Sermon Rev. Kara Seaton :15-19

When I agreed to preach this weekend, I didn’t know what the scripture would be, but looked forward to sharing a post resurrection story and message during the Easter season. When I learned the passage was from John 21, I was kind of relieved. See, last spring as part of a preaching workshop, we were asked to write a sermon based on John 21. While I didn’t intend to just dust that one off and present it today, what has surprised me as I’ve studied this text over the past several weeks, is the message to be shared this year, in these times, is quite different. I never imagined I’d be sharing a sermon from my home via video. Just as none of us may have imagined we would be living as we are today, many of us in some level of quarantine, being more vigilant about hand washing, wearing masks when we leave our homes and practicing the increasingly difficult social distancing.

Our passage today follows the first 14 verses of John chapter 21 that we looked at last week, with the disciples going fishing and then sharing in breakfast on the beach with the risen . Today we shift from the bigger group setting to a more intimate conversation between the Peter and Jesus. Let us first look at verses 15 through 17:

15 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.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Many rightly focus on this conversation in relationship to Peter’s denial in John 18. After all, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times after Jesus was arrested and before he was crucified. For some, this focus implies that because Peter had denied Jesus, reinstatement, rehabilitation and restoration of Peter was needed. Admittedly, the sermon I wrote last year on this same scripture focused on accepting God’s grace that is offered to us repeatedly. But this year as I look at the text, I hear a different question - did Peter need to be forgiven? Was the relationship between Jesus and Peter in need of mending? Had the path Jesus saw for Peter changed?

Because I’m not sure their relationship was broken. For the Jesus I know from the scriptures had likely forgiven Peter even before the incidences of denial happened. Perhaps Peter denied knowing Jesus in order to save himself from persecution, or not knowing how he was supposed to take on the Romans and Jewish authority without Jesus. What if Peter’s denials were less about Jesus and more a denial of his own ability or even willingness to follow Jesus? Jesus being taken away was a game changer and probably not what Peter thought he was signing up for when he agreed to go fishing for people. Rather than being a student of the beloved Jesus, for the first time Peter was faced with Jesus not being there in the flesh as the ringleader, forging the way. And in light of this, it is likely Peter doubted himself.

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If we consider Peter’s denials as his humanness manifested, then we must know that Jesus also knew that. For nothing I read in scripture indicates that Jesus was one to hold a grudge. Just as Peter loved Jesus, Jesus also loved Peter. Perhaps Jesus’ questions of “Peter, do you love me?” were another way to say, my friend Peter, I see your faithfulness. You may have doubted yourself, but I have never doubted you. I see this conversation between Peter and Jesus not to be about reconciliation or restoration but rather Jesus sharing great love and deep care of Peter.

In the scripture, Peter responds to Jesus’ questions, with, “Yes, of course I love you Lord,” affirming his love for his friend and teacher, and Jesus responds with directions to “care for my sheep.” We know Jesus as the Good Shepherd but now, imagine this metaphorical passing of the shepherd’s crook from Jesus to Peter; Jesus entrusting his sheep to the care of Peter. As if he was saying to Peter, “This was my path, now it is yours.” After the , for Peter and the disciples, there was no going back, only moving forward, charged with carrying on the message of Jesus.

But our scripture does not end there, for Jesus goes on to tell Peter in verse 18:

“When you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.”

The statement that follows explains this was to foreshadow Peter’s death. But truly these words also describe Peter’s life, as he continues as a disciple of Jesus. For following the ways of Jesus, sharing God’s love and standing up to injustices, was not easy and ultimately led to his death.

So, how does this scripture relate to us, today, in 2020, making our way through a global pandemic that has effected life in so many ways?

First, we remember that we are human. Beautiful, yet imperfect. And as we forge new paths in this time, we may have moments when we doubt our faith or ourselves. But we should know that we are still children of God. And God does not doubt us or judge us, rather, God embraces us with love and grace.

I also think we have to acknowledge that even as things begin to open up and restrictions start to loosen, things are and will be different. For the disciples, there was no going back to what was before. For us, much has also changed, and we are forced to create a new normal. As Jill talked about last week, Jesus calls us to be better, to do better, to be more kind, more compassionate, move loving.

And as Jesus charged Peter with tending to his sheep, we too, are responsible for caring for all of God’s children. And we generally do that – we are good about caring for one another, donating money and goods to help those in need. But it seems this scripture pushes us further and begs us to consider the differences between charity and justice. We can look to Jesus’ life to see that he didn’t just feed the hungry and heal the sick. Rather, he shared God’s message of unconditional love by standing up to authorities and challenging the systems that allowed inequalities to exist in the first place. This is a big job and it’s not without risk. It was a big job for Peter. And it is a big job for us.

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We are a people who care for one another. But our systems are broken, and we can see that perhaps now more than ever. This pandemic has magnified inequalities that already existed in our society, in housing, employment, education and economics. African Americans are more than twice as likely to die from COVID-19 as white people. Those of lower socioeconomic status are more likely to contract the virus due to poorer health and being forced into exposure. And children who were already identified as at risk, are now out of school which provided them not only with education, but also food, safety and support.

Jesus’ final words to Peter in verse 19, are “Follow me.” As much as we like to pretend otherwise, following Jesus is hard work.

What if being a follower of Jesus means acknowledging that people struggle within the systems that most of us benefit from?

What if “follow Jesus” means creating a world in which we all care for our neighbors, but also where we use our influence so our human made structures and systems eliminate inequality?

Living in the ways of , sometimes takes us places we would not choose. Takes us down paths that are not easy and require sacrifice. Sometimes it requires looking at ourselves and changing our ways.

How can we do better? May we evaluate the ways our action or inaction propagates inequality in our world. May we push beyond what we know to be more loving, kind and compassionate. Like Peter did, may we accept the challenge and embrace what loving Jesus and being disciples really means.

Amen.

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