Jesus revealed himself to seven of His disciples who were fishing in the Sea of Tiberias more commonly known as the Sea of Galilee. For most of us a remote lake with a special fishing hole is a comforting scene. The kind of place we might expect to see Jesus or feel his presence. The kind of place where the Holy Spirit could speak to us without the noises of the world. After finishing a breakfast of fish cooked over charcoal accompanied by fresh bread – another pleasant thought – Jesus spoke to Peter. Now this was not the first time that He saw Peter after His resurrection. ( Luke 24:34 1 Corinthians 15:5 ) Peter, as you remember, denied Jesus three times prior to the trial and Crucifixion. Jesus gave Peter a look that caused Peter to weep bitterly in deep repentance. Peter was already forgiven by Jesus ( John 20:,21--- “I am sending you” ) but the Lord needed to remove the last traces of self confidence from Peter's heart. He publicly absolved Peter's great sin in front of six witnesses and reinstated Peter as His apostle.
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus came to Peter calling him Simon son of John. He asked do you love me more than these? Peter said to Him “Yes Lord you know that I Love you. Jesus said to Peter “feed my lambs.” Jesus repeated the question a second time. Peter once again said to Him. Yes Lord you know that I love you. Jesus said tend my sheep. Peter was grieved that Jesus asked a third time. Simon son of John do you love me? Peter responded, you know that I love you Lord you know everything. Jesus once again asked him to feed his sheep. Peter denied Jesus three times. Jesus quizzed Peter three times about His love. Previously Peter, in a desire to save his own skin, forgot all about pledging his undying allegiance he had sworn to the Lord. Perhaps this affected his lukewarm response to Jesus' questions.
When Jesus asks Peter if he loves him in verses 15 and 16, it is helpful to remember that the Greek language has four words for love. Jesus is using the Greek for the highest form of love. That is Agape love----- love that is sacrificial. The same word for love that is used in John 3:16. ------ For God so loved the world. ----- Peter replies using the word Phileo for Love which is a brotherly love or affection for someone. Jesus switches in verse 17 to brotherly love. Agape is the higher form of Godly love and Peter seems to be unwilling to commit to that strong of a term, so Jesus concedes and comes down to Peter’s level. Jesus was expecting more but accepted less. I feel that this is important. It shows that we can love and serve the Lord in our imperfect states. As we are exposed to the means of Grace and the Holy Spirit teaches us, we slowly rise to the level of sacrificial love that Jesus prefers. I speculate that if Jesus would have had this same conversation with Peter after Pentecost, both Peter and Jesus would be on the same page.
Jesus tells us in Luke 9:23: “If anyone would come after me -- that is follow Him, --- let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. In our dialog with Jesus and Peter, Jesus is asking Peter to follow Him. (V 19 ) This is after Jesus describes the kind of death that Peter will suffer that would glorify God. Jesus is asking Peter to sacrifice himself and follow Him.
In Luke, scripture gives us three good examples of men who wanted to be disciples – that is followers – of Jesus but their priorities were inadequate for the task.
Someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go. Jesus said to him: “ Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. To another Jesus said “follow me.” but the man said “ Lord let me first go and bury my father. In others words he had other priorities. Jesus said to him leave the dead bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God. Another said I will follow you Lord but FIRST let me say farewell to those at my home. Jesus said to him “ No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God. Another example is the rich young man in Matthew 19 who walked away from Jesus' call to discipleship. He put a higher value on his money than he did his Lord.
Jesus is looking for disciples – that is: followers. “ A disciple – is not simply an accumulator of information or one who merely changes moral behavior in conformity with the teachings of Jesus Christ, but one who seeks a fundamental shift towards the ethics of Jesus Christ in every way including complete devotion to God the Father. ( Wikipedia )
Paul addresses this. He says in 2 Corinthians ( 5:12 ) that we are a new creation if we are in Christ. Elsewhere he tells us that we have the mind of Christ. ( 1 Cor. 2:16 )
John Chapter 6 clarifies this issue with followers as opposed to enthusiastic supporters which are portrayed as uncommitted and fickle. Jesus had gone to the other side of the sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus seeing the large crowd tested Philip. He asked “ where can we buy bread so that these people may eat? “ Andrew spoke up and said that a boy had five loaves and two fish. We know the rest of the story. Jesus fed the crowd and had leftovers. The crowd followed Jesus when there were miraculous healings of the sick and a free lunch.
Later when Jesus was teaching He said “I am the bread of life --not this bread we ate ---whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”( John 6:35 ) This statement would have been pure blasphemy to the Jewish listeners. According to their understanding, Israel was the bread of life. After Jesus further challenged their views many of the followers turned back and no longer walked with Him. So when things were fun they stayed. When Jesus started talking about a deeper relationship with Him – that is commitment --- they left. It is not hard to see why the movement to follow Jesus was called the way. Jesus did not teach a rigid legalism but a change in attitude. He taught that when we are led by the spirit, as opposed to being driven by the law, ( Galatians 5:18 ) all sorts of positive outcomes can happen. Jesus said “come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Moses came down from the mountain with the Ten Commandments. God's people needed these commandments then and we need them now. Jesus came to fulfill the law and the prophets not abolish them. ( Matthew 5:17 )
The Ten Commandments use the admonition “You shall not “ eleven times in fifteen verses. Contrast this with Jesus' Sermon On the Mount ( Mathew 5:6:7 )
And His similar sermon in Luke 6:. Remember Paul tells us in Philippians
( 2:5 NIV ) that our attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.
His attitude shines in these few following examples taken from scripture:
Retaliation
You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic,[a] let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Love Your Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers,[b] what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Giving to the Needy
6 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Let's take a closer look at Matthew 5:39
If any one slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other also. This applies to a physical slap or a verbal slap.
And so why does He say turn the left cheek too? Why does Jesus refer specifically to the right cheek? In Jesus’ day a slave master would use the back of his right hand to strike a slave on the right cheek. This was specific as a gesture used by people with power to humiliate someone with less power. Romans would do it to Jews, husbands to wives, parents to children and owners to slaves. The message was: ‘Remember I am in control over you’. Jesus says if this happens to you offer the left cheek to be hit as well. This time your abuser is in a fix. He has to use his right hand because the left hand was only used for unclean tasks. He can no longer backhand you and if he hits you he has to use his fist or open hand. This gesture was only used between equals. By turning your other cheek you have reclaimed your dignity and communicated that you refuse to be humiliated. ( Being assertive like Jesus –Aylesford Church )
These days most slaps on the right cheek are of a demeaning verbal nature. Turning the other check can range from ignoring the insult to responding assertively. I would like to think that some of the recent events in our congregational life could have had far better outcomes, and far less collateral damage, if a few cheeks, on all sides, where turned. In this seemingly small but effective way, we are responding to Jesus' call to be disciples not just enthusiastic fans. We are adopting His attitude, His ethics, and shedding our old thinking.
