Becoming Aware!

April 26, 2019

DAILY READING

John 21:17
This weekend’s reading: John 21:15-17

FIELD NOTES

This week, we looked at Jesus asking Peter “Do you love me unconditionally?”  Peter’s response was “Yes, Jesus, I’m your brother.”  Jesus each time said, “Tend my sheep.”  Peter didn’t hear the affirmation either time.
 
Jesus doesn’t give up.  Now, I imagine Jesus walking over to Peter, kneeling down beside him, turning Peter’s face to where Jesus looks him in the eye and asks, “O.K. Peter, are you my brother (philia)?”  He uses Peter’s word for love.
 
Some translations say that Peter grieved openly, others that Peter was hurt, distressed, and other phrases.  The basic Greek word means that Peter broke down and cried.  I can imagine Peter jumping up crying and shouting, “Yes, Lord, you know everything. You know how I feel. You know I want to love (agape) you unconditionally.  You know I don’t want to fail you.  You know I want to try but I keep failing.  I keep messing up.”
 
I then imagine Jesus putting his arms around this massive frame of a fisherman saying, “Feed my sheep.”
 
Suddenly Peter gets it.  He asks, “What?  Feed your sheep. You still want me to take care of your flock. After all that I’ve done to deny you, fail you, turn my back on you…you still want me to lead your church?”

QUESTIONS FOR THE FIELD 

• Peter had an “aha moment” realizing that God still loved him and trusted him to lead Jesus’ church. Give thanks to God for the “aha moments” in your life when you first received God’s love, other special moments you experienced the God’s love, and possibly even today.
• In spite of your failures of the past, is there something about which you are very aware that God wants you to do?

FAMILY FIELD TALK 

• Discuss special moments in your life in which you knew your family loved you.
• Discuss special moments you became aware of God’s love for you.

PRAYER GUIDE

Most loving gracious, Lord, thank you for all of the times in which I became very aware of your love for me.  I know you love me all of the time, but these were special moments to me.  Lord, help me live such that others can experience your special love. In your gracious name, I pray. Amen.