May 1, 2026

My freshman year of college was rough. I grew up in Oxford, OH so it was an easy decision to live at home and attend Miami University just after high school. What I didn’t know was how different life was for a commuter college student from being a high school senior. I learned quickly. I worked three jobs in my freshman year while taking a full load of classes. Because I was a commuter (and not very sociable) I didn’t have many friends. I was lonely and didn’t have much time for fun. The transition from high school where I had a group of friends, activities, and more leisure than I realized at the time… to college… was a season of life that hit me hard.

Transitions in life are hard. Over the past few weeks, we’ve looked at Jesus’s interactions with his disciples after his resurrection. Their transition in faith from following Jesus before the cross to following him after his resurrection wasn’t easy. Out of the gate, you’d think: “Gee. Seeing the resurrected Jesus would only enhance my faith!” Not so fast. As we’ve seen with Mary, Thomas, and others, that’s not quite how it works. Let’s look at the resurrected Jesus’s interaction with Peter as he cooks Peter breakfast on the beach after a long night of fishing.

John 21:15-19

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you 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 love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

17 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.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, 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!”

Jesus is inviting Peter to an entirely new relationship with him. Before the cross, Peter’s relationship with and access to Jesus was new and developing. Peter was always tripping over himself with lack of understanding, impulsiveness, and disobedience. To be sure, throughout their relationship, Jesus responds to Peter with extensive grace and patience (and rebuke) with each misstep. Jesus was never intimidated or angered by immature faith.

However, Jesus wouldn’t allow his disciples to stay in that place. A new relationship with Jesus will require a shift in maturity and faith. Jesus is readying Peter’s heart for a new season of opportunities, crises, and challenges ahead of him. Peter will be the leading figure of Jesus’s new Church, he will need to learn new ways of bringing people into faith (and shed old ones), he will perform miracles like never before, and he will suffer a martyr’s death because of it all.

What does that mean for us today? Jesus is working to grow us up, always. He will not leave us in one place for too long. He doesn’t desire for us to remain immature or stagnant or comfortable. When we stay in one place of Christian maturity for too long we more easily stumble, fall, become discouraged, or dry. Worse still, when trials and disappointments and crises come, we’ll be surprised and disenfranchised by the growing pains if we aren’t ready and in pursuit of them.

There are many life-transitions that cause discomfort, grief, challenges, joys, and opportunities. (graduation, marriage, parenting phases, losing a loved one, a job transition, etc.). This is the same with our faith walk. Trusting Jesus for the next phase of spiritual maturity is a critical posture of faith for every believer. I encourage you to pick up a new rhythm of spiritual practice. Engage our Heavenly Father in a new way. Find different ways to talk to and listen to him. Do something new that serves his mission. Invest more intentionally in a relationship. Give up something you’ve been holding onto to pick up something new. Jesus looks forward to helping you continue to grow up in him.

Walking with you,

Nathan

Nathan Hinkle

Lead Pastor

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