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The Lord Jesus wanted the disciples to understand fully all that was involved in the Christian life. Even as He wants every believer today to know just: what it means to have that life and live it.

He focused their attention on: Love! The reality of His love for them. That love in which He willingly took the place of a slave. That true love which is always fully and naturally expressed in humble service.

He reminded them of the effect on them of this dynamic example of His love, insisting that they should do what they had witnessed Him doing.

That fact is so vital to the true Christian life. Is so important that we really see how Jesus lived His life in relationship with others. To feel the impact of His actions and attitudes.

He is our example! His attitudes and actions should always be the inspiration and motivation for our attitudes and actions.

Those words of the Lord Jesus require that we carefully notice how He expressed that love. Especially in the role of the humble servant. But, even more, that we experience all it means to go with Him to Gethsemane. To humbly witness His agony and anguish as He prays.

Go with Him to Calvary! "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He lay down His life for us"(1 John 3: 16).

There we see love as He lived it out. As He died in the fullest and deepest expression of its vital meaning.

That was the agenda of His love for us. Therefore that must also be the agenda for the expression of love in and through our lives. That is His agenda: for our lives. Yet in that very fact is the problem in the Church today. Far too many insist on having their own agenda for their lives. Therefore they give no consideration to His agenda.

"Simon Peter said unto Him, Lord, whither goest Thou? Jesus answered Him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow Me now; but thou shalt follow Me afterwards."

Peter's question reveals a most amazing development. The Lord Jesus had just spoken to His disciples about two facts, the first of these was related to His departure, and the inability of the disciples to share in that experience.

The second had to do with the example of His love, along with the absolute requirement that the disciples express that same love in their relationships.

In effect, Jesus said, There is something which you cannot do. You cannot go where I am going. Yet there is something which you must do. You must love one another as I have loved you. That is the new commandment which I am giving to you.

It was this one thing which Jesus emphasized as being vitally important, in fact, absolutely essential: "Love, as I have loved you:"

Yet Peter totally ignored that emphasis, treating it as though it did not matter at all!

We once again see a familiar pattern in this development. The Lord revealed to the disciples His agenda for their lives. Peter had his own agenda. That was the problem.

The agenda of the Lord focused, and focuses on, honoring the Father through loving selfgiving.

Peter's agenda focused on his own selfimportance. He saw the emphasis which he valued highest being threatened by the Word of the Lord Jesus. It was in that suggestion that there was something Jesus would do that Peter could not do! An area in which he could not, therefore would not, personally share with Jesus!

Because there were two competing agendas, conflict was inevitable. Peter immediately set aside the agenda of Jesus to press for his own agenda. Thus selfgiving love was sacrificed to selfserving selfimportance.

Here we see one of the major causes of dissension and contention. In the relationship of Christians to the Lord and to one another. It is an obvious mark of spiritual and personal immaturity.

Peter was demanding to be told! "Lord, whither goest Thou?" Insisting that he had the right to know!

More than that. That he was absolutely sure that he had the ability to understand what Jesus was talking about. He could decide for himself.

Peter was implying that Jesus seriously underestimated him! He knew better. He insisted on getting answers to his questions.

The Lord Jesus never underestimated Peter. He fully understood everything about Peter. The problem was that Peter was overestimating himself. Both in his ability to understand the Word of Jesus and his ability to go with Jesus, wherever Jesus was going.

What a portrait of selfconfident, selfimportant immaturity! He did not even begin to see how totally out of touch he was with spiritual reality.

As far as he was concerned, Jesus was there to accentuate just how "spiritual" Peter was! But, Peter did not really love Jesus. Peter loved Peter!

There are so many Christians who are like that. So full of selfimportance. Obsessed with selflove! So unwilling to humbly listen to the Word of the Lord Jesus. Reluctant to admit that He knows best.

Yet if we are to move on to genuine spiritual maturity, we must face this challenge, as we apply genuine selfexamination. Be honest about our attitudes. About the things which really drive us. About the way we think about ours selves. When we find selfimportance, admit it for the ugly thing it is and deal with it. When there is selfconfidence, confess our immaturity.

The Lord Jesus had stated this fact previously. "Ye shall seek Me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you" (verse 33).

