A Vision for Life

Psalm 2                 Hebrews 12:1-2                     Revelation 1:1-6

A Vision for Life

Victor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and world-renowned psychiatrist, once observed that “Ever more people today have the means to live, but no meaning to live for.”  Other studies have also revealed a quiet crisis. Many people today merely endure the present while hoping the future might hold something better. But what if the present itself is sacred? What if meaning is not postponed, but planted right here — in the soil of today?

Many in the Church play a similar waiting game with God. Often, they take their cue from (in my opinion) an incorrect understanding and interpretation of the Book of Revelation. Countless Christians are simply enduring the present while waiting for an undefined “something” – a time in the future when God will end all this and take us all to a better place. And they often justify this morbid waiting game by claiming that this is the message of the Book of Revelation.

They claim that the book delivers an undecipherable message except, perhaps, for the final generation on this planet…exactly who gets to be this final generation is, of course, never made clear…it always seems to be the generation at the time, whether that be the year 1000 or today. Many doomsday prophets have claimed to have lived in the the so-called “last days” and have been wrong, the present million-dollar booksellers and filmmakers included. 

People tend to be so incredibly gullible, don’t they? If you have no sense of or interest in history anyone will be able to take advantage of your naiveté. To many at various times in the past and the present, the Book of Revelation is nothing more that a glorified crystal ball with a little Christian veneer sprayed over it for good measure.

But by treating this book as if it were a deck of tarot cards, many believers have completely missed the point. Like every other book in the Bible, we need to ask ourselves certain foundational questions so that we may be able to strive for correct understanding, interpretation, and application. 

The first question we need to ask is, what does the book say about itself? The opening line tells us that this is a revelation or unveiling of Jesus Christ, which can mean two things: that it is from Jesus (which it is), but it can also mean that the book is intended to reveal something about Jesus (which is does). 

So, the book of Revelation first and foremost points to our Saviour and as such, it is a book that should and, indeed, must lead us into a deeper and more profound relationship with our Lord. Thus, from the opening sentence we may safely assume that the book itself points us away from its current misuse as a final countdown calendar. It is a revelation of Jesus, and we should be looking for him, not nuclear warheads.

But the book also tells us that what is about to be revealed is to take place, words echoing Daniel 2:28 and yet, unlike Daniel, the things revealed in Revelation will take place soon. Throughout the book there is a sense of immanency, urgency, and immediacy…the time of fulfilment for the First Century audience was near. 

That is what the book says about itself.

It also tells us that it is a revelation, not an obscuration. The book was meant to be understood by its original recipients. This statement in itself is extremely important as many interpret the book as addressing things way beyond the purview of any First Century audience. So, when we try to fathom its meaning, the second question we must ask ourselves is to whom was it first addressed? If we can figure that out, then we are able to study their history, their culture, their politics, their language, especially their idiomatic speech, their geography, and so on so that we might set the images and symbols and figures of speech in their original and proper context. 

As Dr Weima always says, when approaching any New Testament text we need to listen with two ears: an Old Testament ear – its language, symbols, themes, promises, and narrative trajectories because the New Testament is deeply rooted in and constantly echoing the Old Testament – and an Old World ear because the New Testament has its own original historical, cultural, political, and social context with its own social norms and structures, language and rhetoric, religious pluralism, and political tensions. In other words, to faithfully interpret the New Testament (especially a book like Revelation) you must immerse yourself both in the Scriptures that preceded it (the Old Testament and, at times, even the Old Testament Apocrapha) and the world in which it was written (that would include interacting with archeological studies, epigraphic studies, language studies, and a study of many extra-biblical texts). This approach guards against superficial or anachronistic readings and opens up deeper and richer meanings in the biblical texts. 

So, as we seek to understand this book we must always remember that John was writing to seven existing churches in Asia minor (modern day Turkey) who were well acquainted with the Old Testament with its symbolism and idiomatic speech and who were dealing with very specific First Century problems. Like every other book in the Bible written to specific people, understanding its original message helps us apply it properly in our own day and age. 

So, the first question we must ask is what does the book say about itself and the second question is to whom was it addressed.

And then thirdly, what was the original setting? What was the cause or concern that brought about its writing?

After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and the initial work of the Apostles, missionaries, and evangelists, the Church expanded rather rapidly. If you remember from the book of Acts, the predominantly localised Jewish persecution only fanned the flames as dispersed believers took the message with them beyond the borders and jurisdiction of Jerusalem and ancient Palestine. This often caused the unbelieving Jews in those areas to enlist the help of the Roman authorities, which wasn’t difficult to do, seeing that the titles used by the believers in reference to Jesus were the exact same titles ascribed to the Roman Emperors. 

From the time of Caesar Augustus, the titles “lord”, “son of god” (remember he was the adopted son of Julius Caesar who was considered a god), “saviour of the world”, and “king”, echoed in the temples built in many cities all over the Roman Empire for the Emperor Cults. So, using the same titles for Jesus was viewed as an act of treason against the Empire and punishable by death. 

Also, as all of life in the First Century was religious, the rejection of the ancient gods in favour of an unseen God (bear in mind that the Early Church not only had no images or idols, but they also did not have temples or church buildings), was seen as endangering the wellbeing of the general populace who believed the gods would punish them if they did not honour and serve them properly. It may interest you to know that Christians were often accused of being atheists at the time. 

And then, in the mid to late AD 60’s, when the zealous Jews revolted against Rome, not only in Jerusalem and ancient Palestine, but throughout the empire, they also attacked the Christians, especially the Jewish Christians, as apostates…but Rome also attacked the Christians because of they came under suspicion because of their Jewishness and because of the reasons I stated before!

