The Crux: My Walk

The bottom line is this: I need to walk together with God. I need build my relationship with Him. I need to talk to Him in prayer. I need to understand Him through His Word. I need to be holy as He is Holy. I need to find other believers so we can encourage one another. I need to do my part of His Plan - fulfilling the Mission He has given all of us. I cannot expect somebody else to do my part.

Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, "Lord, who will betray You?" Peter asked Jesus, "What about him, Lord?" Jesus replied, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow Me." (John 21:20-22 NLT)

So, I follow Him. How about you?

The Crux: My Calling

Walking together with God gets really personal when we take responsibility for our own relationship with God and face our own shortcomings. It gets even more "real" when we realize the real reason for God's work in our lives: ministry. God does love us. He is willing to forgive us. He did lay down His life for us and He does send His Spirit to dwell in us. He doesn't, however, do these things just to help us feel better or enjoy a better quality of life. He has something for us to do.

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20 NIV)

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27 NIV)

We are all called by God to be His ambassadors, making disciples of all nations. We have a job to do. Forgiveness, reconciliation, resources, gifts, and His Spirit are all given to help us collectively accomplish His mission. Your specific gifts are given by His Spirit to empower you to do your specific ministry. He empowers you to do your part in His Body...The Church. Nobody understood this better than Peter. Jesus didn't forgive Peter and reconcile with him just to help him feel better.

After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these? " "Yes, Lord," Peter replied, "You know I love You." "Then feed My lambs," Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: "Simon son of John, do you love Me?" "Yes, Lord," Peter said, "You know I love You." "Then take care of My sheep," Jesus said. A third time He asked him, "Simon son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, "Lord, You know everything. You know that I love You." Jesus said, "Then feed My sheep. (John 21:15-17 NLT)

What is your calling? What specific part (or parts) of His plan have been entrusted into your care? Are you living it out? Living your ministry...that's the crux of the matter.

The Crux: My Relationship

"I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.  (John 21:3 NIV)

Peter just spent the whole night fishing.  He had a whole night to do nothing but cast nets, wait, and think.  I wonder what went through Peter's mind.  Peter knew that he had denied Jesus three times when Jesus needed him most.  Peter had seen Jesus alive since his death, but they hadn't talked about the denial, well, his sin.  I wonder if he thought about his friend, Judas, who sinned, too.  I wonder if he thought about the way Judas dealt with the guilt.

"I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility." So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.  (Matthew 27:4-5 NIV)

Whatever he was thinking, he would have snapped out of it when the morning sun broke over the horizon and gave light to a figure standing on the shore.

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" "No," they answered. He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. (John 21:4-7 NIV)

You know the difference between Peter and Judas?  It wasn't the severity of their respective sins.  It wasn't the guilt they felt after they turned against their Lord.  It was the way they responded.  Judas ran away from God.  Peter ran toward God.  The result made all the difference in the world.

The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. (John 21:8-9 NIV)

When it comes to building a relationship with God, none of us can do it for someone else.  I can do the things to build my relationship with Him.  You need to do the things necessary to build your relationship with Him.  We can't do it for each other.  The great part, though, is that God is always ready to build a relationship with us.  He's waiting on the shore with breakfast cooking.  Will you join Him?

The Crux of the Matter

Crazy Love has been a challenging book that has taken us on a journey.  We've been challenged to stop living lukewarm Christianity and to become men and women after God's own heart.  We've been reminded that it's not about working harder at "getting things right" but about developing a deeper relationship with The One who is our God.  We pursue crazy love because He first had a crazy love for us.

Wrapping up a study like this, it is easy to start looking around at aspects of our lives: marriage, family, work, Church Services, small groups, ministry teams, and more.  When we look at these various areas, it's easy to see how they "fall short" of the ideals espoused in this study.  Then, we look for the reasons they fall short.  Inevitably, we find fault in others.  My spouse doesn't...My boss always...My kids just don't...My pastor isn't...our church doesn't...etc.  It is in this moment, though, that we are reminded of one really hard truth:  No one can do it for me.

The Apostle, Peter, understood this all too well when he was challenged the night Jesus was on trial...
Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came over and said to him, "You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean." But Peter denied it in front of everyone. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said. Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth. " Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. "I don't even know the man," he said. A little later some of the other bystanders came over to Peter and said, "You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent." Peter swore, "A curse on me if I'm lying—I don't know the man!" And immediately the rooster crowed. Suddenly, Jesus' words flashed through Peter's mind: "Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know Me." And he went away, weeping bitterly. (Matthew 26:69-75 NLT)

Peter had the best pastor ever. Jesus was his teacher.
Peter had the best small group ever. The Apostles were his small group.
Peter had the best worship experiences ever. He was at the transfiguration.
None of these things mattered when it came down to crunch time.
Peter walked away from Jesus.

The crux of the matter is simply this: I need to choose to walk together with God.
You have to decide to walk together with God for yourself.
When we do, things really start to take off.
Life gets amazing.

Isn't time we stop pointing our fingers at someone else and start choosing to walk ourselves? Imagine what will happen when we do.