The Daily Guide gro. pray. study. The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, United States for Wednesday, 6 April 2016 - "Healing Peter’s triple denial"
Daily Scripture: John 21:15 After breakfast, Yeshua said to Shim‘on Kefa, “Shim‘on Bar-Yochanan, do you love me more than these?” He replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I’m your friend.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 A second time he said to him, “Shim‘on Bar-Yochanan, do you love me?” He replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I’m your friend.” He said to him, “Shepherd my sheep.” 17 The third time he said to him, “Shim‘on Bar-Yochanan, are you my friend?” Shim‘on was hurt that he questioned him a third time: “Are you my friend?” So he replied, “Lord, you know everything! You know I’m your friend!” Yeshua said to him, “Feed my sheep!
Reflection Questions:
Three times Peter denied knowing Jesus (cf. John 18:15-18, 25-27). As his urgent dive into the water and swim to shore seemed to show (cf. John 21:7), Peter was aching inside, eager to reconnect with Jesus. Jesus didn’t want that failure to haunt the rest of Peter’s life, either. Three times, he allowed Peter to affirm his love, deeper and more solid now because he knew Jesus forgave him even when he had failed.
- Scholar N. T. Wright said, “The three questions correspond to Peter’s three denials. Three for completeness, yes, but three also for reminder. The smell of the charcoal fire lingers. Peter’s night of agony—and Jesus’ own night of agony—returns. But because of the latter, the former can be dealt with.”1What failures haunt (or once haunted) your relationship with Jesus? Imagine yourself on that beach around that fire with Jesus. Hear Jesus ask you, “______, do you love me?” Answer, and hear Jesus deal with any barrier that disturbs you, leaving it in your past.
- Wright also noted that as Peter affirmed his love for Jesus, “the answer earns, each time, not a pat on the back, not a ‘There, that’s all right then’, but a command. A fresh challenge. A new commission.”2Our work doesn’t earn forgiveness, but Jesus' call to join in his work is the clearest sign that he forgives us. In what way(s) do you sense Jesus calling you to serve, to feed his sheep, today? How are you answering the call?
Lord Jesus, like Peter, I love you. Like Peter, I sometimes fail you. Thank you for always drawing me to you and welcoming me back, like Peter, and for calling me to live your love more and more to all I meet. Amen.
1 N. T. Wright, John for Everyone, part 2. (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2004, p. 164.)
2 N. T. Wright, John for Everyone, part 2. (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2004, p. 165.)Insights from Wendy Connelly
Wendy Connelly, wife to Mark and mom to two kids, is Community Outreach Director at the Leawood campus, a seminary student at Saint Paul School of Theology, and co-leads the “Live and Let Think” dialogues this April-May at Leawood (cor.org/think) and RezDowntown, which starts next Monday (cor.org/downtown/liveandletthink).
“Sometimes, God has a way of showing up unexpectedly,” said a stranger to me at the check-out lane at U.S. Toy two weeks ago.
Immediately when she said this, I thought of Peter, and responded with a knowing nod, “Yes, sometimes Jesus has a way of climbing into our boats, doesn’t he?”
This woman knew little about me. She worked at the store, had helped me locate Easter stickers and knew I was purchasing them for The Church of the Resurrection, where I worked. Beyond this, I’d told her nothing, She didn’t know I was in my third year of seminary, still questioning ministry. She had no idea that over the preceding weeks, some events had left me blindsided, obsessively doubting my calling and career. I hadn’t told her about the unrelenting, physical knot in the pit of my stomach with every agonizing question and frustrated prayer.
Nothing in my countenance at the check-out lane could reveal the aridity of my disoriented soul. But this woman had clear vision to see beyond appearances, and stretched out both her hands to grasp mine. “We can pray together right now,” she said suddenly, with a strange and stunning authority. Surprised by the invitation, I took her hands and closed my eyes, expecting a quick prayer. When I opened my eyes, she was staring intensely at me, and began to speak a rapid string of words with an odd cadence, which I scribbled down afterward in my car:
I sense this is similar to how Peter felt before he leapt from his boat that day when Jesus showed up unexpectedly on the shore. Disoriented, untethered, gut-wrenched. But Jesus reorients him–three times, he echoes a mission. What I know about God-encounters is this: they’re always accompanied by a call. Whenever God shows off, we’re asked to show up.
All is well, Peter, you are whole again. Your ministry is attached to you–feed my sheep. It’s time, Peter. It’s finally time. You’re stepping into it.
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
“Sometimes, God has a way of showing up unexpectedly,” said a stranger to me at the check-out lane at U.S. Toy two weeks ago.
Immediately when she said this, I thought of Peter, and responded with a knowing nod, “Yes, sometimes Jesus has a way of climbing into our boats, doesn’t he?”
This woman knew little about me. She worked at the store, had helped me locate Easter stickers and knew I was purchasing them for The Church of the Resurrection, where I worked. Beyond this, I’d told her nothing, She didn’t know I was in my third year of seminary, still questioning ministry. She had no idea that over the preceding weeks, some events had left me blindsided, obsessively doubting my calling and career. I hadn’t told her about the unrelenting, physical knot in the pit of my stomach with every agonizing question and frustrated prayer.
Nothing in my countenance at the check-out lane could reveal the aridity of my disoriented soul. But this woman had clear vision to see beyond appearances, and stretched out both her hands to grasp mine. “We can pray together right now,” she said suddenly, with a strange and stunning authority. Surprised by the invitation, I took her hands and closed my eyes, expecting a quick prayer. When I opened my eyes, she was staring intensely at me, and began to speak a rapid string of words with an odd cadence, which I scribbled down afterward in my car:
- Your ministry is attached to you; you’re not going to lose it.
- It’s finally time, you’re stepping into it now.
- You’ve been asking and searching for it; now it’s time.
- Your mentors couldn’t give it to you; now your mentors are in place.
- May God equally yoke you with your husband; there are hedges of protection around your family.
- St. Michael protects you.
- You finally have the answer you’ve been seeking; you’ve been asking for it, haven’t you?
- That thing going on in your stomach is going away.
- I’m here to tell you that you’re on the right path. Know that you are on the right path.
- Your ministry is attached to you. It’s attached to you.
- This is what God said. Praise God.
I sense this is similar to how Peter felt before he leapt from his boat that day when Jesus showed up unexpectedly on the shore. Disoriented, untethered, gut-wrenched. But Jesus reorients him–three times, he echoes a mission. What I know about God-encounters is this: they’re always accompanied by a call. Whenever God shows off, we’re asked to show up.
All is well, Peter, you are whole again. Your ministry is attached to you–feed my sheep. It’s time, Peter. It’s finally time. You’re stepping into it.
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
913.897.0120
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