Welcome to “Tuesday Morning”—encouraging words for Christians everywhere.

 

Recent events in Haiti have overshadowed political tensions around the world and have forced us to focus on real-life tragedies on the island Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic. Besides death and destruction, we have seen images of the serious injuries suffered by thousands of the island’s population, plus tourists, students working there, and teachers and missionaries on assignment there. We have opened our hearts and check books to the cries we have heard. Many of us will not live long enough to see the nation rebuild and the infrastructure replaced. But we cannot but try! If we do not try, who will?

 

I am reminded of the third verse of Ira Stanphill’s classic gospel song:

 

Oh Jesus, if I die upon a foreign field someday,

‘Twould be no more than love demands, no less could I repay.

“No greater love hath mortal man than for a friend to die.”

These are the words He gently spoke to me,

“If just a cup of water I place within your hand,

Then just a cup of water is all that I demand.”

But if by death to living they can Thy glory see,

I’ll take my cross and follow close to Thee.

 

This week’s “Tuesday Morning” is entitled “Following Jesus.” It is attached below. Continue reading whenever you are ready, and prepare to follow Him. He will lead. Are you ready to follow?

 

Tom Barnard

A Senior Encourager

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Following Jesus

Tom Barnard

 

here was a time in my life when I tried water skiing. Picture a slim athlete water skiing behind a very fast boat. That definitely is not a picture of me. Instead, picture an elephant being towed by an eighteen-wheeler. My “career” as a water skier was short-lived.

 

But I tried water skiing long enough to learn a few of the basics. One, the skier must follow the boat. Skiing ahead of the boat doesn’t work very well. Two, the skier should travel in the same direction as the boat. Three, the skier must hold on to the rope being pulled by the boat. If not, he will stop very quickly.

 

Following Jesus is something like water skiing. One, it works best if Jesus is out front, pulling, rather than behind, pushing. Two, it is best if both you and Jesus are traveling in the same direction. His direction. And three, it is best if you hold on very tightly; otherwise, your forward progress will stop.

 

My favorite “Following Jesus” story is found in John 21. The time-frame was somewhere between the Lord’s resurrection and his ascension into heaven. There were ten post-resurrection appearances, but Jesus appeared only three times to the men with whom he had spent the majority of his public ministry.

 

The Disciples had returned to Galilee from Jerusalem, as Jesus had instructed them to do. The days stretched into weeks, and the men grew restless. They were bored. No excitement, no big crowds, no miracles. Nothing! They were unemployed and had nothing to do but wait. Finally, perhaps out of frustration, seven of the disciples decided to go fishing. Peter, whose idea led to the decision, was accompanied by James and John, Thomas, Nathaniel, and two others—probably Andrew and Phillip.

 

Who went fishing that day is not as significant as why they went fishing. One could infer from the text  that Peter had decided to do more than spend a casual evening fishing with friends. Apparently Peter had decided to return to the occupation he knew best and loved most. He was returning to the nets! Six others went with him. They fished through the night, without success. As dawn was breaking, they were about 100 yards off shore. Someone shouted to them from the beach:

“Any fish, boys?”

“None,” they yelled back.

“Cast your nets to the other side,” the voice said.

They did, and they hit it big. The catch of fish was so large that they could not haul them aboard. John peered through the early-morning haze. The figure on the shore was a familiar one. “It’s the Lord!” John gasped. Simon stood straight up, squinted toward the shore, quickly wrapped his tunic around his waist and dove into the water, reaching the shore ahead of the rest.

 

When Simon’s companions (and their catch) finally reached shore, they discovered that Jesus had prepared a fisherman’s breakfast for them—bread and fish. After breakfast, a most interesting dialogue took place. 

 

Jesus turned to Simon and asked, “Simon, do you love me?” He asked the question three times. Each time Simon answered in the affirmative. After each, Jesus gave Simon a command, “Feed my sheep.” Later he gave him a second command, “Follow me!” John tells us that Jesus said this to prepare Peter for the death he would die to glorify Jesus. I believe that is the same command Jesus leaves with us today. “Follow me!” What did following Jesus mean to Peter, and what does it mean for us today?

 

·        Following Jesus requires a price to pay. Salvation is not free. It cost Jesus his life!

·        Following Jesus requires discipline. He wants us to be less self-centered and more Christ-centered. The goal was not to get Simon out of his boat; the goal was to get Simon’s boat out of Simon!

·        Following Jesus means there are tasks for us to do. Feeding sheep may not be the task God has chosen for us. There is enough variety in Christ’s kingdom for each of us to do what Jesus plans for us.

·        Following Jesus means there may be a cross in our pathway. His invitation to Simon was not to “Come and dine.” It was “Come and die.” Jesus asks for full surrender. That’s what “following” means.