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John the Evangelist - 27 December 2015 at Stewkley

Gospel John 21

Alleluia, alleluia. I have called you friends, says the Lord, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

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 ¹⁵ When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’

‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love you.’

Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’

¹⁶ Again Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’

He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’

Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.’

¹⁷ The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’

Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep. ¹⁸ Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ ¹⁹ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, ‘Follow me!’

²⁰ Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is going to betray you?’) ²¹ When Peter saw him, he asked, ‘Lord, what about him?’

²² Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.’ ²³ Because of this, the rumour spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?’

²⁴ This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

²⁵ Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

Sermon

Asked Philip — Christmas 1 or John, Apostle & Evangelist? John doesn’t get much of a look in. Provision for “all the saints” or BCP collect.

Difference of John’s gospel. Synoptic Jesus active — moves around — healing, feeding, speaking — John’s Jesus sits and speaks of himself — I AM.

John refers to self as Beloved disciple — what does that say about others? — beats Peter in race to tomb — enters, sees linen, believes — Peter confused.

Only beloved disciple keeps faith with Jesus — stays with him to the cross — takes Mary as his own. Peter denies 3 times. Other disciples run away — what would we have done?

Peculiarity of John 21 — Synoptics have calling and commissioning disciples early on — John places in epilogue

Maybe a re-commissioning? — look at two episodes:

1.  Miraculous catch — maybe a lesson to disciples who fell away — how many times did they cast net and fail?

Jesus accepts their failure — invites them try again his way, not theirs — they are rewarded with abundant catch — I will make you fishes of men. Remain faithful.

When haul catch ashore — Jesus invites them to add their catch to what he has already provided for them — like Holy Communion acted out — Jesus invites them contribute what they produced — Jesus invites us to give who and what we are to join with others and to make our contribution to what he has provided for us.

Despite our failures, Jesus draws who and what we are back to himself — welcomes with feast — smell of breakfast. We are recommissioned.

2.  Peter’s recommissioning — 3 times asked to affirm allegiance to Christ and love for him — gets disheartened, hurt and annoyed — we the readers understand — 3 times Peter denied his Lord around charcoal fire in high priest’s yard.

3 times Peter asked to confess — 3 times forgiven — complete forgiveness — nothing left to hold against him. Like miraculous catch, Peter invited to participate in his own redemption — told to feed my sheep.

Parallel with our life of faith — we are commissioned at baptism to share in the ministry and work of Jesus — yet we often fall short — like Peter or the disciples in the boat.

Jesus does not just forgive our failures — recommissions us to try again. Makes use of what we have — invites us to share more fully in the work we have been given to do.

We will fail again — we should be prepared for it — but the lesson of Peter and the disciples is that we can try again — however many times we have cast the net and brought it in empty — however many times we have been in denial. The model is there in the epilogue to John.

But we are also reassured our work matters — God can use what we have achieved, even as we confess our abject failures.

Our Lord does not give up on us — he can still use what we have to offer, whilst setting us back on the road to greater things. Amen