The Lord Jesus spoke these words in love. Yet He also spoke firmly. He wanted them to understand that He meant exactly what He said. Peter reacted in personal and spiritual immaturity.

Peter's immaturity did not diminish the love of Jesus for him. It was in love for him that Jesus corrected him, with obvious firmness and insistence.

It is an additional indication of great immaturity to see correction of a sign that the Lord Jesus loved him any less. Yet that is also a very common attitude among many Christians. The attitude which falsely claims that because He loves me He will not correct or chastise me.

"For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth."

“If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons" (Hebrews 12: 6, 7).

Correction was absolutely essential. Peter had to learn to accept that fact. Also the fact that when the Lord Jesus said something, He meant it!

The impact of these truths is important to us. We are very limited, no matter how much we may want to deny it. Limited in our knowledge and understanding. In our ability and our commitment.

Therefore, the Lord must correct us. It is only by such correction that we will continue to grow to maturity.

The Lord chastises us, “That we might be partakers of His holiness." (Hebrews 12: 10) .

"Thou canst not follow Me now!" The Lord understood Peter perfectly. He knew Peter far better that Peter knew himself. He knew his character, his nature, his ability. He knew everything. That is why He was so emphatic in His Word.

The Lord knew that the situation demanded such strong emphasis. He was attempting to get Peter to see the complete inadequacy of his selfconfident selfsufficiency.

Would Peter listen? Would we? Does the way we talk and act today reveal that we are actually listening to the Lord Jesus as He speaks to us on these crucial issues.

He knows us perfectly! Yet far too often we allow the selfconfidence of our immaturity to drive us. Thus we ignore the Word and the warning of the Lord.

We continue to pursue our own agenda, to the inevitable end of failure and defeat.

The Lord Jesus saw every detail so clearly. Not only all of the very obvious immaturity of Peter. But beyond that to the developments which would confront him in the future.

The implications of His Word are clear. Now you are immature. Not only that, but this is not the time in the Father's will for you to share in this experience. But that will not always be the case.

As you respond to My Word you will grow to maturity. You will come to the point where you will willingly leave behind all that foolish selfconfidence and self-assertion.

The moment will come when in the will of God the time will be right. You will be ready. Will you trust My Word on that fact?

The Lord Jesus saw the unfolding of the coming events. The cross. The resurrection. The ascension. To Pentecost. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit. To Peter filled with the Holy Spirit!

Peter could see none of that. Jesus saw it all. That was what made the dramatic difference.

We do not, cannot, see what the future holds. Our Lord sees it all. Therefore, let Him have His way, that is best! He sees our developing spiritual maturity. The wonder of the continuing impact of the cross and the resurrection.

He sees the glorious potential of the promise of Pentecost on us. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, leading to the infilling and indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us. Transforming sanctification. Dynamic service.

The reality of the potential should greatly humble us. Even is it must so wonderfully inspire us.

The Lord loved Peter. He wanted Peter to stop and think about His Word. Was that asking too much? Is it too much to ask believers to do that simple thing today? It is such a simple thing. Yet so very vital.

To trust the Lord Jesus. Have confidence in His Word. Humbly accept that His Word reveals the wonder of the will of God for our lives. That He is seeking to unveil the glory of His exciting plan for our lives.

He does know. His Word is always based on perfect knowledge. To humbly accept His Word is to grow in Christian maturity. Doing so for His glory.

Peter reacted so negatively to the loving Word of the Lord. His response actually accentuated his personal problem, seen in the obvious immaturity.

In the life of the mature believer, the fact that the Lord has spoken His Word is enough. Nothing more is sought. There will be no demanding, "Why?"

Peter demanded, "Why?" Therefore his use of the term, "Lord", reveals that he does not really honor Jesus as Lord! It is an empty; superficial, meaningless expression.

We need to take this fact to heart. “Why?"when asked in response to a clear statement of the Lord means that we do not accept the Word of the Lord. That we do not trust the love of the Lord. That we are not genuinely submitted to the will of the Lord.

Selfconfidence demands to know: "Why?" When Jesus is actually Lord of the life the question is not asked.

He could have understood it if the Lord had been talking about the others. Compared to him there was something lacking in their commitment.

But Peter? Peter knew himself. Peter was so confident in his commitment. He was so very sure that he would see this through. It did not matter what it took!

