“Mind Your Own Business”
John 21:18-23
INTRODUCTION: We continue in our series on the Post-Resurrection appearances of Jesus.
Last week we saw The Disciples at the Sea of Galilee, waiting for Jesus to appear to them.
Instead of waiting idle, they decided to go fishing.
Jesus fixed breakfast for them on the shore, and when they caught a net full of fish, they came to shore to join Jesus.
Jesus publicly restored Peter to fellowship by asking him 3 times “Do you love Me?”.
Accepting Peter’s statement that he loved Jesus, Jesus tells him to “Feed My sheep”.
NOW – Jesus has some more to say to Peter.
John 21:18-23
21:18-19a
Jesus had just commissioned Peter to “Feed My sheep”.
NOW … Jesus tells Peter what it will COST him.
After the Day of Pentecost, and Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit, his “phileo” love will turn to the “agape” love that Jesus desired for Peter.
Peter would serve Jesus with his whole heart … totally committed to Christ.
AND … it would cost Peter his life.
Jesus is here predicting Peter’s ultimate death … being taken captive and killed for his faith.
TRADITION has it that about 34 years after this incident, when he was about 75 years old, Peter & his wife were arrested because of their faith in Jesus.
After watching his wife being killed, he was placed on a cross.
Thinking himself unworthy to die like Jesus, he asked that he be placed on the cross upside-down.
“glorify God” – Peter glorified God in his life … AND … in his death.
In Gilchrist County, we don’t think too much here about having to “glorify God” by DIEING
for our faith.
We think more about “glorifying God” by “counting our many blessings”, and giving God the glory.
BUT … do we even do that?
How many times do we even stop to thank God for His outpouring of His grace, mercy and love upon us?
We are more likely to bask in His riches, and FORGET the God who has given it all to us … DON’T WE?
That’s when God might have to bring some trial or trouble into your life … to get you to focus on Him.
Psalm 50:15 – “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”
1 Peter 4:16 – “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”
God wants to be “glorified” in your life … if it takes persecution, death, trials, troubles … then that’s what God will use.
For the Apostle Paul, it was his “thorn in the flesh”.
2 Cor. 12:7-9 – “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. [8] For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. [9] And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Everything that God allows to come into your life, is meant to “glorify God”.
NOW – God wouldn’t allow it if He didn’t give you the ability to use it for His glory.
If your trials & troubles DON’T give God the glory … don’t blame God … He wouldn’t have allowed it if it couldn’t be used for His glory.
He will ALWAYS give you the wisdom, strength, power and ability to turn whatever situation you’re in … for HIS GLORY.
Just trust Him … rely on Him … lean on Him …
God wouldn’t be “glorified” if He didn’t give you the strength to overcome your trials.
21:19 – “Follow Me.”
Jesus was very upfront with Peter.
He told Peter what was ahead for him … no surprises … no secrets … no hidden agendas …
“Peter, this is what you can expect … NOW … follow Me.”
CHRISTIAN … following Jesus isn’t always easy!
Matthew 16:24 – “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me’.”
Peter was willing to deny himself even of his very LIFE … LITERALLY, that was the CROSS that Peter had to bear.
That’s probably not what Jesus has in mind for you & me.
We have our OWN crosses to bear … things in our own life that need to be CRUCIFIED.
Maybe for you it is a sin of the FLESH that needs to be crucified - Romans 13:14 – “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”
Maybe for you it is SELFISHNESS that needs to be crucified … or JEALOUSY … or PRIDE … or LAZINESS … or HATE … I could go on & on.
As you search deep within your heart, I think you can find the things that Jesus wants you to hang on your CROSS … and CRUCIFY.
Jesus wants to be upfront with you … He will tell you what you need to deny to follow Him.
21:20
When Jesus tells Peter what’s in store for him, Peter turns to John.
NOTICE how John (who wrote this book) identifies himself … “the disciple whom Jesus loved”.
John uses this phrase to refer to himself 4 times in the book of John.
HERE … he even quoted himself at the Last Supper … telling us that he was the one closest to Jesus (“leaned on His breast”).
21:21
There must have been a rivalry between Peter & John.
Both were part of the “inner circle” of Peter, James & John … they had a special place in the heart of Jesus.
Peter always wanted to be FIRST … he didn’t like to LOSE, much less come in SECOND PLACE.
Have you ever known anybody like this?
ILL.: There was a man in my first church I pastured … he refused to play any board games with other church members (they often met after church for fellowship). One day I asked him “Why?”. He told me that he was very competitive, and hated to lose … and he didn’t want to risk embarrassing himself or others if he lost.
I too, am very competitive. I don’t like to lose. My grandson Tyler (5 years old) challenged me to a chess game, which he is beginning to learn. I beat him 3 games straight. When he told his Dad (my son) that I had beaten him, Chuck replied, shaking his head, “That’s my Dad … he plays to win!”
There was an older man in our church who invited us over for supper … and games. He was also very competitive, and invited our 6 year old son to a game of Tri-ominos. We had played this at home, so Doug knew how to play. The old man thought he would teach Doug a few things about the game. The very first game, Doug beat him! The old man wasn’t used to losing … especially to a 6 year old boy … he got quite upset!
Being competitive isn’t all bad … but it CAN be a hindrance, if you let it control you.
Peter was very competitive … and there seems to be a rivalry between him & John – 21:7
Peter wasn’t about to let John meet Jesus before him … especially after 20:2-4
One time, James & John came to Jesus and asked Him if they could sit, one on His right, and the other on His left, in the Kingdom (Mk. 10:35-37).
