A Different Focus By: Alfred Toole, Jr.

Coloring Outside the Lines

John When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

John The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

John Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 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.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

A Different Focus

Simon Son of John

John The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). (A) 42 And he brought him to Jesus.A Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called (B) Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter [a] ).Ba

Matthew When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; (L) others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (M) 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”LM

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, [b] the Son of the living God.” (N) 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, (O) but by my Father in heaven. (P) 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, [c](Q) and on this rock I will build my church, (R) and the gates of Hades [d] will not overcome it. [e]bNOPcQRde

19 I will give you the keys (S) of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be [f] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be [g] loosed in heaven.” (T) 20 Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone (U) that he was the Christ. 21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem (W) and suffer many things (X) at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, (Y) and that he must be killed (Z) and on the third day (AA) be raised to life. (AB)SfgTUWXYZAAAB

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! (AC) You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (AD) 25 For whoever wants to save his life [h] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. (AE)ACADhAE

26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

School is in Session.

Why Does God Ask Us Questions?

Psalms The L ORD is compassionate and gracious, (R) slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; (S) 10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve (T) or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love (U) for those who fear him; (V) 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions (W) from us.RSTUVW

1 Corinthians It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, (K) it is not easily angered, (L) it keeps no record of wrongs. (M)KLM

Jeremiah No longer will a man teach (CV) his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the L ORD,’ because they will all know (CW) me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the L ORD. “For I will forgive (CX) their wickedness and will remember their sins (CY) no more.”CVCWCXCY

Jeremiah No longer will a man teach (CV) his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the L ORD,’ because they will all know (CW) me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the L ORD. “For I will forgive (CX) their wickedness and will remember their sins (CY) no more.”CVCWCXCY

Hebrews Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” [c](AB)cAB

Luke “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked (AF) to sift you [a] as wheat. (AG) 32 But I have prayed for you, (AH) Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (AI)AFaAGAHAI 33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” (AJ)AJ 34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

Matthew When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; (L) others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (M) 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”LM

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, [b] the Son of the living God.” (N) 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, (O) but by my Father in heaven. (P) 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, [c](Q) and on this rock I will build my church, (R) and the gates of Hades [d] will not overcome it. [e]bNOPcQRde

19 I will give you the keys (S) of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be [f] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be [g] loosed in heaven.” (T) 20 Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone (U) that he was the Christ. 21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem (W) and suffer many things (X) at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, (Y) and that he must be killed (Z) and on the third day (AA) be raised to life. (AB)SfgTUWXYZAAAB

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! (AC) You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (AD) 25 For whoever wants to save his life [h] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. (AE)ACADhAE

26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” 34 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” 35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Phileo or Agapao

When we love Christ, we will…

Feed My Lambs.

Take care of My Sheep.

Feed My Sheep.

More than these…

God’s love.

John “A new command (AR) I give you: Love one another. (AS) As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (AT) 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”ARASAT

John Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Burn the Ship.

A long while ago, a great warrior faced a situation which made it necessary for him to make a decision which insured his success on the battlefield. He was about to send his armies against a powerful foe, whose men outnumbered his own. He loaded his soldiers into boats, sailed to the enemy's country, unloaded soldiers and equipment, then gave the order to burn the ships that had carried them. Addressing his men before the first battle, he said, "You see the boats going up in smoke. That means that we cannot leave these shores alive unless we win! We now have no choice--we win--or we perish! They won.

Follow Me.

Some of you believe in Jesus, but you have not given your life to him. You belief without commitment. Say Yes to god. How about you? Have you colored outside the lines? Have you sensed Jesus calling you? What have you done about it? Jesus extends the call again, now, in a deeper way than before? What will you do?

Our call to be followers, disciples, of Jesus takes precedence over every other responsibility or vocation we have. He must become first -- before father or mother, spouse or children (14:26). His call is preeminent. They "left everything and followed him" (5:11). What about you?

Works Cited Question-Mark-Man.jpg Question-Mark-Man.jpg w8E/s1600/Jesus%2BBoat%2BIII.jpg w8E/s1600/Jesus%2BBoat%2BIII.jpg