DON’T LOSE YOUR FOCUS!

JOHN 21:20-22: “Peter turned around and *saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them —the one who also had leaned back on His chest at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who is betraying You?” So Peter, upon seeing him, *said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” Jesus *said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!” NASB

OBSERVATION: How is my focus? Do I find myself losing focus in life? Am I easily distracted by what others are doing or not doing? Is my lack of focus keeping me from fulfilling what God has called me to do?

We are in one of the most important weeks of the year. It is a week of focus and purpose. The world around us will keep spinning and their attention will be on whatever news cycle is the most sensational at the moment. However, for the Christ follower, there is only one focus that is important during this week.

IT IS THE CROSS!

Jesus began this final week of His life and ministry with a single purpose and focus. Jesus knew, from the Father, that His time was at hand. Everything He came to accomplish on earth would be fulfilled in one very misunderstood event. The nation He had come to save would turn their backs on Him. They would embrace a common criminal rather than the Lord of the universe. Everything would come to a single and final focus –

THE CROSS!

How did Jesus keep His focus? How did Jesus face the rejection, betrayal, mocking, injustice, and intense physical suffering He endured in the final hours of His life? The writer of Hebrews gives us some insight into this question.

• “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 NASB

Jesus ran with perseverance the race that was set before Him. He came to give His life as the ransom for our sins by dying on the cross. He kept His focus on this singleness of purpose and endured such great suffering because He saw the joy set beyond the cross. Jesus saw the will of God, the redemption of mankind, and the reuniting of God with man – as He looked beyond the cross into the promise of the Father!

So what does that have to do with us, with the text in the Gospel of John, and this section of Hebrews? Each person has a race that is marked out for them by God. Jesus had a race marked out for Peter. This race, this calling, included the nurturing and care of God’s people, the church. However, it also included a call to suffer for Jesus and die for his faith. When Jesus spoke to Peter he ended with these simple words…

FOLLOW ME!

Yet, Peter quickly took his eyes off this calling and began to look at the disciple that Jesus loved (John. Peter asked Jesus – “Lord, and what about his man?” Jesus answered Peter with these words,

“If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”

Jesus had just finished restoring Peter from his greatest failure, denying Jesus three times. Jesus lovingly called Peter to the race that was marked out before him. Yet, Peter, as he had done so many times, took his eyes off of this calling and started to look at others. Peter was easily distracted. Jesus basically told Peter –

“Don’t worry about anyone else. Follow Me on the path that I have marked out for you!”

Worrying about the other runners in the lanes next to him is the easiest way for a runner to lose a race. A glance to the side can cost the runner precious seconds and cause him to lose the race. The only way to win the race is to keep one’s eyes fixed on the lane marked out for him and the ultimate goal – the finish line. Jesus kept His focus on the cross and the joy of His obedience. As a result, Jesus defeated both sin and death and now sits at the right hand of God the Father in glory and power.

This final week of Jesus’ life reminds us that we too must keep our focus on the cross. The cross is the pathway and the goal of our life of faith. We are called to die to ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Jesus. We are not called to worry about the calling of others or measure our race against theirs. Our calling is to walk in faith and be faithful to the race marked out for us.

The grass always looks greener across the street. We can spend our entire life comparing ourselves to others and miss the blessing and purpose of the life we have been given. Life is not a competition against others. Life is an endurance race in fulfilling the path marked out for us by our Creator, Savior, and Lord. Our call is to be like Jesus and to keep our focus on the cross and the joy that is set before us.

The more we focus on the race that God has marked out for us, the more we will be able to walk in the joy set before us. And, when we do this we will also be able to encourage others to complete the race God has marked out for them!

Father, forgive me for the many times I have been distracted by looking at the race of others and neglecting the race that you have marked out for me. Help me to be like Jesus, who endured the cross for the joy set before Him, fulfilled His calling, defeated sin and death, and finished His race.

Grant me the grace to finish my race and to keep my eyes on Jesus!

In Jesus’ Name!