This really disturbed the other Disciples … especially competitive Peter – 10:41 - “And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.”
Peter wanted to know what was in store for John … if he was going to have to DIE for his faith as well.
o MAYBE … Peter was hoping that John wouldn’t get off easier than Peter … that he would have to die also.
o OR MAYBE … Peter was hoping that John WOULDN’T have to die for his faith …. that way Peter would give God the GREATER GLORY.
Peter never wanted to be “one-upped” by anybody … especially John.
o OR MAYBE … Peter wanted to divert the focus off himself … and onto someone else.
After all, Peter had boasted about how much he loved Jesus … then denied knowing Him 3 times.
Maybe Peter didn’t want all this attention … he wasn’t able to live up to the expectations of Jesus before … maybe he didn’t want the other Disciples to focus on his life & ministry … if he failed Jesus again.
For WHATEVER reason, Peter asks Jesus about John … “What is in store for John?”
We get into trouble when we look at other people … at what God is doing in their lives, DON’T WE?
We look at how God is blessing brother so-and-so … and we wonder why God isn’t blessing us that much.
We look at sister so-and-so … and we wonder why she has it so much better than we do.
“It’s just not fair! I’m just as good or even a better Christian than they are … God’s not treating me as good as I deserve.”
Preachers have a hard time with this too!
“Pastor so-and-so has a bigger church … bigger salary … more recognition … and I’m just a good a preacher as he is … if not better!”
We think God has made a bookkeeping error when it comes to us … He has lost track of us … failed to keep His accounts up-to-date.
LISTEN to what Jesus told Peter (and He speaks to us as well):
21:22 – “Peter, mind your own business! YOU … follow Me!”
What Jesus is doing in anybody else’s life is none of my business …or your business.
o If God wants to bless your cranky old neighbor with a new car, and you drive around in a junk heap … that’s God’s business.
o If God wants to bless brother/sister so-and-so with good health and you can’t stay out of the hospital … that’s God’s business.
“YOU … follow Me!”
God doesn’t make any mistakes … He knows what He’s doing in YOUR LIFE … AMEN?
The sooner we realize this, the sooner we can trust Him with what He’s doing in our life.
Let’s just keep our eyes on Jesus ... and off others.
21:23 – NOTICE how rumors get spread!
They took what Jesus said (21:22), and started telling everybody that Jesus said that John would be around for the Rapture.
Have you ever been misquoted? Or misunderstood?
ILL.: I recently got into trouble because a Pastor misunderstood something I said to him. Instead of coming to me and getting an explanation, he told others what he thought I said. When word got back to me, I called him & straightened it all out … and he contacted those who he had misinformed. No harm done … but it was unfortunate.
John sets out to set the record straight about what Jesus said about him – 21:24
Sometimes our tongues get the best of us, don’t they?
We put our mouth in motion, before we put our mind in gear!
Let’s make sure our “testimony is true” before we start repeating something that may be damaging to others.
CONCLUSION:
Peter went on to be a great leader in the early church.
Peter got over his great rivalry with John … and he focused on what Jesus wanted HIM to do.
Jesus said: “Follow ME” … and that’s exactly what Peter did.
Where does Jesus want to lead you this AM?
What CROSS does Jesus want to lead you to?
What does Jesus want you to CRUCIFY … so you can begin following Him?
Maybe you have DENIED Jesus … like Peter did … DENIED Him your time, your thankfulness, your talents, your service, your finances, your thoughts, your love.
Remember the words of Jesus … Mark 8:34 - "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”
STAND – PRAY
#361 – “Wherever He Leads, I’ll Go”
OUTLINE HANDOUT
“Mind Your Own Business” – John 21:18-23
INTRODUCTION: Jesus has publicly restored Peter into fellowship, and commissioned him.
21:18-19a – It will cost Peter his life to “Feed My sheep”.
- “glorify God” – You may not be called upon to DIE for your faith … but do we even “glorify God” by LIVING for Him?
- God might bring some trial into your life to get you to focus on Him and “glorify God” – Psalm 50:15, 1 Peter 4:16
- For Paul, it took a thorn in the flesh – 2 Cor. 12:7-9
- God won’t allow any trial in your life UNLESS it can be used to glorify Him … He will ALWAYS give you the strength to use it for His glory.
21:19 – “Follow Me.” – Following Jesus isn’t always easy.
- Matthew 16:24 – To follow Jesus, you must deny yourself, and take up your cross.
- What things in your life need to be CRUCIFIED … put to death?
- Sins of the flesh (Romans 13:14) … selfishness … jealousy … pride … laziness … hatred?
21:20 – Peter turns to John to see what Jesus has to say about John.
21:21 – There must have been a competition, rivalry between Peter & John … Peter didn’t like to come in second – John 21:7, 20:2-4, Mark 10:35-41
- You get into trouble when you look at what God is doing in somebody else’s life … and become jealous.
- Don’t blame God because someone else is being blessed more than you.
21:22 – It’s none of your business what Jesus is doing in somebody else’s life … “YOU, follow Me!”
- God doesn’t make mistakes .. He knows what He is doing.
21:23 – Rumors about John began to spread.
21:24 – John sets the record straight.
- Make sure your “testimony is true” before you start repeating something.
CONCLUSION:
• What does Jesus want you to CRUCIFY (put to death) in your life?
• What have you DENIED Jesus? Mark 8:34
PRISCILLA BAPTIST CHURCH – Ray Scott, Pastor