So it is a rather complicated affair, but let it suffice for now to say that it seems that from the outset the growing Church was a countercultural movement on every level and, as such, it faced strong opposition from those who did not accept their message. A careful reading of the letter to the Hebrews gives us a glimpse of the impact of such opposition. 

Many believers, especially Jewish believers, were wondering whether or not they had made a mistake. Didn’t Jesus promise that he would judge their enemies? What about his prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem? Unfulfilled prophecy was not a good thing, and many may have wondered if Jesus was a false prophet. 

It is this world and these very real First Century issues and concerns that form the backdrop to the book of Revelation and therefore if we are to understand its message, we need to read it in that context. It never ceases to amaze me that people will carefully study any other subject, but when it comes to the Bible, which should be treated as both a spiritual book as well as an historical document, we somehow think that truth will come to us by some sort of mystical osmosis. But without a standard for understanding and interpretating the Scriptures, we are left rudderless, without a sense of connection, direction, or destination. 

Its like the story about a man who saw his neighbour struggling with a heavy washing machine at the doorway of his house. The owner of the house was overjoyed when the neighbour offered to help, but after several minutes of fruitless effort, the two stopped and stared at each other in frustration. The neighbour finally managed to say between gasps, “We’ll never get this appliance in there!” “In?” the homeowner panted, “I’m trying to move it out!”

Likewise, if you don’t know whether you are coming or going with any given text, you’re not going to get very far…and at that point you have one of two options. Either make up anything that seems to fit or give up trying to understand. 

The book of Revelation is meant to be encouraging not frustrating…John says we will be blessed when we read it, so we must work hard at figuring out what he meant when he wrote it and what those who received it understood when they read it before we make any attempt at applying it to our own situation. 

Now, as we know from the book itself, it was written by John on the Lord’s behalf in the form of a letter addressed to seven existing churches in Asia Minor. As we look at the specific messages to each church in chapters two and three, we will examine the reasons why each needed to be challenged to gain perspective and to refocus on what really mattered…why they needed to maintain a singular vision in a world filled with many distractions. 

But how would maintaining a singular vision benefit them or us, for that matter? Consider the words of the author to the Hebrews: “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it…and then he goes on to speak about God putting everything in subjection to the Son of Man, leaving nothing outside his control, BUT then ADDS (and this is important…At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see…Jesus, crowned with glory and honour…” (Hebrews 2:1, 8b-9) Remember, the recipients of this letter were Jewish believers who were second guessing their decision to follow Jesus because of hardship, persecution, and misunderstanding and the author was urging them to regain their singular vision, namely Jesus and his present universal rule. 

Whenever believers base their faith on experience or personal perception they lose sight of biblical reality. The singular vision we ought to maintain as believers is what has been revealed…the secret things belong to God and are not for us to know. 

So, you may well ask, what is the benefit of this singular vision? Well, the first benefit is that it helps us remember where grace and peace comes from. In verses 4 and 5, John wrote: “Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.” All too often, believers take God’s blessings for granted and it is only when he withholds them that we sit up and pay attention. 

All things can become so familiar that we forget where our salvation and our status as children of God originated. We forget that if it wasn’t for God graciously reaching out to us through Jesus even while we still sinners we would still be dead in our trespasses and sins. We have forgotten that our peace and reconciliation with God came at a high price tag. Most unbelievers only give God a second thought when they are in trouble, but how many believers don’t live like that too? When the goings good, they give very little time to God…in fact, they give very little period. But when things get rough, they jam the switchboard of heaven! Dearest beloeved brethren, this ought not to be so.

Believers should want to meet with their Lord often. They should want to speak to him in prayer and hear him answer through his Word. They should want to tell everyone else about him. If its not like that, there’s something wrong with us. Just think of how easy it is to tell the whole world about the one’s you love, be that your friend, spouse, child, grandchild, or great grandchildren. But why not God who is the source of love? And so we need to recapture that singular vision so that we might remember where grace comes from and through whom you have received peace. 

So first, both grace and peace come from God the Father whom John described as the eternally uncreated one. 

But second, both grace and peace also come from the “seven spirits before the throne”. Now, here your Old Testament ear should start twitching. In Isaiah 11:2, the prophet described the sevenfold Spirit of God resting upon the Messiah: “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” 

These seven characteristics are often interpreted as the sevenfold ministry of the Holy Spirit and many scholars believe that this is what John was referring to here. This is the Holy Spirit in his fullness. 

But wait, I hear some of you thinking, there’s another passage in Zechariah 4:1-7 that also speaks about the seven spirits, and I would say you’re absolutely right! 

In that passage, an angel asked the prophet what he saw: Zechariah replied, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel (who was the grandson of King Jehoiachin (1 Chronicles 3:17) and the appointed governor of Judea after the exile): Not by might, nor by power, (and here it comes) but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”

So, here the angel revealed to Zechariah that the seven branched candlestick is the Spirit of God who would ensure the positive outcome of Zerubbabel’s efforts despite severe opposition. Does that sound familiar? God will overcome despite opposition. Remember the verse from Hebrews? We do not yet see all things in subjection to him…but we do see Jesus, crowned with glory and honour. Gaining perspective through a singular vision once more.

However, I hear some others thinking that the seven branched candlestick was a symbol of God’s presence in the Tabernacle and the Temple, and I would say, you’re absolutely right! And yet, there are still others who are thinking that the seven branched candlestick in the Tabernacle and Temple represented the burning bush and the pillar of fire in Exodus, and I would say, you’re absolutely right! The Holy Spirit has often been associated with fire as we see in Acts 2 as well. 

