A Great Truth

Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where do You go?" Jesus answered him, "Where I go you cannot now follow Me, but you shall follow Me afterward." Peter said to Him, "Lord, why cannot I follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake." Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Truly, truly, I say to you, The cock shall not crow until you have denied Me three times. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, so that where I am, you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know." Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You go, and how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me." (John 13:36-14:6)

This is one of the most used portions of Scripture. It is used for several reasons, usually though as a thought of comfort. It reminds us of our final end as Christians: to be with the Lord. It is used at funerals and other difficult times in life.

However, what I saw, once I removed the barrier of man-made chapter divisions, was a tender moment between the Lord and Peter. Peter, the Bible's resident redneck, boldly exclaims that he is ready to lay down his life for Jesus. I assume that Peter thought his willingness to do so would draw praise from Jesus. What Peter got instead was a rebuke. Consider the One to whom Peter is speaking, and what Peter has seen Him do. Here is a man that Peter has seen do many miracles. Peter saw Him transfigured before his eyes. Peter has seen Him walk on water and even raise the dead. This Man turns to Peter and says, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Truly, truly, I say to you, The cock shall not crow until you have denied Me three times." I can imagine the stunned look on Peter's face. His utter dejection and disappointment that His Lord would say that to him, and that Jesus was right, always right. In this moment of defeat and dejection, I also see the Savior going over to Him, putting His arm across Peter's shoulders, and looking into his face and saying, "Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me." I see Jesus turning to face all of the other disciples as well and addressing them with the rest of His narrative and His declaration that no one comes to the Father but through Him. In this passage, I see a great truth. We have a Savior who is not dismissive of our times of defeat and dejection, but one who wants to turn those moments into moments of truth, clarity, and victory with His loving patience and kindness.