Keep Your Eyes on Your Own Page

Transcription

1 Keep Your Eyes on Your Own Page Summary and Goal Theodore Roosevelt famously, and accurately, stated, Comparison is the thief of joy. It is no different in our faith journey. We tend to either justify or condemn ourselves based on our perceptions of others. Jesus so loving reminds us, What is that to you? As for you, follow Me. Main Passages John 21:20-23 Session Outline 1. Following Jesus With Others (John 21:20) 2. The Danger of Comparing Calling (John 21:21) 3. Mind Your Own Business (John 21:22-23) Theological Theme The danger of comparison is that it takes the believer s focus off his or her own obedience to what Christ has called him or her to specifically. Christ Connection Just as Christ had a specific role for Peter to play in the growth of the church, each Christ follower has a way of living the Great Commission that is unique to the way Christ has seen fit to use him or her. Missional Application Living missionally within the body of Christ means preventing the distraction of comparison by focusing on faithfully carrying out that which Christ has given each believer to do. 1 Leader Guide

2 Historical Context of John Purpose John wrote his Gospel to inspire faith. John knew Jesus intimately, and John s Gospel provides an intimate portrait of the Lord. John recorded for us Jesus most memorable sayings, His longest sermons, and His most profound miracles. As a valued eyewitness to Jesus life (19:35), John was the source of many stories from faraway Galilee and Judea. John had heard, seen, and touched the Word of life (see 1 Jn 1:1-4). Author Despite doubts from various quarters, a good case can be made that the fourth Gospel was written by John, the one Jesus loved (as he referred to himself throughout his book), brother of James and son of Zebedee, just as early church tradition suggests. That same tradition places John in and around Ephesus, ministering to the churches of Asia Minor, until his death as an elderly man at roughly the end of the first century. The author would thus have been an eyewitness of much of the material he recounted and in a position to provide accurate information. Date Written Most scholars believe that John completed writing his Gospel around A.D. 90. To Whom Written John most likely wrote his Gospel for Jewish Christians living abroad in the Mediterranean world. Setting A small community of Christians lived in ancient Ephesus during the late first century A.D. They had learned the remarkable story of Jesus from the apostles Paul and John. This early church became strong in faith under the leadership of these men. While many stories circulated about Jesus, the apostle John had his own recollections and insights. In the later years of his life, John wrote these stories down, providing his followers and us with the fourth Gospel. Key Verses John 3:16; John 20:31 Key People John, Jesus, John the Baptist, Jesus disciples Key Places The Temple Special Features John s Gospel provides an intimate portrait of the Lord. John recorded for us Jesus most memorable sayings, His longest sermons, and His most profound miracles. Excerpted and paraphrased from the Life Application Study Bible (NIV). Tyndale House Publishes, Date of My Bible Study: 2

3 4 Session Plan Keep Your Eyes on Your Own Page For Further Discussion What about how God has called you to follow and serve Him are you most excited about? Who regularly encourages you to faithfully follow Him in those things? Introduction What are some ways that you are tempted to compare yourself with others? How does this comparison impact your personality and values? How does comparison impact your relationship with God? In this week s session, the third and final part of Jesus conversation with Peter turned to the topic of comparison. Following Jesus would cost Peter dearly: he would be crucified, just as Jesus was. In light of such a difficult discovery, Peter turned to John and asked about his fate. Instead of focusing on comparison, Jesus directed Peter to focus on his own faithfulness. This remains an important word for us today. 1. Following Jesus With Others (John 21:20) Given the situation that Peter found himself in, it was completely natural to look around at others. Having just learned of his discipleship journey ahead and his upcoming crucifixion, it was natural that Peter would focus on another person for a variety of reasons. First, a change of topic would have been a welcomed distraction. Second, discovering if all who followed Christ would share such a grisly end might have temporarily eased his anxieties. Third, the conversation recorded by John was deeply personal between Jesus and Peter. Bringing others into the conversation may have also provided momentary relief and distraction for Peter. Peter had significant spiritual history with John. Who in your life has walked with you through multiple seasons of your spiritual growth? How comfortable do you feel discussing your calling as a disciple with that person? How does having people close to you spiritually make you vulnerable to comparison? Does your knowledge of how God has blessed them and worked in their life make you envious from time to time? 3 Leader Guide