But I hear others thinking that perhaps the number seven used here to describe the Spirit has something to do with the fact that there are seven churches to whom this revelation is addressed, and I would say, you’re absolutely right! The divine and complete number seven indicates that the Holy Spirit is present in every one of the churches and that he will work out his purpose in those churches despite their hardship, fear, and failures.

The finally, in a very vivid way, John reminds us that grace and peace comes to us from God the Son.

As a faithful witness, Jesus came to reveal the Father despite strong opposition from the leaders and gross ignorance from the people. He never once compromised his message. It was always reserved for those who had ears to hear…

He came to defeat the power of sin, Satan, and death by dying as a sinless human being. Satan, and death without sin are rendered powerless and therefore death could not hold him. As such he became the firstborn from the dead (and this is not only referring to physical death). Remember, in Adam all die, but those who once were dead in their trespasses and sins but who are now in Jesus are born again to life. (See 1 Corinthians 15:22) 

But as conquering king, he came to rule and reign over all things…all authority in heaven and earth has been given to him (Matthew 28:18-20) and he reigns now to place all his enemies under his feet (1 Corinthians 15:25). (Again, lets try to maintain our singular focus…we don’t yet see all things in subjection to him, but we do see him him crowned as universal king.) Jesus alone is King of kings and Lord of lords as he is the ruler of all on earth.

But most importantly for us, John reminds us that Jesus is the one who loved us and freed us from our sins by his blood…his substitutionary, atoning sacrifice of himself once for all his people. Ah, I hear the Old Testament ears twitching again. This is Passover imagery! Deliverance came to all who were under the blood of the lamb. The angel of death passed over the households (men, women, and children) that bore the sign of sacrificial atonement. 

Always keeping this singular vision before us, helps us see beyond our own limited perspective. Grace and peace comes from the creator, the sustainer, the owner, the saviour, the ruler of all creation and if this Triune God is for us, who and what can ever be against us? 

The second benefit of maintaining a singular vision is an understanding of the goal of grace and peace. “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” And our Old Testament ears hear echoes of Exodus 19:6, where God declared that Israel would be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation if they obeyed his voice and kept his covenant..in other words, God originally intended the entire nation of Israel, not just the priestly tribe of Levi, to have a special relationship with him and to serve as mediators between God and the other nations. 

So, as we are his witnesses and as we are seated on his throne in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6), we are meant to do the work of both priests (the ones who proclaim his death until he comes again and who teach others to observe all that God requires of us) and kings (the ones who exercise his authority over his world as his ambassadors). Remember, Jesus is currently reigning to place all his enemies under his feet (indicating an overall eschatological victory prior to his Second Coming) and remember that he has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. (2 Corinthians 5:19-20) 

We are witnesses and we are rulers. Jesus has asked for the nations as his inheritance, and he has promised that the gates of hell will not prevail against the advance of the Church. 

If what John wrote here is true, why then do some believe that things are only getting worse and worse until Jesus comes to our rescue?

Allow me to answer this question through a story. Florence Chadwick was the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions. Later she attempted to swim the strait between Catalina Island and the Californian shore. On the morning of July 4th, 1952, she waded into the water determined to reach California. But the fog was so thick that after swimming 20 of the 21 miles, she gave up despite being urged to continue swimming by both her mother and her trainer. Bitterly disapointed she later said, “I’m not excusing myself, but if I could have seen the shore, I might have made it.” Did you get that? “If I could have seen the shore…”

If we allow the many distractions all around us to cloud our vision, we too will be tempted to give up.

This was the original message to the seven churches in Asia Minor and this is still the same message to us in Christ Church, Heiloo. Without the singular vision of the Word, we will lose sight of the shore, and we will give up…we need that singular vision of Jesus as the victorious, reigning King.

How do we acquire this singular vision? By daily remembering that our grace and peace comes from the one who began all things, sustains all things, reigns over all things, governs all things, and who will bring all things to completion before the Day of Jesus Christ. Laying aside every weight, every hinderance, every distraction, every negative perspective, we run our race focussing on Jesus…our God, our Saviour, our King, the Judge of all, the Alpha and the Omega. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

In Lewis Carol’s book, Alice in Wonderland, Alice asked the Cheshire Cat, “Would you tell me please which way I ought to go from here?” to which the Cat answered, “That depends a good deal on where you want to go.” “I don’t much care where,” Alice replied. “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.

If we do not maintain a singular vision…if we don’t much care for where we go…we to will be led in many different directions as we will have no singular destination or goal. 

Shall we pray?

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2025

Frankl, Viktor E. Man’s Search for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy. Translated by Ilse Lasch, Beacon Press, Boston, 1959 (original German edition: Ein Psychologe erlebt das Konzentrationslager, Verlag für Jugend und Volk, Vienna, 1946).

The Stirring

The Stirring

Beneath the sky’s cerulean sweep, where wild winds braid the trees,

A child of dust with dream-filled eyes stood restless in the breeze.

His life, a soul not yet made whole, was drawn to far-off lands,

Where moonlight pooled in secret glades and silence held the sands.

He wandered through the gloaming vale, past rivers limp and wide,

In shadows on pearlescent waves where angels seemed to glide.

He asked the stars to guide his way, the spheres to light his path,

But they, in silent mockery, just shimmered as they laughed.

Then on the heights where winds of time dissolve in clotting mist,

He found no thunderous trumpet blast, no searing seismic shift,

But only hush – a sacred hush – a stillness sharp and deep,

Where all creation bowed in awe, and no one dared to speak.

And there – a voice – not loud nor proud, but softer than the rain,

That falls on dry and withered ground to draw forth life again.

It spoke not judgment, thunder, fire, nor visions vast and wild,

But called him gently by his name, the name he bore as child.

