Our journey of faith is one of growing into wholeness through Jesus. As we saw yesterday, Peter could only commit to a brotherly love for Jesus. Earlier, he had boasted of his agape love for Jesus, only to fail by denying Jesus three times. Now, by the Sea of Galilee, Peter did not trust himself …
In John 21, we can see that Jesus meets us where we are. This is especially true of Peter. Jesus had tried to warn Peter that he would deny Him, but Peter didn’t believe Him. Luke 22: 33 Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.” …
Peter couldn’t wait for the boats to reach Jesus, but, driven by the urgency of a restless heart, he swam to shore. At first, the disciples did not recognize Jesus. John 21: 7 Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on …
Nourished to be whole is what Jesus does for us because He loves us. After Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples were unsure what to do next. Peter suggested they go fishing, and several of them did, but their nets were empty after a hard night’s work. When they reached the shore after a long, fruitless night, …
Jesus called the disciples back with a great catch, and Jesus calls us again during our spiritual journey. God does not give up on us but continues to pursue us even when we fail or are unsure of what our future holds. After everything the disciples had witnessed, the cross, the empty tomb, the risen …
Trying to get back to normal and seeking the comfort of the familiar is what the disciples experienced. It is what we also desire when our world has been turned upside down. After the whirlwind of the cross and the empty tomb, the disciples found themselves in a strange place. They were caught between fear …
John 21 shows us that the disciples had a need for wholeness after the resurrection. Consider the rollercoaster of emotions they must have experienced since entering Jerusalem just before Passover. On Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem to the shouts of “hosanna” from the Passover crowds. They borrowed a custom from the fall Festival of Tabernacles, the …
Jesus gained victory through prayer when He rebuked the evil spirit that controlled a young boy. The disciples had tried to exorcise the spirit earlier but failed. Later, when they were in private, the disciples wanted Jesus to explain what had happened. Mark 9: 28 Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, …
At some level, the father of a demon-possessed boy understood that it takes faith to deal with the spiritual forces. Mark 9: 23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” 24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” [1] He had …
The shift from “if you can” to “all things are possible” is the narrative in Mark 9:21–23, a raw, deeply human story. A father stands before Jesus, worn down by years of watching his son suffer. His words are not polished theology. They are a mixture of hope and hesitation. Mark 9:22Have mercy on us …