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April 22, 2007
Scripture: John 21: 1-19
Title: “Do you love me?”

I got a call on Wednesday morning from the Director of Student Life up at the college, wondering if I would be willing to offer a prayer service for the students in memory of the victims of the shooting at Virginia Tech. I said that I would and then it began it sink in. How was I supposed to bring comfort to the students of Midway regarding a shooting that seemed to have happened in a whole time and place? How was I supposed to find God’s peace in an illogical act? How was I supposed to reflect the resurrection for a community that was shaken by a situation filled with violence and the loss of innocence?

I prayed and I pondered. Thursday rolled around and it was time for the service.

We opened the service with a prayer and I said a few sentences to name the feelings that we were all experiencing, as witnesses through the media to this senseless act of violence.

And we came to the moment in the service, where one of the students began leading us in singing Amazing Grace. She began to sing: Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound. And the community joined in.

And in that moment, we meet the risen Lord. In that moment, we embraced the promises of God. In that moment, we know that God had come to us.

In that familiar song, God meet us where we were. God surrounded us with God’s peace and reminded us of God’s promise to be there with us on this journey.

In that familiar song, God also reminded us that we cannot stay closed off in our grief, that we cannot stay shut off from the world, that we cannot let darkness rule our lives.

In that familiar song, we were reminded that we are called to share God’s love with all. We were reminded that we are called to take the light of God out into the world. We are called to bring hope and peace to all.

As the song continued, we began to experience the new life that is promised in our God. There will be a future and it is a future filled with possibilities. God is working in our world and we are called to have an active part in helping to bring about the kingdom of God.

We left the service that day, knowing that God had been in that place, knowing that God had heard our prayers, knowing that God has soothed our weary hearts, knowing that we could not stay in the darkness any longer, knowing that we were called to take the promises of hope, peace, and grace into a world that was hurting.

God meets us where we are and gives us the courage to share in the promises of new life and redemption.

That is the Good news that our Scripture is bringing to us today. The disciples had seen Jesus crucified. The disciples had seen Jesus risen from the dead. And they believed. But now a few weeks have gone by and now they are searching for meaning. Now they are searching for something, anything that will make their lives make sense. They gave up everything and now they believe and know that Jesus is risen. But what does it all mean? What are they suppose to do now?

So they go back to what is familiar. They go fishing. This was Peter’s livelihood before he met Jesus. Maybe if he goes back to the beginning, he can find something that makes sense in this sense of loss of their Master.

They fish all night but by the morning, there is nothing. No fish. Their nets are empty.
A stranger walks up on the beach and asks, You couldn’t catch anything could you? Why don’t you try the other side?

The nets are dropped and the disciples struggle to bring in the nets because they are so full. A familiar moment for the disciples. A familiar call for the disciples. And now they see the familiar face of Jesus, inviting them to come to the table and eat.

It is a familiar moment in time for the disciples. They remember their callings. They remember that night in the upper room when Jesus gave them the nourishment of the bread and the cup and said that this is a new covenant. It is all so familiar.

And in the familiar, they meet Jesus once again. In the familiar, the disciples are surrounded by God’s peace. In the familiar, the disciples are reminded of God’s promise to be there with them on their journey.

After breakfast, Jesus turns to Peter and says “Peter, Do you love me?” Once again, a familiar scene flashes for Peter. The night in the upper room where Peter swears that he will be by Jesus’ side and Jesus tells him that Peter will deny him three times. “Peter, Do you love me?” Yes, Lord you know that I love you. “Feed my lambs”
Peter, do you love me? Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. “Tend my sheep.”
Peter do you love me? Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. “Feed my sheep.”

In that familiar way, Jesus has released Peter from his guilt. In that familiar way, Jesus reminds Peter that he is called to be a disciple and that he cannot hang onto the remorse and the shame from that night.

In that familiar way, Jesus reminds Peter that he cannot stay closed off in his grief, that he cannot shut out the world, that Peter cannot let the darkness rule his life.

Do you Love me? Feed my lambs.

There is a world that is hurting out there. You cannot close it off. You must take God’s love and God’s grace out there for all who are lost and lonely. You must take God’s peace and God’s comfort out there for all who are hopeless and afraid. You must take God’s light of mercy out into the world that is covered by darkness.

Do you love me? Tend my sheep.

There will be new life. There will be a future in God. There will be a future filled with possibilities.

Do you love me? Feed my sheep.

God is working in the world. And we are called to take an active part in that work.

We have the promises of God’s hope and God’s peace. We have the promises of God’s comfort and love to go with us on our journeys. We have the promises of God’s mercy and God’s justice to strengthen us on our way.
We are not alone as we go out into the world to be God’s disciples, to tend God’s sheep and to feed God’s flock.

Do you love me? Feed my lambs.
Do you love me? Tend my sheep.
Do you love me? Feed my sheep.

May we hear God’s promises in the familiar and go out into the world to share God’s promises with all. Amen.

her McColl
Midway Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

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