John 21:15-17
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”
Once more this week, I am stepping away from the assigned readings from the Revised Common Lectionary to share some illustrations that have come to mind recently.
Alone, unsure of what tomorrow will bring, uncertain of what TODAY will bring, Peter and the disciples find themselves back at square one. Back to Galilee. Back to the Sea. Peter says, “I’m going fishing,” back to what is familiar, what is natural, what he once was good at doing.
Maybe Peter is trying to forget the previous few days. If you remember, things had not gone well at all. Still in his mind, he can see Jesus standing across the courtyard of the officials at a distance. Still in his mind, the smell of the charcoal fire that early morning – that Good Friday. Still in his mind, he can hear the people asking him, “Aren’t you one of his followers?” Still in his mind, the sound of his own voice claiming, “I swear, I don’t KNOW the man!” Still in his mind, the sharp light of dawn shedding light on his denial. Still in his mind, the sound of the cock crowing. And every morning since, the rooster’s rude alarm reminds him.
And yet, still in his mind is the empty tomb and the news that Jesus has risen from the dead. If Jesus IS risen, what does that mean for Peter? What next? Peter decides it might be wise for him to brush up on his fishing skills. But after a full night of fishing, they caught nothing. They must have wondered, “Can’t we do anything right?” What next?
God gives Peter a second chance.
God is not only a God of second chances, but also the third, fourth and fifth chances. The good news of the Gospel is that even though we hit the bottom in our relationship with God because we are sinners, Jesus’ death and resurrection gives us another chance to be his children, and to live as his children, because of the cross and the empty tomb.
So what about you? How do you respond when Jesus asks, “Do you love me?” Just like Peter, when our words and actions say NO, the always loving and always forgiving God doesn’t give up on us.
God wants you back where you belong – in a loving relationship with God and others. God created us to love and worship God, and love and serve one another – to feed and tend to God’s sheep. Not just to love, but to live out that love by following where God leads.
Next time you are hard on yourself because you failed in some way, or you are down on someone because they have failed you and hurt you, remember how God has given you a second chance.
Yes, God gives you a second chance. Now THAT is GRACE!
Let us pray:
Thank you for today, a day in which we get another chance to live as you created us. Thank you for your grace. May we remember it is about you, not me! We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.