Sunday, 1st May, 2022
St. Mary Magdalene, Outwood & St. Anne’s, Wrenthorpe
Acts 9.1-6 [7-20] & John 21.1-19
Well, the barbecue season is now upon us…. Burnt offerings sacrificed upon the fire of Bank Holiday hopefulness….
Or maybe you have a more modern outdoor cooker, seemingly pulled from the kitchen – no fuss, no mess…. Gas not charcoal…
Yet, all with same intention of eating outdoors within that minuscule window of opportunity offered by our changing Summer weather.
You can see where I am headed here, with this introduction….
Yes, a barbecue on the beach….!
You and I may have experienced barbecues in some strange places – I recall a Christian gathering in Georgia, near its far-eastern borders with Azerbaijan and Dagestan, made so much better by a hastily constructed barbecue. Language is less of an issue when you can prove your worth by poking a fire and turning meat!
And a barbecue on the beach…. How lovely!
Perhaps on the shore of Lake Tiberius – a tranquil place, at least when the pilgrim tourists are quiet!
Perhaps you too have been there?
Our readings today are packed full of images and ideas that, whilst so familiar, they bring forth many questions and make us wonder why John is telling us this particular story.
Last week, this gospel of John reached its conclusion, at the end of Chapter 20.
Or so we thought.
Now there seems to be a whole lot more….
Like an epilogue or postscript…?
Oooo no – this is much more than that!
An aspect of discipleship is being ready for God….
At any moment, being alert for the presence of the Lord…. working in our lives…
You will be surprised by God!
The disciples, in this time of resurrection and uncertainty…
From the boat, peering across the water in the light of the new dawn, what do they see?
Who are they looking at? Were they expecting to see the physical, risen form of their friend, cooking breakfast for them?
We have no idea if His appearance was transformed beyond recognition, but there will have been a moment when – beyond hope – they see Jesus. And then they know who it is.
And, once again, He asks about their catch of fish, and then beckons them to join Him.
Surprise!
At a deeper level, maybe the Disciples are surprised by what they discover in themselves.
Who had they become after the recent events, and their own responses to what happened?
Who would they now be…. without direction – maybe fearful, tempted by the inevitability of returning to whatever normal life once was? We know about that, I think.
Perhaps they needed the distraction of fishing, being capable without any awkward questions, gaining ground in a more achievable mission for once.
Maybe they needed the money.
What becomes clearer, is that God surprises them in this narrative, in this moment of encountering Jesus again.
By the water’s edge, their eyes are opened and transformation begins again.
And then, after breakfast…
In those glorious moments and words of redemption…..
Jesus doesn’t say to Peter – I forgive you and love you.
Any forgiveness for his denial isn’t spoken by the Risen Christ.
It is a question TO Peter: do YOU love me….?
In the Upper Room, Jesus commanded that they love as He had done…
Then Peter denies Him three times.
Thrice now, Peter is asked to return his faith to God – to the mission of Jesus, in all the responsibility it implies – and say that yes – he loves Jesus….
Accepting the mission he is given…
With all that will transpire….
Peter is restored.
Think about that.
If someone lets you down, the most human response is to avoid such situations in the future. If a friend or relative promises to help you, or do a thing for you, and then repeatedly fails, you will quite rightly get to the point where you will say right, I won’t ask again – I’ll do it myself.
I’ve been there, and I’ve done that…. and I was promised the tee-shirt but it never turned up….!
Peter has been the Number One fan…. Always standing close to Jesus to say “Let me do that….”; “not just my feet by my head also…”; don’t do that Jesus, let me go instead…”
And then the denial – three times.
And now, he leaps from the boat to swim ashore – not content to help the others with the fish….!
And how does he sound, when Jesus queries his love for his Lord and saviour? A bit sulky, a bit edgy?
A question then: would you trust Peter to continue with God’s mission?
Well, as usual, thank God for Jesus!
Jesus not only trusts him, believes in him and confers forgiveness on him, but He places the responsibility of ‘under-shepherd’ on Peter’s shoulders!
Because it isn’t about whether we get it right or wrong, its about love – a love for Jesus – and an acceptance that He calls us to feed and tend and have a love for his sheep – to love as He has loved.
Peter had that love for Jesus. He was given another opportunity, and a new mission, and he would experience failure and success, in equal measure, again and again.
He would ultimately die in his service to God, through tending the flock of Jesus.
It is what Jesus asked of him….
And He asks no less of us today.
We think about that quite often, don’t we?
What it will mean for us, not counting the cost?
Not always remembering that we said ‘yes’ to Jesus – for everyday…?
And then, in other news….
Saul experiences a conversion and a transformation.
Ta da! More surprises, certainly for him!
Again, from wherever he was, normality is paused – to let God in – to respond to Jesus – not necessarily by choice (that comes later) – but through a calling, a recognition and a forgiveness….
In the darkness of his blindness, with all of the trust that is required by that situation …. To be led from place to place, by those who normally despise you?
That’s quite a transformation indeed!
Both are transformed by the words of Jesus and the redemptive love of God.
Peter, the fisherman turned acolyte and disciple, right hand of Jesus, what did he (and the others) initially think the mission was all about? He often blundered and then denied his master and teacher when such a friend was most in need.
And then Saul to Paul – frightening poster-boy for Christian repression and brutality… struck down into darkness and then finally, into the light…..!