Obviously, the Lord mistakenly saw Peter as being just like the rest of the disciples. Peter had to put Him right! He spoke out in strong and determined selfconfident selfjustification!

That is arrogant contentiousness. It is far too common today. We see it so very often in our own attitudes to the Lord and His Word. In our impatience with His Word.

It is a most dangerous attitude. It refuses to accept responsibility. It wants to blame others. I am right, even if everyone else, including the Lord, is wrong!

That helps us to identify the source of this strange attitude we see in Peter. And in ourselves. As we do so we realize how totally alien it is to the life of the true child of God .

The source is: Satan. His goal is to convince us that we can excuse ourselves. The end: alienation from God and His gracious will for our lives!

His response reveals an arrogant intolerance of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. He was not about to accept that Jesus could know better than he did. That He knew Peter better than Peter knew himself. That He knew Peter's abilities and limitations better!

He rejected the right of the Lord to claim to know any of this. He rejected the right of the Lord to express what He knew. Particularly His right to correct Peter!

Peter refused to permit that. His pride insisted that he answer. His selfconfidence compelled him to challenge and refute the Word of the Lord.

That is not a very nice picture. Yet it portrays so clearly the attitude of many Christians today. People who loudly profess to love and serve the Lord!

If we would only stop and evaluate our attitude to His Word, so very often we would see how perfectly Peter reveals our own feelings and attitudes.

The selfconfidence. The selfsufficiency. The self-justilfication. All compounding the fact that we resent the demands of His Word. Being so arrogant in brushing aside His rightful claims, along with His absolute authority!

To reject the Word of the Lord Jesus in no way reflects on Him. Rather it clearly reflects on the one who so foolishly dismisses the Word. That attitude exposes the person who has it in their abject ignorance. Revealing how very little they really understand themselves.

What a challenge this is to us. Requiring us to look closely at our own immature attitudes. That we do get so puffed up with our own selfimportance. Yet all the time we are nothing. Less than nothing!

So full of ourselves, that we are oblivious to our abject ignorance of: the Lord Jesus Christ! Of His Word of grace and love. Our ignorance of His perfect plan and purpose. His perfect knowledge and infinite wisdom.

"I WILL!" I do not care what you say about me, I will! "I will lay down my life for Thy sake!''

That attitude is deliberate cold rejection of the Word of the Lord. Asserting that He did not know what He was talking about. Yet all the time pretending to be so devoted in loyalty to Jesus! How can this be?

His answer, the superficial claim to loyalty, was so false. Self was on the throne of his life. Self was insisting on being given preeminence. Preeminence over the Lord Jesus Himself!

Self felt that it had been injured by the Word of the Lord. "Selflove" coldly and arrogantly rejected that Word. Not only so, it marched into battle, determined to defend the citadel of “self” against this "unjustified attack" on it.

It is not difficult to discover those same expressions in our own thinking. Especially in our reactions to some of the “hard sayings” of Jesus.

If we are to live an effective Christian life we must be totally honest in this area. Honest about ourselves and our reactions to the Word of the Lord.

Lack of such honesty will constantly hinder growth to maturity. Robbing us of the full potential of the will of God.

''I will!'' And I demand my right to insist that "I will!'' Yet did it matter to Peter that his attitude inevitably, and deeply, hurt the Lord Jesus? Was he concerned that his words so greatly grieved the One who loved him so much?

Or, was he far to busy justifying his "hurt" pride? Arguing that he had every right to be "hurt" that Jesus said what He did! Hurt that Jesus did not fully trust his commitment!

Imagined hurt! How it drove him on. Like so many Christians around us. Hurt at the requirements of His Word. At the call to sacrificial selfdenial. .

But, what if Jesus was right? Then, and now? What if His Word actually fitted perfectly? Then, and now?

Like so many today, Peter did not even ask the question, or give any room to, the possibility that he was wrong.

But Peter was pledging total loyalty to Jesus. Surely "rebellion" is far too strong a word to use for this expression of his determined resolve to be faithful. How we need to be totally honest here.

Peter was making a most arrogant, self-serving assertion. He was deliberately correcting the Lord. "I will show You!" Not only will I go all the way with You. I will go far further than You could ever imagine! "I will lay down my life for Thy sake!"

