What’s next?

That’s a question we seem to be nearly constantly considering. In an election year, in light of potential vaccines, with churches and businesses in various stages of reopening – we wonder what’s next?

And in a year that’s brought tragedy after calamity after rage after catastrophe, we wonder again, “What’s next?”

Sometimes we joke together about it; sometimes we commiserate with each other concerning it; sometimes we hang our heads in distress considering it. We look to the future with a sense of caution, trepidation, and anxiety, and still the question we ask each other is the same:

“What’s next?

I wonder how Jesus would answer that question? What would He say in response?

In some ways, this is just another form of the question all of us have had – the one that says, “What is God’s will for my life?” But still I wonder – how would Jesus answer my questions about the future?

The short answer? I don’t think He would. Consider the events we see unfolding in John 21.

Peter was convinced of his own conviction, so sure of his absolute allegiance to Jesus. Even when Jesus, at dinner, told Peter that he would deny Him three times, Peter didn’t believe it. Not really, at least.

But then came the fire. The crowds. The accusations. And Peter couldn’t explain how quickly and embarrassingly he had lost his nerve. Three times asked – three times denied. Then the terrible rooster that woke him up, bringing him to his senses and making him realize just what he had done.

But three days had gone by, and Jesus was back. But Peter felt a twinge of guilt every time he thought about his friend. He knew he should be nothing but happy, but he couldn’t help being torn in another direction. The more he thought about it, he realized how stupid he had been to think he could ever really amount to much. It wasn’t just that single night of the crucifixion; he recalled with startling clarity the string of dumb mistakes he had made over the past three years. So when we pick up with Peter in John 21, he was right where we had met him at the first of the gospels – in a boat, fishing. And Jesus showed up on the shore.

Despite Peter’s failings, Jesus is there, again, to assure him that he was not finished. Three times Jesus asked Peter if Peter loved Him, and three times Jesus told Peter about his future in the simplest of terms: “Feed my sheep.” It’s at this point the story takes a little turn, because it seems John has been eavesdropping on the exchange:

So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”

“If I want him to remain until I come,” Jesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow me” (John 21:22).

Here we have Peter asking about the future, though Jesus had given him general direction. And Jesus does not answer the question. He does, though, refocus Peter’s gaze.

Jesus’ primary emphasis is not on the events of the future, but on the actions of His disciples as they move into the future. And those actions are all summarized in this:

“Follow me.”

So what would Jesus say to you and I today? What would He say as we ask Him about our own future? About world events? About the economy? About our kids and what to do about college? Perhaps the same thing:

“Follow me.”