Conviction, Condemnation, & Casting: A SOAP Journal based on John 21

John 21

S = 21:3-7 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.

O = Despite his protests (Matthew 26:33-35), Peter had denied Jesus three times on the night Jesus was arrested. This betrayal was sealed with the eye contact of Luke 22:60-62. Peter wept bitterly. But now that Jesus was risen, how would Peter respond in light of his great failure—in conviction or condemnation?

Would he give in to the temptation to flee from his Lord and his calling like Jonah had done centuries earlier or would he draw near and share breakfast with the risen Jesus? Jonah had given up on God, but God hadn't given up on him...and restored him to his office of prophet. Peter may have given up on Christ , but Christ Jesus had not given up on Peter. Our sin does not disqualify us from coming to Jesus. We have all sinned and need Jesus but the devil tries to use our past to keep us from the future that Jesus has for us.

• Conviction comes from the Holy Spirit and drives us to Jesus in confession and repentance.
• Condemnation comes from the devil and drives us away from Jesus in hopelessness and cynicism.

To which voice are we listening? To what experience are we yielding? The answer is revealed by the direction are we moving...towards Jesus, or away from Jesus.

Here on a fishing trip Jesus meets Peter and restores him to his original calling (fisher of men) with a miracle amazingly similar to the first (Luke 5:1-11). But something has changed with Peter. He no longer tries to withdraw from Jesus (Luke 5:8) but casts himself (ironically) into the water—like he would have cast a net—in an effort to get to Jesus more quickly.

A = Do I think that Jesus needs to hang back from me because of my weakness, failures, and even intentional sin of my past or do I hear his voice of love calling me to come and share breakfast with him? My job is not to clean myself, but having been cleaned and fed by Jesus I am—like Peter—to feed Jesus sheep. I am saved by grace, and restored by the love of God poured out in my heart by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). This week I need to do all I can to spend time with my risen Lord!

P = O Lord, may I learn to follow your plan for my life without debating what I will and will not do. You know me better than I know myself and yet you love me still—I am humbled by the magnitude of your love. I pray that the light of your love and acceptance dawn in my life each morning. May I be strengthened to face the future as a faithful servant…even unto death should that be the valley through which we will pass, for in your resurrection I can see that there is life on the other side as long as I am with you! May your resurrection power remake my life each day as I follow you! Amen.        

Hung Up Over Bitterness: A SOAP Journal Based on Esther 5

S = Esther 5:9-11, 13-14 And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh. And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him … Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.” Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made…to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made. 

O = Haman had all the wealth power and honor one could ever hope to receive in Persia but he allowed bitterness towards Mordecai to get the better of him. His statement in v.13 seems ludicrous but it was true. If he couldn’t force Mordecai to fear him and honor him then life was not worth living. It was a such a powerful personal bitterness that Haman could not enjoy all of his many blessings. It was the audacity of Mordecai’s failure to treat Haman like a god that perhaps opened the door of Haman’s memory to a deeper, centuries old bitterness that of the Amalekites and the Israelites (1 Samuel 15). Haman was descended from an Amalekite king and Mordecai was related to King Saul. Because of Saul’s failure Haman was now, 400-500 years later in a position to wipe out the whole Jewish race. However, by God’s providence and Mordecai and Esther’s humility and courage, Haman was hung from his own gallows—truly hung up on bitterness.

A = Are there certain areas of frustration that prevent me from enjoying my friends, family, possessions, and reputation in the community with which God has blessed me? Or do I somehow think I am owed something more? Something that I can’t let go of and must deal with my own way—badda-bing, badda-boom! Are there times when I am too quick to listen to bad advice from others or from my own ambition? This week I choose to forgive rather than fester, to confess rather than complain, and give honor rather than seek it.

P = O Lord, you know may every failure and yet in your love forgive me. Help me this week to forgive others in your name. Do not give me up to the fires of bitterness but enable me to humbly bless even those who love me not. I cannot do it on my own, my love is too small—but yours is not. May you be glorified in how I think of and treat others this week. Amen.