( John 21:15-17 ) - [ Deutsch ] - [ Akündigungen521.34 KB ]
Dear congregation!
There are many reasons why we go to church or many reasons why we choose not to go to church. Our church service competes with so many alternatives. Without a service, we can sleep longer, or we can have a peaceful day, just relax from the stress of the week, or go to a sporting event, go shopping, or watch TV. We may go to worship because it is a good habit, or because God has commanded us to, or for the sake of fellowship, or perhaps to recharge our spiritual batteries or to seek God’s will or simply because we enjoy worshipping - there is so much to receive and to share. Why have you come?
Today is Shepherd's Sunday. Jesus is our good shepherd. He leads us to good pasture. He is not the hireling who runs away when things get hard, as we heard in the Gospel reading. Today we hear how Jesus sends Peter. Yes, that is how he wants to send us as well.
It is indeed striking that Jesus asks this question three times before he sends Peter out with his special shepherdship: "Do you love me more than these; do you love me...?" In humility, Peter does not enter into a comparison with the other disciples, but only answers reverently, even though the question pained him because it reminded him of his triple denial. He only says that yes, Jesus knows everything, including that he loves him. "Do you love me?" asks Jesus again. Isn't that an outrageous question? There is a whole world groaning under a thousand pains, everywhere you see bloody battlefields, or terrible floods, houses and property destroyed, people who have lost everything, grieving people who have lost a loved one in an attack or murder or in an accident, people in despair, broken marriages, abused children, betrayed and disappointed people, fearful, despondent and lonely people! And now Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. Doesn't Jesus have anything more important to do or ask?
This question of Jesus has become the source of great things. Peter answers this question and says: You know Lord that I love you. Then feed my sheep. From that hour Peter and his disciples carried the Gospel to the world. Do you love me, Jesus asks a Luther? Yes, he says. Then be prepared to risk your life for the truth, to be despised and rejected for it. Do you love me, Jesus asks young men and women? Yes, they said, and they went as missionaries to foreign countries, made great sacrifices and preached the Gospel, as did our forefathers.
So, Jesus also stands before us today and asks us, "Do you love me?" This is certainly an uncomfortable question that we would prefer to avoid. How would you answer it?
We can imagine the following conversation: Do I love you, Lord? Well, I really try to live a Christian life, regularly attend Sunday services and read my devotions every day. That is very good if you do that, Jesus replies, but I just wanted to know, whether you love me?
Another says: Do I love you, Lord? Look, I have been struggling with my conscience for a long time. Now I have come to realise and I believe that through your death on the cross, atonement for my sins has been fulfilled. I place all my trust in your sacrificial death, in your blood that was shed for me, and I believe that I receive eternal life, by your grace alone. Jesus: You understood that well, but I only asked if you love me? Faith is not only an intellectual understanding and knowledge, but also has to do with a living love relationship.
Do you love me? Another might answer in the following way: Lord, I have so many questions: Why do you allow so much misery, suffering, violence and hatred, so much injustice and strife, floods and droughts? In addition, there are many other questions: As a Christian, can I be in favour of the death penalty or abortion or homosexuality? I have experienced so many disappointments in the church and congregation - how can they call themselves Christians with so much hypocrisy? All this and much more concerns and unsettles me in the church. You do have many questions, difficult questions, Jesus answers. But I only asked, do you love me?
He asks quite simply, "Do you love me?" Why is that? Feed my sheep means nothing else than: Lead my sheep to where they will receive what they need to live. In other words, lead the hungry and the sick to where they can be fed and healed. Why the questions?
It is difficult to answer Jesus' question. Perhaps we would like to answer this question in the following way: Lord, you are surely asking this question because you are disappointed in my love for you. We often find it difficult to answer this question because your way with us is often so difficult, often you expect something from us that does not suit us. Do you love me? Can we answer this question with a clear, yes? So often our heart is so weary or heavy laden, often heavy doubts burden us. Once there was a leather merchant. A young man came to him and said: "When Jesus asks me: Do you love me, I often cannot answer him clearly. My heart is often so cold and I am so distant from him. The leather merchant replied: "Friend, then turn the question around. Ask your Saviour: Do you love me? For a moment he was silent. Then the young man's face began to glow. He saw the love that Jesus has for us and his heart was set on fire. Yes, he loves you so much that he was ready to endure and go through the most difficult hour ever in this world: the hour of total abandonment of God when he cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" He loves us infinitely!
Do you love me, Jesus asks? Then feed my sheep. Jesus also does not ask: Do you love my sheep? If we are honest, we would most likely answer this question with "not all of them" or "it is very difficult for me with some of them". But that is precisely what Jesus is about, that we do not choose the sheep that are dear to us, but those that he loves, the lambs and the sheep. His love is boundless - that is what is so difficult for us about him. But just because that is so, he also loves you and me. But also, the other person, whom I prefer to avoid. If we love him, he gives us strength, courage and forgiveness to reach out to others whom we do not love or who have hurt us.
One last thing: let us just briefly look at the words Jesus uses: Twice Jesus uses the Greek word for love, i.e. agapy and both times Peter answers with philos. Agapy is the divine, the unconditional love that is willing to sacrifices itself. Peter answers humbly, aware of his weakness and says: Yes I love you but it is only the philos love, the friendship love. Then Jesus scales down his question and asks: "Peter, do you love me and uses philos? Peter can now freely answer with philos, even though he was sad that Jesus asks three times. It is a consolation for us that Jesus goes to this weak Peter who has denied him three times, who cannot confirm his agape love. Of all people, he sends him. So, Jesus was not primarily concerned with Peter's ability or his weaknesses and blamelessness. He was concerned with the question: "Do you love ME?" He who can affirm this may feed the sheep, his lambs and his sheep. Jesus only makes love for him a prerequisite, for without love for him we are not to feed his sheep, we would only mislead them or have ulterior motives.
May God grant that we recognise and accept his love for us and that out of this love for Jesus Christ we proclaim, witness to and live the Gospel, here in our own congregation but also in the world outside. Where does Jesus call you, where does he want to send you? Amen