Then all the world fell soft and still; the fear, the wonder passed.

His soul, once splintered by the storm, was found and formed at last.

No longer lost, he knelt and wept within his Lord’s embrace,

And felt, within that numinous hush, the warmth of sacred grace.

So now he walks the sunlit lands, where grief and glory meet,

A bearer of the stillness deep as peace directs his feet.

He knows the voice that calls him home is not in wind or wave,

But in the whisper on the Breeze, the still small voice that saves.

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2025

Comparisons

Deuteronomy 29:29              Psalm 52                   James 1:22-27                      John 21:20-25

Comparisons

Have you ever challenged anyone on some or other point of unwise behaviour only to have them reply, “But everyone else is doing it”? Or perhaps they tried to justify their behaviour with mismatched comparisons. For instance, suggesting to someone that they might need to curb their drinking habits only to have them say, “But you have a glass of wine with your dinner.” Never mind that we are talking glasses versus bottles here…you do it and that justifies my overdoing it. And you know, the strangest thing about it all is that it makes perfect sense to the other person. 

And yet, how often don’t we apply this kind of logic to our walk with Jesus? Never mind what the Scriptures say, everyone else is doing it, therefore it must be fine for me to do it. And I’m not just referring to the latest obsession with human sexuality. One of my personal pet peeves is when someone tries to justify their behaviour by saying, “Oh, but that’s the Old Testament” as if that settles the matter. If one follows through with that kind of logic we end up in the same space as the modern revisionists. If God’s Word has changed, then God must have changed too and from that point on the slide just get steeper and more slippery. 

We have been so brainwashed over the years that we have forgotten that God’s Word speaks to us all regardless of our own particular set of circumstances. We do not hold to a system of situation ethics where right or wrong is determined by context or culture. Either God’s Word is authoritative for all, or it is not authoritative at all. All of God’s Word is inspired by him…and all of God’s Word is profitable for those who claim to follow him. Just because cultural winds of change blow all around us, doesn’t mean we have to bend with them. 

Another form of this kind of faulty logic is what we could call a degree of comparison. Well, yes, I’m not perfect, but at least I’m better than most. As if the Lord of all creation ought to be satisfied with our token religion. In many ways we have been distracted from following our holy God by comparing ourselves to our fellow travellers or even the onlookers along the way…simply because it is easier to examine the way others live rather than examining the way we live…then we can shift the spotlight of the Word away from ourselves on to others.

But another, possibly even more common form of comparison, has to do with our sense of equality or fairness. It is this kind of comparison made by Peter in our Gospel lesson for today. 

If you recall, the Lord had just told Peter that he would be martyred for his faith and, uncharacteristically, this prediction was accepted by Peter without argument showing a wonderful progression and growth in his spiritual walk with Jesus. However, just as we are getting ready to applaud him for his maturity, Peter did something weird. He compared himself with John! Ok, so if I am going to suffer for my faith, what about him? If I’m going to have a hard time, well then so should he.

You see, we like the notion of share and share alike when it comes to sharing trials and sufferings. Fair is fair, right? But I can’t help wondering if Peter would still have asked the question had Jesus revealed a glorious future of ease and contentment for him. 

Now, I think there are two possible reasons for Peter’s comparison question. The first is that he wanted to be sure he was being treated fairly. No one likes being singled out as a lightning conductor. You see this kind of logic in its purest form in children…adults have usually learned the art of subtlety, but not always. The basic underlying question is why must I struggle while others have it easy? Why must I be poor while others are rich? Doesn’t God love me? Or does God love them more than me? What am I doing wrong? What did I do to deserve this? 

But these kinds of questions reveal that deep down inside, we might not trust God as we ought…or as much as we would like to think we do. And unfair God somehow implise a flawed God. But these kinds of questions may also reveal that we still believe in a merit-based theology…we deserve a good life…or, at least, as good as the next person.

I’ve often thought that some folks act more like mild socialists dressed up in church clothing. You know, we believe in overall equality as we strive, both financially and spiritually, to keep up with each other or compete with each other. But underlying this kind of behaviour is a belief that if I cannot be as blessed as others, then they ought not to be so blessed either. Otherwise, it’s just not fair! 

Hence Peter’s question: “Lord, what about this man?” Is he also going to get it in the neck? 

But God has made each one of us differently and he knows what it will take to make each one of us more like Jesus…some of us might just need a few more hard knocks than others. Besides, we are not all the same…while it is true that we are all equal as sinners in need of his saving grace, it is also true that every one of us is unique as God has equipped each one with different gifts to ensure that we are interdependent as his body. 

While we are all called to witness to his reality, we do so in different ways with different targets and different goals and yes, some of us may be called to bear witness through suffering.

The second reason why Peter might have asked this question is because of his own personal preoccupation with things that are not yet known. Like many before him and many after him, Peter had to learn that there are secret things that belong only to God – but the things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever (Deuteronomy 29:29). Just because part of the future has been revealed, in this case his martyrdom, does not mean that all the future will be revealed with equal clarity. As Jesus had to remind his disciples just before the ascension: “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.” 

But notice Jesus’ reply here to Simon Peter. "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!" Basically what Jesus was saying is that the affairs of others is no concern of ours…that we ought to be focussed on doing what we know we are called to do rather than measuring our performance against others. In one sense, this is like dealing with the log in our own eye before attempting to deal with the splinter in someone else’s eye.

Interestingly, this remark sparked off a first century rumour. Some thought that this meant John would not die until Jesus’ Second Coming. Today, some think that the words “until I come” refer to Jesus’ “coming” in judgement against apostate Jerusalem since John was the only Apostle to live beyond AD 70. In this case, this final section of his Gospel serves as an interlude or a transitional comment that leads into the book of the Revelation. So the Gospel John would be to Revelation what the Gospel of Luke is to Acts…volume one and volume two. 

