Good day. I hope my posts are helping to create an appetite in your heart for more of Jesus. I’ve just begun to scratch the surface in some areas of the Scripture so stay with me.
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Jesus Takes Peter Aside
In John 21:18-19 we see Christ’s attentiveness to Peter and the foretelling of a coming divine shift in their relationship. The shift was not possible during Christ’s earthly ministry. His earthly ministry was preparatory for the deeper work yet to come.
Jesus invites Peter into his “personal ministry (care).” Some call this the “judgment seat” of Christ, others the “coming” of the Lord. The apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 refers to it as sanctification. (There are other terms in the New Testament to describe the journey Peter is about to take. Romans Chapters 6 through 8 capture the essence of this journey.)
Just as Peter was the first to walk on water with Jesus, he will be the first to embark on the journey of sanctification – the promise of God to restore what was lost in the garden.
The ministry of Jesus to Peter is a divine shift. It will be more intimate, personal and revealing. Christ will begin applying the gospel – the writing of the word of God on the tables of the human heart – to Peter. Jesus is about to take Peter deep in him.
As Jesus confides to Peter about what’s up ahead, maybe the details of the conversation not captured in the text or what they both could be thinking but not saying, goes something like this: – “Remember the Transfiguration?” “Remember the holiness and glory you beheld in me?” “That is your journey and it will begin soon.” “You, Peter, someday, will shine like a precious jewel with the glory of God.” “I will come to you, sanctify you, and complete the work of God in you.”
Jesus is speaking the same words to you and me today. “Remember the Transfiguration?” Peter’s journey is our journey.
Come with me as we take a closer look at Peter.
Enormity of the Challenge
I hope you’re catching the theme of this series, A Peculiar People.
The enormity of the task or calling, if you prefer, the Lord has placed before you and me in the holy Scriptures is impossible in the natural to apprehend. No amount of service, duty, dedication or observance, in whatever form, can change our lowly natures into the nature of Jesus Christ.
It is Christ who made it possible for you and me to experience the new birth and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And it is Christ who takes us on the inward journey to redeem and glorify those places previously under the dominion of darkness.
Divine Shift
The divine shift is deepening in our generations. New territory is being taken and the borders of his kingdom are expanding. Christ is advancing his kingdom and commissions you and me to advance it as well.
The purpose of my writing is to proclaim the “deeper call” God has placed in my heart for our generations.
More about My Journey
The Lord began a renewal work in me about 10 years ago and started a deeper work about five years ago. The Lord allowed me to get to a place of desperation for him and I am thankful he permitted it to happen.
I cannot say enough about how Christ has kept, preserved, and held me so many times in my dark moments. He’s given me a second chance at life to advance his kingdom. And that’s what he wants for you as well.
In the early 80s my church experienced a profound move of the Spirit of God in the area of deliverance for over three years. It was an unexpected and unplanned visitation by the Lord. The entire church was involved at one level or another.
I led a prayer group, prayed deliverance for others and received deliverance myself. It was revival time. But it was not intimate nor deep. Looking back, it was the Lord’s introduction into the spiritual realm, harvesting low hanging bad fruit in one another.
We had a large church at that time. I think the seating capacity was close to 2,000. I remember walking through the sanctuary, people were scattered about in groups and individually praying for one another. As I walked through the seating area, it was like I was transported into another realm, like a hospital – a spiritual hospital, and everywhere I looked in the assembly I saw brokenness, sick people in need of healing.
In the latter 80s there was another profound move of God. And in the early part of this century I again experienced discernment, in prayer for others, of deep devastation in areas of their life. It was like the Lord was letting me see what was inside someone’s closet. Little did I know I had a lot of closets like that.
None of these experiences compare to the deep renewal work in inner healing or the deeper work yet of Christ I’ve been referring to in this series. Inner healing apart from Christ’s personal intervention can only go so deep.
“Christ’s personal ministry” which includes at times inner healing, is the theme of this series. When Christ ushers you into a place of grace, connection and revelation, a place of spontaneous and unplanned responses, a place Peter is about to embark upon, you know a deep work of the Spirit is upon you.
As I noted in my Suddenly post, how much and how deep healing and restoration comes depends on the damage we have suffered and entertained, how much we can handle, how far we permit the Lord to take us, and his ultimate design and commission for us. The measure of faith and presence of Spirit in the body of Christ plays a part in this as well.
Refresh
In the previous posts of A Peculiar People I explained a few of the Scriptures teaching the intentional, direct, and personal ministry by the Lord in the lives of his people. They’re different pictures of the same sanctification process.
We see in 1 Peter 1:13 the revealing of Christ to you and me in grace. It’s an uncovering of wounds, sin and practiced ways of living. When Jesus begins this work, you and I will need – and he will give – grace to bear through the process of prayer, repentance, forgiveness and healing.
In the absence of Christ’s grace, shame and condemnation would be overwhelming – in the light of our deep brokenness and the distance between us in Christ.
In Matthew 24:40 we see an intentional and direct intervention by the Lord to bring his chosen one in the shadow of his wing. Christ begins to speak tenderly to those places deep within you and me in need his grace and love, bringing justice to those areas under the dominion of darkness.
And in John 14:1–4 we see Jesus describing the plan of God, the heart of the gospel, to his friends on the threshold of monumental change in their lives and in the lives of others. He says it’s a long journey, a journey of preparation where he will be intimately involved in the new life marked out for them.
In Luke 13 we see the greater Moses, Jesus Christ, who like Moses of old was not willing to let Israel perish but stood in the gap between Israel and God, and offered an option for the unfruitful tree. An offer to root out the dominion of darkness that pervades their inner life.
