“Fount of Forgiveness Ever Flowing”

John 21:1-19

“I promise that I’ll never do it again.”  We really meant it when we gave that promise to Mom, our spouse or to God.  We were desperate, desperate to be forgiven.  We knew that we had done wrong.  There was no excuse for us to hide behind.  We could only confess the wrongdoing.  But even as we owned up to our failure, we felt afraid.  What if he doesn’t forgive me?  What if she says that she’s finished with me?  Fear drives us to add a promise to our confession: “I’ll never do it again.”  Will this be enough?  Will our promise secure our forgiveness?  Perhaps, but what will happen if we can’t keep the promise we’ve made?  The fact is this: we, despite our best intentions, do repeat our sins.  Promises that we can’t keep aren’t worth much.  We need forgiveness again and again and again, and there is only One to whom we can turn for such mercy.

 Today’s gospel reading tells the story of the third appearance of Jesus to His disciples after His resurrection.  It took place sometime after appearances on Easter night and the next Sunday.  It happened after the disciples had travelled to Galilee where Jesus had promised to meet them again (Matthew 28:10).  Peter and six other disciples were back in their old stomping grounds.  Perhaps memories of the old days were working on Peter.  Remembering his former career, he announced, “I’m going out to fish.”  His friends joined him in the boat as the night fell over the Sea of Galilee.  It was good to be back out on the familiar water.  The disciples laughed together as they shared old fishing stories. But the night wore on without a single fish finding its way into the nets of Peter and his friends.  There was something familiar about this lack of success, but no one remembered exactly what. 

The sky in the east grew pale, then glowed pink, and then yellow.  As they were getting ready to give up their fishing, they heard a voice from onshore.  “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”  A strange question for a stranger to ask: how did he know that they had no fish?  Still they answered Him.  Even stranger, the man on the shore gave them an instruction, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”  Find some, no kidding!  Instantly, uncannily, their empty net was filled to the brim with fish.  Now the fishermen were busy, so busy with their nets that they failed at first to recall how similar this experience was with a past event.  John was the first to remember.  The miracle-catch of fish!  The Lord’s call to overwhelmed and fearful Peter: “From now on you will catch men.”  “It is the Lord!” John whispered to Peter.  This time there was no pleading with Jesus to depart from him because of his sins.  Peter pulled on the outer garment he had discarded for fishing, and he dove into the water, swimming in the direction from which he had heard the voice.  His friends followed him, rowing the boat and dragging in their catch of fish. 

Onshore they were met by Jesus, their risen master, to sit beside a charcoal fire for a breakfast of fish and bread.  Jesus already had fish cooked on the fire, but He invited the men to bring some of the fish that He helped them to catch.  It was wonderful to be with Jesus again, sharing a meal with Him.  They each sensed His warm affection for them, and they felt at home, loved and safe.  They laughed again together, this time recalling that first time that Jesus had filled Peter’s nets with fish, that day the He called Peter, Andrew, James and John to follow Him.  It seemed like yesterday, yet so much had happened since then. Looking into Jesus’ eyes, they sensed that much more was yet to happen as they followed their risen Lord. 
 
Jesus turned to Peter and asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”  More than these?  More than his six friends?  More than the fish held by the net?  Still he knew his answer.  “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”  Jesus responded with a solemn charge, “Feed my lambs.”  For a moment Peter mulled over this exchange.  What did Jesus mean?  Who were the lambs he was to feed ?  His thoughts were interrupted by Jesus speaking to him again.  “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me?”  The same question.  This time it sunk deeper into Peter’s heart.  Again he promised: “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”  And Jesus replied, “Take care of my sheep.”  Peter was thinking hard now.  There was a time when Jesus had called Himself the Good Shepherd who would lay down His life for His sheep.  Now Jesus was giving Peter responsibility for their well-being.  Suddenly something else Jesus said to him flashed in his mind, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.  And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31, 32)  Jesus’ sheep were his brothers, his fellow followers of the Lord.  Jesus was re-affirming His call to Peter to be an apostle! 

Before Peter could revel in this favor, though, Jesus asked him one last time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”  One, two, three…the tumblers to a safe door in Peter’s mind fell into place.  The door opened just a crack, allowing the painful memory it had held to escape and refill Peter’s mind.  One, two, three times Jesus asked Peter to confess his love, just as he had once, twice and three times denied knowing the Lord.  Peter’s voice cracked with sorrow as he affirmed his love a third time. 

Had all of this merely been a set up?  Having laid bare Peter’s deepest shame and regret, would Jesus now reject him and send him packing?  Would he have to return to fishing for nothing more than stock of the sea?  That was what he deserved, Peter knew.  But Jesus was having none of that, for “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17)  With compassion, forgiveness and certainty Jesus said, “Feed my sheep” … “Follow me.”  Peter was restored to fellowship with Jesus by His forgiving grace.  Peter was reinstated in his calling as an apostle of Jesus by the same. 

Would he never fail Jesus again?  Certainly he would.  A day lay ahead for Peter when he would feel the sting of his friend Paul’s rebuke for his failure to stand up for the radical forgiveness of Jesus freely given to Gentiles (Galatians 2:21-31).  With a heart as bold and impetuous as his and a mouth so quick to express his thoughts, Peter was sure to say and do the wrong things along the road of following Jesus.  But Peter would not be lost because he knew that he could return to the Lord who hung on the cursed tree for the sins of all.  To Jesus, risen from the dead and ascended to God’s right hand, Peter would turn in contrition and trust.  From Jesus, Peter would receive forgiveness, help to struggle against the pressure of temptation, and strength to feed and take care of the sheep in his care.   Jesus’ last words to Peter, though ominous in their prediction of his death, carried with them the promise that Peter would finally finish his course.  Through death, Peter would enter eternal life! 

And so it is for you and for me.  Our risen Lord is with us.  He watches us each day as we set out upon our work.  He sees how often we lose sight of the holy nature of our lives, forgetting that we are people called by God to serve other people in all of our tasks.  He waits as we work away, trying to make our plans fall in place.  He listens as we complain about our problems and the troubles that seem to keep us from success.  Then He calls to us, perhaps through a reading of Scripture, a devotional article, or a memory of a Bible verse we memorized long ago.  Suddenly things become clear again.  We aren’t meant to live our lives to ourselves.  In baptism, Jesus enfolded us into God’s family.  We are God’s children, given a life to live in relation and response to Him.  We are God’s sheep, and we are also called to feed and care for each other.  “Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
(John 13:34b-35)
 
Like Peter we feel foolish and ashamed.  We know better than this!  How can God be bothered with us?  God bothers with us not because we love him, but because He has always loved us, and He gave His Son for us.  Our Shepherd is good to us.  He laid down His life for us, and He took it up again, so that He can forgive us not merely once, twice or three times, but again and again and again.  With His forgiveness, Jesus also repeats the call that reforms our lives and sets our feet back on the path to eternal life.  “Follow me.”

Hear His gracious invitation again today: “Come and have breakfast.”  Come to the altar to receive the holy food that embodies His ongoing forgiveness.  Eat His body.  Drink His blood.  Believe His healing promise, Precious Lamb.   All your guilt and shame is washed away.  Renew your praises to the Lord of love: “I love You, Lord.  Yes, Lord, I do love You.  Because You love me, Lord, I love You!  Hear His voice address you by name: “Follow me.”  Rejoice in His calling and return to the life energized by its new way of life.  Have no fear for the failures that lie ahead; only remember that Jesus lives to forgive and help you again and again and again until you finally find yourself warmly welcomed to live in your Father’s house forever.  Amen.