Whether or not this is so does not change the point of Jesus’ reply, which is: Examine yourself and not others. Focus on your own walk, not the walk of others. We would do well to heed Paul’s warning in Romans 14:4: “Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.”

Not everyone understands things the same way and this kind of comparison implies that the one making the comparison believes their way is the only way. But this kind of comparison is not only unhealthy, it is immature and unwise because it stunts personal growth. So, it is best to mind our own affairs well and to let God deal with each one of his children in his way in his time. 

John then concluded his Gospel with a statement regarding the truth of his testimony as an eyewitness to the things he had written about. Most unbiased and unprejudiced people would recognise the validity of this kind of evidence. Besides, his Gospel was written and widely circulated during the lifetime of those who could have refuted it if they wished to, but as yet, the sands of the Middle East have not surrendered any such first century document.

John admits that his record is not exhaustive but selective because his goal was to present enough information to both regulate faith and to bring to faith those who read what he had written. In this sense, the Gospels are not biographies in the modern understanding of the term and those who get frustrated by the lack of information regarding our Lord’s childhood are missing the point. The Gospels were written so that we might believe in the one revealed in and through them. 

But it would be wrong of me to leave you with the impression that all comparisons are bad. If this were true, none of us would ever have role models or examples. What makes a comparison wrong is when it implies a lack of trust in Jesus due to a suspected lack of fairness or justice on his part or when it is used to excuse bad behaviour. 

But what makes comparison right? Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” Or, as the writer to the Hebrews said in 6:11-12: “And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” 

When we compare ourselves to Jesus with a view to imitating him…or when we compare ourselves to other believers who do imitate him to spur us on to live like them in faith and patience…then the comparison is good and yields good fruit. It is not born out of jealousy or suspicion of favouritism, but a genuine desire to live better lives.

So, may I end with this question. Which kind of comparison are you engaging in? 

Shall we pray?

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2025.

Costly Confessions

Jeremiah 23:1-6                      1 John 4:20-21                                John 21:15-19

Costly Confessions

On a Tuesday morning, on April 20, 1999, 17-year-old Cassie Bernall walked into Columbine High School, in Littleton, Colorado, a promising student. She was carried out later a Christian martyr. While she was reading her Bible in the Library, one of the shooters confronted her. “Do you believe in God?” he asked. Her reply was apparently loud enough for those hiding behind chairs and tables to hear clearly. “Yes,” she said, “I believe in God.” Before fatally shooting her, her murderer’s only comment was, “Why?”

But Cassie was not the only one that died for her faith that day. Rachel Scott was also gunned down after testifying to her belief in Jesus. Again, her testimony was offered without faltering. The deaths of these two young people echo the story of the persecuted church throughout the centuries, when a mere profession of faith could be a fatal statement. Rather than hide their faith or denounce the one who had given his life for theirs, these believers, like the Columbine martyrs, openly testified of their faith in Jesus and paid for their confession with their lives. 

Yet in stark contrast, the disciples deserted their Lord at the time of his arrest, one denied him and all the others doubted him because they were afraid that the Jewish authorities would hunt them down and murder them too. Sadly, they did not confess the good confession even for a period of time after the resurrection. And so, in this final appearance to his chosen instruments for global evangelism and disciple making, Jesus exposed the one thing that causes faint hearts and weak knees, namely a misplaced faith… faith that is centred on self or on something or someone other than our Lord. 

I do want to point out that this gracious confrontation between Jesus and his estranged disciple took place after they had shared a meal together. This intimate action clearly reveals the humble and loving nature of our Saviour. Although direct and persistent and piercing in his words, the painful process of correction and restoration was warm and gentle, not harsh or judgemental. Surely this is something we ought to strive to emulate when we confront others. In my experience, we usually tend to err in one of two ways. We either do not confront others, hoping that things will disappear or rectify themselves. Or we burst in with all guns blazing, proverbially speaking, of course. But the method of our master is to heal the bruised reed, not to snap it…to rekindle the smoking flax, not extinguish it.

There are so many things going on at the same time in this compact section of John’s Gospel, but I am going to walk us through only a few. 

The first thing to notice is that Jesus did not shun or shame Simon Peter. He welcomed him together with the other disciples. There was no singling out or preferential treatment of one or of other members of the group. If there was any awkwardness during the breakfast on the beach it was surely not from Jesus’ side. 

The second thing to notice is that Jesus used the “chazakah method”, the method we discussed last week, in reverse, cancelling the threefold negative denial of Peter with a threefold positive affirmation of Peter. “I don’t know Jesus” was replaced with “I am devoted to Jesus” three times and so the apparent permanence was undone, and Peter was reinstated, ready to receive his recommissioning.

The third thing to notice is a word often overlooked in Jesus’ first question. “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Now, the word “these” could refer to the fishes…in other words, do you love me more than you love your vocation or your livelihood…or it could refer, as I believe it does, to the other disciples. Why? Because if you recall in Mark’s Gospel, chapter 14, right after the Last Supper, Jesus said to his disciples, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” And then, do you remember what Peter said to him? “Even though they (the other disciples) all fall away, I will not.” And then when Jesus told him that he would deny him three times before the rooster crowed Simon Peter said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” Of course the rest all agreed, but I want to emphasise Peter’s own emphasis. “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” “I will not deny you.”

