Rivalry

John 21:17-22 (New International Version)

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."
I tell you the truth, 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." Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"
Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"
Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."

I was reading The Gospel of John 21 today.  Jesus returns to the beach to find his disciples fishing.  He takes the opportunity to forgive Peter for denying him and reestablish Peter as the foundation of his church, “The rock”.  It is a powerful message of restoration.  However, what caught my attention was verse 20-22.  After Peter learns he will lead the church and as leader will die a similar death as Jesus, Peters first thought is “what about him?”   Was Peter expressing concern for John?  Peter, John and James were closer to Jesus than the others.  Maybe Peter felt John was more deserving.  Why did Jesus’ respond, “what is it to you” or to my ear, “mind your own business Peter”?

This passage and passages such as Matthew 18:21-22 and Mark 10:35-38 suggest there was a rivalry amongst Jesus’ closest disciples.  In Matthew 18:21-22, Peter is complaining about the others and asking if there is a point when he will no longer be required to forgive them.  In Mark 10:35-38, James and John are attempting to secure the number two and three spot for themselves in Jesus’ Kingdom.  Why does God draw attention to these very human, very un-saint-like moments?  Is there something to be learned from the disciples about rivalry?

Is rivalry good or bad?  Rivalry in individual sports spurs players to become their best.  In team sports rivalry often expands beyond the players to the spectators.  A game between rivals becomes more important and more exciting.  As I write this NBA rivals Celtics and Lakers are battling it out for the Championship.  Whichever team wins, the win will be sweeter because the rival was vanquished.  So, in an odd way rivals are appreciated.  Deniz and I attended Purdue University.  Our rival was the University of Indiana.  Both schools have marginal football programs.  However, no matter how poor the records, the Oaken Bucket Game (the rival game) is special every year.  Rivalry can turn a meeting between two average teams into an event.

However, rivalry can also cause harm.  The classic example of Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding illustrates a rivalry gone bad.  The desire to win at any cost caused Tanya to take extreme measures to ensure Nancy could not compete.  Floyd Landis recently confessed to taking performance enhancing drugs to compete with rival Lance Armstrong.  Floyd broke the rules and will never be allowed to compete again.  American football rivals can result in a fist fight or brawl (especially in Oakland) but rivalries amongst world football fans (soccer), can result in death.

Was the rivalry between disciples something Jesus encouraged, accepted, or condemned?  From the passages we have looked at Jesus did not encourage rivalry but accepted it as part of us.  In Luke 9:49-50, the Disciples have questions about who has the authority to represent God.  They had the misconception they would were the only ones chosen.  To their surprise Jesus calls the one they are concerned about an ally.  

Jesus spent a great deal of time rewiring the misconceptions held by his disciples.  In Matthew 19:23-25, Jesus challenge their belief the earthly wealth of a man was a obvious sign he was blessed and favored.  In Mark 10:42-44, Jesus answers John and James request to rule by his side.  Unlike an earthly kingdom, those in God’s kingdom must be willing to serve.  These lessons were taught often and yet even after Jesus’ resurrection there are signs the disciples are still angling for position.  

What about rivalry in today’s church?  Have we learned from the disciples?  Have we applied Jesus’ teachings?  Does rivalry help or harm the churches ability to reach the ones God loves?  We have an ongoing joke in our family, on weeks we don’t linger too long after service and find a seating at a local restaurant we exclaim, “we beat the Baptists!”  On weeks we are delayed and are forced to wait for a table we mutter, “we didn’t beat the Baptists”.  Our “friendly” rivalry with the large Baptist church up the street seems harmless, yet on a few occasions we have offended a Baptists guest or two.


Are denominations and doctrinal differences the sign of rivalries?  If so, are these rivalries a positive or a negative?  Paul addresses rivalry in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12.  In both chapters he compares the church to the human body; referring to the church as the “Body of Christ”.  In this light we can begin to understand our differences.  Although the eye may not understand the purpose of the hand, each are essential.  A rivalry between the eye and the hand may occur but what good would one be without the other?  In a healthy way, different denominations and fellowships represent the corporate version of the Body of Christ, each essential, each with its own purpose.  Rivalry between churches, which may result from the belief every fellowship should be alike, is as misplaced as the rivalry between disciples.


I was raised in the traditional Presbyterian Church and my parents are still very active within the Presbyterian Church.  When I returned to church after many years of absence God directed me towards the Assemblies of God.  The emphasis on developing a personal relationship with God and the firm foundation of God’s word were an important part of my healing.  Now, as a minister with the Assemblies of God, I am more at home in a Pentecostal service than in a Presbyterian one.  I originally believed the Assemblies of God was the better way and the old traditional ways were wrong.


My perspective changed a few years ago while attending my parents Presbyterian Church.  At the time they were living in the Tampa area.  The demographics of their church was heavily weighted towards the 55+ crowd.  Before service began I sat in the pew listening to the organist playing the same century old hymns I remembered from childhood.  I was thinking, “how can any one come to know God like this?”  Then my eyes were opened.  I watched as my parents made their way through the congregation, ministering to each person they past.  It was clear they were fulfilling their call.  They were as essential, perhaps more essential, to the Body of Christ than me.  Although, the purpose of this church was different than my own, it was no less important.  God’s children reaching the end of their earthly journeys need care.  Hospital visitation, home visits, prayer circles, and hospice care are important ministries. God answered the need through this member of the Body of Christ called Trinity Presbyterian Church.  After shedding my bias and misplaced spirit of rivalry I was able to see the truth and worship freely in God’s house.


I encourage those I serve to find the church where they experience God’s presence and can hear from God.  Just as each individual has a purpose, each fellowship has a purpose as well.  Rivalry is part of human nature and encourages us to strive for perfection; to run the good race as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:23-25.  However, Hebrews 12:1-3 says our focus should be on the race we have been called to run, with our eyes fixed on Jesus, who runs before us.  Time spent focused on someone else’s race is wasted.  One word of caution, fellowships and individuals should match their stride to God’s and not attempt to set pace with the world.  The Body of Christ is strongly rooted in God’s word.  Any fellowship which promotes editing or customizing the Bible to meet the needs of modern culture will stumble and fall.


Connections will seek to partner with the Body of Christ, assuming it's role as part of the church. It will dedicate itself to running it's race well and seek to avoid unhealthy rivalry. Connections will be committed to matching the pace set by Jesus not the pace set by the world.



Matthew 18:21-22 (NIV) 21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"

22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Mark 10:35-38 (NIV) 35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask."

36"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.

37They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."

38"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"

Luke 9:49-50 (NIV) 49"Master," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us."

50"Do not stop him," Jesus said, "for whoever is not against you is for you."


Matthew 19:23-25 (NIV) 23Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"

Mark 10:42-44 (NIV) 42Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.

Romans 12:4-8 (NIV) 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Corinthians 12:21-26 (NIV) 21The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

1 Corinthians 9:23-25 (NIV) 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV) 1Therefore, 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. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.