The Lord Jesus is not LORD in that life. Self sits so arrogantly on the throne. As is the case with so many today. They call Jesus: "Lord" But He is not in control. Self arrogantly and defiantly rules in their lives.

This is always true when we will not accept the correction of His Word. When His reproof is resented and rejected.

Yes, they boldly insist, they have what it takes! They can and will make it their way. No matter what the Word of the Lord says.

Self is enthroned! How blind! How tragic. How totally foolish How very common!

"Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for My sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied Me thrice."

Peter was now confronted with a most significant fact. The Lord Jesus had listened to what he had said. He had taken specific notice of the actual commitment which Peter had made, then He quoted Peter's commitment back to him word for word!

The impact of this is both obvious and startling. Peter, this is what you said, word for word. Did you mean every word of it?

Did Peter expect the Lord to do that? To take such careful attention of his specific words? To then hold him to what he had said, word for word?

So many Christians are far too quick to speak. Especially when it comes to making bold commitments of faithfulness to the Lord. That they will faithfully love and serve Him. That they will pay any price to prove to be faithful!

How many realize that the Lord listens to each word most attentively? That He insists on exercising His right to hold us to that specific commitment in every detail.

Surely that is not the way it is? That is exactly the way it is! He expects us to take that fact seriously!

When the Lord spoke, He meant every word He said. He expected Peter to take that fact seriously. He expects us to take that fact seriously today. In every detail!

The true Christian life is to be like Him. Then every word spoken must be spoken in genuine integrity.

Too many loosely say, "It's only words!" So what? Does that mean they do not count?

The Lord Jesus says that they do count! "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement" (Matthew 12: 36). Every idle word? How much more: every word spoken in commitment to the Lord?

The Lord is both challenging and correcting Peter. Reminding Peter that he was asserting an authority which he did not possess. It was an empty boast.

Jesus reminded him where the true authority was found. In Jesus Himself. Absolute authority, expressed in every word.

Would he see himself and all his vaunted claims as nothing in comparison?

What of us? Are we really aware of His authority? Will we willingly permit Him to assert His authority in our lives? Or are we still determined to have things our own way?

Peter could not avoid this most definite personal challenge, He could not pretend that Jesus was speaking to the other disciples.

The Lord Jesus fully intended Peter to know, to understand, that His Word was directed to him personally. To convict! To correct! To reprove!

That is the way the Lord deals with us. He does not use generalizations. He speaks to us personally and specifically. On very specific issues. He leaves us in no doubt that it is "ME" He is speaking to. So definitely!

"I say unto thee!" This is My specific Word to you in this specific moment of your life and service. Confronting your attitude right now. Your response. You!

You suggest that I do not understand?! That I do not appreciate the depth of your loyal commitment?

In love and grace the Lord corrects. He did understand, far more than Peter imagined. He saw the real depth - the shallowness! - of the commitment of the impetuous disciple.

Peter pretended that there was mature and deep commitment. In love the Lord exposed it in its immaturity and shallowness.

He still knows all! The present reality of our actual relationship with Him, and where it will lead. Will we lister to Him? How we need to really, and humbly, listen to all He seeks to say to us.

In effect, Jesus was saying to Peter, "Your proud claims deny My Word! In denying My Word you deny everything I represent!''

That proud denial had to be exposed. It had to be exposed in such a way that there was no way to evade the actual facts. But, would Peter listen?

It is far too easy to be preoccupied in asserting "our rights!" Defending our claim to loyal commitment. But, will we really listen to the Lord Jesus?

If we love Him, we will listen to Him. If we love Him, we will give careful attention to every Word He speaks to us. Even as we will be humbled and broken by what He has to say about us!

It was the LORD himself speaking to Peter. Why did Peter fail to take that essential fact seriously? Why was he so slow to acknowledge how vital this warning was?

The Lord Jesus had every right to expect the most diligent vigilance in response to His warning. That was true then. It is equally true today.

But then, as now, the servant of the Lord not only ignored the warning. It was, and is, impatiently brushed aside as unworthy of any real consideration!

So many continue to disregard the Word of the Lord. They are convinced that they know what they need to know. They insist on trusting their own judgement. Acting according to their smug selfconfidence.

As with Peter, tragic failure awaits them. Along with the shame. The guilt. The remorse.