Now, in the light of what we just read, when we read Jesus’ question again, perhaps we can understand why that little overlooked word is there. “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” What Jesus was addressing in this first question was a self-reliant approach to faith. Peter was certain that he was better than the other disciples…that he was stronger than the other disciples…that he was more devoted to Jesus than the other disciples.  What was lacking in Peter was a humble reliance or dependence on Jesus. Which is why we ought to think twice before judging others or of shunning them because we think we alone have the corner on the truth. A little humility goes a long way when it comes to matters of faith. We may think we are better than others…we may think that we know better than others…we may think that we are more devoted to Jesus than others…until Jesus draws us aside and asks us, “Do you love me more than these?”

This question is important because only those who have truly come to terms with their own human frailty can feed the lambs of Jesus. The Pharisaic spirit that thanks God that we are not like others is not the spirit of Jesus. Peter had to come to the place where he could truly and humbly say, but for the grace of God, there go I, before he could be recommissioned to be the man Jesus wanted him to be.

The fourth thing to notice is where Jesus was headed with these questions. Jesus did not just want to restore Peter as a disciple, but his goal was to reinstate him so that he might recommission him. “Feed my lambs,” Jesus said. Tend and feed my sheep. In other words, be a shepherd of my sheep…lead my children, teach my children…but lead and teach from a position of humility, not pride. It is interesting to note that when Jesus addressed the church in Ephesus in the book of the Revelation, he commended them for their works, their toil, their patient endurance, and their doctrinal purity, but he had one thing against them, that they had abandoned the love they had had at first. 

This sounds very similar to what Jesus was asking Peter, don’t you think? Do you love me? Love covers a multitude of sins and love for God is often seen and expressed through loving people. So, while we ought to correct falsehood, especially in the church, and while we ought never, ever to turn a blind eye to sin, our method of correction must be done in humility and in love. 

Shepherds must tend the flock…they must nourish the sheep…they must lead them to still waters and cause them to lie down in green pastures. As I said before, love for Jesus is most clearly seen in our love for his people. Peter’s success as a shepherd depended on his love for the Good Shepherd. As John said later in his first epistle, “If anyone says, “I love God,” and (yet) hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.” So it is the depth of love that determines the depth of ministry.

Now, we need to remember always that ultimately, we are all members of the same flock regardless of denominational emphasis or difference. If we attack each other…if we break each other down…if we speak ill of one another…if we shun or judge each other, are we not perhaps doing the same to Jesus…to the one who is Shepherd of us all? 

But note that Peter did not quite get this until after the third question. John tells us that when Jesus asked the same question the third time, Peter was grieved. Now, when God persistently presses his finger on an area in our lives that needs some attention, being grieved is not a negative thing. To the contrary…being grieved is undoubtedly the realisation that God sees beyond our bold or not so bold exterior. And so Peter was grieved as he realised his arrogance and his unfounded faith in himself…in his own limited knowledge and his own limited strength.

But note Peter’s reply after the third question: “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” This is a far cry from the Peter that rebuked Jesus because he thought he knew better…this is a far cry from the Peter that thought he was better than all the other disciples. 

And finally, there is a humility that ought to be the hallmark of every shepherd of God’s sheep. “Lord, you know everything…you know that despite myself…despite my fumbling and bumbling and stumbling stupidity…you know deep down inside that I love you and that I need you and that I am submitted to you. 

There is nothing better than a piece of soft, warm, pliable clay in the hand of the master potter. And it is at this point that Peter was to be recommissioned. Notice then his tenderness in his first epistle chapter 5:2-4 “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” 

If Jesus could do that with Peter, then there is still hope for me.

But notice that Peter is recommissioned precisely because he humbly admitted his insufficiency. This is so contrary to our way of thinking. We think a leader must know it all…be a superman to do the work of Lord. But all Jesus asked for here was love. “Do you love me.” If we love Jesus…truly love him…we will love the flock too and want only the best for them.

The best kind of shepherd is one who has come to terms with his finiteness…his frailty, fallibility, humanity, brokenness, and weakness. 

But this shepherding would cost Peter dearly. Right after recommissioning him, Jesus revealed to him that there would come a day when he would be taken and martyred for that love he had just declared. Peter, a man who had denied his Lord to save his life, would lose his life for loving his Lord and loving his fellow sheep. As Paul once told Timothy, “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”. 

And here is the final thing I want us to notice. There is no argument from Peter. He seems to have learned his lesson well and would not doubt his Lord’s words again. And it is at this point in his life that he was truly ready for true discipleship. Only at this point did Peter truly comprehend the cost of following Jesus, and he willingly accepted it. 

You see, true discipleship does not shy away from the cost involved in following Jesus. The rich young rule made that mistake and so have many believers down through the ages. Any inconvenience, no matter how slight, seems to be enough to send us scurrying back under our proverbial bushels. The martyr’s testimony is rarer than we care to acknowledge and, if we are honest, we would probably admit to being more like the pre-breakfast-on-the-beach Peter when threatened with the difficulties involved in truly following Jesus than the post-breakfast-on-the-beach Peter.

Cassie Bernall, Rachel Scott, and many others in so-called closed countries have died because they loved Jesus more than their own lives. They died because they were willing to confess their faith even when staring down the barrel of a gun, the point of a knife, or the knuckles of a fist. 

Of course Peter wasn’t perfect after this…remember he flagrantly ignored the Lord’s teaching on inclusion when faced with opposition from the Judaizers in Antioch. But the question I want us all to consider today is this: what is keeping us from loving Jesus more than our own lives? What is keeping us from witnessing to his Lordship over our lives? What is keeping us from loving others even as he loves us?

If Jesus were to ask you right now, “Do you love me?” would he have to ask you three times before he got the correct response?”

Shall we pray?

