Matthew 26:31-34
31 Then Jesus told them, "This very night
you will all fall away on account of me,
for it is written: " 'I will strike the
shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will
be scattered.'
32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead
of you into Galilee."
33 Peter replied, "Even if all fall away on
account of you, I never will."
In verse 32, Messiah Jesus is throwing the
disciples a lifeline, even though they didn’t
understand this at the time: “But after I have
risen”. It is as if Jesus is planting a seed that,
once realized, will preach “Let the greater
truth clear your consciences.”
Do we now make room for our consciences to
rely on the goodness of our Savior when we
fall short of honoring or obeying Him? Do
we pause to remember that the power of the
Risen Lord resides in us through the Holy Spirit?
Because He lives, because His is risen, we can face
today, this moment, even when we are in need of a clear
conscience.
Revelation 3:19
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and
discipline. So be earnest, and repent.
20 Here I am! I stand at the door and
knock. If anyone hears my voice and
opens the door, I will come in and eat
with him, and he with me.
Let us be like Peter when it comes to opening
the door of our hearts, like when he eagerly
and confidently jumped out of the fishing boat
to meet Jesus, who indeed had gone on ahead
of Peter and the others to Galilee. Then, the
process of the clearing of the conscience starts
afresh:
John 21:1, 3-4, 7-8, 15
1 Afterward Jesus appeared again
to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It
happened this way…
3 "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.
4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on
the shore, but the disciples did not
realize that it was Jesus.
7-8 …As soon as Simon Peter heard [John] say,
"It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment
around him (for he had taken it off) and
jumped into the water.
he other disciples followed in the boat…
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus
said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John,
do you truly love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I
love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
To eagerly abide in the Risen Lord,* returning to
Him with the same heart attitude when we have “slipped”,
means we can expect his instructive reorientation
for further fellowship and a better grasp of our
purpose in living for Him. This is part of what it
means to have a clear conscience at a
relational level with the Son of God--Jesus, who has risen,
who forgives, and who guides.
____________
* John 15:7-9
7 If you remain in me and my words
remain in you, ask whatever you wish,
and it will be given you.
8 This is to my Father's glory, that you
bear much fruit, showing yourselves to
be my disciples.
9 As the Father has loved me, so have I
loved you. Now remain in my love.
All Scripture text quoted is taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®.
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan.
All rights reserved. Bold and bracketed text are mine.
31 Then Jesus told them, "This very night
you will all fall away on account of me,
for it is written: " 'I will strike the
shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will
be scattered.'
32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead
of you into Galilee."
33 Peter replied, "Even if all fall away on
account of you, I never will."
In verse 32, Messiah Jesus is throwing the
disciples a lifeline, even though they didn’t
understand this at the time: “But after I have
risen”. It is as if Jesus is planting a seed that,
once realized, will preach “Let the greater
truth clear your consciences.”
Do we now make room for our consciences to
rely on the goodness of our Savior when we
fall short of honoring or obeying Him? Do
we pause to remember that the power of the
Risen Lord resides in us through the Holy Spirit?
Because He lives, because His is risen, we can face
today, this moment, even when we are in need of a clear
conscience.
Revelation 3:19
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and
discipline. So be earnest, and repent.
20 Here I am! I stand at the door and
knock. If anyone hears my voice and
opens the door, I will come in and eat
with him, and he with me.
Let us be like Peter when it comes to opening
the door of our hearts, like when he eagerly
and confidently jumped out of the fishing boat
to meet Jesus, who indeed had gone on ahead
of Peter and the others to Galilee. Then, the
process of the clearing of the conscience starts
afresh:
John 21:1, 3-4, 7-8, 15
1 Afterward Jesus appeared again
to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It
happened this way…
3 "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.
4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on
the shore, but the disciples did not
realize that it was Jesus.
7-8 …As soon as Simon Peter heard [John] say,
"It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment
around him (for he had taken it off) and
jumped into the water.
he other disciples followed in the boat…
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus
said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John,
do you truly love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I
love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
To eagerly abide in the Risen Lord,* returning to
Him with the same heart attitude when we have “slipped”,
means we can expect his instructive reorientation
for further fellowship and a better grasp of our
purpose in living for Him. This is part of what it
means to have a clear conscience at a
relational level with the Son of God--Jesus, who has risen,
who forgives, and who guides.
____________
* John 15:7-9
7 If you remain in me and my words
remain in you, ask whatever you wish,
and it will be given you.
8 This is to my Father's glory, that you
bear much fruit, showing yourselves to
be my disciples.
9 As the Father has loved me, so have I
loved you. Now remain in my love.
All Scripture text quoted is taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®.
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan.
All rights reserved. Bold and bracketed text are mine.
