Sunday
04/10/16 Freeville/Homer Avenue UMC’s
Sermon Title: “Do you love me?”
New Testament
Scripture: Acts 9:1-20
New Testament
Scripture: Revelation 5:11-14
Gospel Lesson:
John 21:1-19
My friends, my brothers and sisters, welcome once again on this
the Third Sunday of Easter. On this Sunday we proclaim now and always, that “He
is risen! He is risen indeed!” We will remain in this season of Easter until
Sunday May 15th, which is the holiday of Pentecost.
In addition to this Sunday being the Third Sunday of
Easter, this Sunday is also Native American Awareness Sunday. Since the
Christian Church is a church that spans the globe, and since there are Christians
on every continent and in every country, we truly have a global church. There
are Christians in Africa, in Asia, far and wide, and some Christians are Native
Americans.
These Native American Christians follow Jesus Christ, but
many of them still love of their culture, their tribe of origin, and they value
where they came from. In our UNYUMC conference we have churches on Native
American Reservations, as do other United Methodist Church conferences.
As
a church then, we want our Native American brothers and sisters to know that
Jesus Christ loves all of his people. That as a global church, the church
includes people of all nations, races, and ethnic backgrounds. This is one of
the reasons that on this special giving Sunday, that we have an opportunity to
give to Native American Awareness Sunday. The United Methodist Church Mission
website, which is www.umcmission.org, has this to say about this Sunday: This
Sunday “recognizes and supports the
contributions of Native Americans to the church and society. The observance,
approved by the 1988 General Conference, is one of six special churchwide
Sunday offerings.”
“The funds collected will allow The
United Methodist Church to partner with existing native ministries and create
programs on behalf of Native Americans. Money collected also supports seminary
scholarships for United Methodist Native Americans.”
So brothers and sisters if you are
interested in donating to this special giving Sunday, please write on the memo
line of your check, or if you put money in an envelope, indicate that it is for
Native American Awareness Sunday. We will then get these funds to the conference
office, and then to the people that need them.
With this said, last Sunday I preached from the gospel of
John 20:19-31, which is famously known as the “Doubting Thomas” story. I talked
about how the Apostle Thomas didn’t believe that the other disciples had really
seen the risen Christ. Jesus then appeared to Thomas, and Thomas believed.
I said last Sunday that many of us can say that at one
point or another in our own lives that we were like Thomas. That we had some
doubts or some struggles with our faith. Yet if we call upon the Lord, God will
be faithful to us. We might not get the answer we want, or right away, but God
is faithful.
I give you this overview of what I preached on last week,
because Thomas was loved by Jesus Christ. Jesus forgave Thomas for doubting
him, and reached out to Thomas even in his doubt.
This morning we have been given three amazing scriptures.
We have the story from the Book of Acts about Saul of Tarsus’ conversion to
Christianity. Saul of Tarsus will then be called Paul of Tarsus, or more commonly
the Apostle Paul. That is a great and an amazing story, but I passed it up this
morning.
In the Book of Revelation reading from this morning, we
have an amazing scripture that is connected to the idea of the second coming of
Jesus Christ. That millions upon millions will and do sing of Jesus Christ, by
singing worthy is the lamb (Rev. 5:11, CEB). In this scene, they are signing,
praising Jesus, and are filled with God’s love, but I passed it up this morning.
Now as you can imagine, those were two hard scriptures to
turn down to preach on. What I chose this morning instead though, was to continue
on in the gospel of John, to discuss what occurs after the famous “Doubting
Thomas” story.
The question then that I have for us to think about this
morning is this, is it worse to not believe in someone, or is it worse to deny
knowing them all together? Let me ask this question one more time. Is it worse
to not believe in someone, or is it worse to deny knowing them all together?
I
ask you this, because in the gospel of John reading from last Sunday, Thomas
denied that the risen Christ had appeared to the other disciples. Yet the
gospel never says that Thomas denied knowing or loving Jesus. As far as we know
Thomas still loved Jesus very much.