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2025

Praise Report

Johann and Louise: Training Disciples to Make Disciples in the Netherlands "You people speak as if you believe Jesus is real." Several women that attended our Annual Women's Conference did not know Jesus, but attended because they were invited by their friends who do know Jesus. The area the Lord has called Louise and me to work in is either called the "Red Province" because of its socialist leanings, or it is called the "Black Hole" because of its non-Christian character. Actually I've met quite a few folks that would sooner believe in witches and fairies and spirits than in a benevolent God. Heiloo is north of what is known as the Bible belt of the Netherlands and many of the old church buildings have either been abandoned or have been repurposed to serve as community or cultural centres or restaurants, bars, and breweries.  And yet, the slow and methodical method of friendship evangelism has proved to be the most effective here and that is why we hold annual conferences like this one for women. Our members make friends at work or at the schools their children attend and they invite them to attend a safe, friendly gathering where women can enjoy each other's company and participate in workshops like candle-making, soap-making, how to raise your children and so on, but also experience Christian worship and hear a Christian message. Each participant also received a homemade bag with a Christian book and other goodies in it. One participant told Louise that she had been "rescued" by a local Christian lady and given a home and whatever was necessary to function on her own. She had been homeless before, sleeping on the beach. Although she still has issues she was able to pray with Louise...her first ever prayer! Slow, methodical, effective... We rejoice with the angels for these single victories for the kingdom. And we thank you for making this kind of impact possible. We simply cannot do this work without you. Which leads me to a bit of an urgent request. Our support has slowly been dwindling and our SAMS account has gone down from a steady $30,000 to $17,000 since we moved to the Netherlands. I realise that there are many reasons for this, but nevertheless it does give us cause for concern. Would you please pray with us for more supporters who see the need for missionaries in Europe?  If you know of anyone who has a burden for Europe would you please consider passing on our support information? They can either make contributions payable to SAMS and indicate "Vanderbijl" in the memo line, mail to P.O. Box 399, Ambridge, PA  15003, or then could go directly to our SAMS web page: https://give.samsusa.org/missionary/johann-and-louise-vanderbijl A tax deductible receipt will be sent for income tax purposes.   Rejoice with us and pray with us! The Lord will build his Church! Blessings Johann & Louise van der Bijl Support Us Johann and Louise spent two years helping to develop the St. Frumentius Seminary in Gambella, Ethiopia. They then worked in Southern Africa, serving in seven southern African countries, while continuing to work with the Diocese of Egypt, North Africa through engaging in a disciple making movement in order to grow the body of Christ. They are now serving in Heiloo, the Netherlands. We are sent  through the Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders, a missionary sending community, engaging in building relationships with the worldwide church to experience the broken restored, the wounded healed, the hungry fed, and the lost found through the love and power of Jesus Christ.  Support SAMS Copyright © 2016 Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders, All rights reserved. www.sams-usa.org      Our mailing address is: PO Box 399 Ambridge PA 15003 Attention to: Johann and Louise van der Bijl Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

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Retracing Our Steps

Psalm 84:1-12                           Luke 5:4-11                        John 21: 1-14

Retracing Our Steps

Have you ever been busy running around doing chores when suddenly you forgot what you were going to do? No matter how hard you tried to remember you simply couldn’t, and eventually you did the only thing that most people find useful in remembering something forgotten…you retraced your steps. Usually returning to the place you first had the thought helps you to remember what you had forgotten. Unless, of course, you really have lost it and, in that case, you might try going to sleep for a while to reboot your mind.

Now, I think this is equally true for things spiritual. All too often the tyranny of the urgent and the pressing demands of the moment, rob us of that which is truly important. We find ourselves on this proverbial never-ending treadmill and before we know it, God and his kingdom are somewhere at the bottom of our priority’s lists. There are many good excuses we can give to justify this type of backsliding and we may even react disproportionately when someone confronts us with the truth or even be offended at those whose lives and words appear to be directed right at us…but, deep down inside, we know that we are not where we ought to be and that either makes us angry or it makes us sad. 

The only way out of this all-too-common predicament, is to retrace our spiritual steps to remind us of what we have forgotten and from where we have fallen. Chapter 21 of John’s Gospel focusses on this restoration process, particularly regarding the restoration of Simon Peter. 

Jesus had told the disciples to go back to Galilee where he would meet with them again (Mark 14:28; 16:7). We are not told why Jesus wanted them to go back to Galilee since he had also told them that they ought to wait in Jerusalem for the outpouring of the promised Holy Spirit, but my guess is that in the process of retracing their steps, Simon Peter and the others would be reminded of where their story with Jesus had begun. 

Do take note of the names listed here. Peter, who had denied Jesus not once but three times (more about that soon); Thomas, who had doubted him and who had demanded sensory evidence of the resurrection; Nathanael, who seems to have so effectively deserted his Lord that he is not mentioned anywhere in the Passion narratives; the sons of Zebedee (or the sons of thunder, as Jesus called them) who were well known for their impatience, their selfish motives, and their desire for important positions; as well as two disciples not mentioned by name. Not a group known for their humility, loyalty, or steadfast perseverance now, are they? 

It is interesting that it is Simon Peter that suggest that they return to the fishing industry. Now, what I’m about to say is speculation on my part, but I do believe that at this point, Peter no longer considered himself a disciple of the Lord. Why do I say that? Well, because the Jews believe that if you repeat something, words or actions, three times whatever you have said or done becomes permanent. Chazakah usually refers to the ownership of property (a piece of land, a parking spot, or a chair), but it can also refer to a statement repeated more than three times. In short it is the halachic status of permanence that is established when an event repeats itself three times without challenge. And, if you remember, Peter had denied being the disciple of Jesus three times. 

