Not Fluff

Reading:  Jn. 13:36-38
Jesus’ life is in danger.  As the conspiracy against him takes shape elsewhere, here in this room, Jesus tells Peter he cannot follow him any further.  That gets a reaction!  Peter asks why, but it’s clear that he’s objecting.  Adamantly.  He must be asking himself how Jesus can think so little of their friendship.  And, frankly, a teacher like Jesus could benefit from his physical strength and courage in a fight.  No doubt Peter sees himself in a better light and is irritated that Jesus isn’t buying that picture.  He insists he will go to great lengths, even to the extent of sacrificing his life for Jesus if need be.  Surely that’s admirable.  Immediately Jesus challenges his claim, implying it isn’t true.  Then, if that weren’t enough, Jesus predicts that Peter will act as though he never knew him, not once but over and over again.  Are you sure you want to delete this post?  The problem with Jesus is that he invariably speaks the truth, even when you don’t want to hear it. 

I can get caught up in an argument as much as anyone, but I don’t like listening to other people argue. I certainly get uncomfortable when people argue with Jesus.   Arguments disturb me, threaten my peaceful world.  I want to patch things up.  I want everything to go back to the way it was before.  My instinct is to sooth tempers or to downplay differences.  If I can’t, I want to slip away until it’s over.  I’m not all that certain that any of those reactions are good ones.  They’re just honest ones.  Yet, maybe it was this rather nervous reaction that led me to discover something that might otherwise be overlooked in this text.  At the outset, a small phrase made its appearance and it has been lingering quietly in the background while the main conversation has been taking its course and views have clashed.  Scanning for some relief, I hear, “…but you will follow me afterward” (v. 36b).  Suddenly I realize those words are just as true as the rest of what Jesus is saying about Peter’s denial.  In fact, they’re all the more awesome in light of his rejection, aren’t they?  For when Jesus says Peter will follow him afterward, he says it with full knowledge of what Peter will do under duress meanwhile! 

When we are a mess, when we are offended that someone would see us as lesser than the way we want to be known, we are foolish.  Foolishness can take us out.  Sooner or later we’re bound to be embarrassed by our own words.  But here’s the amazingly good news: our foolishness doesn’t cancel out our relationship with Jesus.   We can return to our spiritual senses.  Oh, there’s bound to be some humility involved and painful admissions and regrets.  That’s the way it is when we drop from the heights of ballooning egos, inflated with hot air, and free fall back to reality.  But don’t mistake humility and humiliation.  The difference pivots on how very differently God uses the power he has when compared to everyone else we know.  God holds on.  God restores.  In fact, that’s what Jesus is setting out to do that night, going a distance we will not have to go, going there for us. 

Sometimes in an argument, I only hear button-pushing words.  I’m guessing that’s what happened in the exchange of words between Jesus and Peter that evening too.  But we have the luxury of standing on the perimeter as these two go at it.  And we have the privilege of re-visiting the scene to go over everything that happened there.  We can hear those first words.  If we follow up with Peter later, we can even verify how true they have become in his experience; we can hear how he comes to realize that too and how he explains it to others. There will be a cross for Peter, yes, and even then another place to follow Jesus afterward. Life can turn around. Sleep doesn’t have to be fitful when our days have been failures.  Death doesn’t have to be fearful.  Jesus doesn’t drop us.  We remain in God’s care.  

Much Grace...(it's not fluff!) 

Pastor Shirley