If someone asked you the following
question, what would you tell them? "Is your congregation
a place where one can admit their faults and share their failures?" I
would hope we would be able to say, "Yes, it is!" In
truth a great many congregations would have to say, "Only
at your peril." This is strange since we are meant to be
an institution comprised of people who have all admitted to being
sinful. Sometimes we forget this and too quickly pass judgment
on others while forgetting the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew
7:1, "Do not judge, so that you may not be judged."
Just about every one of us has some things in our life we would
like to forget, some things we would change if we could, some
things we have said or done for which we are ashamed and some
things we hope others will never discover. We no doubt can identify
with Peter more than we want to admit. On the surface Peter's
love for Jesus seemed to be stronger than most other's,
but when it looked like knowing Jesus might cause him harm Peter
vehemently denied having ever met Him.
This of course had to eat at Peter following the crucifixion
of Jesus. None of us want others to know of our failures. Men
certainly do not wish to appear cowardly. It would have been
bad enough for Peter having to live with how he failed Jesus
had Jesus never reappeared. But imagine what it had to be like
facing someone you had claimed to love only to have denied him
not once but three times.
Unfortunately, many spouses have experienced this denial of
love when their mate has committed adultery. Many children have
experienced this denial of love when a so-called trusted adult
has abused them. Trust, if not love, has been violated by those
who have stolen money from family or friends or have spread slanderous
stories. Almost everybody has at one time or another said or
done something they wish they could take back.
I'm certain Peter wished he could have changed a few
things from his past. Now he finds himself face to face with
the One he said he loved but with the awful knowledge that he
had denied even knowing Jesus not once but three times. What
can you say when you have been caught in such embarrassment?
Southwest Airlines has a series of cute commercials of people
who have really messed up things. They ask the all important
question, "Want to get away?" However, there was
no getting away from Jesus for Peter this particular morning.
"Peter," Jesus asks, "do you love me more
than these?" Many scholars believe Jesus is asking Peter
if he loves Jesus more than the other disciples love Him. I don't
think Jesus would ask such a question. Others think Jesus is
asking Peter if Peter loves Jesus more than he loves the other
disciples. Again, I don't think Jesus would ask such a
question.
Remember that Peter and six other disciples had been fishing
all night. That's what they did for a living. That's
what they knew how to do. They were no doubt good at it; only
on this night they had not had any luck at all until Jesus had
directed them to the largest single catch of their lives. I think
Jesus was asking Peter, "Do you love me more than you love
fishing? Do you love me more than these fish?" My reasoning
is based upon the call story of Peter and the others first recorded
in Mark 1:17. "Follow me and I will make you fish for people!"
Had Peter and the others forgotten how their relationship with
Jesus began? "Do you love me more than what you have always
done for a living?"
C.S. Lewis writes, "To love is to be vulnerable. Love
anything, and your heart will be wrung and possibly be broken." Most
anyone who has ever loved another knows this to be true.
I believe that what Jesus is telling Peter and the others with
him is this: "You are fishing for the wrong thing. You
are fishing in the wrong place. And, you are using the wrong
bait. I didn't spend the last three years with you to have
you come back to this lake."
Jesus is asking Peter and all of us whether or not we love
Him enough to do what He asks us to do — to fish for women
and men in order to bring them into the Kingdom of God. Jesus
is asking whether or not we love Him enough to work for justice,
compassion and mercy.
Dick Donavan provides pastors with a variety of sermon resources.
He shares this bit of humor in the cartoon "Pontius
Puddle." King Pontius Puddle says, "Sometimes
I'd
like to ask God why he allows poverty, famine and injustice when
he could do something about it." His trusty sidekick asks, "What's
stopping you?" King Pontius Puddle says, "I'm
afraid he might ask me the same question!"
I don't believe Jesus is trying to remind Peter of his
three betrayals. Jesus is fully aware of how Peter feels just
as He is aware of our feelings. Jesus is attempting to tell us
that our shortcomings are forgiven. What is of concern to Jesus
is whether or not we love Him enough to do the work He commands
us to do — to love others in His name. What Jesus is telling
us is that it is important for us to love others and give them
God's Word.
A young man had been asked by his father to watch the father's
sheep while he was gone on a business trip. For over a month
the lad had carefully fed and watered the sheep and had spent
time with them looking after their care.
One day the father returned and went directly to the gate of
the fence that enclosed the sheep and opened it. To the boy's
utter amazement the sheep did not run away but mingled about
him.
The father said to his son, "Follow me!" and he
set off at a brisk pace. The boy did as he was told and was again
startled to see the sheep following him. Several minutes later
they came to another gate which the father opened. He went inside
and told his son to do the same. All the sheep followed and the
gate was closed leaving the sheep in a new lush pasture.
The boy shared his surprise at the sheep's behavior.
The father said, "I knew that the sheep would follow you
if you had been caring for them properly. It is obvious to me
that you have. Your job is to love the sheep and bring them to
green pastures. Then they will feed themselves." (Scott
Ennis, "Feed my sheep," LDS Writers Website,
June 19, 2003)
Jesus says if we love Him we will care for His sheep and feed
them. Our job always is to love the sheep not to judge them. |