The gospel reading for this week though is different. The
gospel reading for this week is about the resolution of Jesus Christ being
denied by the Apostle Peter three times. Specifically, Peter disowning Jesus
Christ three times. So what is worse then, denying something about someone you
love, or denying that you even know them at all?
The Apostle Peter, when Jesus Christ was before high
priest, denied him three times. When I say that Peter denied Jesus, I mean he
disowned him. It would be the equivalency of you telling someone that one of
your kids or one of your family members is someone that you don’t know and that
you have never met.
What is even worse, is that Peter was told by Jesus ahead
of time that he would deny him three times. I remember watching the movie “the
Passion of the Christ,” when Jesus looked at Peter lovingly after he denied him
for the third time, and the rooster crowed. The gospel of Luke then says that
Peter went out and wept bitterly.
I bet that Peter was still hurting. Peter needed to be
healed, and needed to be reconciled to Jesus Christ. I mean Jesus appeared to
Peter and many others, but Peter likely still carried great guilt and even some
shame over denying his Lord and master three times.
In
this way, in our own lives, maybe we have had moments were we have denied God,
or maybe we have had moments where we have said or done things that we later regret.
Sometimes the things that we say or do haunt us. Sometimes they replay in our
minds over and over like some video tape. Sometimes in these situations, these
are the things of nightmares and inner brokenness. Yet in these situations, us
like Peter need forgiveness. We need to ask God for forgiveness, but we also need
to forgive ourselves.
The amazing thing about Jesus Christ, is that we can always
be forgiven, no matter what. In fact, I remember one weekend some years back
now when I was on a men’s Christian retreat. There was a man on this weekend
who was in his 70’s. I remember that he told me, “Paul, I have only known the
Lord for a few years, and I wished that I had known him when I was your age”. I
then told this man, “It’s never too late in this life to come to the Lord”.
So in the gospel reading for this morning, Jesus appears to
Peter and six other disciples on the “Sea of Tiberius,” or the “Sea of Galilee”
(Jn. 21:1, CEB). Peter prior this appearance of Christ announces that he is “going
fishing” (Jn. 21:3, CEB). How many men that are here today go fishing when you
are stressed or upset about something?
Peter is hurting I think, and perhaps to get his mind off
of it, he goes fishing. Or maybe they also needed food. The gospel also says
that there were seven disciples there, including Peter (Jn. 21:2, CEB). In
addition to Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel, John and James, and two other unnamed disciples
were there (Jn. 21:2, CEB). When Peter said that he was fishing, all six of
these other disciples wanted to come with Peter (Jn. 21:3A, CEB). The gospel
said that they fished all night and caught nothing (Jn. 21:3B, CEB).
When the morning came, Peter and the other six disciples
had caught no fish. Then Jesus stood on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and
called out to them (Jn. 21:4-5A). Now they can’t tell that it is Jesus yet, and
then Jesus asks them if they have caught any fish (Jn. 21:5A, CEB). After they
said no, Jesus told them to cast their net on the right side of the boat (Jn.
21:5b-6, CEB). When they pulled the net up the gospel says, “there were so many
fish that they couldn’t haul in the net” (Jn. 21:6, CEB).
Then suddenly, the beloved disciple John notices that the
man standing on the sea shore all this time, was Jesus (Jn. 21:7a, CEB). Peter
then wrapped his coat around himself in jumped in the water to swim to Jesus,
and the other six disciples brought the boat back to the shore (Jn. 21:7b-8).
These other six disciples hauled in the fishing net full of fish (Jn. 21:8,
CEB).
When they got to the shore, they saw that Jesus started a
fired with some fish and bread cooking (Jn. 21:9, CEB). Jesus then says, “Bring
some of the fish that you just caught, and this net had 153 fish in it (Jn.
21:10-11a, CEB). Jesus then ate the breakfast he cooked with the seven
disciples, and after the breakfast, Jesus spoke specifically to Peter (Jn.
21:12-15, CEB).
