If you think, for even a moment that you, or anyone else can somehow find, experience, and enter in to this ‘abundant life’ that Jesus came to offer us (John 10:10) outside of taking up your own cross...you are sorely mistaken, if not deceived. There simply are no...’shortcuts’.

“Then He (Jesus) said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24)

This is the lesson, or the ‘takeaway’ we should glean when we listen in to those parting words Jesus had for Peter, which we have been studying the past two days. And it was all packaged in that one penetrating question that Jesus asked Peter, three times in a row:

“Peter...Do. You. Love. Me?”

Now....insert your name there in place of Peter’s. Do you love Jesus?

“IF...you love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments.” – Jesus (John 14:15-Amp)

Can I just tell you now that this will be impossible for you to do, on your own? Which is probably why after Jesus made that statement, He goes on to enlighten them/us on how we do this, and it is by ‘abiding in Him’, because apart from Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:1-8). And would you please mark in your Bible there, vs 8 from that passage where Jesus explains: “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”

If you remember from our closing passage in yesterday’s lesson, we saw where Jesus has challenged Peter, in a sense...after asking him three times if he really loved Him (John 21:15-17). He then explains how his ‘death’....would glorify God (19). Yes, I realize most theologians believe this foretold how Peter would die ‘physically’ as a martyr, and I’m not disputing that point at all. But there is another ‘layer’ here that I believe the Holy Spirit is wanting to ‘reveal’ to us if we will allow Him to, that has to do with 'dying'  (Luke 10:21; 24:32,45; Matt. 13:11).

There is nothing about our sinful, selfish, ‘flesh’ nature...that wants to ‘die’, especially on a ‘cross’. Jesus didn’t want to ‘go there either’, even begging the Father to ‘let this cup pass from Me...nevertheless let not My will be done, but Yours’ (Luke 22:42). Paul reminds us that “Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross”...and to also ‘let this same mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus...” (Phil. 2:8,5).

So now let us consider that profound truth Jesus drops for us in John 12:24-25:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me...”

To be clear here, Jesus is talking about us laying down that old carnal man that we all have lived with, and all the ‘evident fruit’ that he/it produces in our lives, as explained in Gal. 5:19-21. You might also make note of Paul’s somber reminder there in vs. 21 that that those who continue to live this way will NOT...inherit the kingdom of God. Hence...the instruction found in Col. 3:5-9..."put to death..." 

But this was the message Jesus was conveying to Peter...."if you really love Me, Peter...surrender your whole heart/life to Me...and then I will lead you as well to ‘die’...so that you may truly live (Rom. 8:13). You cannot circumvent the cross if it’s eternal life you seek after. You are going to have to lay down your life, for My sake and so will anyone else who desires to come after Me."  And thankfully...Peter did, and was used mightily by God after the Holy Spirit came upon those early believers...and still continues to ‘come upon those who call upon the name of the Lord’ even today.

There is one particular exchange that Jesus had with Peter earlier, which is recorded for us in Luke 22:31-32, where Jesus informs Peter of some ‘challenging times’ ahead. Rarely, can I read through this without being moved to tears. It’s when Jesus told Peter that Satan has ‘asked for him that he might sift him as wheat’; and it’s what Jesus tells Peter in response to this request that crushes me: “I have prayed for you, Peter, that your faith should not fail; ...and when you have returned to me...strengthen your brethren.”

....'when you have returned to Me...'

Peter was soon to find out...that despite his passion, zeal, and sincere devotion... it was ‘not enough’. This is the same place that God is waiting for most all of us to arrive at. Peter had also learned in those two fishing expeditions...that regardless of his years of experience on the waters, his skills and talents along with his tools of the trade...it still does not guarantee ‘success’. But when God...arrives on the scene and speaks the word into our lives...everything changes.

Think about it- Jesus asks...’do we love Him’? And we say ‘yes, of course we do!’, but then continue to fail Him and fall short...when we ‘sin’. Sin...is breaking the commandments of God (1 John 3:4)...and it was Jesus who said “IF...we love Him...we’ll do.....what? – We'll ‘keep His commandments’ (John 14:15).

Would you now please turn to 2 Peter 1:2-4 and read the startling revelation that Peter shares with us as to ‘how’...we could ever keep the commandments, which boils down to us loving one another as He first loved us. How on earth can any of us possibly do that? We can’t, given the messed up hearts/nature we have. But guess what Peter discovered and then shares with us? 

"By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence. And ... He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.”

Did you see that? He has given us the opportunity to ‘partake of His divine nature’. He never expected us to ‘do it on our own’. Friends...this is grace in action. It’s all Him who does it. We just have to ‘get out of the way first’, as we ‘lay down our life’...and ‘decrease' so that He can 'increase’. (John 3:30).

There can be no ‘resurrected newness of life...until we have been united together in the likeness of His death’ (Rom. 6:5-7). And friends...this does not come about because we say and agree with some ‘ceremonial words’. You too...must stretch forth your hands...and allow ‘another one to dress you’ (John 21:18-19)...as you ‘follow Him’ (Rom. 8:13-14)

Only then,  can you join in and voice the same declaration Paul did in Gal. 2:20, where he wrote: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

If/when you 'see it'...it may cause you to bolt out of your chair and even do a 'happy dance'!  Why is that, you ask?  Well, to refer to an analogy I have used here many times before...how happy would you be to discover that the chainsaw you had been using 'manually' all this time...actually had a fuel source and a power switch that activated the machine so it could do the work for you...instead of you trying to cut wood/branches on your own?

Happy Thanksgiving :- )