145 John 21:18-19 THE MARTYRDOM OF SIMON PETER Introduction: In our previous text Jesus asked Simon Peter, "Lovest thou me?" Then He called upon Simon to feed His lambs and His sheep. In our text today Jesus still talking to Simon Peter. He uses an illustration from ordinary things in life to point out something special about the death of Simon Peter. He is telling Peter the kind of death that he would experience. He was telling Peter how he would die. Would you like to know how you are going to die? I am not sure that I would. I am not sure that Peter wanted to know how he was going to die, but Jesus told him anyway. I. What Jesus said to Simon Peter V. 18, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou was young, thou girdest thyself..." Jesus said that while Peter was young he girded himself. This means that he clothed himself. He put on a robe and he tied the sash or girdle about his waist to bind the robe in closer to his body. There was, of course, a time when Peter was unable to clothe himself and his mother or father had to clothe him. But, like most young people he soon learned to put on his clothes himself and continued to do so up to this point in his life. (V. 18), "...and walkest whither thou wouldest..." Jesus said that when Peter was young not only did he clothe himself, but he walked about wherever he chose to walk. He was free to walk where he chose to walk. He did not need someone to lead him about from place to place. He was plenty capable of walking without assistance. This is the way it had been in his youth and it was still this way in his adult years. But Jesus predicted that this would change as he grew older. (18), "...but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not." Peter would not be able to clothe himself. He would stretch forth his hands and someone else would gird him. Furthermore, someone would take him by the hand and lead him around. Yet he would not be led where he would desire to go. Rather, they would lead him to places where he would not desire to go. This is pretty much the way it is with all mankind. In one's youth he is able to dress himself and he is able to go pretty much where he choses to go. But in his old age he gets feeble and tottery. He reaches the place where he is unable to dress himself. Someone else must dress him. Then after he is dressed, he is unable to go where he wishes to go. Rather someone else takes him by and leads him. Furthermore, he is unable to chose where he will be led. The people who lead him make the choices for him and usually they lead him where he would not desire to go. We have seen this pattern repeated over and over again in our society today. They young are filled with so much energy. They are dress themselves. They dash here and there. They show such physical agility and strength that the old folks look upon them with envy. But when they become old, no matter how much strength and agility they had in their youth, they need someone to dress them and feed them and bathe them and lead them from place to place. And usually it is necessary to lead them to places where they would not wish to go. They do not really wish to have to go to the hospital. They do not really wish to have to give up their homes and live with one of their children. Worse yet, they do not really wish to go and live in a nursing home. And yet, that is what happens in all too many cases. II. What Jesus was talking about concerning Simon Peter But Jesus was not talking about Peter becoming feeble due to his old age. He is not talking about him needing someone to assist him in his old age. Jesus, Himself explained that He was predicting the kind of death that would befall Peter. V. 19, "This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God..." Jesus was not talking about Peter needing assistance in dressing or assistance in walking. What Jesus predicted was that Peter would be forced to stretch forth his hands so that his hands would be bound. The word, gird, simply means "to tie." It was not that someone would need to tie Peter's robe about him. Rather it was that someone would tie his hands. In much the same way that he had seen the hands of Jesus tied by those who arrested Him, they would arrest him and tie his hands. Then, in much the same way as Peter had seen Jesus led away by his captors, Simon Peter, himself, would be led away. He would be led away to places which he would most certainly not desire to go. He would be led away to be tried by enemies who would falsely accuse him just as they had falsely accused Jesus. They would conclude that he was worthy of death, in much the same way that Jesus had been led to His death. According to tradition, they would even lead him away to be crucified, in much the same way that Jesus had been led to His crucifixion. But he would not be crucified in the exact same manner that Jesus was crucified. According to tradition, Simon Peter would request to be crucified upside down because he did not feel worthy of being crucified like Jesus was crucified. III. What else Jesus said to Peter (V. 19), "...And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me." This was essentially what Jesus had said to Peter and Andrew and James and John when He had first called upon them to be His disciples. He had said, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Now Jesus repeats that call, "Follow me." These words imply several things. They imply, "Follow me in believing and teaching the truths which I have taught to you. Believe what I have taught you. Now you teach and preach the same things that you have heard me teach and preach." They imply, "Follow me in godly living." Jesus had lived a totally sinless life. Simon Peter had not lived a sinless life. He would never in his lifetime be able to live without sin. But he was to constantly strive to live without sin. He was to seek to follow in the footsteps of Jesus living a godly life. They imply, "Follow me in fishing for men." Jesus had come to seek and to save that which was lost. Peter could not save men, but he could follow Jesus by seeking to win the lost that they might be saved. They imply, "Follow me in brotherly love." Jesus loved all men. He loved even the unsaved. He loved even the most wicked. But Jesus had a special love for those who had been born again, those who were saved. He was calling upon Simon Peter to do the same. IV. What Jesus is saying to us through this Scripture Jesus is saying to us that our Christian faith is going to be put to the test. Jesus wants us to follow Him just as He wanted Simon Peter to follow Him. But the Devil does not want us to follow Jesus. The Devil will put our faith in Jesus to the test. The Devil will seek to get us to compromise our Biblical beliefs and principles. Jesus is saying to us that there will be persecution for us. The Bible says that all who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. There were those who persecuted Jesus and those who would persecute Simon Peter and the other disciples. If we remain true to Christ and live godly lives for Him and stick with the truths of His word, we will surely be persecuted. Our hands may not be bound. We may not be led into prison or trial. We may not be led to our death because of our faith in Jesus, but we will be persecuted. Jesus is saying that He wants us to remain true to Him until death. He said, "Follow me." He wants us to follow Him and to bring honor and glory to God just as long as we live. He wants us to glorify God even in our death.