Happily After Easter: Do you love me?

Welcome/Context/Prayer/Scripture Reading

Welcome- Good Morning! How is everyone doing this morning? It has been is wonderful week! It was so nice to have everyone over our house on friday night! it was a wonderful time of fellowship together. Isnt it amazing when we can be the church, without being in a church building. For me it was a glimpse of the wedding feast in heaven.

We are continuing out series called Happily after Easter this morning

Transition: Before we get into our scripture passage for this morning, I want to set the scene and begin with Context.

Context-

Conversation between Peter and Jesus

Peter a man who (Acts, Speaks, Thinks- often in that order.)

Peter who said I will never desert you (Slide) Matthew 26:33.

That He would even die for Jesus (Slide John 13:37)

Peter’s 3 Time Denial (Best friend/Messiah/Savior of the World)

At the Gate (John 18:17)

Standing at the fire (18:25)

Before the Rooster (18:26-27)

This Event happens after the Atonement

John Jesus is the passover lamb (Saves the people from Death)

Also the sacrifice of atonement that provides forgiveness

Covering over of Sin

Those things give context to our conversation this morning! Lets go to God and prepare our hearts for what he has for us today. Would you pray with me?

Prayer

Think , Reflect, and Act

As I read the scripture for this morning:

Think- Think about how this scripture passage speaks to you.

Your relationship with God.

Your relationship with other especially those whom have hurt you, denied you rejected you.

Think about how this sets a vision for the church community today. Allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you as we listen to this scripture passage!

Scripture Reading- Read John 21:15-25 out loud

Walking Through the Text: God speaking through the written Word!

Radical forgiveness: Jesus forgives Peter! (Slide)

This is one of the first conversations that Jesus has with Peter after Peter’s denial

Yet, we know that Peter has already experienced forgiveness.

Jesus doesnt ask were you sorry three times?

Doesnt shame Peter or make fun of his unfaithfulness.

No doubt Peter has probably sought Jesus’ forgiveness, and the cross means that Jesus extended it.

Jesus has left the cross, the grave and Peter’s denial behind him and is focused on whats next when He asks Peter the next three question.

This radical forgiveness that sets the scene. Its true for us today as we sit and reflect on this conversation, we have been forgiven.

Jesus’ 3 Questions to Peter. (Slide)

First time is do you love me more than these?

Jesus could be referring to his latest catch or the career he ran back to or his fishing buddies he went out with.

the question isnt do you love these things, but do you love me more than these?

Career, hobbies, sport, money, friends (Jesus is testing his commitment)

Jesus asks again, Do you love me?

Remember how I said Peter acts, speaks, thinks?

I believe Jesus was giving Peter a chance to really think about his answer to really think about his Love for Christ.

Jesus asks for a third time. Simon son of John do you love me?

Jesus was allowing for redemption

The Gospel of John, Volume 2 The Shepherd of Christ’s Sheep (John 21:15–19)

Jesus asked this question three times; and there was a reason for that. It was three times that Peter denied his Lord, and it was three times that his Lord gave him the chance to affirm his love. Jesus, in his gracious forgiveness, gave Peter the chance to wipe out the memory of the threefold denial by a threefold declaration of love.

Jesus has another reason for asking Peter this three times. Because after Peter’s response Jesus has an call to action to follow. but lets look at peter’s responses first.

Peter’s Response: Yes, Lord you know that I love you! (Slide)

Peter was asked three times if He knew Jesus, yet he says no

Here: Three times Peter responds with a Yes.

Its in the third response that Peter catches on. He gets sad because He sees what Jesus is asking, but Jesus doesnt want him just to be sad, He commissions him to do a task.

Jesus’ Three Commands to peter. (slide)

John The Restoration of Peter (21:15–17)

(1) Feed (basko) my lambs (arnion)

(2) Tend (poimaino) my sheep (probaton)

(3) Feed (basko) my sheep (probaton)

One commentator notes: Peter is not given a title, but a task. With Love for Christ, He joins in the shepherds work.

The Gospel according to John B. Jesus and Peter and John (21:15–24)

There is no trace of self-righteousness in Peter’s response. He can only appeal to the fact that the Lord knows everything, and therefore knows Peter’s heart: Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. And that is enough. Lest there be any doubt that Peter is fully restored to future service, Jesus again commands, Feed my lambs. This ministry ‘is described in verbs, not nouns: Tend, feed, not Be a pastor, hold the office of pastor. And the sheep are Christ’s sheep, not Peter’s. Not, Tend your flock, but Tend my sheep’ (Barrett, Essays, pp. 165–166).

Lets break down these tasks. These tasks are taking care of the whole flock.

feed the lambs -the young in faith, not necessarily the young.

tend my sheep- those with wounds, those that need brushed, its easy to focus on the lambs, but if you neglect them they will suffer

Then once you tend the sheep, you can feed them. (if a animal is bleeding they wont want food)

This translates to how Peter is called to care for the sheep.

Transition: That is How Jesus restores peter and gives him a new task, but what does this change for us today? We have thought about our own relationships, we have reflected on the meaning of the original text, What does this change for us?

Application: Act

Renew our Commitment to Christ. Just as Jesus asked Peter do you love me? He asks us! (Slide)

Jesus offered his life for us, what he asks for in return is our love

not our sorrow, not obligation, not religion, but our love!

He asks us do you love me more than these?

What is the these in your life?

These not anything you love, but a love that competes with Christ

Money, Career, Hobby, Family,

What things grab our attention?

anyone want to share?

Radically forgive others. (Slide)

In this church we have people. How many years have you been here? (Who’s been here longest?) 30, 20, 15, 10, 5, 1

I will be honest Ive been here 5 and there’s people that have hurt me, and Ive hurt people

Over those years how many of you have been hurt by someone else?

This passage reminds us that we are called to that radical forgiveness if we are going to move forward.

If Last week I shared that we need to be vulnerable and share our hurt, We do that so we can have forgiveness and healing.

Many of you know how weve been hurt in the past year: hurt me, I need to forgive the people who have hurt me, wounds wont heal if we leave the knife in. (Ive already experienced some healing)

Care and feed both the lambs and the sheep (Slide)

Although this is spoken to Peter as responsibility as a shepherd or pastor, I think if we see this with fresh eyes its actuallly a command to care for and feed each other.

What ways can we do that?

Passing of the Peace.

Sitting with different people

Having people over your house

One of my favorite quotes is an enemy is someone whose story you havent heard. But our stories are on-going and friends are made when many stories are shared.

Church I have a vision of a healthy flourishing church. It starts with a new commitment to love and care for each other.

I believe that is what Jesus is calling our church family to do in this season

I want to take the fore front- I want to jump into this work again too!

Renewed family of Jesus followers (Slide)

Love Jesus

Love Each other!

Ive seen it, lets grow together.

It starts with me, its starts with you. Loving God loving each other.

Would you pray with me?

Benediction:

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.