Fifth Sunday of Eastertide | Day Twenty-nine of the Great Fifty

After Jesus cooks breakfast on the shore of Lake Galilee for seven of the apostles during His third resurrection appearance and pulls Peter aside to have a chat with him, asking him if he loves Him (Jesus) three times.  Three times Jesus tells him to feed the church.  Jesus then informs Peter about his future and commands him to maintain faithfulness to the Faith by following Him.  Jesus speaks a challenging word that is not very uplifting, as the text in John 21:18-19notes.

Jesus tells Peter that free choice depicted his youth.  He dressed himself and basically went wherever he wished.  As Peter ages, though, Jesus says he’ll face various limitations such as someone having to dress him and take him to wherever he wishes to go and maybe doesn’t want to go.  The older one gets, the more difficult it is to do some things.  I’m an energetic person, but I don’t have the energy I had 10 years ago, let alone 20 years ago.  Fortunately, I’m not at the point where someone has to dress me and take me places!

Maybe, though, there is another meaning here that goes beyond the “older age” thing.  When Jesus tells him that “you will stretch out your hands” (v. 18b) the language points to   crucifixion.  Various commentators have noted that the Greek word translated “stretch out” was used by many early Christians authors to signify death on a cross.  The way the text reads it seems that Peter understands exactly what Jesus is saying:  Peter’s death will be one of martyrdom.  “Thanks a lot, Jesus.  I really appreciate that tidbit of information.  You’ve made my day and life!”  I don’t think Peter is flippant about it.

In the decades to come, when Peter is older, he will be led to a place where he doesn’t want to go:  a cross.  And on it he will be fastened and on it he will die.  Tradition says he died on a cross upside down, at his request, because he did not feel worthy to be crucified as his Lord was.

So when Jesus commands Peter to “Follow me” (v. 19b), it not only references daily discipleship, but also going all the way to a cross, which, really, is part of discipleship.  I’m not sure how I would handle it if I knew far in advance that I was going to die a martyr’s death.  I sense Peter must have reflected on that conversation after breakfast that morning on the shore of Lake Galilee many times as he followed the Lord’s command to “feed the flock” up until the day he actually died.

Resurrection life does not mean easy life in the here and now.  Yes, we do know “the rest of the story” and how it all plays out in the end.  But we often forget that the road of discipleship is rough and long and many a soul throughout the history of “following Jesus” has, like Peter, died in the horror of suffering as a result of persecution.  Countless persons were firm to the end as they followed Jesus all the way to their own deaths because of their refusal to reject Him with sustained denunciations and careless abandonment.

As we follow Jesus, let us do so in such a way that if we have to face death because of our faith, that we, like Peter and many others, will do so with courage and sustained commendations about our Lord.

Rachel Scott sings “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.”  It is three minutes eight seconds.

I’ll continue with the third of four sermons this morning at Garden Lakes Baptist Church in Rome, GA under the theme How to Be a Local Gospel Church.  This series is based on 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28.  Today’s word, “The Right Attitude and Action” is based on verses 16-18.  Two worship gatherings are provided – 8:45 a.m. in The Chapel and 11:00 a.m. in The Sanctuary.  Sunday School for all ages at 9:45 a.m.