4 2. The Danger of Comparing Calling (John 21:21) In light of Peter s news, perhaps his questioning Jesus about what would happen to John was a natural next step. Scholars have varied widely over the tone of Peter s question. Was he jealously asking if everyone would receive as harsh a death as his? Was he, upon hearing of his own death, worried that his trusted colleague John would suffer so greatly as well? While it is impossible to be certain, it is clear that Peter wanted to know how John fit into all of this. How do you respond when you notice that you are bearing burdens that others around you don t bear? How does it shape your prayer life? When you read Peter s question, Lord, what about him? what is the default tone with which you read it? What does that tell you about your own response to God s calling in your life? 3. Mind Your Own Business (John 21:22-23) Jesus answer to Peter was quick and decisive. The tone of the response was unexpectedly sharp. Peter was told, in no uncertain terms, to mind his own business. Jesus pointedly directed Peter back to his own obedience, as the distraction of comparison was more than enough to cause him to fall off course. Faithfulness to his calling could not be contingent on any other factor or person. Peter was to follow Christ, not someone else. How would you have responded to such a strong rebuke? If Peter s question was a natural response to the news of his crucifixion, does the tone of Jesus response shock you? How often does some form of that s not fair seep into processing your own calling as a disciple? What are some ways you are tempted to validate your calling by evidence of God s working in someone else s life? Conclusion Describe a season in your life when following Jesus was difficult. How did your perception of your calling change during that season? What are some of the outward signs you would expect to see in someone struggling with comparison? How can you encourage others to remain faithful this week? How aware of your calling would you say you are? How are you expressing that in the way you serve others currently? What are some of the best ways you ve discovered to refine your calling? Why do you think it is important to do so? Session 4 4

5 Expanded Session Content 4 Keep Your Eyes on Your Own Page Introduction One of the gifts of the Bible is that it portrays those that God used in honest light. There is no effort to whitewash sin or brokenness for the sake of presenting a virtually perfect follower of God. In fact, there are moments in Scripture when the careful reader must marvel that God would choose to use some of the men and women that He did. One result of such an honest look at those men and women is that Scripture frequently provides examples of problems that are commonly treacherous to Christ followers. In considering the danger of comparison with other believers, one needs look no further than the Corinthian church. Among the many aspects of Christianity that they found problematic, one of the most significant matters was using the various spiritual gifts believers were given by the Holy Spirit as a ranking system. Specifically, those with the gift of speaking in tongues were held in high regard as the spiritually elite of the congregation. Those with less demonstrative gifts, like mercy, service, faith, and so on, were viewed as inferior to those with observable gifts. Correcting this toxic comparison is what informed Paul s teaching on spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12. So it was with Peter in this final section of John 21. Having received the devastating news of how his life would end directly from the mouth of Jesus, Peter began to compare his cost of discipleship with that of John. Jesus response was corrective and blunt. Jesus response serves as a stern warning about comparison among believers. What are some ways that you are tempted to compare yourself with others? How does this comparison impact your personality and values? When you think of comparison being a problem within the church from the beginning, does it make you more alert for when it happens in our church today? How does comparison impact your relationship with God? 5 Leader Guide

