I Would Die For You

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/2xcra5

A preacher friend of mine was recently held up at gunpoint while in a church office on a Sunday afternoon. A few days later he remarked that instead of his congregation hiring a youth minister, they should instead hire him a bodyguard. Maybe that’s not a bad idea.

Bodyguards in the Secret Service are sworn to protect the people under their care. They are trained to protect the President and others, even to the point of throwing themselves in front of a bullet. Their job is protection, even if it means their death. They would literally die doing their job.

Can you imagine a scenario in which you would be willing to die for someone? Parents instinctively may place themselves in harm’s way in order to rescue a child from a burning building or from drowning in a lake. But then that is somewhat expected. After all, they are from the same family.

There are people who would do the same heroic acts even for a stranger. But most of us will never face those scenarios.

Peter is one who was willing to put his own life on the line for someone. In John 13:36-38, Jesus and Peter are in a discussion and Peter makes a bold assertion.

“Simon Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, where are You going?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.’ Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.’”

Peter was making his case, stating a vow that he would even die for the sake of Jesus. Yet he would soon find himself denying his Lord. It must have been difficult for Peter to hear these words from Jesus when he really wanted to prove that he would defend Him.

Later, when Jesus is in the garden being betrayed by Judas, Peter takes out his sword to defend Jesus. As he swings he cuts off the right ear of Malchus, the servant of the high priest. But instead of being pleased with his actions, Jesus again corrects Peter and says for him to put away his sword. (John 18:10-11)

First he was corrected for a vow he made. Then he is publicly chastened for using violence to prove his willingness to keep that vow to die for his Lord.

But the worst was yet to come—the validation of the denials that Jesus predicted. After Jesus has been taken away Peter follows from a distance. He’s no longer looking to lay down his life for Jesus, but he is still very interested in what is going on.

Three separate times Peter is asked a direct question about his relationship with Jesus. And in all three conversations Peter denies that he knows Him.

All four gospel accounts record the denials of Peter. But Luke adds one bit of detail that the other three do not. In Luke 22:59-62 we find the third and final denial.

“Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, ‘Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I do not know what you are saying!’ Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.’ So Peter went out and wept bitterly.”

The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Can you imagine what Peter was feeling at that moment? Remember, it started with a bold vow that he would die for Jesus. Then violence ensued to prove that he would defend Jesus. But now this bitter validation settles in. Peter has actually denied his Lord!

Thankfully, Peter repented of his failures and some seven weeks later he stood with the others and preached the first gospel sermon on Pentecost. (Acts 2)

Would you die for someone? Would it matter if they were good or evil? Consider what Paul wrote in Romans 5:6-8:

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

On Our Daily Walk today, may we renew our confidence to follow our Savior every day in every way no matter what obstacles we may face.

Our thought for the day: “A setback is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” Henry Ford.

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.