Follow Me (John 21:19)
This week reminds us about the East African revival which began after the discovery that missionary Christianity had no serious effects of transformation upon the believers. There was quantity not quality. I do hope that during this week we are going to experience revival, affirmations and declarations that Jesus is truly our Lord and savior. As we sit at the feet of the Lord, let us surrender to him to revive us. Peter was faced by a situation that is common to many of us. He denied Jesus in fear of death, later he also chose to go back fishing after realizing that Jesus was no more yet he had been called out of the lake to fish men. Jesus in John 21:19 provided an opportunity for Peter to return again.
Peter’s response to the command to let the net into the sea again is an affirmation of the future ministry to save nations. The whole night they caught nothing but following Jesus’ instruction, the catch was overwhelming (21:4-6). Peter was a great resource in the kingdom that Jesus could not let him go. You are a resource too.
Jesus illustrates that the secret of effective mission is to depend on him alone
and without Jesus we can do nothing (John 15:5). The call to follow Jesus is a reaffirmation already mentioned in John 1: 37, 1:43, Mk 1:17. The disciples had to continue not in his physical presence but in the power of the
Holy Spirit.
Revival requires listening to the command, obeying the command and trusting Jesus to fulfill the command. John Stott says “the secret of effective mission lies on the other side of a discovery of our own utter inadequacy to produce fruit that will remain, no matter how learned or technically equipped we are.” Relying on Jesus is dying to our reliance on ourselves and our abilities that we discover life and harvest of the kingdom. Jesus wants to reinstate us like he did with Peter.
Failure is never final, no matter how desperate our deep seated shame Jesus can forgive us and renew us and use us in his service. Jesus addresses him as Simon not Peter the rock. Jesus faces Peter with his limitations in order to entrust him with new leadership. Simon in himself has no power except that which Jesus gives him to become Peter the rock. For him to become the rock, he has to trust Jesus.
As members of ASCK, God wants to revive us and send us. You can choose to go to the mission field, support a missionary financially, pray for a missionary, or be equipped for missionary work. When Peter was revived he never turned back, he became an instrument for God’s use and later died in the mission field. Mission is our heart beat as ASCK as a church located in the centre of the city. Let us arise and respond to Jesus’ command today.
Follow me!
The Very Rev. Canon Dr. Rebecca Nyegenye
PROVOST