What About John? John 21:17-21
In 1991 Bill Murray starred in a movie about a manipulative, obsessive-compulsive patient who tracks down his psychotherapist, who is on vacation. The patient ends up completely taking over the doctor’s vacation. The movie was called, “What About Bob?”
• (At this point I showed a brief clip from the movie)
• This morning I want to talk about the case of Simon Peter, who was also trying to be manipulative when Jesus asked Peter a series of questions after Jesus’ resurrection (read Scripture)
If you remember the Bible account ~ Jesus had told Peter that he was going to deny Jesus three times just before Jesus was to be crucified.
• Of course, Peter tells Jesus that there was no way her was ever going to do that!
• But, when the time came, Peter did just that!
In this passage of Scripture, Jesus has arisen from the dead, and has found Peter, with James and John, who have been out fishing all night.
• Jesus then asks those questions, “Peter, do you love me?”
• We can be sure that Jesus already knew the answer to the question, but He is asking to make sure that Peter knows the answer.
• We didn’t read the whole account of the conversation, but we know that Jesus asked Peter three times, just as Peter had denied Jesus three times.
• Each time Peter answers basically, “I have brotherly affection for you.” (This is the definition of the word LOVE that Peter uses here).
Then Jesus says something that probably threw Peter a curve (vv. 18-19)
• What Jesus is saying here is something like, “O, by the way Peter, you know how I died, now this is how you are going to die. So truly follow Me ~ now and always!”
Peter then does something that all of us have been guilty of at one time or the other:
• Peter looks at John and asks, “What about John?” (v. 21)
• Peter might have asked this out of curiosity or jealousy, we don’t know.
What was Jesus’ response? (v. 22)
• Basically, Jesus was saying, “Don’t worry about him; I’ll do what I please with him. You follow Me!”
• This is very wise counsel for all Christians: Don’t worry about what Jesus has called others to do for Him ~ you follow Him!
I). John is not called to do the same work, or into the same ministry, that you are called to do.
A). God’s call is a personal call. He knows how you can best serve Him, and He knows how the person next to you can serve Him.
• I Corinthians 12:4-7
B). Each one of us are given the gifts, talents and abilities that we need to fulfill His call on our lives ~ and it is done that way so that we, as the church, can function as the Body of Christ.
• I Corinthians 12: 14 & 27
• So none of us should be overly concerned, or jealous about what God has in store for someone else ~ it is our responsibility to follow Him!
II). John has different situations and circumstances than you do.
A). That’s’ true in our personal families and in our church family.
• Circumstances and situations are different for different members!
B). The problem is that we want to be critical of other Christians who don’t see things that same way we do.
• We want to criticize the people who don’t jump on the bandwagon of what we think is important, or of what God is calling us to do!
• If they don’t worship like we do ~ like the music we do ~ help out with the things we think they should be helping out with: we get critical.
C). The Bible has a very important word about this: Romans 14:10-13
• Fulfill YOUR calling and try to help others with theirs ~ we don’t know what is going on with them until we work beside them!
• It is not our job, right, or position to criticize!
III). In the Church we all have obligations and responsibilities to fulfill!
A). John Wesley called it the “Priesthood of all believers.”
• Where did he get this? From the Bible of course!
• 1 Peter 2:5 & 9
B). If all Christians are part of a royal priesthood, then every Christian is called to be in ministry.
• Every Christian is called to be in ministry, because every Christian is a part of a holy priesthood.
• Not that every Christian is called to become a pastor, or that every Christian is called to do work at the church.
• What I mean is that every Christian is called to find their particular channel in his or her life in which God needs a priest.
• Every Christian is called to find the particular opening in his or her life in which God needs someone to bring Him into everyday life.
C). And I will guarantee you this: IF everyone who is a part of the Church (every Christian) will stop being concerned with what someone else in the church is doing (or not doing) then there will be enough talent, gift, finances and witness in the Church to take care of the work that needs to be done!
• What happens when we are too overly concerned or jealous about someone else?
• We stop doing our job for God effectively and we hinder someone else from being able to do their work for the Lord effectively!
• Each of us is a living stone in God’s house ~ the Church.
Jesus tells Peter, “Don’t worry about John, you follow Me.”
• Don’t judge his relationship with Me, or his service to Me.
• You follow Me!
