May 1 2022
Easter 3 May 1st 2022
Old Testament: Acts 9:1-22
Psalm: Psalm 30
Epistle: Revelation 5:8-14
Gospel: John 21:1-14 (15-19)
Sermon Text: John 21
Sermon Title: “Feed My Sheep”
Grace to you and peace, from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
“After this, Jesus revealed Himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberius … This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after He was raised from the dead”. (John 21:1a, 14) Jesus appears to the disciples after a night of hard work, performs a miracle that He had done before, and then has breakfast with them.
Seven of the disciples were together, (Peter, James. John, Nathanial and Thomas), and even after seeing the risen Christ twice, they seemed confused as to what to do next; so, they did what they knew how to do. Perhaps thinking about making a little money in case this Jesus “thing” doesn’t work out; “Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing. They said to him, we will go with you. They went out into the boat, but that night they caught nothing”. (John 21:3) That would soon change, when they saw the risen Christ.
“Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore, yet the disciples did not (immediately) know that it was Jesus (since they were about 100 yards away). He said to them, children, do you have any fish? They answered Him, no! He said to them, cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. So, they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because of the quantity of fish”. (John 21:4-6)
They listened to His instructions, even though they didn’t know that it was Jesus; but once the nets were full of fish, one disciple recognized Him. “The disciple whom Jesus loved (John) said to Peter, It is the Lord! When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. And the other disciples came into the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, but about a hundred yards off”. (John 21:7-8)
If this sounds familiar, it should. In Luke chapter 5, Jesus performed a similar miracle after a night of unsuccessful fishing causing Peter to declare; “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord”. (Luke 5:8b) “And Jesus said to Simon Peter, do not be afraid; from now on, you will be catching men”. (Luke 5:10b) This was near the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.
This time, Jesus makes everything ready for a meal with His disciples. Now, “when they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with some fish laid out on it, and bread. And Jesus said to them; Bring some of the fish you have just caught. So, Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish; 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn”. (John 21:9-11)
“Jesus said to them, come and have breakfast. Now, none of the disciples dared to ask Him; Who are you? For they knew it was the Lord. (They had worked all night, using all their best effort as experienced fisherman, and had caught nothing. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. (Again) This was the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after He was raised from the dead”. (John 21:12-14)
Now, a lot had happened between the first and second miraculous catch of fish. Jesus had been crucified and raised bodily from the dead, for the salvation of the world. Peter, who had given the great confession of Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16), had denied Jesus on the night of His betrayal and arrest. He had seen the risen Jesus now three times, but he was still in need of being reconciled to Christ.
So, “when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter; Simon, son of John, Do you love Me more than these? Peter said to Him; yes Lord, You know that I love You. Jesus said to him; feed My lambs”. (John 21:15) Jesus then asked Peter two more times; “Simon, Son of John, do you love Me”. (John 21:16, 17) This line of questioning disturbed Peter, and “he was grieved because Jesus said to him the third time; Do you love Me”. (John 21:17a) Three times Peter had denied Jesus and now three times, He would be asked by Jesus to affirm his love; “Simon, do you love Me”. (John 21:15, 16, 17)
Seemingly frustrated with Jesus’ questioning, Peter “Said to Him, Lord, You know everything! You know that I love You. Jesus said to him; (again) Feed My sheep”. (John 21:17b) But what does feeding My sheep indicate? It means preaching, teaching (catechesis) and disciplining the sheep of God; calling us/them to daily repentance through the means of grace God has provided; Word, Sacrament, and Confession and Absolution. Jesus paid the ultimate price to win forgiveness for all; so He cares that His sheep are well provided for in the means of grace. In our first reading this morning, Saul too was reconciled to God, so that he might feed God’s sheep through the proclamation of Jesus as “the Son of God … the Christ”. (Acts 9:20b, 22b)
(By the way) Jesus is not bestowing on Peter a special authority in the church; over and above the others. What Peter is here called to do, he holds in common with the rest of the Apostles. Luther adds, “Christ gave the Apostles only spiritual power/authority … to preach the Gospel … administer the sacraments … excommunicate the godless …”. (Martin Luther, Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope, par. 30) The church has no authority apart from Christ and His Word and Christ is the One who chooses how to distribute His gifts.
In this three-part restoration, the Lord Jesus restored Peter for future service in the Holy Chirstian Church; but the next words of Jesus, indicate that it would not be easy for Peter. “Truly, truly I say to you; when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands; and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go. This He said (to Peter) to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God”. (John 21:18-19a) Paul too, would glorify God by his martyrdom at the hands of the Roman government.
In a cryptic way, Jesus was referring to Peter’s martyrdom. About 35 years later, Peter would die by crucifixion at the hands of the Roman emperor Nero. Peter, and all but one of the rest of the disciples would also glorify God by their death for preaching the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ. After saying all these things to Peter, after forgiving and restoring him to his calling as an Apostle, “Jesus said to him, Follow Me”. (John 21:19b) Jesus said the same words to Peter at the beginning of His ministry. Peter would later write, “For to this you have been called, because Christ suffered for you; leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps”. (1st Peter 2:21)
In his pride and weakness, Peter had sinned greatly in denying his Lord, even to the point of briefly losing faith in Christ. Yet our Lord prayed for Peter and he repented. This is what God desires for each and every one of us here today. Jesus intercedes for us, calling us to repent daily and receive the forgiveness of sins, no matter in what way we have trespassed His Word/Law. When we fall into any sin, He wants to restore us to a right relationship with Him as well. So, Jesus says to us also, “Follow Me”. (John 21:19b)
For Christ came to this earth for the very purpose of saving sinners like us. Again, Peter wrote, “you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without spot or blemish”. (1st Peter 1:18-19)
He gives us these precious gifts of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life with Christ Jesus, through the means of grace; by which He told Peter to “Feed My sheep/lambs”. (John 21:15, 16, 17) It is Jesus alone who “opens our minds to understand the Scriptures … that everything written about Christ in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms, must be fulfilled”. (Luke 24:44-45) Therefore, God’s people gladly hear these words and promises of God; by which He creates and strengthens our faith; and we receive His gracious gifts as often as we are able. Amen.
The peace of God …