Week 3 | Project Hail Mary

Have you ever wondered what you would do if everything were on the line?

Matthew 4:19
“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

-We follow when following is convenient.

-We obey when obedience fits our plans.

-We speak up when there isn’t much risk.

But when following Jesus starts messing with our comfort, our reputation, or our control, we find out pretty quickly how much of our faith can still be about protecting ourselves.

When Peter failed to lay down his life for Jesus — Jesus still laid down His life for Peter.

John 10:18

No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

We could not cross the distance to God, so Jesus crossed the distance to us.

John 21:15-19
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Peter knows what sacrificial love looks like now.

1 John 3:16

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”

You laid down Your life for me.

Now teach me to lay down my life for You.