Follow Me!
1. Peter and Jesus
Peter very bold and sure of himself
Matt. 26:31-35; Mark 14:27-31; Luke 22:31-38; John 13:31-38
[On that last night] Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will. I will lay down my life for you.”
Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”
But Peter insisted emphatically, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison. Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.
Peter fell asleep
Mt 26:37-45; Mk 14:32-42; Lk 22:39-46
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, John and James, along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” [Jesus went and prayed.]
When he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Jesus went away a second time and prayed. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come.”
Peter brave at first, then ran away
Mt 26:51-54; Mk 14:47,50-52; Lk 22:50-51; Jn 18:10-11
During Jesus’ arrest Peter drew his sword and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear.
“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way? Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”
And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. Then all the disciples, everyone, deserted him and fled.
Peter denied knowing Jesus
Mt 26:69-75; Mk 14:66-72; Lk 22:54-62; Jn 18:25-27
[It seems after they ran away] Peter and another disciple followed the group with Jesus at a distance. [Because of this disciple Peter was able to enter the high priest’s courtyard.] It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself. The servant girl looked closely at him, and said, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
Another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.” He denied it again, with an oath: “Woman, I don’t know the man!”
After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you? Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean. Your accent gives you away.” One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” Then Peter began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “Man, I am not. I don’t know the man!”
Immediately a rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside, broke down, and wept bitterly.
Peter ran to the tomb, Peter wondering
Lk 24:12; John 20:2-10
[Now fast forward to what happened after the resurrection. After Mary Magdalene told Peter and John about the empty tomb, they ran there. They saw that the tomb was empty.] Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. Peter was wondering to himself what had happened.
Peter restored
Jn 21:1-19
Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. [Peter went fishing with some of the other disciples.] Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered.
He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
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.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 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.” 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. 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.”
2. The Living Lord Forgives & Restores
Peter must have been bitterly, utterly disappointed in himself. He ran away. He denied, disowned Jesus. He must have felt like a complete failure. This experience must have devastated Peter. He must have replayed that event over and over again in his mind. The sound of the rooster. Jesus turning and his eyes looking straight at him. If he could only turn back the clock. He could not forgive himself. He had already met the risen Lord twice, but this matter was still between them. He failed his Lord. Had he disqualified himself from serving Christ? From being a follower of Jesus? Perhaps he doubted his own ability to walk with Christ again. Would his heart ever know peace again? Peter was in desperate need of love, grace, forgiveness, healing, and restoration.
Since he heard and then saw that the Lord is alive, Peter must have been anxious. When is the Lord going to reprimand me, punish me, bring me to task.
From the context it seemed that Jesus called Peter aside and they walked on the beach when Jesus asked him these questions. I imagine Jesus and Peter walking, Peter slumped forward like a school boy on his way to the principal’s office. The rest of the disciples’ eyes followed him, thinking, “Yes, he is going to get it now.” His heart must have skipped a beat when Jesus asked the first question, “Oh boy, here it comes now.”
Instead, we see amazing grace and love in action. Jesus forgives and restores.
Have you been where Peter was? Are you angry with yourself? Are you carrying old pains, hurts, regrets, sorrows, sins? Are you having a hard time to forgive yourself. Thinking, “I am worthless.” We all have experienced and will experience failures. But our failures should not cause us to give up.
No matter who you are or what you have done. The living Lord Jesus loves you. He forgives you. He heals you. He restores you. He gives us new life and hope because he is the life and the resurrection. Jesus invites us to experience and enjoy this new life under his rule in his kingdom, here and now, and forever. All you have to do is repent and believe. And you will receive new, eternal life. But with that life comes also a call, the call to follow Jesus.
3. Jesus calls us—Follow Me!
With Peter Jesus is also asking us, “Do you love me?” Loving God is the highest and greatest priority in our lives. It comes before everything else. God made clear this priority already early in the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 — “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (See also the Great Commandment in Matthew 22:36-38)
Jesus is asking us, Do you love me above and beyond, more than anything and anyone else? Then follow me and serve me! It is one thing to say that we love Jesus, but the test of that love is the willingness to follow and serve Him, even to die for Him. Do we follow him by living for him, by abiding in him, and becoming like him? Take Jesus seriously.
Jesus invites us and calls us to participate in his kingdom work, to be fishers of men. We are called to make disciples of all peoples. We are called to take care of and serve one another.
Our Lord Jesus is alive! He invites us to enjoy the new, eternal life we have in him. Jesus invites us to love him, to follow him, to join hands with him, and to be his hands and feet in the world. We can say, “It is the Lord!” He is alive, and he lives with us. He lives in us! Follow him and live every moment with him and for him.