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How do you seek God? Are there any practices or attitudes or things you can do that would qualify as “seeking God”?
Text: Psalm 105:4-5
Today we want to think about the relationship between “remembering” and action. And ultimately, this entire series has been about see God for “who” He is, seeing what He has done and what He offers us and then responding in love toward Him. During this week, we’ll look at this critical moment in the life of one of the more important figures in the scriptures.
READ: John 21:14-17
Background: Peter was possibly the oldest of the Apostles and obviously one of the inner three. Peter was the often the spokesman for the group and would have been seen as a leader. But remember, he denied Jesus. In those days, any denial of the Rabbi like this would have meant that Peter was done as a follower. To deny your Rabbi, was betrayal of the worst kind and meant permanent removal. This is why Peter returned to fishing. But something happened on that first day back at the old job. Something amazing and hopeful. Something I think we can all relate to. Peter begins to taste forgiveness for himself. He would never be the same after this event. And by the way…neither would we. For God did a miracle in the heart of this man and through him, changed the world. He can and does the same for each one of us.
Q: So in the Greek, Jesus uses the word “agape” (meaning divine love) repeatedly. This usually indicates an increase in intensity. Many have noted that in the Greek, Peter replies with the word “phileo” (meaning a friendship or endearing kind of love). The last time (v.17) Jesus changes to “phileo”. What is interesting about this to you?
Q: Does the increase of intensity signify anything?
Q: In what way can you relate to this scene?
Q: What is interesting about Jesus’ response to Peter’s struggle? Is this hopeful? Sad? What?
Q: Take some time to study Peter after this event. What happens to him in the course of history? (Acts is a really good book to find out!). Now, even in his moment of struggle, how does Jesus’ response and Peter’s eventual impact on the history of the world, give you hope for your own struggle.
POINT: In your “seeking”, even if it’s been half-hearted, inconsistent, or not what God desires, there is still hope. God has given His Spirit, His Word, His people, the Church, and even things like freedom in this country, relative prosperity and opportunity, not to mention the “benefits” we spent three weeks studying. So, given all this, how can we dedicate/re-dedicate our passionate pursuit of God’s heart? Why not begin today by dedicating yourself to Him?
Peter is one of my favorites because I can relate in so many ways. What I find interesting is that Jesus in His great love, compassion and patience was helping Peter understand that love does not originate with human knowledge, intelligence, or even the amount of time spent with Jesus. By “amount of time spent with Jesus” I say because of the three years Peter spent with Jesus, yet did not know “agape.” The love Jesus speaks of surpassess all understanding. “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 Jn 4:10 This love is divine. The love “phileo” that Peter responds with is based in human understanding. I know I can relate to this experience. My own experience has been that of frustration. The question I wrestled with for so long was, when praying for direction was how do I know the answer? How do I hear? How can I be certain the “answer” is fom God and not that of my own will? I was often discouraged about praying because I was waiting to understand how the answer would be revealed before even asking. Maybe that sounds ignorant, but I wonder if that’s maybe how Peter felt. The last time Peter was the most intimate with Jesus up until this encounter of reconciliation was at the Last Supper. Peter didn’t understand where Jesus was going nor why he could not follow Jesus at that time. Talk about perplexing! Now here is Jesus speaking about a divine love and offering that love as a gift of grace to not only Peter, but the people Christ would reach through Peter (feed my lambs, feed my sheep).
Jesus’ response to Peter’s struggle is full of hope. There are certain personality traits or characteristics that draw us to certain people and away from others. For me, what I love about the character and personality that Jesus reveals in this encounter is the way He accepts Peter right where he is in the moment. That encourages me. Because some days I really need to know/remember that God engineers all of lifes cirrcumstances. The outward and inward trials. I suppose this is why Paul stresses the importance of being thankful always; because God orchestrates it all. It may not feel so good at times, but He teaches me and is patient with me. That I most certainly am thankful for! Jesus meets me where I am in my doubts, discouragement, lack of faith, bad attitudes that He wants to correct, and so it goes.
Lent this year was the most powerful for me. Starting in the Psalms with David panting for God as in thirsting in the desert. That appealed to me! I can relate to that thirst and yearning. I have to say, what spoke to me the loudest was on Good Friday when I was able to write down all my sins and nailed them to the cross. My sins, nailed there with my own hands, that did something to me inside. That was deeply personal for me. Between me and Jesus. In past years the elders nailed our names to the cross. To be honest, I’d heard that Jesus died for my sins so many times that having my name announced in service made no impact because it was nailed there by someone else. Christ suffered for what I did, but all the while was thinking of me. That surpasses all understanding! For there to be personal reconciliation Jesus pulls each one of us aside and gently speaks love and forgiveness. I nailed my sins there and left them there. It means I will always need Christ’s help, being covered in the power of His blood. Jesus walked me up to the cross Good Friday, watching me nail my sins there and walking away with an overwhelming sense and understanding of His great love for me, yet at the same time breaking my heart, not for how I saw my sin, which is always rooted in self-centeredness, but for how it broke His heart. It was then that I understood that His love, His blood, His peace, fills in the cracks of my brokeness. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Psalm 51:17
Reader, what is God doing in your life at this moment? Dare to share?