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John 3:16-17
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Follow Me
The Gospel of John · 93 of 93
After I finished my D.Min. at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, I had to reckon with what my Major Project had concluded. After all, I'd written it. But interviewing thirty Christians who were following Jesus better than I was and studying how dozens of theologians defined discipleship had shaken me. I had to admit to myself that the way I'd been doing ministry wasn't going to help others follow Jesus. But neither did I want to pivot my entire approach to ministry. It was uncomfortable to change what I do and how I do it. I wanted to stay in my comfort zone instead of starting FriendsFollowingJesus.com and sharing my struggles with the world. But Jesus kept saying, "Follow me." So I did.
John 21:20-25
So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, "Lord, who is the one that's going to betray you?" When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about him?" "If I want him to remain until I come," Jesus answered, "what is that to you? As for you, follow me." So this rumor spread to the brothers and sisters that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not tell him that he would not die, but, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?" This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written.
First Jesus told Peter he'd deny him, and Peter did. Then Jesus told Peter to follow him, even to death on a cross. Peter did that too. But both times, Peter has an objection. The first time, Peter denies that he'll deny Jesus. The second time, Peter asks about Jesus's plans for John. His answer is decisive: "What is that to you? As for you, follow me." John knew that Jesus loved him. Perhaps he stays in the background of his own Gospel because some revered him to the point of thinking that he might not die. He didn't write to promote himself, but to testify to Jesus. Even when he is sent into exile for his belief in Jesus, he continued to follow Jesus. Most of the members of the early church never knew Jesus. But they knew Peter had been crucified and John had been exiled. So when it came time to publish John's gospel, they added their signatures: we know his testimony is true. They followed Jesus, too. John tells us Jesus has done so many good things that, even if the whole world was a library, it couldn't hold all the stories that honor him. Maybe John was talking about the life and ministry of Jesus. But what if he was talking about what comes next? Jesus keeps saying, "Follow me," and people keep responding in faith.
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The Gospel starts and ends with people following Jesus. But what changed in between?
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Do you ever ask God why he gave you a different path than other Christians?
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What would it look like for other Christians to one day say of you, "We know their testimony is true"?
You've just finished following Jesus through the entire Gospel of John. Take some time to consider what God has done in your life. First, ask God: "How do you want me to follow you?" Then text a friend: "I just finished 90 days in the Gospel of John. Here's what Jesus showed me..." If they're curious, invite them to start discussing these studies with you.
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