God's commands are not grievous!
God's commands are not grievous!
This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. (John 21:14)
"On the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence."
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" (John 21:15)
The last time we heard from Peter he was denying the Lord. Now Jesus was acknowledging that he was forgiven by commanding Peter to feed His lambs and take care of His sheep and feed them.
Jesus asked Peter if Peter loved Him. In a way this was reflecting back on Peter's denial of the Lord.
Now Peter had a heavy weight on Him to show that he loved Jesus by feeding and taking care of Jesus' sheep. This same weight was on the Apostle Paul because Paul had held the coats of those who stoned Stephen.
I think this same weight is on all of us, compelling us to serve Christ faithfully and diligently. We all have sinned and it is only through the sacrifice of Christ that we can be forgiven by the God of Heaven.
"I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!" (John 21:18,19)
Tradition has it that the Apostle Peter was crucified upside down. Jesus is telling Peter that Peter's love would be tested to a far greater extent than was true in the house of the high priest.
After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. (Hosea 6:2,3)
We now are in the greatest of all times, as far as the work of redemption is concerned. There shall be danger, as I have noted, both spiritual and physical.
There shall be revival in the midst of trouble. The revival will not be of the kind we think of ordinarily but a revival of maturity. The Christian churches are filled with spiritual babies. It is time now for the babies to grow up to the fullness of the stature of Christ.
The mature saints that come out of this revival will be the ones who serve as the "two witnesses" of the Book of Revelation. The number "two" refers to the fact that each of the witnessing saints will be filled with Jesus so that two people actually are preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom—Jesus, and the saint in whom Jesus abides.
I do not say that blood will not be shed in the coming days of chaos in America and the world. It shall be shed. There shall be intense persecution, just as in the early days of Christianity.
But in the midst of the trouble God will take care of those who are faithful to Him, bringing some of them and their children to peace and joy in the spirit world, and shielding others so no harm can come to them while they are bearing witness of the soon coming of the Kingdom of God to the earth.
Sin shall abound in the future, but Divine grace shall much more abound.
So we have absolutely nothing to fear, provided we keep close to the Lord Jesus and obey His every command.
The lukewarm church-attenders shall be blown about as so much chaff. But those who know the Lord shall be strong and do exploits.
Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time. (Daniel 11:33-35)
"Let us press on to acknowledge Him"!