Transformed, with new horizons and a mission briefing delivered directly from Jesus!
Yet there is a gentleness here….. one that knows the pain – caused and felt – the suffering inflicted and watched…
And the calling….
From former lives, ambitions and ideas – to servanthood, meeting the needs of God’s people – not by glory but trust and faith in God, who always forgives and never gives up… on anyone!
Is that how we see forgiveness?
As a community or a nation, the idea of ‘forgiveness’ becomes something else – something harder, needing a deeper introspection.
The Truth and Reconciliation commission’s – in post-apartheid South Africa and then later, in Canada to address the legacy abuse of indigenous Indian pupils.
Big on publicity and engagement, these court-based bodies of restorative justice endeavoured to bring some form of investigation, accountability, witness experience and acknowledgement of victimhood, perpetrator amnesty and ultimately a degree of closure – an end to dark periods of history.
Forgiveness …. Well, surely that’s a subjective quality that takes longer, or not, but is reliant on people – the survivors.
These commissions, especially in South Africa, led by Archbishop Tutu, gave people a hope – a way forward and beyond the pain and suffering of years.
And yet there is nothing perfect in such a process and observers would say that it takes generations to heal and move on. But it was a start….
War crimes trials are another matter entirely. There have been many of those.
Putting a known war criminal on the stand and trying to prove they were responsible for acts of genocide is lengthy, costly and often falls short of the the hopes of survivors and all who rebuild nations following times of bloodshed.
There is currently much talk about bringing Vladimir Putin to trial, at some point in the future, for apparent acts of genocide in the current conflict. This makes good sound-bite news but seems to me to be extremely optimistic and problematic, dependent on such conditions that cannot be imagined at this point in time. The war still rages.
And what good does it all do?
Human societies need some form of process – to make sense, point the finger of blame, seek the solace of reconciliation and maybe redemption… a desperate need to acknowledge the awfulness but ultimately get on with lives that were probably hard before the struggle and will continue to be so afterwards.
Forgiveness? How is that actually done?
Is it corporate? Is it something that is done by direction or compulsion?
Can it be something we are asked to do from the six o’clock news?
Once again we live in a time when our political landscape seems like Purgatory, and our honourable members of Parliament are in need of a good talking to!
If they say “sorry” – must we forgive and move on? Is life really too short to keep seeking accountability?
And the Anglican Church – in its efforts to interrogate the past, acknowledge its failures and seek a more safer future…? A brave effort with still much more work to do, for which we pray.
And still there are the unnumbered who have suffered by the falsehoods and predations of others, yet to be acknowledged, and whose forgiveness will be anticipated.
However….
Forgiveness is offered through grace.
It cannot be presumed or forced.
It is neither weakness nor excuse.
Forgiveness is not easy and it is not the same as forgetting.
If you feel that you cannot give it; or if you long for it yet cannot believe it is deserved, look to Christ the redeemer, in hopefulness of His grace…. Like so much that is of God – forgiveness is a gift – a blessing and a joy that releases and energises, restoring life where once was hopelessness.
All of this speaks of the God who raised up Christ – who once more sought out His friends to reassure and to encourage them to follow Him again – when they least expected it!
How often do we strive for perfection only to find later that we should have relaxed and trusted in God, listened to Jesus and lived in the Spirit….
And all would be well.
It’s not all down to us – faith in God means acknowledging that God can work in ways we cannot understand, and through Jesus in ways we often just don’t get.
Jesus was already cooking fish for breakfast…. He invited their catch but he didn’t actually need it.
It was His way of summoning His friends… Come, eat…. Take your ease….
He wanted to see them.
He needed to talk with them.
Such an encounter was not on their minds as they were fishing!
God breaks into our lives….
When we least expect it…. surprise!
For me, there is something very special about this final chapter of John.
Perhaps it’s the redemption – the returning ‘home’ for Peter – forgiven and re-purposed with hope….
I have a hope in my own forgiveness and redemption – and I need it very much.
Maybe its the unexpected calling together to eat again, with friends.
Perhaps it’s the echoes of earlier times – On the beach, at the waters edge – that liminal place – where they first came together, wondrous, expectant and excited, to go with Jesus when He said “follow me” – when anything could happen….
And in the dawning of the new day – not a time I often see with my own eyes – but it happens whether I see it or not….
The Daily reset.
All things are possible in that moment….
And in this coming week – as you look upon the world around you….
Be surprised and find a joy in being known by God!
For…
No matter how I try to live as a believer – as a disciple;
However you and I strive for some idea of perfection,
God draws us home, back to the place of gathering…
He believes and has faith in us and will never cease in that faith and love…
Where the sea meets the sky….
At the dawn of the new day….
We meet with Jesus on the beach…
He asks us to care for his sheep..
We listen to His summons to follow….
By grace, we are forgiven.
We come closer to God…
And we are transformed.
Alleluia!
Amen.
Bibliography
Burridge, R.A. (2013) Four Gospels, One Jesus 3rd Ed., SPCK, London
Williams, J. (2011) Lectionary Reflections: Years A, B & C, SPCK, London
Wright, N.T. (2002) John for Everyone (Part 2), SPCK, London
Wright, N.T. (2003) The Resurrection of the Son of God, SPCK, London
John 21 | NIV Bible | YouVersion
The Road to Restoration | Reformed Theological Seminary
He Qi, Jesus Appears to the Disciples, undated; © 2013 (gallery)