Easter 3C, 2025

3rd Sunday of Easter, Year C

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

On this 3rd Sunday of the Easter celebration, we are hearing more stories of how the Risen Christ reveals himself. This week, once again, to his closest followers. That circle will get bigger later. On Easter Sunday, he first revealed himself to declare to his friends that he was “risen indeed” - that death had been conquered. Last week, we saw Jesus reveal himself to the collected group of his closest friends so that they would know and believe that he truly was risen from the dead… even appearing a second time so that Thomas would see and believe. Now today, Jesus reveals himself “a third time” as verse 14 tells us, and he has a bit of a different agenda.

Right from the very beginning of the chapter, I think it’s quite noteworthy that Peter has made the decision to go fishing. This is not a hobby-type of fishing event. Peter was a fisherman professionally before Jesus called him to discipleship. So it certainly seems to me that he is retreating to his former life. I can’t prove that, so this is total speculation on my part. But, given Peter’s very human behavior in other situations, I think that’s totally possible. After all, his Lord was killed. The reason for his leaving the fishing profession was gone. Why would he continue on that path? Now of course, he’s made 2 or 3 appearances after his death, so it seems like he’s alive… but where is he now - when this passage is taking place? They don’t know where he is, they don’t know if or when he’s going to appear again. So much uncertainty… they’re sheep without a shepherd.

Now clearly Peter has forgotten quite a bit. We know that. But perhaps the most important thing he forgot was that he was made the leader of the group. So when he says “I am going fishing”… guess what the rest of them are going to do? “We will go with you.” Yeah, no kidding. Can’t you just hear their thoughts? “If Jesus put Peter in charge, and he’s giving up… then we might as well give up, too.” I don’t think Peter was thinking about what the others would do when he decided that. It made sense for James & John, since they were also fishermen. But the others, too?

Given how the rest of this scene plays out, I’m fairly certain that Peter wasn’t feeling like much of a leader since Jesus’ death… or really since his arrest. In fact, I’m sure he wasn’t feeling like much of a follower, either. He went from “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” (John 13:37) to “I am not [one of Jesus’ disciples]” three times… just as Jesus said he would say, proved when the rooster crowed. Certainly Peter was feeling great shame at this. So for him to turn away from the ministry Jesus gave him was certainly understandable. He cannot have felt worthy of the responsibility, nor the authority that Jesus had placed upon him. This decision made sense. He would go back to what he had been before, and would provide for his family.

Just like at the beginning of the Gospels, the fishermen go out, fishing all night, but catch nothing - empty nets. And just at the right time - the sun just beginning to rise over the horizon, signaling the end of the dark night. Jesus - knowing that their fishing trip had been a disappointment, repeats the scene from the beginning of the story. I’m going to paraphrase this terribly, but bear with me: “You didn’t catch anything? All night? Try throwing your nets out on the right side of your boat, and you’ll find some THIS time.” This time, no arguments, no questions, they just cast. And, just as he said, they found fish. So many that the nets were FILLED, and couldn’t be pulled into the boat. Just like the first time they did this with Jesus. John, who never names himself in his own gospel account, is the first to recognize Jesus for who he is. Peter, of course, responds as we would expect: he just jumps right in the water.

I’ve always found it curious that John took the time to tell us that there were exactly 153 fish in this net. Scholars tell us this only means that John was so moved by the event that the exact number stuck in his mind. More miraculous is that the net didn’t tear, like it did previously (Luke 5:6). Once they are all on shore, Jesus resumes his role as host and teacher, and he feeds them, with the bread he had, but also with the fish they had caught - fish that he had actually provided. As we go through the rest of this Easter season, pay attention to how many times Jesus reveals himself, and there’s a meal involved. The breaking of bread together is an extremely important setting for Jesus. Let me know how many you see at the end of Easter.

A friend of mine asked me about verse 12, where it says “Now none of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord.” They’d already seen him twice before this morning. John had declared him to be “the Lord” just moments before this. They saw Peter jump out of the boat to go meet him. They absolutely knew this man was their Rabbi, but they also knew something else: he is unquestionably the Son of God. But did you notice that everything Jesus speaks in this passage is only about what’s happening? It’s either about fishing, or about breakfast. Nothing about himself. He doesn’t greet them, he doesn’t tell them who he is, like he has done so many other times. When he was walking on water, he at least told them: John 6:20 “..., ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’” This time, they don’t even get that. Certainly they must have been dying to hear him say some word about himself… something to satisfy their curiosity, but also to calm their worries. So why did they hold back? “They did not feel bold and free to speak as under other circumstances in their former familiar intercourse they would have done without hesitation.” [Lenski, 1411] What other circumstances? What’s changed? Well, as he has just revealed himself in this miracle of the fish, and that he has risen from the dead… he’s no longer just their friend. He is their Lord. And each time he reveals himself post-resurrection, he is more and more their Lord. [Ibid.]

