Today’s
scripture focuses on Peter. Three times Jesus asks him, “Do you love me?” and 3
times Peter responds, “Lord, you know that I love you.” Three times Jesus commands Peter to
feed—to tend to—Jesus’ sheep.
There is only one other obvious triplet—like this—in the Gospel
According to John. At that special
Passover celebration when Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, Peter
whole-heartedly pledged his devotion to him. But later that night, he deserted Jesus when temple soldiers
arrived in the Garden of Gethsemane to arrest him. Hiding in the shadows, Peter followed the guards to the high
priest, Caiaphas’ house. Standing
in the courtyard, warming his hands by a charcoal fire, he hoped to hear news
of Jesus. But when he was accused of being Jesus’ disciple, Peter vehemently
denied any connection with him. On
that awful night, 3 times Peter was called a disciple of Jesus. Three times Peter—the Rock—crumbled and
denied even knowing him.
Now, Jesus asks three times “Do you love me?” Peter repents. Jesus forgives. Peter declares his love. Jesus charges Peter—tend my sheep. Rehabilitated, Peter is tasked with
nurturing the community of faith.
The
last chapter of this gospel—chapter 21—“confirms that the story of Jesus’ life,
death, and resurrection continues to this day in the ongoing ministry of the
community of disciples.”[1] That means, there is more to this text
than Peter’s rehabilitation.
Today, Jesus asks us, “Do you love me?” We reply, “Yes, Lord, you know that we do.” “Well, then—Feed my sheep.” In other words—“Tend to my people
as I would tend to them.” Who
are Jesus’ people? Well, let’s
examine who were Jesus’ people? Some
were his band of followers—which included tax collectors (considered Roman
collaborators), prostitutes, and political zealots (Jewish
revolutionaries). Into his circle
of followers, he welcomed not just those with “good” reputations but also those
with “bad” reputations. While the
bulk of his ministry was serving other Jews, Jesus healed the Syro-Phoenician
woman’s daughter and the Roman centurion’s servant. For Jesus, “my”
isn’t a limiting, exclusive pronoun.
For Jesus, “my people” is an
ever-expanding group. For us to
tend to Jesus’ people, we need to cast our nets wide. So, from the very first conversation we had about a possible
summer day camp, we intended our circle of campers to be ever—expanding. Of course our children would
participate, but we also planned to invite children from outside of this
congregation. In addition, we pledged to search for those who may not otherwise
ever have a camp experience and offer it to them.
“Do
you love me?” “Yes, Lord, you know
that we do.” “Well, then—Feed my
sheep. Tend to my people as I
would tend to them.” How did
Jesus tend to his people?—with no regard to time, place, or situation. When
didn’t matter. A man with a
withered hand sought Jesus’ healing touch on the Sabbath. Did Jesus say, “Come back another day?”
No, he healed him then and there. Where didn’t matter. Traveling through Samaria—Now you need
to know that the rivalry between Jews and Samaritans was more intense than the
rivalry between Jayhawks and Wildcats, it was uglier than the rivalry between
Longhorns and Sooners, it had a longer history than the rivalry between
Missourians and Kansans—traveling through Samaria, Jesus offered his living
water to the Samaritan woman at the well. What
didn’t matter. Jesus healed,
welcomed, fed, and taught. He
offered whatever the people needed.
When, where, and what didn’t
matter to Jesus. He met them at
their point of need.
I
am proud that our Thrift Shop ministry meets people at their point of
need. While the regular sale hours
are Saturdays from 9 – noon, anytime we become aware of a person in need of
clothes, Lyla or one of the other Thrift Shop Volunteers
omes to the shop to help that person or
family find clothes. I was at the
Thrift Shop a couple of weeks ago when someone who had nothing but what he was
wearing came in. Not wanting to
ask for much, he found a pair of jeans and a button-down shirt. But Lyla and
Vida know about meeting people at their point of need. Lyla noticed his falling-apart shoes
and found him some work boots that fit.
Well, if you get boots, you need socks, says Vida. And you need clothes to wear under the
jeans and shirt. Tending to people as Jesus would means meeting them at their
point of need.
“Do
you love me?” Yes, Lord, you know
we do. “Well, then tend to my
people as I would tend to them.”
How would Jesus tend to his people?—with freely flowing grace. Jesus met the tax collector Zaccheus
with open arms. He did not say,
Zaccheus, return the money you stole from these folks, and then I’ll come eat
with you. He said, Zaccheus, come
down from the tree, for today I will share table fellowship with you.
Like Zaccheus, we
receive Jesus’ grace without earning it.
If we are to tend to Jesus’ people as he would tend to them, then we are
expected to respond by loving freely and unconditionally. Each Sunday, part of our offering is
food we share through PACA food bank.
Richard Lentz volunteers there each week, and he shared this story of
grace flowing freely. One recent Wednesday,
the volunteers filling the food requests learned that it was the birthday of a
person receiving a sack of food that day.
The volunteers put cake mix, butter, eggs, and frosting in the
sack. When the person came to pick
up her food and saw the extra items in her sack, she tearfully thanked the
volunteers saying, “I didn’t think I would be celebrating my birthday this
year, but you just gave me a birthday cake and reason to celebrate.”
“Do
you love me?” Yes, Lord, you know
we do. “Well, then tend to my
people as I would tend to them.”
How would Jesus tend to his people? Generously.
After feeding 5000
people on the hillside above the Sea of Galilee, Jesus said let’s clean up, and
12 basketfuls of leftovers were collected. Feeding the 5000 was a miracle of abundance—from start to
finish. Research shows that
readiness for school increases academic success. Paola kindergarten teachers
attest that students from our Preschool program are ready for public
school. What about the child whose
parents can’t afford Preschool tuition but who needs extra opportunities to
develop socially, cognitively, and emotionally before kindergarten? How might we tend to such children
generously? Might we fund Preschool
scholarships with special gifts or even in our operating budget? What about our upcoming summer day camp
ministry?
How
might we generously tend to the campers?
We could give financially to provide camperships. But could we also give generously of our
time and energy? We need at least
one more counselor to offer attention and care and excitement for the
activities to a small group of children all day each day. Volunteers—here for part of the day—are
needed to give their smiles and welcomes and energy by joining an activity or
serving snack or drinks at lunch.
How might we generously tend to the Heartland staff—college students—who
will be staying here and working with us that week? Families or couples hosting an evening meal just for the
Heartland staff could offer a couple of hours of home away from work and tender
loving care. How might we
generously give to the day camp? By
praying that we will share the good news of Jesus Christ and help lay a
foundation for a personal relationship between each child and Jesus; by
praying that every camper will know they are loved as they are as a child
of God; and by praying that campers will have fun.
“Do you love me?” Yes, Lord, you know we do. “Well, then feed my sheep. Tend to my people as I would tend to
them.” Through this exchange between Peter and
Jesus, we recognize that love—as Jesus commands us to love—is not just feeling,
but more importantly it is action; it is giving of ourselves. Loving uses our
resources—our energy, our time, our money, and our skills. To love is to
nurture. “Do you love me?” Our answer—Yes, Lord, you know that we
do—is loud and clear only through our actions. Do you love me? Yes, Lord, you KNOW that we love you – look,
see what we are doing to care for your sheep.
[1] Frances Taylor Gench. Encounters
with Jesus: Studies in the Gospel of John. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2007, p.
143.
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