WITNESS
April 18, 2010 – 3rd Sunday after Easter
Rev. Barry W. Szymanski, J.D.
First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa

JOHN 21:1-19 [NRSV]

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing.’ They said to him, ‘We will go with you.’ They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, ‘Children, you have no fish, have you?’ They answered him, ‘No.’ He said to them, ‘Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the lake. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.’ So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.’ (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’

SERMON

When I meet people who learn that I am a minister, sometimes they bring up the subject of religion, or God. Often, when I visit, people in crises often reflect on the meaning of life, or just want to shoot the breeze. I have found that it is the best way to approach the entire subject of spirituality and life is to go back to bedrock because our culture is such that people have an almost infinite variety of ideas and belief systems. I don't have a problem with that. I like to interact with people who are searching. I listen to whether the person feels that there is an “Other” somewhere out there – and whether there is a future for humanity.

That may sound simple but there are some people who don't give importance to anyone in the world besides them – and, in a few instances, have little sensitivity or awareness of the needs of other people. When an individual shows a perception of the divine, then I listen for how they name the Other – in other words, what do they call their divine Other?

I listen to how the person tries to understand the mystery of the Divine Other, who I am going to call God. How does the person feel that God reveals who God is to us? Responses vary to all of the above questions. A person's responses can include: - There is no God; or - If there is a God, however God doesn't care about me; or - Other people tell me that God is love -- but I don't feel loved; or God punishes -- because of sins; or - God may have created the world, but God is not a good God, or at least, an indifference God, because of the extent of suffering and war and hurt; or - I have experienced God in my life and I realize that God does care.

Obviously people hold many, many more opinions about God, and these opinions may change throughout their lives. If a person is a Christian, then they often zero in on Jesus, and again, there are many beliefs among people about who Jesus is, and what he means to us.

So, in post Easter 2010, in this season when we celebrate the resurrection: What do we believe? Who do we believe? What is faith? Where is our hope? Is there divine love? One starting point is ourselves – we can become the center of the inquiry! Then the questions are: * Who are you? * What makes you, you? * What do you believe? * What is your faith? * Do you believe in Jesus? * Was Jesus the Christ? * Is he the Son of God? * Do you hope and trust in what he said? * And in what happened to him?

All of these are basic questions, which any adult who has never been baptized should personally answer [come to grips with] when they join a church. And, I think, these questions are essential to enter into a genuine spirituality – and to walk with Jesus Christ, to abide in Him!

The Gospels tell the story that had never been told before about a man who came into this world, suffered for really no good reason other than he confronted the status quo, worked for justice, was punished and given a death sentence even though he had committed no crime, and then, we are told, rose from the dead. That is pretty astounding stuff.

During those years that Jesus ministered and taught, he ate meals, held conversations, healed and cured; he forgave sins in his and his Father's name, and he left a legacy. Many people followed him at that time; but others walked away from him because of what he taught and what he stood for.

Sometime we may feel that if we lived right after the resurrection that our faith would be very strong. However, even after Jesus' resurrection many did not believe him – even after they saw him! In Matthew's Gospel at Chapter 28, beginning at verse 16 it is recorded: "Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted."

Some did not believe even when told about the resurrection. In Mark's Gospel in Chapter 16, verse 14, it is recorded that "Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen." So it is not a surprise to us that people we know may doubt – and at times uncertainty may enter our minds also.

Look at today's Gospel reading from John when he wrote: "Early the next morning Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize who he was."

Even after they came to shore and "Jesus said, "Come and eat!' . . . None of the disciples dared ask who he was. They knew he was the Lord." But why didn't they ask who he was? It was the resurrected Jesus – Jesus in a new form. Remember Mary Magadelene? She did not recognize Jesus; she thought he was a gardener. Jesus was in a new form. However, for those he encountered who did believe in him and accepted what he taught and what he stood for, they were changed.

And over the course of years, which became decades, then centuries, and now millennia, there have been millions upon millions who have died in his name, and under the comfort of his name, and there are now millions who are followers of Jesus the Christ, all of whom have been changed.

