Do you Love God?
“So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.”
He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.”
Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!” (John 21:15 – 19, NASB)
Tradition has it that when Peter was Crucified, he requested for him to be hung in “reverse” or “upside down” citing the reason, “I’m not worthy to be crucified like my Lord”.
Another tradition has it that Peter’s wife was martyred on the same day as him. And as Peter was being led out, he didn’t ask his wife to remember him but rather, his last words to her was, “Remember the Lord”.
Another Tradition has it that early Christians actually succeeded in bringing Peter out of Rome to escape his condemnation by crucifixion.
And as Peter was going out of the gates of Rome, he saw a Man walking back into Rome. Apostle Peter stopped because he Recognized that Man and asked Him,
“Why are you here, Lord?”
The Lord Replied,
“I am coming to Rome to be Crucified a Second Time”
Apostle Peter immediately stopped his runaway plan and headed back into Rome to ‘lay down his life for Christ’ as John 15:19 Prophesied.
Regardless if these traditions are true or not, apostle Peter Loved Christ More than most of the rest and Proved it to the highest by his Martyrdom.
