Just before Jesus’ resurrection, He shared a meal with His Apostles, during which, He and Peter had their famous “Peter do you love me” conversation. After Peter affirmed his love for Christ three times, Jesus said this:

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

John 21:8-9

It is the only time that Jesus revealed the fate of one of His disciples. Though it would be that all but John would be killed in service to the Lord, Peter was the only one to be told specifically that he would be killed as a martyr for his Master.

As a young man, the vigorous Simon Peter would go wherever his heart desired. As an older man, however, he would be a captive to others, stretched forth (implying crucifixion, and as the picture above illustrates, possibly upside-down) and taken to where he would not desire. The agony and suffering of the cross was known quite well to Jesus, Who had just endured it. Remember that He too sought another way to pay for man’s sins. No one should want to go through a crucifixion, nevertheless Peter was going to.

The thing is, the way Jesus tells it Peter isn’t ready yet. He’s got some growing to do, as evidenced by the conversation they had prior to this statement. He wasn’t yet ready to be killed for his Christ, but the time would come when he would be. And when he would be, Peter would walk humbly to his death, honored to suffer for his risen Savior.

I wonder how much growing I have to do, before I’m ready to suffer (and potentially die) for my Lord?

 

Think about it for yourself..