Foundry UMC DC: Sunday Sermons
Religion & Spirituality:Christianity
Do you love me?
John 21:15-17
Preached by Pastor Dawn M. Hand, Executive Pastor/Chief of Staff
Sunday, June 3, 2018
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.
A couple of weeks ago on Pentecost Sunday when we celebrated our confirmation class, I mentioned what if we think about Holy Spirit as a precursor to love. As we center ourselves for these few moments, I’m asking us to think about love as a precursor to faith.
Let us pray…
A few years ago when I was a kid, somewhere around the fifth or sixth grade, I remember sitting in class and watching notes being passed around the room. One day, out of the blue, I got a note. It came to me folded up. I unfolded it to read these words – Do you love me? Underneath was two boxes with these words – check yes or no. This was a big decision that could possibly change my like forever. If I checked yes, it meant that I would likely get married and have kids. I checked yes, folded the note and sent it back to my new boyfriend. He opened the note, smiled and glanced back and gave me a thumbs up. And then… nothing. That was pretty much it.
The question, do you love me, has been around for a long time. Working up to our text today, the resurrected Jesus, had now appeared to his disciples three times. On this occasion, it was after the big fishing expedition where Jesus instructed his disciples to cast their net on the other side of the boat. They had hauled in a lot of fish. Jesus positioned near the shore, had prepared a little cook out for them. This is where we pick up the text read for us. After enjoying some fish biscuits, Jesus asked Peter, one of his disciples – do you love me? Jesus asks the question, not once, or twice, he asks three times. Peter must have recalled in his conscience, his denial of Jesus three times when Jesus was in the throes of being led to his crucifixion.
Perhaps Jesus’ question came as an unwanted inquiry for Peter. First, Peter was likely surprised that Jesus asked the question and second, that Jesus asked him repeatedly. Peter checked the ‘yes’ box three times. The last time being distressed and all in his feelings – ‘Lord, you know everything, you know I love you.”
Friends, I don’t think Jesus asked Peter ‘Do you love me,’ three times to try and trip him up or retaliate for Peter’s earlier denials. I think Jesus wanted Peter to reflect on his answer and to raise his consciousness around what this kind of love looks like, feels like, acts like. Because this love, brothers and sisters, is an encompassing love. It’s agape.
Jesus, the One who is called and is claimed in love, is now calling Peter to claim love. And not only Peter. Jesus is asking all of us – do you love me?
I have pondered this question afresh and anew. What if in our vocations, callings, family, community and church life – we image Jesus asking us every day – Do you love me? How might we respond? What box do we check? Is it yes today and maybe no tomorrow?
Is our love deep enough, wide enough, encompassing enough, strong enough to resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves?
You have already learned that we had a rough few days at Annual Conference. Our beloved T.C. and another disciple had to experience again that their love is not good enough. Even beyond that, our denomination’s unjust laws tell T.C. and other folks in the LGBTQ community – even if you check the Yes box to God’s call on your life for ordained ministry, we will trump you with a no or not right now or wait. We know God has the final say. We continue to challenge our denominational empire with all due diligence and I hasten to add in respect and love. Friends, some of us have let our raw emotions get the best us. When this happens, sometimes we react badly and hatefully. I don’t agree with our Bishop’s decision either. I think she could have taken another course of action. God knows I believe she could have. At the same time, I don’t agree with the vitriolic responses regarding our Bishop, flying around in social media. We don’t have to attack her character to show our disappointment. This is not the way of God’s love. I’m not telling anyone how to feel, I know we don’t all agree or disagree the same way, yet might we model love in and through it all.
I give thanks to God that T.C.’s love for Jesus is bigger than her love of our beautiful broken denominational empire. It’s her love for Jesus that keeps her faithful in showing up year after year after year. Love and faith require an action. Please understand I’m not suggesting that other folk are not faithful or don’t love Jesus if they choose another path. I’m talking about our beloved sister right here.
No church, mask, synagogue or any other religious or secular institutions discriminatory laws will ever triumph over God’s love for God’s beloved people. I believe this is the love that Jesus presented to Peter. This is the love Jesus presents to us.
Jesus is asking Foundry - Do you love me?
Many years ago when I experienced my own call to ordained ministry – I experienced the power of God overwhelm me with signs and wonders. Friends, I got to tell you it frightened the hell out of me. I didn’t think I was enough to go the distance for that kind of love. Yet, we know God is love and God’s faithfulness endures forever.
What a journey we’ve shared these past seven years. Through my own faults and failures, through our faults and failures together, God has loved us through them to experience a glimmer of light in the darkness of infant deaths and deaths of folk whom we hold dear along the spectrum of their spiritual journey here in this community and in our families. God has loved us to embrace fun and fellowship through retreats, mission trips and parades. God’s love has captured us to renovate this space to be shared in this community. God’s love has covered us in the streets as we witnessed, marched, protested and rallied for the cause of justice. God’s love has sustained us as we traverse through yet another transition.
This is the kind of love that is home made by God from heaven to earth. It’s a good thing that we aren’t God. Because even with our best intentions, sometimes what we call love hurts, it disappoints, it rejects and often times, it’s very much based on conditions. This falls woefully short of God’s love.
Jesus is asking Foundry - Do you love me? Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. When we have checked the yes box, our response has been to feed lambs through our justice and mercy ministries, tend our children and youth, feed our neighbors who need some help with getting life back together.
The work of love is not easy. We know Jesus’ love is not wrapped up nice and neat. Jesus’ love is not always pretty. In fact, I believe Jesus’ love challenges, convicts and inspires us for the living of these days.
It’s a frightening love – because we will continue to encounter someone or something, or some situation that we may not quite be ready for…
And while Jesus’ love takes us there, it’s beyond that…
It’s a fringed love – because out there on the periphery are people who are broken and bruise and grapping and grieving and may not have the where withal to find their way back…
And while Jesus’ love takes us there, it’s beyond that…
It’s a fathomable love – because a family member, a friend and yes even the church continues to harm and inflict pain and the heart gets covered in scales and calluses…
And while Jesus’ love takes us there, it’s beyond that…
It’s a fatigued love – because just when we think we don’t have any more energy or strength to fight for what we believe is justice, Jesus reaches in and resuscitates our weary souls…
O still Jesus’ love is beyond that…
It’s a faithful love – because through it all, there is Jesus carrying us…
O still the love is beyond that…
It’s a love that existed even before the concept of love was conceived.
God so loved the world, that God gave us Jesus that you and me and all of us might have a taste of ever-lasting life.
I believe this is the love Jesus presented to Peter when he said – Do you love me?
It matters how we respond. It matters how we feed Jesus’ sheep. It matters how we tend Jesus’ lamb. We are not disciples until ourselves, we belong to God.
Well, Foundry and other friends, I’m wrapping up my time here and headed to go feed and to tend and to be fed and tended and graze among the sheep and lambs in Western Pennsylvania. I thank God that I go forth in the strength of your prayers and love - believing Jesus asking one more question – Oh Dawn do you love Foundry?
I check yes!
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