6 What about how God has called you to follow and serve Him are you most excited about? Who regularly encourages you to faithfully follow Him in those things? Session Summary In this week s session, the third and final part of Jesus conversation with Peter turned to the topic of comparison. Following Jesus would cost Peter dearly: he would be crucified, just as Jesus was. In light of such a difficult discovery, Peter turned to John and asked about his fate. Instead of focusing on comparison, Jesus directed Peter to focus on his own faithfulness. This remains an important word for us today. 1. Following Jesus With Others (John 21:20) Given the situation that Peter found himself in, it was completely natural to look around at others. Having just learned of his discipleship journey ahead and his upcoming crucifixion, it was natural that Peter would focus on another person for a variety of reasons. First, a change of topic would have been a welcomed distraction. Second, discovering if all who followed Christ would share such a grisly end might have temporarily eased his anxieties. Third, the conversation recorded by John was deeply personal between Jesus and Peter. Bringing others into the conversation may have also provided momentary relief and distraction for Peter. It was fitting that the person that Peter discovered following them was the disciple Jesus loved. Describing John in terms of his placement and function of the Lord s Supper was a masterful way of linking Jesus, John, and Peter. What the reader learns in that moment is three-fold. First, of all the disciples, John enjoyed a special fellowship with Jesus. At the Lord s Supper, John served as an intermediary between the disciples and Jesus, including Peter. Second, Peter and John s relationship was one of considerable trust and intimacy. It was Peter who asked John to ask Jesus which one of the disciples would betray Jesus. Peter trusted John as an intermediary. The two of them formed an informal leadership duo among the twelve disciples, which would continue into the Book of Acts. Third, Peter and John were the spiritual pulse of the twelve disciples. This is exemplified by the fact that they were the two disciples involved in the conversations in John 21. They were also the only two disciples to leave the upper room and go examine the tomb where Jesus had been when they were told He was alive (John 20). The Beloved The denotation of the disciple Jesus loved or, more commonly, the Beloved Disciple, initially appeared in John 13:23. While the Gospel of John does not identify who the Beloved Disciple was, a careful study of the various descriptions in John s Gospel, along with the fact that the character generally appears in close proximity to Jesus and/or Peter, leaves the only viable option for the identity of the Beloved Disciple as John himself. D.A Carson explains, If we wonder why the beloved disciple chooses this form of anonymity, two answers are suggested by the emphases of the Fourth Gospel. Just as the beloved disciple, if a selfdesignation, implies not arrogance but a profound sense of indebtedness to grace, so the silence as to the identity of the beloved disciple may be a quiet way of refusing to give even the impression of sharing a platform with Jesus. 1 Peter had significant spiritual history with John. Who in your life has walked with you through multiple seasons of your spiritual growth? How comfortable do you feel discussing your calling as a disciple with that person? Session 4 6

7 How does having people close to you spiritually make you vulnerable to comparison? Does your knowledge of how God has blessed them and worked in their life make you envious from time to time? Throughout the Gospels, Jesus spent an inordinate amount of time with three disciples (Peter, John, and James). In the midst of this incredibly intimate but disturbing conversation with Jesus, Peter turned to see John also following along. Human nature being what it is, this situation was ripe for comparison to rear its ugly head. 2. The Danger of Comparing Calling (John 21:21) In commenting on this passage, scholar Gerald Borchert notes, We tend to focus on comparisons. That is usually the way we try to understand whether we are okay. But that is not the way it works with God. God is concerned about us personally. Of course, God is concerned about our community but these can stand in the way of our confronting our own individual responsibilities before God. This assessment is accurate. If a person receives bad news, they often want to know if others received the same news. If one s workload increases, they want to make sure everyone else s workload increases as well. This sort of comparison determines if a person is being singled out. In light of Peter s news, perhaps his questioning Jesus about what would happen to John was a natural next step. Scholars have varied widely over the tone of Peter s question. Was he jealously asking if everyone would receive as harsh a death as his? Was he, upon hearing of his own death, worried that his trusted colleague John would suffer so greatly as well? While it is impossible to be certain, it is clear that Peter wanted to know how John fit into all of this. How do you respond when you notice that you are bearing burdens that others around you don t bear? How does it shape your prayer life? When you read Peter s question, Lord, what about him? what is the default tone with which you read it? What does that tell you about your own response to God s calling in your life? For all that Peter could have meant by his question, it is clear that Peter was no longer focusing on his own commissioning. This reality highlights the danger of comparison. Peter had just been recommissioned and restored from his sin of denying Jesus (cf. John 21:15-19). Almost immediately, Peter became focused on what calling John would receive from Jesus. Having learned of the nature of his own death, the greatest 7 Leader Guide