The Gospels report the many witnesses to the resurrected Christ: First reported in the Gospels, were the women: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Joanna, and Salome, then Peter and John, then the men on the way to Emmaus,

as recorded by Paul 1 Corinthians 15.1-11], Jesus appeared ". . . to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters* at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to someone untimely born, he appeared also to me."

Paul attributes his belief, his faith, not to who he was, but as he wrote, it was through ". . . the grace of God that is with me. [And] so [Paul and others] proclaim and so you have come to believe." [1 Corinthians 15.1-11] What a difference the resurrected Christ had in all of their lives!

Before Jesus died on the cross, Peter and the other apostles assured Jesus that they would die with Christ; yet Peter lied over and over again and denied that he even knew Jesus. After Jesus' death all of the apostles hid themselves in the upper room behind locked doors. Only the women went to the tomb the morning after the Sabbath. The guys remained in hiding! But after their experiences with the resurrected Jesus, every one of the apostles preached openly and eventually died gruesome deaths, except for John, all in and for Jesus. We do not have the direct experience that they did – we rely on faith.

The author of the Book of Hebrews at the beginning of Chapter 11 tells us that: "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible." A writer you may be familiar with, Oswald Chambers, said: “Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time."

Paul continually preached about the 'new creation' and wrote epistles about this new creation. Paul tells us that ". . . if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; everything has become new!" 2 Corinthians 5.17; Galatians 6.15.

If we have faith, that is belief, in the resurrection, we can ask ourselves, 'What does the resurrection of Jesus the Christ mean to me? 'What impact does Easter have in my life?' I also ask myself 'How does this 'new creation,' if there is one, make a difference in my life?

I do believe in a Divine Other. I believe that the name of the Divine is God the Father. And I believe that God is active in my and my neighbor's lives. I believe what John wrote in his Gospel in Chapter 1, verse 14, " . . . the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth." And I believe that he rose from the dead in a new form – a form not easily recognizable to even those extremely close to him – until Jesus called them by name. I also believe in mystery. I feel that trying to explain everything away is not possible. I have learned to let God be God. I can only be me. What amazes me is that once I accept God as God that a clarity of belief happens. It is then, when I see suffering, and war, and hurt, that I hope that Jesus, the Christ, who experienced all of that, has a plan. And I am part of that plan; that each of us is part of that plan. That we are in a new creation in Christ. I believe that as I walk through life, the Holy Spirit of God is available to guide me and each of us. Not that I am necessarily always present to God's Holy Spirit, but that the Spirit is there.

When I read the simplicity of the Gospels, once in awhile, there is a temptation to dismiss the stories. Thomas Jefferson did, when he crossed out of the Gospels those parts that did not square up to his common sense. I may be tempted to create my own Christ. Mr. Jefferson created his own God. The story told today, where Jesus showed who he was, the resurrected Son of God, by standing on a beach, beside a charcoal fire, with fish baking, and bread is just too simple. God should not appear this way! But the Son of God did. Without flashes of fire and thunder!

The son of God's invitation to his friends was just too simple, "Come and have breakfast." They did, and Jesus cooked the bread and fish, which he had and Jesus asked them to contribute the fish they had just caught also – that meal was a shared meal – a potluck of sorts. Jesus brought some food, the fishermen brought some food – and they all shared.

His apostles knew it was him, but his appearance was different. But they did not ask him any questions. They may have accepted who he was out of fear – or they accepted the mystery. In either event, they took the bread and fish and ate it in common. I would like to think that Jesus was satisfied with the accepting response of the apostles that were there - except for Peter. Jesus was not finished with Peter just yet.

For Peter, who had impulsively told Jesus that he would never deny him, did deny Jesus. When Peter felt that his very life was in danger of being tortured and crucified with Jesus after Jesus was arrested, Peter denied Jesus three times. So Jesus gave Peter the job description that he gives to all of his working followers – everyone here today, because we are all of his working followers!

