Anglican Devotional 15 April 2023 – Follow Me

The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 15 April 2023 – Follow Me

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TOPIC: Follow Me

READ: John 21:18-25 (NKJV)

“Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry [you] where you do not wish.”

This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”

Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”

Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what [about] this man?”

Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what [is that] to you? You follow Me.”

Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what [is that] to you?”

This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.

And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

THE MESSAGE:

In verse 18-19, Jesus spoke prophetically that the kind of death Peter will face would glorify God. To fulfil verse 19, Peter may have“glorified God”through death by crucifixion, according to history. Instead of asking Jesus the implication of His words, Peter asked to know what would be the fate of John, the disciple “whom Jesus loved.” (verse 20). Jesus in verse 22 told Peter that his concern should not be about John. His focus should be to “Follow me.” Beloved, the life experiences and areas of calling God has prepared for us all are different in our journey to heaven. So this is a strong message to believers, to pay close attention to our personal relationship with God and how we follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:21).

Jesus also stressed the need for time consciousness for as we age, the energy may not be there to do either all we want to do or should have done for the Gospel (verse 18). Verses 24-25 show that the author of the book was a firsthand witness of what he wrote. His report is a factual and reliable record of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us (John 1: 1; 1 John 1: 1-3). The testimony in John’s gospel is true, just as all Scripture is true and came from God (verse 24; 2 Timothy 3: 16). Let us therefore follow Christ without wavering.

PRAYER: I have decided to follow Jesus (x3), No going back, No going back.