us today (oh how amazing that would be!). However, when speaking of who Jesus was, and is, and will always be John wrote "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1) and later in his Gospel he states "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). Even after Jesus' resurrection and assention and during John's prophetic vision on the island of Patmos he writes of Jesus' return; "He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood and the name by which he is called is The Word of God" (Revelation 19:13). We may not have Jesus in human form today but we have everything necessary to know Him. Want to know Jesus? Study the Word of God. Everything in the Bible points to, exemplifies, and glorifies the person of Jesus - the Word made flesh.

Along with studying His Word to become acquainted with His character, I believe prayer is another essential part of the path of discipleship. Jesus' disciples who walked with Him intimately during His time on earth saw clearly the importance of a prayer life. Many times throughout His ministry his followers watched as he withdrew to a solitary place of prayer. During one account in Luke of Jesus' prayer time His disciples approached Him saying "teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1-4) They didn't ask Him how to heal, how to cast out demons, or even how to preach. They asked Him how to pray. If Jesus' closest group of friends saw the importance of a prayer life after running along side Jesus for three years, I believe we would be wise in following their example.

These two simple yet profound practices shift something in the life of a believer. They direct our gaze. When speaking of us as ministers of the new covenant Paul writes:

"Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 (emphasis added)

Friends, the veil has been removed for those who turn to Him! Jesus has done everything necessary for us to know Him! We no longer have to stay in the metaphorical outer courts of the temple. Through Jesus' death and resurrection we have been given access to dwell in and live out of the Holy of Holies! Just as we spoke about last week, our job is to turn our gaze from all other things competing for our attention and set our sights on Him, allowing Him to do a work in and through us that we could never accomplish on our own. In an effort to flesh out this idea I would like to turn our attention to Acts 4. In this account we find our friends Peter and John, filled with the Holy Spirit, united with one another, with eyes fixed on Jesus. I believe this story gives us insight into how to break through the trap of comparison and enter in to the fullness of life with Jesus.

This account in Acts 4 picks up in the middle of Peter and John's early ministry together. At this point Pentecost had occurred, believers (including the disciples) received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Peter had preached his first recorded sermon following Pentecost, and the fellowship of the believers was growing. When we pick up in Acts 4 a lame beggar had just been healed and Peter had gone on to preach in Solomon's Portico - rousing the attention and anger of the same religious leaders that put Jesus on the cross. Peter and John were arrested following this miracle and sermon and we pick up the next morning where they are brought before the council.

"And when they had set them in the midst they inquired, 'By what power or by what name did you do this?' Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, 'Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead - by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.' Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:7-13

I love Peter's boldness in this moment. He is fearless. What a stark contrast to the man hiding in the shadows, denying that he even knew Jesus. Here, instead of denial, Peter boldly proclaims the truth of the gospel without an ounce of shame. Notice that nowhere in scripture is it recorded that Peter looked to John to see what he was doing. He wasn't trying to measure up anymore. He wasn't worried about proving his worth or spirituality to others. His primary concern was with being obedient before the Lord. His confidence was in the deep, abiding presence of Jesus given to him by the Holy Spirit. He knew who he was solely because of who he knew Jesus to be. Jesus was now the lens through which Peter viewed life, friendship, and even persecution. From this place he was able to share the truth of the gospel boldly.

This is the promise for every believer in Jesus. When our gaze is set on the gentle and lowly One, the Great I Am, the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind, we have every single thing that we need for life and discipleship. "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33). Jesus put it plainly. Seek Him and you will find all that you need.

I believe by this moment in Acts 4 Peter had settled in his heart that the totality of his attention would be fixed on Jesus for the remainder of his life. I believe he had shed the rags of comparison and had made the choice to walk boldly in the direction Jesus was taking him - no matter the cost. This is a beautiful example to all who desire that kind of relationship with King Jesus. This story of Peter shows just how much the Lord can do with a heart bowed down at the foot of the cross, surrendered to picking up their own cross, with eyes fixed on Him. This freedom, boldness, and peace is the gift of a fixed gaze.