Now remember Peter, or Simon Peter as he is referred to in
this is case, is probably hurting from denying Jesus three times. So Jesus says
to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” (Jn. 21:15a, CEB).
Now some scholars would argue that Jesus was asking him if he loved him more
than the 153 fish, and other scholars would argue that Jesus was asking him if
he loved him more than the other six disciples. If it were the fish though,
Jesus is asking Peter if he loves him more than fishing for fish. Peter replies,
“Yes, Lord, you know I love you”. Jesus the replies, “Feed my lambs” (Jn. 21:15b,
CEB). It is as if Jesus is saying to Peter, I am asking you because you denied
me the first time.
Jesus then asked Peter again, “Simon son of John, do you
love me? Simon replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you” (Jn. 21:16a, CEB).
Jesus then said to Peter, “Take care of my sheep” (Jn. 21:16b, CEB). It is as
if Jesus is saying to Peter, I am asking you because you denied me the second
time.
The gospel then says, “He asked a third time, “Simon son of
John, do you love me?” (Jn. 21:17a, CEB). The gospel then says, “Peter was sad
that Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” (Jn. 21:17a, CEB). You see
I think that Peter was sad, because he was hurting over what he did. Jesus
offered him this forgiveness and this reconciliation, but Peter still had to
work through it. Peter still had to come Jesus, when Jesus come to him. Peter
then says, “Lord you know everything; you know I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed
my sheep” (Jn. 21:17b, CEB). It is as if Jesus is saying, I am asking you
because you denied me the third time.
When Jesus first met Peter and his brother Andrew, he asked
Peter and his brother to follow him. Jesus told them that he would make them “fishers
of men”. It is as if Jesus Christ is telling Peter, “I know what you did, and I
am glad that you told me you love me three times”. Peter can’t undo what he has
done, but can be forgiven and be restored.
You see Peter was called from the fishing boat to be a “fisher
of men,” and yet the risen Christ sees him back on the old boat. Jesus is
basically saying, if you love me, and you ask for it, I will forgive you. It is
as if Jesus says to Peter and the others further, I have called you not to fish
on the water, but for people. I have called you to use the fishing pole of my
gospel, the bait of my truth, and the boat that is God’s grace.
Jesus is saying to Peter and to us, leave the boat and go “feed
my lambs” (Jn. 21:15, CEB). Jesus might even say, look I have even given you a net
full of fish to get started. Jesus is reminding Peter and the others that they
gave up their fishing jobs on the Sea of Galilee, as Jesus offered then new
jobs as “fishers of men”. Jesus is telling Peter and the others, to get in the
game.
Being forgiven, forgiving ourselves, and be reconciled to
God is something that we can have as long as we are on this earth. We are told
then to not go back to the old ways, back to the boat, but instead to follow Jesus
Christ in the new path that he has given us. It will get hard sometimes, but
Jesus has called you, he has equipped you, and he has asked you to “feed his
lambs” (Jn. 21:15, CEB).
Before departing from Peter and the other six disciples
this morning, Jesus says to Peter, “I assure you that when you were younger you
tied your own belt and walked around wherever you wanted. When you grow old you
will stretch out your hands and another will tie your belt and lead you where
you don’t want to go” (Jn. 21:18, CEB). This gospel reading concludes with, “He
said this to show the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. After
saying this, Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me” (Jn. 21:19, CEB). Peter and the
others made mistakes, but they were forgiven. We can be forgiven.
Some of us this morning might be hurting, some of us might
be thinking of things that we have said or done that we regret. Yet as long as
those things hinder us, they will hold us back. Maybe some of us need to go to
Jesus this morning, and need to be asked the question, “Do you love me?” Maybe
we need God’s love, and maybe we need forgiveness and reconciliation.
For Jesus Christ calls us from the old and not good ways of
our lives, and from our boats. He calls us to the shore, so that we might
follow him, share the “Good News” of his gospel, and change the world. My
sisters and brothers, Jesus Christ says, if you love me, “Feed my sheep” (Jn.
21:17b, CEB). Let us follow Christ and let us feed and serve each other. Amen.
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