Mission Venture Ministries

Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow Me.’ (John 21:22) 

John, James, and Peter were Jesus’ closest followers (Matthew 17:1; Mark 14:33; Luke 8:51). Jesus has just predicted how Peter’s would die; with John standing nearby (John 21:18–20). Out of natural curiosity, Peter has asked about John’s fate (John 21:21). 

Jesus’ response in (John 21:22) is not a rebuke, or even a criticism. It’s simply a rhetorical question, meaning “what difference would that make in your faith? Just follow Me!” 

Jesus’ response is not harsh, but it is direct. He gives no prediction, but only points out that what happens to John has nothing to do with Peter’s faith. Peter doesn’t need to know what will happen to John, now that Peter has been restored, he just needs to obey: “you must follow Me!” Even if John were to live from that moment until Jesus’ second coming, it would not change Peter’s calling or his need to obey Christ in faith. 

That principle applies to Christians even today. It’s good to care about the fate of others. We should seek to meet their needs and teach them about the Gospel, but whether they “accept” or “deny” Jesus and even whether they live or die, doesn’t change our obligation to focus on our personal obedience to God. 

Faith is believing that God will do what He has promised, it is trusting that God will honor His promises, and that is all we must do. 

Our part in the faith process is fairly simple. We are to go about our lives making decisions, handling crises, raising our families and so on, trusting in God and knowing that He is really going to do what He said He would do. That is what it means to walk by faith. 

The Holy Spirit dwells in the believer and is ready to go to work producing the character of Christ through them. All He needs is our faith, since the Lord has a plan for each of us, and it is our responsibility to live out that plan in obedience and faithfulness. 

What the Lord plans for another person’s life, and how that other person lives out God’s plan is the business only of the Lord and that person, it is not our responsibility, just as Jesus said to Peter when he asked about John. 

We are to encourage and help others as they fulfill God’s plan in their lives, but we are not the Creator or the policeman of that plan and purpose. God is fully capable of dealing with each person individually, and our role is to trust Him completely with our lives and with the lives of those we love. 

Therefore, we must truly believe that God is capable and is in control of all things and that He desires our eternal good and is our help always and especially in times of need. 

When we catch even a glimpse of who God is, what God is capable of doing, and how He desires to exert the full extent of His power, presence, and provision to help us, we can’t help but feel faith and hope welling up in us to produce an abiding peace. 

Barnabas was nicknamed the “son of encouragement” by the early church (Acts 4:36). He was the kind of guy you wanted to have around as you were serving the Lord. He was a man of great conviction who wanted to see the church flourish and did all he could to make it happen. 

Pray for God to show you who to encourage. Ask God to bring someone to mind that you should reach out to. May the Lord do more than we can imagine through just a little encouragement and faith (Ephesians 3:20-21). 

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