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Title: The Big Picture
What Jesus really meant was...
Scripture: John 21:17

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (John 15:12).

Have you ever noticed that when a friend fails to come to your assistance in ministry that there is always a good reason. I don't just mean a reason; I mean a good reason why it just couldn't be done. They wouldn't say to you that it must not have been God's will for them to be there; who would say that?!! They will however infer that it must not have been God's will for them to have a reliable automobile or someone to give them a lift or money for gas or a baby sitter or good health or... You see, it goes on and on. You see, Jesus somehow managed to be in Jerusalem on that day even though they were laying for Him. He was prepared to answer their questions and suffer their insults. He was even prepared to take a beating even though it was an extremely rough one. He was even prepared to walk that road up the hill to where they crucified the faithful as well as the felons. Do you suppose there was a good reason?

As my mind's eye looks out on all of you potential readers I can see that some of you are trying to do more than your share for the kingdom. I know this because, as the Bible says: You have the mind of Christ. Yes, we've seen where that leads; straight up that lonely hill. But what about you who fail (yes, fail) to do that which is required or even that which clearly presents itself as a mission from God. Do you shrug your shoulders and claim you couldn't find the time? I say to you that Jesus didn't even have an appointment in Jerusalem that day save for the one the Father had set for Him. Who then will stand blameless for the way they have answered the call on their heart and on their life? Only those who answered the call!

You see, we can really do no good by justifying ourselves before men. Jesus said that those who try to appear holy will only make of themselves a "whited" sepulchre. We know that a sepulchre is a burial cave or enclosure and if it is painted white you may not see the doorway and therefore fall into the place of death. Who would conceal such a thing? Only someone wishing to deceive others into believing they are not a place of death when in fact they are. In this way the liar becomes a murderer by his very nature and must by his nature destroy in order to conceal the truth.

2 Kings 1:8

And they answered him, He was an hairy man *, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

Now that would get your attention! A hairy man with a leather loincloth. Whether you see that as unusual or just imposing or unsettling it would have to get your attention. That's what God wants to do: get our attention, unsettle us. He dosn't want to impose himself on us but he passionately wants to get our full attention. For when he gets our full attention He can perform something big in our lives. What about the conversation between Peter and the Lord. What Jesus really meant was: Peter if you really love me you'll love my sheep and love is a verb. You can't just talk about my sheep or ask someone to take care of them for me. If you love them you have to do something for them. You're going to have to love them.

That means you have to feed them or they'll die, you see. Peter fed the Lord's sheep so they would have life. Even so, there were many who died before they even became sheep. Still, the meaning is clear: If you don't feed them they will die.

Mark 16:15

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

This scripture is the one usually referred to when we talk about the Great Commission. Since it is a commission we have been empowered or authorized by God to fulfill it. Because Mark 16:15 says to go into all the world; that means God wants us to reach the whole world and all its people. This is why so much emphasis is and should be placed on ministries like missions and outreaches. Not so that we can travel the world but so that Jesus can reach the whole world through us. We can reach the world by participating in outreaches or missions, by promoting or helping to enable these efforts to succeed, or simply by contributing monetarily. Let me assure you that there is no preferred method. Jesus said that he who sows shall also reap a harvest. The harvest is all important.

Let me just say that beyond all that I have said to this point; we have an individual appointment with the Lord to fulfill the Great Commission ourselves. That's right, just like Peter we have a unique calling as diciples of Jesus Christ to feed His sheep. There are places only we can reach and sheep who will only listen to His voice speaking through us. That is why Jesus said "Go ye into all the world"

December 27, 2003


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