Friday
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.” - John 21:18-22
This little exchange between Peter and Jesus at the end of John’s gospel has always fascinated me. Jesus is telling Peter what lay ahead for him. (Have you ever wished that God would reveal your future to you?) Jesus says that not only had Peter been forgiven, restored, commissioned, but now Jesus takes him back to the bold declaration which he made earlier in his life: "Lord, I am ready to go with you, both to prison, and to death" (Luke 22:33), and Jesus assures him that this is indeed what lay at the end of the road for Peter (perhaps we should be glad that God doesn’t reveal all of our future to us).
Ancient historians indicate that Peter was martyred during the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero. The Christian tradition is that he asked to be crucified upside down because he did not feel worthy to be crucified in the same manner as his Lord. Of course, before any of that would happen, Peter would also become a key leader in the early church in Jerusalem, write two books of the New Testament, perform several healing miracles, preach the first evangelistic sermon in church history, and be a part of the spread of the gospel across the known world.
The language that Jesus uses about being led where you do not want to go is also an allusion to the fact that Peter is no longer calling the shots, Jesus is. Peter is no longer in charge of his life, Jesus is. The self-confident and self-sufficient Simon is dead, and it is now only Peter who lives solely for the glory and purpose of his Lord and Savior.
And yet, there is still a little bit of the old Simon left lurking in his heart. Look at what Peter says immediately following Jesus’ command for Peter to follow Him. Peter looked around (why?) and saw John. Then he asked Jesus about John’s future! (again, why?) Jesus immediately refocuses Peter on what really matters. I love the way Jesus puts it. Peter turns and asks Jesus about John and anything that Jesus might have to say about his future. Jesus simply says, "...what is that to you? You must follow me?" What a great question! What a simple, yet powerful call!
It is a natural human thing to be worried about somebody else’s life and not our own. We want somebody else’s career, we obsess over what others have, and we get worked up over the decisions that others make. The truth is that we have more than enough to occupy our time just by trying to stay faithful each day to the life that Christ has called us to. It is hard enough to live my life well; I really don’t have the capacity to live someone else’s life for them!
The simple, yet profound command, "Follow me," has a cost that is paid differently by each one of us. For Peter it was the Coliseum. For John it would be the Roman "Devil's Island" of Patmos where John would receive the Revelation. I don’t know where Christ will lead me and I certainly don’t know where He will lead you. But I do know that wherever it is that He is taking me I am not going to get there (and I really want to be there) unless I am willing to follow Him.
Jeff Frazier
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