Episode 95 - Would you lay down your life for Jesus? - John 13:36-38
John 13:36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.
There are three primary things that jump out to me in this short segment of John’s narrative. John turns from Jesus talking with his disciples to personal interaction with Peter. Peter is clearly distressed at Jesus’ words that he is going away and they cannot follow him.
The first thing is that Jesus gives Peter a little more information, “you will follow afterward.” (v. 36) In our previous episode, I suggested that the destination Jesus is going where they cannot follow is first, the cross followed by the grave, and then to the Father in Heaven. Why can they not suffer and die with him now and be with him in heaven? The reason is that he has a mission for them. Jesus wants them to teach others what he taught them so that more people would become followers of Jesus. So, when Jesus says, “you will follow afterward,” it suggests that Peter will suffer and die on a cross in the future. Later Jesus will apparently make this more clear to Peter (John 21:18). But first, Peter will need to follow the Lord in obedience and fulfill God’s purpose and mission for him.
The second thing that jumps out to me is Peter’s assertion that he is willing to lay down his life for Jesus. (v. 37) Peter thinks he tough. Peter thinks that he is fully able on his own power and wisdom to make things right for Jesus. Peter doesn’t have a clue. I wonder how often we do that. How often do we think we understand what is best for God instead of trusting that God knows what is best for us?
Finally, after Peter makes this assertion that he will die for Jesus, Jesus reveals to him “the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.” (v.38) In other words, before the break of dawn, Peter’s self-proclaimed total allegiance to Jesus will be completely shattered and Jesus tells him this. Can you imagine what Peter felt like when Jesus told him this? It must have felt like a punch in the gut. It must have hurt. Peter may have even experienced anger that Jesus would so strongly suggest he would do that. But, this was the same Peter who told Jesus, “You alone have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68) Was Peter experiencing fear and insecurity wondering how this might possibly happen? It must have been extremely unsettling. In spite of Jesus stating this as fact, Jesus has not disowned Peter. On the contrary, he’s already said, “you will follow afterward.”
Jesus has a purpose and mission even for Peter who would deny that he knew Jesus at the most critical hour. I find great encouragement that Jesus knows where we are at. He understands our weaknesses. Yet he never abandons us. He has a purpose for us. Will we, by his grace, accept that he knows what is good and right and desire for him to enable us for the mission of sharing the good news of Jesus to others?