May 5, 2019
3rd Sunday of Easter
Acts 9:1-6
Psalm 30
Revelation 5:11-14
Please
pray with me,
May
the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts be acceptable
and suitable in your sight, O God, our rock, our strength and our
redeemer. Amen.
At the beginning of each Star Wars film, the screen looks like this
and if
you’re in the theater there is a hush that falls over the crowd.
And then the iconic theme starts as we see the famous logo.
And
then comes the opening crawl.
When
the first film came out in 1977, we needed the back story so we knew what was
happening as the movie started. It gave
viewers just enough info to get us ready to watch the movie.
As
other Star Wars films hit the screen, each one came with an opening crawl to
let fans know what happened since the last time we joined these characters…if
time had passed, it filled the gap. If
the film took place earlier in time than previous films, we again gained enough
insight to get us into the movie without being utterly confused.
It
thought about trying to figure out how to turn today’s Gospel reading into an
opening crawl like that of a Star Wars film, but it would have gone on and on
and on…but here’s why I thought about it, because that’s the way our gospel lesson
begins today, right?
We’re
jumping right in to chapter 21, so for a moment, let’s look at the end of
chapter 20. After Jesus appears to the
disciples in the locked room, on the day of resurrection, and appears a week
later, again in that room to show the disciples and Thomas that he has been
raised, we read verses 30&31.
30
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not
written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may
have life in his name.
Sounds
like the end of the book, right? It’s a
nice ending…although I’m sure many would like to know what those other signs
were, not written in this book, but the closing statement, right? But these that are written so that you - pointing at us, those hearing, those reading - so that we may come to believe
that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may
have life in his name.
And
so in a way, that is the end of the Easter story.
Just
not yet.
Enter
into chapter 21…After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples
by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way.
It’s
like we’re entering the Star Wars crawl…we are being drawn back into the story,
into an ongoing story of salvation, forgiveness, love and eternal life.
It’s
like someone got a hold of John’s gospel and was like, this needs a
postscript. A PS.
Right,
you finish the letter (or the email) and realize that you wanted to add one
more thing… so you add a PS.
This
PS, this postscript for today’s gospel lesson is a good one.
It’s
another appearance of the resurrected Christ in the presence of the
disciples. And it happens after they
have gone back to life as they know it, or knew it to be after the resurrection
of Jesus.
Think about it, you devote 3
years of your life, following this man named Jesus as he heals, teaches, breaks
through barriers, troubles church and political leaders with a radical message
of loving your neighbor and your enemy.
You’ve followed Jesus and you’ve listened, learned, been confused been
loved and maybe have even denied knowing him.
And then he is resurrected….and after that Easter day, life goes
on.
You
return to the fishing boat you know so well, because there is comfort in the
familiar and you need to continue to earn a living for your family.
For
whatever reason, the disciples have returned to fishing, for fish.
And
when Simon Peter realizes who it is he throws on his clothes (for he was
naked?) yeah…another interesting detail added to this P.S. he jumps into the
sea and swims to be with Jesus.
He
crawls onto the beach and smells the charcoal fire. Perhaps it’s reminiscent of the fire smell as
he stood on the night of Jesus’ betrayal denying Jesus three times.
As
they steer the boat in and realize their catch of 153 fish, Jesus invites them
to breakfast. I don’t know about you,
but this is a great invitation, right?
Come, have some breakfast. Come,
sit, eat bread and fish, let us share a meal.
And
in this seaside meal, the love and compassion of Jesus is shown so deeply, to
Peter, especially.
It’s
as if this postscript is meant just for him.
Jesus asks him not one time, not to times, but three times, Simon, Son
of John, do you love me?
The
third time, Peter looks hurt…because he has confessed two times already to his
love of the Lord. But the third time he
says, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you."
Gosh,
if you’ve ever wronged someone once, let alone three times and your offered the
opportunity to repent and receive forgiveness, that’s a powerful heart-changing
place to be.
And
that’s where Peter is, on the beach with Jesus, telling him over and over how
much he loves him…and in that love, Jesus says, follow me.
Jesus
comes back, to Peter specifically to say, follow me.
The
one who stepped out onto the sea, lost faith and sank…
The
one who didn’t want Jesus to be crucified, but when he spoke out against it,
Jesus said, get behind me Satan!
The
one who at Jesus transfiguration wanted to build tents and never leave the
mountaintop.
The
one who denied Jesus three times…after crying out to Jesus that he never, ever
would deny knowing him…
This
is the one, to whom Jesus returns, in love, in grace and in forgiveness and
says, “Follow me.”
Gosh,
if this isn’t the best PS ever written,
I don’t know what is.
I
don’t know about you, but Peter is the disciple with whom I seem to identify
with the most. The one who messes up and
is called out for it.
The
one who steps out in firm faith and then falters and sinks.
The
one who tries to do her best to love and serve God’s people but then messes
up.
I
forget to thank someone, I miss an important meeting, I take time for myself
when I could have taken time for someone else.
I
feel like I’m living the Gospel as faithfully as I can, and then I’m reminded
that no one can do it perfectly, and that even with all the good work I do in
God’s name in this place, there are some who feel slighted, left out,
overlooked or forgotten.
I’m
not perfect.
Thank
God that Peter wasn’t either…
Because
if (not if) because Jesus loves someone like Peter, Jesus can love me,
too.
Jesus
can still come into my heart and my life and my world and break in, to break me
out of myself to see that there is a God of forgiveness and love who wants to
continue to use me to reach out in love and forgiveness to God’s people.
That’s
some PS, right?
It’s
this kind of a PS…
It’s
Jesus coming back, after that glorious resurrection and reaching out to Peter
as he fishes, as he is living his life.
That’s
the same Jesus, who comes back here, today…and not just today, and not just in
this place.
It’s
that same Jesus who comes back tomorrow, as you’re having breakfast with your
family…
As
you’re getting on the school bus…
As
you’re commuting to work…
As
you’re filling up at the gas station or at dunkin’ donuts….
Walking
into work, or onto the golf course or reading the paper at home.
Jesus
is there, saying to you…PS. I love
you. Follow me.
Look
for the resurrected Christ in your midst.
He
loves you.
He
forgives you.
He
bids you, follow me.
And
now may the peace, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in
Christ Jesus and let all God’s people say, amen.
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