Emmaus Road Ministries

John 21:20-22

20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

The twelve were closer than the seventy.  They heard the most AWSOME teaching on the planet, went with Him everywhere, ate with Him, slept where He slept, and saw countless incredible miracles up close and personal.

They also watched and saw how He dealt with the religious leaders of their day, too.  He opened to these men the mysteries of the parables He taught, something He did not do with the seventy, not that the twelve always understood, mind you.

Then, there was His inner circle who were closer than the twelve: Peter, James and John.  They were witness to all the above plus a few other things the others weren’t.  They  were the three that Jesus brought with Him when went up on the mount and was transfigured.  The three inner circle were the only ones allowed in when He raised up the daughter of Jairus.  Is it any wonder why Jesus marveled that they had so little faith at times?

But the closest of all was the one who referred to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved–John. Did you know that the only place you find this phrase documented is IN the Gospel of John?  Check it out sometime.  He says it five times, the number of grace!  In so doing, he was practicing Jesus’ love FOR him; not his love FOR Jesus.  That’s 180% opposite.

For more on that topic, you may follow the link below:

The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved.

Though he was the youngest of the twelve, he had learned something none of the others did until much later:  The secret of leaning on Jesus.  Leaning on His breast, John could hear His heartbeat.  As a result, His relationship to Jesus was the closest of all.

Peter, in stark contrast, boasted of HIS love FOR Jesus…..and we allknow the result of that:  He denied knowing Jesus WITH CURSING AND SWEARING THREE TIMES 😭

Happens every time.  Whenever we depend on ourselves instead of leaning on Jesus, we are doomed to failure.

–

At the foot of the cross, John was THE ONLY DISCIPLE present, ready to serve Jesus in His darkest hour.  He was the one Jesus asked to care for His mother, Mary.   John took her into his home and cared for her from that point on.

In stark contrast, where was Peter?  Off somewhere crying bitterly, thoroughly ashamed of himself.  Yet, it is clear  that at some point after His resurrection, Jesus had a private meeting with Peter and restored him.  The Holy Spirit has chosen not to document this event for us, though it is certainly alluded to in 1 Corinthians 15:15.
This restoration had to have taken place sometime before the scene where Jesus told them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat when  they hauled in so many fish, the boat began to sink.

John realized immediately Who was on the shore:  It was The Lord!

–

–

Notice Peter’s reaction?  If he was still ashamed of himself, do you think he would jump in the water and race TOWARD Jesus?  Highly unlikely.  He’d probably have hidden himself behind the others or jumped out of the boat on the other side and gone the other way. Instead, his reaction shows that he was excited to see Jesus!  He was the first one to reach Him.  Restored?  YES! There’s no doubt he had been restored!

What a difference between the two men.  Peter who had boasted of his love for Jesus and John who leaned on Jesus’ love for him. That’s the secret of walking closely with Jesus: Leaning on His love FOR you.

Seventy followers, twelve close friends, three in His inner circle; but only one John.    

The ones who learn to lean on Jesus’ are those who can Hear His Heart.