Journey to Pentecost

April 29, 2010    John 21.20-22

Have you ever had someone make the statement to you, “It’s none of your business!”  I have…on too many occasions.  Depending on the situation and who is around, it can be embarrassing to down right provoking!   You’re kinda left bewildered!  Especially if you think you were in the right with your pursuit of information or dialogue with an individual.  It can catch you off guard.  It can be a little difficult to respond to.

Jesus basically said to Simon Peter when he asked about others following Him, “It’s none of your business!” or “What’s that to you?”  Now then let’s put it all in context.  Jesus had just, as they say in charismatic circles, “read Simon’s mail!”   He told him how he would eventually die and that he would die to glorify God.  There must have been a lot of tension among the brethren at this time (go figure) because no sooner than he finished saying this to Simon than Simon sees John and asked, “What about this man?”   Notice, Simon Peter didn’t ask and reference John by using his name.  He said, “What about this man!”   Seems a little mechanical and cold to me.  These guys knew each other.  They spent time together.  Not calling John by name is significant to where Peter was with his attitude. 

Jesus responds, like I mentioned earlier, and says, “Yo bro!  Ain’t none of your business!”  Well, maybe quite not like that…but close!   The idea Jesus was trying to get across here to Simon Peter was not a congregational one, a corporate one.  He was attempting to make a personal statement to Simon Peter that hinged on him following Jesus.  Before you throw some stones at Simon we need to see how we probably fit into this mold from time to time.  Oh yeah!  Sticking our noses in somebody else’s business when we should be paying attention to ours.

Remember Mary and Martha (Luke 10)?  You recall the story?  Martha is in the kitchen working like a caterer late for dinner for the President!  Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus and soaking in every word He is teaching.  Martha gets ticked off and storms into the family room of the Lazarus and company estate.  Bam!  She unloads on both Mary and Jesus.   Her deal is that she is upset that Jesus didn’t make Mary come in and help her.  She was, as they say, “…all up in Mary’s stuff!”  Jesus handles Martha with a little more patience than he did Simon Peter.  He says, “Marth, Martha! You’re worried about so many things!”  To be honest…she was ticked at Mary more than she was worried about “things.”  But any way, she attempted to get into the business of Mary and Jesus didn’t like it. 

Remember the disciples when they saw a man casting out demons but wasn’t in their “camp” (Mark 9.38-40)?  The Lord said, “He who is not against us is for us.”  In other words, leave him alone.   These guys were always pushing the limits.  We think the church has problems today!  Heavens to Mergatroid!  If the Lord had problems with his gang of disciples – how are we going to be different?  They got into over who was going to sit next to Jesus in the kingdom to come and even dragged their mama into it (Matthew 20).  Jesus obviously again tells them to mind their own business.s

Now then back to the “journey” we’re taking toward Pentecost.  Let’s go to Acts 1.7.  Jesus is abrupt and a little tart with his followers.  Again these guys are not getting the picture!  Focused on something other than what He wants them to be.   I digress.

What is it about Pentecost that we seem to be distracted by?  What is it that Jesus is trying to get across to us that we keep putting up mental road blocks too?  What is it that He would say, “Why don’t you listen to what I’m saying?”  or “That’s none of your business!”   Maybe we allow images of what we have seen intimidate us away from a real personal Pentecost experience.  Maybe we have heard something in relationship to Pentecost that inhibits us from pursuing a genuine Pentecostal experience for ourself.   Maybe the whole idea of speaking in tongues intimidates us and we want to dive into reasoning and rationalizing the experience as for us?  Maybe we have focused on too many “other” issues and the Lord would say to us…”You know what…that’s none of your business!”   What is YOUR business is what I have destined for YOU.  What I have planned for you!   Martha was focused on everything but His will for her life.  The disciples were focused on politics instead of having a supernatural experience with the Holy Spirit.   I think we can get caught up with “stuff” that is none of our business instead of praying “Your will be done in this earthen vessel as it is in heaven!”  

Come on now.  Let’s drop the act.  We do from time to time focus on others instead of what God really wants in our life!  Are there issues you focus on in relationship to His will for your life, His promise of the Spirit for you that hinders your reception of His awesome Gift to you?  Would He be able to say to you, “That’s none of your business!”   If He could maybe, just maybe we ought to move toward our business and not somebody elses.  His Gift was promised to you.  Go for it – regardless of any other issue that could be put on the table.