John 20:30 – 21:25 Early in the morning
Following Jesus regardless of the future – John 21:18-23.
At the end of John’s gospel we get this fascinating piece of dialogue between Peter and Jesus regarding John and Peter’s futures. What are we to make of it? Firstly, it is clear God has a plan for each of them. Peter’s was that eventually he was to die as Jesus died but it would not be until he was old. We know Peter died something like 30 years later. Peter carried that knowledge for the rest of his life. He was now a changed man, the man who denied Christ would die because of his refusal to deny Christ.
A rumour spread around the early church that Jesus had said John would not die. This rumour probably grew as John aged and Peter had by then died. John was eager to stamp out such false mysticism. He did not want to be the centre of attention. John’s only focus was the gospel. John was content to accept God’s plan for him but while he lived, he lived to testify to Jesus Christ. v24
Are we prepared to accept God’s plan for ourselves, whatever it might be or will we rage against it.
Do we live in accordance with the spirit of John the Baptist’s words, ‘He must become greater, I must become less?’ John 3:30