And Psalm 16 the glorious Psalm of sanctification and resurrection, reveals the Father’s plan for his sons and daughters. He gives them an easy yoke and light burden, establishes their boundary, secures their position and promises the completion of his word in their life.
Back to John
John chapter 21:18–19 records an intimate conversation Jesus has with Peter and a comment by John about that conversation. Jesus, with the care of Peter’s heart foremost in mind, lets Peter know he’ll begin a new journey in Christ soon.
‘”18 Very truly I tell you, 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.”’ “19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, ‘Follow me!”’ (NIV)
Jesus knows this will not be an easy transition for Peter. He lets him know by acknowledging the way Peter has lived in the past and the new way will be different and challenging. Jesus does not leave Peter dangling at the edge of a cliff. No, he lets Peter know it will be him who will take him on the next phase of his journey and adventure in God.
I believe Jesus is answering the concern lingering in the heart of Peter and the other disciples. And the concern is, the challenge of the gospel is too great for us. “Jesus, we’ve been with you over three years, we’ve heard your teaching, seen your miracles, and seen your life.”
“Our life does not match yours. Something’s got to happen in us. We cannot be your message to the world and be broken and littered with sin. The gospel has to start with us first.”
It would not be surprising to learn the disciples have already been praying secret “whisper prayers” to be made new from the inside out.
Peter’s no different than you and me. He’s been in church with Jesus for over three years and seen and heard a lot of wonderful things, all the while speculating when will the reality of what he’s hearing and seeing personally come to him.
Some of us, maybe you, I know me, have sat in church year after year after year and heard wonderful teaching, experienced revivals, and some deep things in God.
But there comes a day when Jesus says I have a new way of living for you, it will not be easy, but I’m going to bring you alongside me to a place the prophets of old desired to look into.
I’m not going into a lot of depth of the Greek words used in these passages. There are some very interesting connections here in the Greek. If you want to do your own research, I suggest www.biblehub.com as a start, it’s a great resource.
I will share a few of the truths I see in this passage of Scripture. When Jesus says to Peter, another will dress and lead you, it is tantamount to saying, “I am going to ‘bind’ you to me, you will be mine, and together the two of us will go to those lost areas of your heart and work together to redeem them.”
The reference to “old” is not directed specifically to age, though it applies because Peter is getting older, but has to do with having little strength. Jesus is saying, “as we begin this journey you will find the strength you’ve placed in your beliefs and practices to live an independent and self-reliant life to wane and die. You will no longer find strength in your old manner of living. Your ability to be strong on your own will diminish as our hearts and lives become one.”
Martyrdom?
There is another important part of this passage. And it is the “death” John refers to in John 21:19. Most of the commentators believe this is in reference to some type of future martyrdom.
The word death in the Greek can mean spiritual or physical. I found three commentators who stated this is not about martyrdom or physical death but a future life of service to the Lord. Another commentator said something to the effect you have to force physical death and martyrdom into these passages.
I think the answer as to whether John is referring to physical death or spiritual death is clear. The heart of the gospel does not teach martyrdom as the height of spiritual achievement or service to God.
From my reading of the Scriptures the theme of death throughout the New Testament is primarily the death of sinful beliefs and practices.
We see in sin’s first appearance God’s redeeming heart toward man. Adam and Eve are naked and afraid and God comes and clothes them.
Martyrdom is the result of anger and hatred towards Christians and Christianity. It is not a higher calling. The higher calling is to apprehend what Christ has apprehended us for, to be made like unto him.
Here are some comments and questions you may want to consider if you believe Jesus is talking about some type of future physical death for Peter:
- Does the context of John chapter 21, the general tenor of Scripture and the mission and calling of Jesus Christ promote the belief Jesus is telling Peter he is will die as a martyr? Is that an easy yoke and light burden?
- Considering recent events and what they all witnessed about themselves and Christ, I would think the matter of martyrdom of another would be a sensitive subject to be attended with much care and gentleness, spoken in sorrow and grief, and not merely an account.
- Does Jesus want his death to inspire martyrdom or discipleship and evangelism? People who have an expectation of being martyred might just in fact place themselves in a position to be martyred.
- Is martyrdom something Jesus would discuss with his disciples who are about to embark on an epic journey and commission to evangelize the lost?
- It seems cruel to think the matter of martyrdom of another would be discussed so shortly after Christ’s own crucifixion.
- I have to ask this question considering my own journey and view of God through the eyes of my childhood – is this what we think of Jesus Christ and our heavenly Father – in the short amount of time Jesus has with his disciples he would tell Peter you will face a martyr’s death?
- Are the disciples already well aware of the dangers they face and the obstacles before them and the possibility of death?
- Christ’s life and ministry are to bring people from death to life. To proclaim life in the face of death or certain death. To bring the good news of the gospel to the heart of man. Why would Christ speak martyrdom 30 years in advance to his disciple?
- The overwhelming use of the word death in the New Testament is the death to the sinful nature.
- Jesus just paid the price of sin for all humanity. The seed of grace and truth has been planted in the soil of mankind. Is the seed of grace and truth now to be mixed with martyrdom, the sinful act of murder against those who love God?
- And one last thought. Just a short time ago Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. He wanted Lazarus restored so he could complete the journey of life God intended for him. Does martyrdom seem contradictory to the Jesus we’ve come to love and know?
Bottom line, Romans chapters 6 through 8 proclaim the journey of death to sin and sinful practices Peter is being invited into by the Lord Jesus. You can read the evidence of that journey, of Peter’s journey, in 1 Peter and 2 Peter.
Blessings to you, Drake
(NIV) Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblical, Inc.®