8 likelihood was that Peter was asking how John would meet his end. Peter was evaluating his own commissioning against John s. Jesus response was stark and sharp. 3. Mind Your Own Business (John 21:22-23) Jesus answer to Peter was quick and decisive. The tone of the response was unexpectedly sharp. Peter was told, in no uncertain terms, to mind his own business. Jesus pointedly directed Peter back to his own obedience, as the distraction of comparison was more than enough to cause him to fall off course. Faithfulness to his calling could not be contingent on any other factor or person. Peter was to follow Christ, not someone else. Lending credit to the belief that Peter was referring to what type of death John would face in light of his own newly revealed martyrdom, Jesus responded with a theoretical situation that was the exact opposite of Peter s end: What if Jesus allowed John to never taste death? George Beasley- Murray explains, He [Jesus] makes it plain that His will for his friend is of no concern to Peter, not even if that disciple is called to tread a quieter and less demanding way than his; if instead of the call to martyrdom it be the Lord s will for the Beloved Disciple to remain till the Lord himself shall come, that should make no difference to Peter in the pursuit of his vocation. Peter s end would be torturous and difficult, even if John never died at all. Peter s goal was not fairness, but unqualified obedience. You Must Follow Me The language of Jesus response is emphatic and abrupt. His response, translated, As for you, follow me, is actually more literally, You must follow me! with the greatest amount of emphasis on you. It was a repeat of the same command in verse 19, only with greater force and stronger adversative. How would you have responded to such a strong rebuke? If Peter s question was a natural response to the news of his crucifixion, does the tone of Jesus response shock you? How often does some form of that s not fair seep into processing your own calling as a disciple? What are some ways you are tempted to validate your calling by evidence of God s working in someone else s life? Verse 23 makes clear that part of the reason this interaction between Jesus and Peter was recorded was to correct an erroneous understanding already circulating through the followers of John and Peter. At the time the Gospel of John was written, Peter had already been martyred. Scholars do not completely agree on John s condition, but if he had not already died, he was extremely elderly and in poor health. This passage, then, had two impacts on the early church. First, it validated both types of leadership that Peter and John wielded over the early church. A rivalry of sorts had begun to escalate between the followers of Peter and the followers of John, so this text set aside such a divisive dynamic in the church by reminding them that, just as Jesus had not preferred one over the other, neither should those two groups. Session 4 8

9 Second, this interaction corrected what Jesus meant as a hypothetical statement that the early church had come to believe as definite truth. Now that John was dying, if not already dead, it raised questions of God s sovereignty. The diligent obedience to one s personal calling, particularly in the lives of Peter and John, was of critical importance. The manner in which those two shepherds executed their callings with unreserved devotion to Christ remains a model for believers today when tempted to evaluate their own callings in light of others. Conclusion There are multiple avenues to inject comparison into the lives of modern believers. The manner in which we share prayer requests and praise reports divulge the nature in which we have personally seen God work in our lives. The ways others respond to our ministry efforts create numerous opportunities for comparison and critique. The ministry opportunities that are presented to others may stoke the fires of envy and self-evaluation. In light of Jesus conversation with Peter, there are some important points of application. First, Christ has called each of us to obedience in the role for which He has fit us. Ephesians 2:10 teaches that we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do. Every person that calls Christ Savior has a calling for which he or she is to be obedient. In His limitless creativity, God has made each person with a different gift mix, uniquely designed for fulfilling his or her calling. Regardless of the calling, obedience is the key. Second, every believer s discipleship path will have seasons of difficulty or hardship. During those seasons, other believers discipleship paths may look preferable. Comparison of calling creates resentment in the heart of the believer, eroding their ability to remain faithful. This is one reason having other disciples to walk alongside is of utmost importance. Third, there are no inferior roles in the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12 is immensely important in this regard. Though Paul was speaking more of spiritual gifting than fulfilling calling in that chapter, the core truth is the same. Every individual believer is equipped for ministry in a specific way that enables the global body of Christ to minister with the greatest possible level of grace, beauty, and efficiency. To denigrate our own our calling in favor of what we see in someone else s life is nothing short of tragic. Describe a season in your life when following Jesus was difficult. How did your perception of your calling change during that season? 9 Leader Guide

10 What are some of the outward signs you would expect to see in someone struggling with comparison? How can you encourage others to remain faithful this week? How aware of your calling would you say you are? How are you expressing that in the way you serve others currently? What are some of the best ways you ve discovered to refine your calling? Why do you think it is important to do so? Prayer of Response Pray that God would help you be obedient to His call, no matter the cost. Ask for daily remembrance that God has prepared specific works for you to walk in according to His will. Ask the Spirit for power to walk in the Father s will, and not be distracted by His purposes for others. Additional Resources The Call by Os Guiness Courage and Calling by Gordon T. Smith Love Does by Bob Goff Session 4 10

