Sermon for the Third Sunday of Easter (Part Three of the Stuck Series)

Preached at Canadochly and Grace on May 5, 2019
Preaching Text: Jesus and Disciples by the Seashore in John

One of my favorite pop theologians is the late Brennan Manning. At Canadochly, we did a book study on his book, The Ragamuffin Gospel, a few years ago. In that book, he talks a great deal about his struggles with faith, in particular trying to believe in a God whom he could never please, that he was never good enough for, that he believed his sins would always keep him apart from the divine.

For us Lutherans, that struggle should sound somewhat familiar, since it’s very similar to the struggle Martin Luther himself had with his faith. He too believed God was this unyielding judge who held every last mistake and misstep against him. He too felt he could never earn God’s love and forgiveness, no matter how hard he tried.

Many Christians today, perhaps even some of you, still struggle with this sort of thing. I remember well the pain experienced by one of my former pastors, the man who confirmed me when I was a teenager. Pr. Crozier’s daughter had died horribly from cancer and he was convinced that the reason it happened was because he didn’t pray hard enough or faithfully enough. Guilt became his constant companion. Just as it was for Luther or for Fr. Manning.

And also Peter.

I didn’t really plan this, but it seems my Easter sermons are forming something of a series about the things that we get stuck on in our faith journey. On Easter itself, I talked about how the women we’re stuck in grief. Last week, I spoke of how the disciples were stuck in fear. Today, I’m going to talk about Peter. He’s stuck in guilt.

How? Well, let’s look back at the last few weeks of Peter’s life. As Jesus has begun the last legs of his Jerusalem journey, Peter has, on more than one occasion, pledged his very life to defend Jesus. Even during the Last Supper, Peter has said that he would die for Jesus’ sake, to which Jesus responded with a dire prediction: Three times before the cock crow, Peter would deny Jesus. When the soldiers come for Jesus in the garden, Peter is determined to keep his word. He draws a sword and attacks the soldiers, cutting off the ear of a slave of the high priest. He’s determined to go down fighting and only stops when Jesus tells him to.

Even after this, he follows the soldiers back to the council, hoping to listen in, to spy and eavesdrop on the proceedings. This is when he gets caught and is identified. Three times, people call him out as one of the followers of Jesus and, as predicted, Peter denies any association with Jesus. Then a rooster crows at the dawn. Peter realizes what he’s done and he goes away, weeping and consumed with guilt and regret.

Jesus is, of course, dragged between the various authorities: the chief priests, King Herod, Governor Pilate. Then he’s given over to the Roman soldiers, who mock, abuse, and torture him. He’s taken out to Golgotha and killed on a cross. A few days later, word comes that he has risen. Peter, like the others, does not believe this at first, even though he sees the empty tomb with his own eyes. He’s likely thinking that even if it is true that Jesus is alive, things could never go back to the way they were. Not after what Peter has done.

Jesus then comes to the disciples twice in the upper room, confirming beyond all doubt that it’s him, that he is alive, that the miracle of resurrection has indeed happened just as he said it would. But even after this, Peter still carries a burden. And so we come to today’s Gospel lesson. Jesus meets the fishermen yet again by the seashore in much the same way that he did the first time when he called them to come fish for people. They don’t recognize him at first, but Jesus performs another miracle, Peter realizes who it is. Caught up in his emotions, he jumps into the sea to meet his Lord.

Jesus prepares a fire and they break bread together. As they are eating the fish, Jesus turns to Peter. Fully aware of his burden of guilt, Jesus asks him three times if Peter loves him. Once for each denial. This is truly one of the most powerful moments in all the Scriptures. Here, perhaps more than anywhere else, we see the heart of Christ. Is Peter forgiven? Of course, he is. This is Jesus, who forgave even the soldiers as they pounded in the nails. God can and has forgiven Peter for his denials, but Peter cannot forgive himself. So what does Jesus do? He gives him the means to do so. Here, you denied me three times, now affirm your love three times. Show yourself that you love me.

Jesus is what gets us unstuck. For the women, it was the gift of an empty tomb and angels speaking the truth of his resurrection. For Mary, it was Christ himself calling her by name. For the disciples and for Thomas, it was a visit to the upper room and showing his hands and side. And now, for Peter, it is a meal by the seashore where Peter is given the opportunity to forgive himself for the denials Christ has already forgiven.

Jesus gives Peter and all his disciples (including us) a clear command to tend and feed his sheep, his people. So often, we have failed to do so and see the results in a world consumed with hate and fear and a church paralyzed by empty pews and lack of resources. But God has not abandoned us. Nor would he, no matter how often we fail. Again and again he comes to us to give us strength and encouragement. He is speaking now, within, behind, and beneath my voice as I preach. He is here in the waters that remind you that you are his and always will be. He is here in the bread and wine that remind us how much he gave for your sake. He is sitting next to you in your friends and family. Whatever we need, he will give. He’s proven that time and again in these stories. We are not so different from those disciples. We see them as paragons of faith and yet they too failed. God did not abandon them, nor will he us. Trust in that and go forth. Feed my lambs, Christ says. We can, thanks to him. Amen.