Love’s Job Description

John 21 details one of Jesus’ ten post-resurrection appearances to his disciples and followers. Jesus did this to show that he was still involved in his followers’ lives.

Why do we start at this place in Jesus’ history rather than with the stories of his birth? We lit the candle of Love today that represents the most pure example of love you will ever encounter. In order to understand Jesus’ example of love, isn’t it helpful to look back at the end of Jesus’ life on earth and see how he challenges us to show love and build the kind of relationships he forged.

The disciples gathered in Galilee on the Sea of Tiberias. Peter told the others “I’m going fishing.” Not unusual for a former fisherman, especially after Jesus' death and resurrection. The other disciples were more than willing to go along and join him.

The disciples needed some time and emotional space to assimilate what they had experienced. We are reminded that we often respond to emotional overload by returning to aspects of our former lives to escape the pain or loss. Aren’t there times when we too have found ourselves marooned on the sea in the middle of the night, afraid that we have come to the end of something, without any idea how to begin again?

“Fished all night and caught nothing” is what every fisherman hates to hear. After daybreak, Jesus stood on the shore and called to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” If Jesus is trying to endear himself to them, I’m not sure this is the way to do it. They could only sheepishly answer with embarrassment, “No.”

This is when Jesus’ either comes across as an annoying mentor or a helpful bystander, “Cast your nets on the right side of the boat and you will catch some.” Remember who the disciples had been pre-Jesus. They knew a thing or two about fishing and now this shadowy stranger on the shore is telling them how to fish. But for some reason they take his advice and move the nets to the other side. Success. A net full of fish!

Only then does Peter recognize the stranger on the shore. He quickly dresses, jumps into the water so he can be the first to greet Jesus on the shore.Jesus already has fish on the fire and invites them to bring some of their catch so they can eat together.

And then, Jesus breaks the ice with the million dollar question, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” When Jesus said, “More than these” we aren’t sure if he pointed to the fish. Do you love me more than this lifestyle and career that you had before I came along? It is a question that may prompt Peter to consider if returning to his former life and career was where he was returning. Or Jesus may have pointed to the other disciples and asked Peter, “Do you love me more than these other disciples?”

The first time Jesus asks, Simon replies, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus instructs him, “Feed my lambs.”

Jesus asks a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter answers, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

Jesus said to him again, for the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he asked him three times. And Peter said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

What is missing for us is our ability to see the changes in the Greek words that Jesus used with Peter and the different Greek words that Peter used in his reply. We tend to use one word for love whether it isI love my wife. I love my kids, I love my friend, I love Jesus. Each of these “loves” is a different measure of love.

In Greek, there are at least 4 words for love. Eros means love, mostly of sexual passion.

Storge (storgē) means the love between parents and children. Philia means regard and friendship, usually between equals. Agape means a Godly love that is deeply spiritual.

In John’s Gospel in the first and second question, Jesus asked, “Simon, do you me with Godly love?” Both times, Simon Peter replied, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you as a friend.” Jesus instructed him to “Feed my lambs” and “Tend my sheep.”

Jesus said to Simon Peter the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me like a friend?” Notice Jesus’ shift to use the word for love that Peter used. Although, Peter didn’t hear the benevolence in Jesus’ third question to the level of love that Peter was able to give. Peter didn’t hear because he was stuck in his hurt because Jesus kept asking. Peter replied, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you like a friend.”

Peter just could not promise what he could not deliver. But with Jesus, there is no shame, only acceptance and a welcome to use what Peter could give.

“Feed my sheep. Don’t talk of love, show me.” Jesus’ mandate from this point forward to Peter and to the others. You be the shepherd. You protect the vulnerable. You go and find the lost and bring them home. You restore the injured. You strengthen the weak. You feed them with justice.

Maybe we cannot serve like Peter. Even Peter could not serve perhaps like he once could. There were too many scars of his denials and past failures. He just didn’t have it in him to answer the ultimate question, “Do you love me with a deep godly kind of love?” Right now, I can only love with a brotherly kind of love. And Jesus replied three times. That’s OK. Be where you are. Give what you have. Do what you can but the mission is the same. My lambs need tending however you do it. My sheep need to be fed in whatever measure you have to give.

How do we as St. Andrew’s feed the sheep and tend the lambs?

At the beginning of December, many of you met after church for table conversations. You were asked: What do we do that is important? What values are indicated by what we do?

Our challenge now is to discern how that list of what we do and how the values indicated by our actions answer Jesus' question, “St. Andrews, do you love me with godly love?” However we answer, Jesus will reply, “Feed my sheep. Tend my lambs.” In other words: How are we the shepherds? How do we protect the vulnerable? How do we go and find the lost and bring them home? How do we restore the injured, strengthen the weak and feed them with justice?

Love isn’t easy. No one ever said that it was…or is. But it is the last candle that we light today before we light the candle that represents the most pure example of love you will ever encounter. Can we love like Jesus? Probably not or, honestly, certainly not, but when we do the things Jesus taught and asked, we come close.