Insightful Musings on the Scriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Good morning, dear people.
I’ve already done a jog, taken some breakfast (I fried a couple duck eggs), and showered. At present, the sun is shining outside this window. I can’t see the creek from here, so I’m not as inclined to report on it as I used to be. I do know that it’s more like a rushing river now.
Becki took off earlier this morning to accompany a friend on a day-trip to Pendleton. The goal is for this friend to visit her son in the prison there. In view of this development, I took some time to generate a letter to this young man. And because the letter contains some of the most important stuff I’d like to say and represent before everyone, I’ll stick on a copy with this message as an attachment …for whatever it’s worth.
Good…I just heard the mill engine start up…a 51 hp Cat diesel. That means that Thano is getting back on the job of milling up some logs that have been a pending order for some time. We have lots of other objectives on the list.
Blessings on your day.
Dad/Ray.
As we wrap up this month as well as the Gospel of John, we are also implicitly reviewing the bottom line of our Biblical faith. I believe that this is the real application contained in the questions and statements that Jesus makes to Peter in this chapter. Let me summarize His words into three pertinent and practical standards that Jesus sets for not only Peter—indeed for all of us. I think it forms a kind of job description that is worth memorizing and remembering. After all, if we don’t really know or remember what we’re supposed to be doing, it sure is easy to pushed around by other influences and yield to feelings or peer pressure—very unsafe and unreliable standards to live by.
- LOVE JESUS. “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” This, of course, is quite consistent with the greatest requirement that God makes of men. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and will all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38). This is our vertical priority.
- SERVE OTHERS. When Peter affirmed his love, Jesus said, “Feed my lambs…take care of my sheep…feed my sheep.” That spells service. But understand this: Service cannot take place in proper balance if the second greatest requirement is not heeded—“And the second is like it; ‘Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). This is our horizontal priority.
- FOLLOW HIM. After Jesus put the love question to Peter for the third time, and after Peter responded right for the third time, Jesus simply adds, “Follow me” (21:19). I now believe that fulfilling God’s will for my life is not a result of my coming up with some detailed specific plan for vocation, location, implementation, etc., but is, in fact, the general by-product of the priority to FOLLOW HIM, His words, and example in every aspect of my sojourn. (Read again Psalm 1:1-3 and Matthew 6:33.) This is the proper balancing of the vertical and horizontal aspects of our living.