Imagine for a moment if Peter had made the choice to sit in shame during his encounter with Jesus in John 21. What would have happened had Peter decided to remain fixated on how Jesus would use others and never made the choice to climb out of the hole of shame and comparison and follow Jesus? What would have come of the early church without Peter? For clarity sake, I believe that God would've had His way in the early church and no man could interrupt or thwart the plans and purposes of God for His people. I am only trying to show what Peter may not have known when Jesus was inviting him to lay all things aside and follow Him. How could Peter have known all the incredible ways the Lord would use him? How could he have seen the depth of love he would experience in being led by Love Himself? Intimacy with the God of the universe and an eternal size purpose were laid out before Peter in the simple call to follow Jesus, but his yes was a choice.

This same choice is offered to every disciple of Jesus. If you're like me you may find yourself overwhelmed by the shame of falling short. You may look to the right and to the left to see what Jesus is doing with your friends or loved ones. You may even feel unworthy. I have found myself consumed by each one of these narratives at some point or another. In full honesty this blog is something I have put off for years due to the very narratives described above. In one particularly dark season of my life I reached the point of questioning my own salvation. I was buried under the weight of shame, constantly striving to sound spiritual enough to "keep up" with those around me, and became overstimulated and confused by the opinions of others. The noise in my mind was so loud, no matter how hard I tried, I could never make sense of the mess. I knew who Jesus was and had always been told that He had a plan for my life but I couldn't imagine there was anything left of me worth being used by Him. I felt dirty, unworthy, and hopeless. These are the lies of shame and comparison. My friend, don't take the bait. The enemy wants nothing more than to convince us that Jesus could never love us the way He promises He does. Satan's tactic is the same today as it was in the garden. Satan whispers "Did God actually say?" but God says "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). When you feel the weight of comparison or shame pressing down on your shoulders, simply stand on His truth. Turn to His Word. Fix your eyes on Jesus. When Jesus says "Follow Me" he has done everything necessary to give you the freedom and joy of saying yes. Choose Him, friend. He will bring clarity to your confusion "for God is not a God of confusion but of peace" (1 Corinthians 14:33). He gives us victory over sin and shame (1 Corinthians 15:53-58). He empowers us through the Holy Spirit to accomplish His will. We need only to say yes to following Him.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13

In my opinion, this verse perfectly showcases the purpose and product of a life surrendered to following Jesus. Peter had completely surrendered His life to walking in step with his Savior. He jumped in the deep end of discipleship with Christ. The result? The council didn't just see Peter and John, they saw that they had been with Jesus. Our obedience showcases His glory. When we die to ourselves in order to follow Him, He is given center stage for all who we encounter. We become His hands and feet. Our lives become the proclamation of His goodness to humanity. This is the promise He offers on the other side of our yes to following Him. What an amazing call!

Luke, the author of Acts, goes on to finish the narrative of Peter and John before the council by explaining how the council deliberated the case and the charge they gave to Peter and John to stop preaching the name of Jesus. Some commentators assert that Luke likely found out the specifics he wrote about of the councils' deliberation because a member of that council later became a believer: Saul of Tarsus. Friends, this is the power of discipleship with Jesus. Peter and John may have had no idea that they were preaching to the future writer of the majority of the New Testament and the greatest missionary of all time.

Our yes matters. Through this story, God has given us a beautiful example of the depth, power, and reach of His love when met by a surrendered heart. The trap of comparison and lies from the enemy about our worth are only age-old tactics working to keep us from locking eyes with Truth Himself. I believe a surrendered follower of Jesus commands the attention of heaven. I'd like to think that angels lean down to look upon the marvelous things the Lord can do through a heart after His.

Your life is not an accident. You are here on this earth at this moment in time on purpose. You are not less desirable or chosen than the one sitting next to you. The Lord has need of you. God has not left you because of your failures or questions. My friend, He is with you. He loves you. He is beckoning us to a place of radical intimacy with Him. I believe He is pouring out over His surrendered ones. He has extended the same incredible invitation he gave to Peter to follow Him above all else. He is the well that never runs dry. When our eyes are fixed on Him we will never be without. Better yet, for the one who fixes their attention on Jesus, "out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38). Not only will we be nourished, Jesus in us will be like a cold drink of water to the thirsty souls around us.

This is the gift of a fixed gaze.