11 For Next Week Session Title --Not Who We Used To Be Main Passages --1 Corinthianas 6:11-12 Session Outline 1. The Past in Its Proper Perspective (1 Corinthians 6:11a) 2. Introducing the Change Agent (1 Corinthians 6:11b) 3. Freedom of a New Identity (1 Corinthians 6:12) Memorize Whoever welcomes one little child such as this in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me does not welcome me, but him who sent me. - Mark 9:37, CSB 11 Leader Guide

12 Extended Commentary John 21: :20. This verse, in terms of literary flow, is attached to the previous section by the notation that as Peter turned, he saw the beloved disciple. The word following (akolouthounta) stands in a somewhat nonconnected fashion to the rest of the sentence and probably refers to the beloved disciple, but one should not overpress its significance in relation to Jesus command to Peter to follow him. The verse serves as a basic literary connective. This verse also contains another Johannine editorial aside, supplied to the reader to connect the beloved disciple with the incident at the supper when he leaned on Jesus chest (cf. 13:25) and acted as an intermediary for Peter to Jesus (13:24). The verse is also reminiscent of the close connection between Jesus and the Father in the closing verse of the Prologue (1:18). 21:21. Having focused on the beloved disciple, Peter asked his gnawing question: And what about this one? What about someone else? is a very human question. We tend to focus on comparisons. That is usually the way we try to understand whether we are okay. But that is not the way it works with God. God is concerned about us personally. Of course, God is concerned about our community, our brothers and sisters, our friends, the world. But these can stand in the way of our confronting our own individual responsibilities before God. Our concern for others can actually sidetrack us from facing God s personal demands on us. That was the problem with Peter in this verse, and Jesus was prepared to confront him with this sidetracking of his personal calling. Unfortunately, most commentaries concentrate on the rivalry between the followers of Peter and John and avoid discussing this aspect of the story. The reason, I suspect, is that biblical scholars are fearful of psychologizing texts. But where such an interplay is obvious, it is only proper to discuss these matters as well. 21: Jesus answer to Peter involves the third basic concern that had not been addressed. The answer was, basically, Concentrate on your relationship to me and your own life and death and do not be concerned about his! That was the clear message to Peter. But there was more to Jesus answer than a direct response to Peter. And it was the additional statement with respect to the beloved disciple that was of significant concern to the community. That part of the answer was in the protasis of a conditional sentence: If I want him to remain [menein] Session 4 12

13 [NIV adds alive ] until I come [erchomai]. Apparently that part of the statement led to a good deal of speculation in the Johannine community to the effect that their beloved leader would continue to live until the eschaton, the end of time and the coming of Jesus. The editorial comment of the evangelist/writer that follows, therefore, supplies us with an important insight into this community. It apparently expected the imminent return of Jesus, so as they saw their leader nearing death, it must have greatly shaken their sense of hope concerning their eschatological expectations. Not only was Peter dead, but now their beloved leader was either dead or dying. The one death they probably could and did accept, but the reality of the second must have caused great trauma in the community. Accordingly, the writer made a special effort to explain precisely what Jesus did and did not say. That type of precision is a clear indication of a real existing problem in the Johannine community that could not go unaddressed. Indeed, the community and the Johannine writer both seemed to believe they were living in the last hour (cf. 1 John 2:18). But in spite of the fact that in each era the church considers its people to be living in the last days, the time of the Lord s coming is not in human hands. That time is in the hand of God and even the earthly Jesus did not know that time (cf. Mark 13:32). It is clear in John that pain and persecution will touch believers (cf. John 16:2), but Jesus did not give the calendar date for the end. Nor did he plan to remove Christians from this world (cf. 17:15). Instead, he promised to keep his people in his own care (cf. 10:28) and provide the Paraclete to keep them from becoming scandalized or falling away (cf. 16:1). Tribulation and turmoil would certainly come in the world, but Jesus told his disciples not to give up or abandon hope. Rather, they were/are to live with a positive perspective because he had indeed overcome all that the world could muster against him (cf. 16:33). The end of this Epilogue is therefore an implicit warning against chronologizing the eschaton. Just as the risen Jesus did not promise the beloved disciple control of the calendar of his lifespan, neither does he offer readers such insight. That knowledge belongs only to God Leader Guide

14 References 1 Carson, D. A. The Gospel according to John. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, Gerald L. Borchert, The New American Commentary: Gospel of John, Chapters Copyright Broadman & Holman Publishers. Session 4 14