John 19-21

Nikke's thoughts

I just love Peter. He is so spontaneous!

Have you ever had one of those moments when you are on your way to do something exciting or to see someone that you are so excited and full of expectation that even the fastest car cannot get you there quick enough? It seems that if you get out and run yourself it would be a million times faster!

I think that is how Peter felt in John 21:7-8

"Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards."

For Simon Peter knowing that it was his Lord on shore awaiting him and the others he could not bear to wait to get the boat ashore; he had to jump in the water to get to Jesus even if it was only a few seconds or minutes earlier that the others.

If someone were that excited to see me I think I would feel so loved and special. I wonder if that is how Jesus felt when He saw Simon Peter do this?

A side note from Nikke

So I keep going back to this passage in John 17:20-23 specifically verse 23
Here Jesus is praying for us future believers. He prays:

"My prayer is not for them alone(talking about those currently following Him here).
I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

Verse 23 keeps coming back into my mind.
The key word for me here is unity. I think about my faith (Christianity) and I see so many denominations, theologies and interpretations that can tear a believing community apart.Over pointless debates.
Things that we may never have an answer to until we arrive in heaven one day.

And here Jesus prays that we the believers who believe the message sent to us by Him would be brought to complete unity so that we (together) can let the world know of His tremendous love for them.

Is it just me or is this pretty powerful?

Lord,
I pray that we (Christians) would unify and work together to do Your will. I pray that we would set minor differences aside and focus on You and You alone.
Amen.

Angie's Thoughts


i completely agree with nikke about peter. i cracked up when I read that.


I find it interesting that when Jesus is resurrected and he shows himself to the disciples and mary that in all occasions at first they didn't recognize him.

20:14 "At this she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus."

21:4 "Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus."

Soon after all these occasions Jesus did reveal himself to the people. But i think that this is an example of how when the Lord works in our lives it may not be as we think it is. We may not realize that its Gods work at first but eventually.. it will be inevitable.

21:22 "Jesus answered, 'If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.' " I take this as.. don't measure your walk with me and what I have called you to do to what I have called your neighbor to do. I have a unique plan for you, now follow me.


If we start to measure our purposes to someone else's.. we won't be satisfied with what we are called to do. and then we are no longer putting our own dreams aside for God's will.. but picking them up again.