Introduction:

Almost 20 years ago, I faced the task that most children one day face- cleaning out their parents' home. Mom had been forced to have 24-hour care, and I was forced to sell her house to pay for it. My folks were part of the 'Great Depression' generation, and so nothing was ever thrown away. We had inherited my grandparents' stuff, and my aunt's stuff, and that little house and garage were full.

The hard part was that I could keep only so much. What was most important? What would I want in 20 years? What might have some use or value for someone else? Which items could I keep, even as I knew that we were running out of room for it at home? And the whole time, having been raised by my parents, and seeing all the possessions of their life passing by, what do I keep? What is more important? Dad's push seeder or the old cultivator? Should I keep the bedroom set or Mom's favorite little table? Should I save the bookcases or the desk? Which did they love the most? Which did I love the most? Did Mom love that lamp from her dad so much that I should make sure to keep it? At the same point, I could hear Brenda's tender words, 'One more load of that junk comes in here, and I go out.'

I hated making decisions about those things. I made some mistakes, and I wish I could do some things differently. But life contains decisions, and the funny things is, that some day my poor children will have to do exactly the same, and some of my most favorite possessions will be discarded.

I) A Text With Many Points

Our Gospel Lesson today deals with what is most important. We just heard the story. Usually when this story is preached in our time, the focus seems to be on the interesting word play between Peter and Jesus. Jesus asks if Peter loves him with 'agape' love, Peter each time answers with the lesser word, one that means fondness. Finally Jesus asks him if indeed he is fond of Jesus, which is the best Peter can do, and he answers yes.

Some commentators make a big deal out of the fact that Jesus doesn't call this disciple by his usual nickname, "Peter." Instead Jesus calls him by his old name, Simon. "Peter" means "Rock" and Peter has been nothing like a rock in the previous weeks.

In fact, Jesus had told them to wait and stay in the city of Jerusalem, waiting for power to descend up on them. Instead they hike back home to Galilee, some 40 miles away, to go fishing. They are being blatantly disobedient. I imagine they were a bit embarrassed to see Jesus show up.

Last week we heard the story of Jesus coming and repeating the early miracle, of telling the weary fishermen to throw down their nets on the other side of the boat. This is the only miracle the risen Jesus performs. He identifies himself to them with this 'sign', the same miracle as at the beginning of their ministry. It's interesting that Jesus ends this conversation with Peter with two familiar words. What are they? "Follow me!" And so Jesus ends his work with his disciples with the same call as when they began. "Follow me!"

II) More Than 'These?'

Those are all part of the text, but one tiny point at the beginning of our section today, Jesus' first question to Peter is a challenge for us. Let's hear that section again:

[:When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?":]

One question, love me more than these what? These fish? These disciples? Do you love me more than these other disciples love me? Do you love me more that this fishing career? Do you love me more than all of this that makes up your life?

Let's look at each of these questions:

These fish: He must have. They were told to stay in Jerusalem; Peter instead headed up to the lake. "I am going fishing." "We will go with you." Did Peter love the fish more? Why else would he have left? Bored? Scared? Uncertain? Wanted to get out of town before those crazy Jerusalemites nailed them up? That would make some sense. Simon, do you love me more than these fish? Pretty basic question, considering his actions. Do we have things that are precious to us that get in the way of discipleship? Our possessions? Our toys? Our goals? Our relationships? Our habits? Our money? Our ego? What a bunch of dead fish! But we are often torn between that and serving Jesus with all our being. Jesus asks us, "Do you love me more than these fish?"

or

These disciples: Peter stayed with the Disciples; he betrayed Jesus. They were all close friends. Andrew was Peter's brother. Who did Peter love more? He had betrayed Jesus. Did he love Jesus? Another pretty basic question. But who do we love more? Our family? Do we care more about what our friends think than following Jesus? Do we sell out because we're afraid to stand with Jesus? Jesus asks us, "Do you love me more than these others?"

or

Do you love me more than these other Disciples love me? Peter was to have a special role. He had claimed that Mat 26: 33-34 Peter declared to him, "Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away." 34 Jesus said to him, "Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." Earlier, Peter had claimed a superior level of devotion. He hadn't come through. Peter, do you really love me more than all the rest of these Disciples, like you claimed? You're going to need to, because you are going to be leading. Feed my lambs. That's a pretty basic question, too. I think this is a question for Peter, reminding him of his brashness. Jesus doesn't compare our love to anybody else. All we are called to do is love him as number one; with our whole heart, whole mind, whole soul. That's a great and impossible challenge and promise of what God wants to produce in our lives.

or,

"More than these" could refer to the boats, the nets, the lake- all of Peter's past as a fisherman." Do you love me more than this fishing career? After all, a guy's gotta make a living! They didn't know what was coming next. Jesus had died, been raised from the dead, and kept showing up. What were they to do? Peter was still functioning without the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. He was doing pretty well, considering. But Peter could still have a career as a fisherman. Maybe Galilee would become a good place to spread this "Jesus" message. Later, a man named "Paul" would work his career of making tents, and share the Gospel at the same time. Why shouldn't Peter expect to work? But if the 'these' is all the 'these-s' of your career, your job, your identity, more than the call of God, this is a good question, too. We get so bogged down in 'the normal'- what if God were to call you to seminary? What if God were to call you to an entirely different career, a calling to serve him. What if all that stuff you know, that you're really good at and take some degree of pride in- what if Jesus were to call you to lay that down to follow him? When we're younger, it may be a call to aim higher than we thought we could. Maybe God is calling you to dream bigger than you've ever dreamt. Maybe it's a call to college and beyond, to be empowered to serve far beyond what your old dreams were? Jesus asks me, "Do you love me more than your career, your dreams and expectations?"

or, finally,

Do you love me more than all of this that makes up your life? We can make it broader, not only love above career, but love above all of life. Do you love me more than 'these'- all those pieces of your life that you cling to so closely. We get pretty used to thinking in terms of life as it is, and how important things like job, reputation and family are. But Jesus stands before us, and questions all those priorities. What if Jesus were to call you to the mission field tomorrow? Would you go? Could you clean out the garage, have a big garage sale, and leave it all behind? Would you be stuck by bills, and the love of all your comfortable 'stuff?' Your favorite recliner? All the furniture and stuff that you really couldn't afford to store for many years? Could you go, or would you be stuck here by stuff? Or by what's familiar? What would it take for Jesus to move us? I think of all of the tens of millions of refugees around the world, and how, with nothing but what they can carry, they are free to go anywhere.

Like my dumpsters full of stuff in front of my folk's home, Jesus stands in front of Peter, as he quickly is forced to sort out what is best. "Do you love me more than these?" - all the 'these-s' in your life? Follow me! That claim, that radical call to surrender came once again to Peter. Peter had gone back to his old ways, he wanted to control things - I'm going fishing! - Then Jesus met him again, and loved him back to his plan. How about you this morning?

Do you love me more than these? These fish? These disciples? Do you love me more than these other disciples love me? Do you love me more that this fishing career? Do you love me more than all of this that makes up your life?

Invitation, Amen

Easter 6 - May 25, 2003

Deut. 34:1-7

Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land--from Gilead to Dan, [2] all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, [3] the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. [4] Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it."

[5] And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. [6] He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. [7] Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.

1 John 2:1-6

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. [2] He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. [3] We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. [4] The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. [5] But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: [6] Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

John 21:15-19

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"

"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

[16] Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"

He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

[17] The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. [18] I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." [19] Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"