John 21
October 11, 2022
“Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is going to betray you?’) When Peter saw him, he asked, ‘Lord, what about him?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.’” (v20-22)
So much of life is marked by us comparing ourselves to others and comparing others to ourselves. Peter, here, is more focused on John’s walk with Jesus than his own walk with Jesus: “Lord, what about him?” (v21). But Jesus doesn’t indulge the comparison trap question. Instead, Jesus rebukes it: “What is that to you?” And then Jesus refocuses Peter’s attention on his own spiritual journey: “You must follow me” (v22).
Lord Jesus, I praise You that You are concerned about me and my walk with You. And yet I confess that I sometimes drift into thinking about what other believers are doing with their time, talents and treasures. Sometimes doing so leads to pride and self-righteousness. Sometimes it leads to despair and second-guessing myself. But it’s never fruitful. Forgive me for slipping into this “comparison trap.” Help me, instead, to stay focused on the assignments You’ve called me to - and to stay faithful to those assignments.
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