Let's learn about shepherding. A young child who becomes a shepherd begins his career by listening to the chief shepherd. He apprentices. The child takes care of the newborn lambs for * they need their mother's milk, * they need to be kept warm, * they need to be protected for they cannot run to keep up with the flock of adult sheep and the older, vulnerable sheep need to be cared for.

When the child becomes a teenager, if the child does well as an apprentice, then the teenager tends the sheep. Tending means * keeping awake, * watching to make sure there are no strays, * protecting the sheep who gave birth, * learning where the pastures are in various seasons, * where the water will always be available, * and making sure the youngest of the new shepherds are doing their job * and protecting them as well.

If the journeyman teenager does well, then the teenager becomes a full-fledged card-carrying shepherd. The shepherd now is responsible for his own flock. A shepherd must know where the nutritious grass is as the seasons change. A shepherd must know where clean water is available. And the water must be quiet, because sheep are not good swimmers – they can drown! A shepherd must safeguard the flock from wind and weather. A shepherd must protect the flock, and the apprentice shepherds from violent attack by animals and the sheep from theft by poachers. A good shepherd will give his all against the enemies of the sheep – bears, wolves, eagles – perhaps his or her life.

In our reading this morning, Jesus' first question to Peter was: "Do you love me more than these other apostles love me?" When Peter replied that he did, Jesus gave him his first task, an apprentice shepherd’s job: "Feed my lambs." Then Jesus asked him, "Peter, do you love me?" After Peter responded, Jesus promoted him to his next responsibility: he said, "Tend my sheep." After the third series of questions, Jesus put the full weight of being a Christ follower on Peter, and he told him: "Feed my sheep." "After this Jesus said to Peter, ‘Follow me.’" And we learned by reading the Acts of the Apostles and church history that Peter did follow Jesus. So we remember that the first question that Jesus asked of Peter was "Do you love me more than these?" In other words, Jesus wants love, and he wants a lot of it!

The job description that Jesus laid out for Peter step-by-step is the same for all of us who are the followers of Jesus. Will we love him? Will we take care of the young? Will we protect them from abuse and predators? Will we make sure that they are warm and fed and safe? When we have learned those tasks, and done so, can we tend sheep? Then, after we have mastered that, will we love Jesus and be good shepherds?

Can we know for both ourselves and for others what is nutritious for our souls as the seasons change - where the clean water of life is available, - when a soul is to be quiet, so a person does not drown! - how to safeguard a soul from cultural winds and societal weather, - how to protect him and herself and others from violent temptations. And VIP, when we are in Peter’s shoes and asked if we know Jesus, will we be willing to stand up and say that we ". . . know the man . . " Jesus? When we answer yes, the Holy Spirit of God will take us places and have us encounter people in a way that we would never have dreamed of. [cf. Acts of the Apostles] This is proven over and over again.

What additional impact, then, does the resurrection have? I think that part of this entire mystery is * to let God be God, * to allow the empty tomb to speak to us that we don't know everything, * we didn't create the world, * we are living on a short-term planet, * we have a relatively short life, * we cannot control everything, * Jesus wants to be with us even after his death and resurrection, * Jesus helps us in our grief after a death which is why he continually appeared to his friends before his Ascension, * the process of transformation of the spirit and body after death is a new form, which we do not understand, * God recognizes us individually and calls us each by name.

The theologian Martin Niemoeller wrote that “. . . It is not the Resurrected One who stands before the world and asks, 'Do you want me or not?' Rather, it is his Cross which stands before the world, and therein lies the decision: whether or not we confess ourselves to be the guilty and condemned one, whether or not we acknowledge the truth of God concerning us and desire to live by his grace. Before the world lies the empty grave, which asks us whether we are ready to let God have the last word!"

Let us pray:

Holy Spirit of God, we pray for your guidance, we pray for faith, we pray that we be ready to let God have the last word, for we, like Paul will recognize the new creation and realize that the Lord Jesus has sent us to each other to be filled with you, the Holy Spirit of God. Amen.