So, it is possible that in his mind, he no longer considered himself a disciple. The only option open to him at this point was to return to his previous vocation. Fishing. 

But, if they needed to be reminded of what they had been called to do since meeting Jesus, returning to the place where they had first met him and where they had been challenged to follow him to become fishers of people, would surely help them to remember.

Now, if you have ever read the four Gospels in chronological order you would have realised that what happened in John 21 had happened before. In Luke 5:4-11 we find that the disciples had been fishing all night and caught nothing, but when they obeyed Jesus and let down their nets despite human reason and logic, they caught so many fish that their nets almost broke. Is it pure coincidence that this miracle is repeated in John 21? I don’t think so. If you recall, it was at that moment recorded in Luke 5 that Simon Peter forsook his fishing industry to follow Jesus and become a fisher of people. 

So, now, when after a night of fruitless toil, and after they had obeyed the mysterious stranger on the shore who had told them to cast their nets on the right side of their boat, and after the fish began to multiply, as it were, in their nets, that John had a flashback. Like the disciples in Emmaus who recognised Jesus by what he said in the breaking of the bread at supper, John recognised Jesus by what he did in this miraculous catch of fish…and immediately, he told Peter. “It is the Lord!”

 Peter’s first reaction to this declaration was to cover his naked body and then to plunge into the sea and to swim to shore. It gives one the impression of a person who is both embarrassed and ecstatically happy. Nevertheless, his actions were as immediate as that day when he first surrendered to Jesus.

Interestingly, when he reach land, he noticed a breakfast prepared for them already. Jesus didn’t need what they had to offer…he already had what they needed before they had even lifted a finger. 

But I want you to try to imagine the flood of memories that must have bombarded Peter as he came closer. Not only was he taken back to the time he first fell to his knees at the feet of Jesus with the words, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord”, but he was surely also taken back to that fateful night when he denied his Lord as well. The term "charcoal fire" used here (in Greek, anthrakia) occurs in the New Testament only in two places, both in the gospel of John. 

The first is at the trial of Jesus. John recorded in 18:18, “Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.” It was there, with the smell of the charcoal fire in his nostrils, that Peter heard the rooster crow after having denied being a disciple of Jesus three times. And now here, on the shore of Lake Galilee, he smelled it again.

But then Jesus invited them to bring what they had caught to add to what he had seemingly miraculously provided himself. Peter went back to the boat to help haul in the overloaded nets and John not only tells us that they were large fish, but that there were 153 of them. This number has intrigued many biblical scholars, but none have come to any satisfactory conclusion. Jerome supposed that there were 153 different species of fish indicating that the disciples were to bring in all the nations. Augustine, after some impressive mathematical equations, concluded that the number represented the Law, the Gospels, and the Trinity. Cyril of Alexandria thought that the number 100 represented the Gentiles while the number 50 represented the remnant of Israel, and the number 3 represented the Trinity. Calvin called these attempts to explain the number “childish trifling” …but I’m not so sure. Knowing that John’s used words very carefully when writing his Gospel leads me to believe that there is more to the number then a mere mention of the count, but what that is I have yet to discover.

The fact that the net was not broken again emphasizes that this was a miracle and not a chance event. I think it amazing that God takes care of even the most mundane details when we are obedient to his commands. The mention of the net not being torn or broken may indicate that it had crossed the minds of the fishermen and that they had been worried that this would be the case. Just like when we are worried about the many things that might go wrong if we do what God expects of us. But here we see that God takes care of our proverbial nets and that they will not break while we are doing his bidding.

As they come to eat the breakfast Jesus had prepared for them on the beach, their faith can be seen in that they did not question him. The time of doubt seems to have passed. The light was no doubt not bright enough to clearly reveal much more than the outlines of the face, but although they did not perceive him with their visual senses, they believed him to be their Lord. 

Perhaps the giving of the bread and the fish brought back memories of the feeding of the five and the four thousand and the teaching that had accompanied both miracles. Bread and fish were well known symbols of life as the fish was the only creature to survive the flood without the aid of the Ark, and the word “bread” is used throughout Scripture to describe the basic staple food to sustain life, both in a physical as well as a spiritual sense as Jesus used bread as a symbol of his life given for ours. So, I believe, in the prayer, “give us this day our daily bread”, we are asking for more than physical sustenance…we are asking for a daily spiritual feeding on the living Word as well.

Now, John said that this was the third time Jesus “was revealed” to his disciples, but we know that this was not the third “appearance” of Jesus because Jesus had already appeared to his disciples more than seven times at this point. It could mean that this was the third set of appearances, this being the last before the ascension that took place after they had returned from Galilee to Jerusalem. Of course, the number 3 is a significant number in biblical numerology being the number of the Trinity, two or three witnesses were needed to establish a verdict, and Peter had denied the Lord three times…to name only a few…but once again, we are left without a definite answer as to why John used this number here. 

But the thought I want to leave with you today is the one I started with. Do you perhaps need to retrace your own steps today? Have you perhaps forgotten what your faith in Jesus is all about? Have you perhaps lost the plot? Perhaps got sidelined with thoughts that are not compatible with the humble mind of Jesus? Have the cares of this life choked out the precious seeds of God’s Word? Have you lost your first love?

Think back to the day when you first met Jesus…I mean really met him. When you knew in the depths of your being that he was not only Lord and God but YOUR Lord and YOUR God. Or perhaps you smell the proverbial charcoal fire? 

Maybe, like Peter, you have turned aside from the main call to follow him and to be fishers of people. Is Jesus perhaps standing on the shore of your life calling you back to following him? Will you come back and dine with him once more today? 

Shall we pray?

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2025.