Which brings us to the best part of this passage. I can’t get enough of these last 5 verses. This chapter started with Peter … or should I say “Simon Peter” - even taking his old name back - going back to fishing, his former vocation. Certainly feeling shamed and defeated, no longer worthy of leading the apostles. No longer worthy to hold the keys to the kingdom of heaven. No longer worthy to be called the Rock upon which Jesus would build His Church.

There is a church right on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, which tradition tells us was built at the very site this scene took place. Outside the church building, there is a sculpture - Jesus standing, and Peter is on his knees in front of Jesus. It’s a powerful piece of art. And it symbolizes this conversation very well.

Peter knows that he has denied his Lord 3 times. He knows that he betrayed his word to Jesus that he would lay down his life for him. He lied like a coward and protected himself. And Jesus KNEW that he would do this, and told him so. “Sorry Peter, you talk a good game, but you’re going to fail, and fail miserably… 3 times even...” That had to hurt just hearing it. Then having it come true… of COURSE Peter was ashamed.

But Jesus doesn’t just forgive him. He simply asks him a question: “do you love me more than these?” (Meaning the other people with them.) And Peter doesn’t just say “Yes, Lord” - he adds “you know that I love you.” This is total submission to Jesus’ authority and knowledge. “You know everything Lord, so you know that I do love you.” Jesus doesn’t say, “I forgive you.” He instead says “Feed my lambs.” This is the work Peter was trained to do for the last 3 years. This is what Jesus taught and trained him for. This is the work Peter was ready to walk away from, because of his shame and his feelings of unworthiness.

Let’s not forget, Peter was present in both scenes that we read about last week. Peter has already been with Jesus. Peter was there when Jesus said to the eleven “as the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” In that one statement, Jesus re-instated Peter to his former status - Jesus wants him on-mission, back in the saddle, preaching and teaching in his name. But Jesus recognized that Peter’s shame was serious and deep, and he needed more than that. So here Jesus is giving him one-on-one. Jesus is confronting him in the way Peter needs to be confronted.

Jesus asks Peter three times “do you love me?” And he gives Peter three opportunities to respond in faith. “You know that I love you.” And yet, we never hear the word “forgive” or “forgiveness”. Jesus is already past that. “Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep.” Three times to match the three denials. Three times he tells Peter that he wants him to tend the flock. Three times he tells Peter that he trusts him with this ministry. Three times he tells Peter to let go of the guilt and shame, because the sin is no longer an issue. It is not a barrier to their relationship because Jesus has declared it so. When Jesus forgives your sins, they *are* forgiven.

If you’ve got something in your life that weighs on your conscience...something that makes your heart heavy, this message is for you, too. There is no sin that is stronger than Jesus’ forgiveness. There is, in fact, only one so-called unforgivable sin: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. This sin means that you consciously reject God’s Word and the Holy Spirit. Luther tells us that a person committing this sin would show no remorse, and would not seek forgiveness. Of course God’s not going to forgive a sin you’re not asking to be forgiven. I believe that if you *did* ask forgiveness with a sincere heart, God would forgive it. It’s only unforgivable until you seek forgiveness. God, of course, *CAN* forgive it. He’s just waiting for that person to ask.

So again, if you have something weighing you down, this interaction with Peter should feel like medicine to you. There is NO sin that is greater than God’s forgiveness. None. That is the power and beauty of the Gospel message. Nothing we do is more than God can forgive. I’m sure your imaginations are running wild right now with thoughts of the most awful acts in history. Doesn’t matter what they are. No sin is greater than God’s forgiveness.

Very shortly, we too will have Jesus revealed to us in a meal - in the breaking of the bread. This meal is described by Jesus himself as the “New Covenant”. No longer do we have to bring a sacrificial animal to the temple to atone for our sins. Jesus has taken care of that. Our sins have been dealt with and our future is secure. When you receive his body and blood, let them be a reminder to you that you ARE forgiven. As you taste the elements, be reminded that all your guilt and shame has been removed. Your slate is clean, and Jesus has given you His own perfect righteousness. Let your weight be lifted.

Jesus forgave Peter of all of his sin and denial, and then turned him around and made him the Rock upon which the whole Christian church was built. Peter didn’t think he was worthy, but Jesus did it anyway. Peter had the wrong thought there. He was actually correct in thinking he wasn’t worthy. Because he wasn’t. Here’s the thing: none of us are worthy. Not on our own. We become worthy when Christ makes us worthy. That’s what he did for Peter, and that’s what he is doing in each of us.

And then, when he has declared us worthy in our Baptism, and each time he forgives our sins, he says the same thing to us that he said to Peter: “Follow me.” Brothers and sisters, our Risen Lord has revealed himself to us, and he makes us worthy, just as he did Peter and the original apostles. He has forgiven our sins, and he has given us his Holy Word - the Good News of all that God has done for us. What are we to do with that? He has told us. Let us all pray that he would show us exactly what he means by “follow me.” And let us pray that he would also give us the courage to do exactly that.

Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!