Easter Vigil
This week we have been on a journey, and we have seen ourselves in many parts of the events of Holy Week. On Palm Sunday we walked alongside Christ as he processed into Jerusalem. We have participated with the crowd cheering “Hosanna”- Welcoming him as the expected King, the Messiah.
On Monday, we witnessed Mary anointing Jesus’s feet with expensive perfume and wiping them with her hair. We saw ourselves pouring our best on Jesus in worship.
On Tuesday, we heard Jesus say,
“unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (Jn 12:24).
And we heard ourselves challenges into self giving love, following his example.
On Wednesday, we saw Jesus declaring to the disciples that one of them was going to betray him. Then, we witnessed Judas leave them and walk into the darkness. If we are bold and honest enough, we saw the times we have betrayed him, too.
On Maundy Thursday, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, an incredible act of humble service usually done by the lowest ranking servant in the house. We felt him wash our feet too. He mandates a new command for his disciples to love one another as he has loved them. So, we are challenged to humbly wash each other’s feet in love. … Paralleling this act of humility, during the time of Passover, when they celebrated release from slavery, Jesus establishes the Lord’s Supper, where he offers his body and blood to us in the bread and wine. … Later, in the garden, as Jesus prays in anguish, we see ourselves as sleepy disciples, not mature enough, or serious enough, in our faith to remain with him in prayer. Then, Jesus is betrayed and arrested.
On Friday, we watched as Jesus was rejected by the leadership and the crowd. With Peter, we see ourselves as the one who denied knowing him when in uncomfortable and unbelieving company. Jesus is mocked by the soldiers, and the crowd, and we see the darkness of the mob that rests just under the surface in our fallen human nature. We hear our voices crying out with the mob, “crucify him”. With Pilate, we choose what is practical over what is right. Jesus is scourged, and killed on the cross. We watched him die, powerless to prevent it. The Lord of life gave himself up to death. His body is placed in a tomb, and his disciples are adrift in an ocean of chaos. Their hope is gone. The light of the world has gone out.
Since then, we have been waiting- meditating on Christ’s cold body, wrapped in grave clothes, laying in the tomb. We meditate on a life without Jesus. A church without Jesus. … And if we want to go deeper, we meditate on Jesus plundering sheol, the place of the dead, to take back those who belong to him.
Tonight, we have been on a broader journey. … We started with the creation, and the first human beings, bearers of God’s image, placed in the Garden to image God to the creation. … But the human beings are seduced away from God and are infected by Sin. … Though, God doesn’t turn His back on humanity. God pursues humanity to bring us back- like a Lover pursuing the beloved.
The creation is cleansed from horrifying wickedness through a flood, but Sin lived on in the hearts of Noah and his family.
Through many powerful acts, God rescued the people from slavery in Egypt, but they found that Egypt still has a hold of their hearts.
Through the prophets we hear the words of God wooing His people back to him- Offering drink to the thirsty; food to the hungry; Good news to the oppressed; healing for the broken-hearted; and freedom to the captives. God, the great Lover, relentlessly pursues His beloved, wanting to win her back.
We finally come to the news that Christ has conquered Sin and death. He has trampled down death by death and has risen never to die again. … The great Bridegroom has performed the ultimate act to win back His bride, opening wide his arms on the cross to show that he will hold nothing back in pursuit of her. He will go to death (and back) to show his love for her. … Despite her betrayal and unfaithfulness. Despite her denial. Despite the destruction in her wake. Despite her addiction to sin, … He is still on a rescue mission to win back His love. …
In our Gospel reading (Jn 21), Peter, representing all of us as disciples, sits near a charcoal fire. The last time a charcoal fire is mentioned in John, Peter was in the midst of his 3 denials. … What is our sin but a denial of Christ?
What is Peter thinking as he looks across that charcoal fire at the resurrected Christ he denied? … Incredibly, Jesus is alive, but does he really want anything to do with a traitor? Does Jesus really want disciples who fall asleep while he is praying and sweating blood in preparation for his arrest and torture? Does he really want disciples who abandon him when the authorities show up and arrest him? … One of their own even sold him out for 30 pieces of silver!
Surely, they felt joy that Jesus is alive again, but would he have anything to do with them? Jesus, probably sensing Peter’s shame, turns to him and asks him,
On Wednesday, we saw Jesus declaring to the disciples that one of them was going to betray him. Then, we witnessed Judas leave them and walk into the darkness. If we are bold and honest enough, we saw the times we have betrayed him, too.
On Maundy Thursday, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, an incredible act of humble service usually done by the lowest ranking servant in the house. We felt him wash our feet too. He mandates a new command for his disciples to love one another as he has loved them. So, we are challenged to humbly wash each other’s feet in love. … Paralleling this act of humility, during the time of Passover, when they celebrated release from slavery, Jesus establishes the Lord’s Supper, where he offers his body and blood to us in the bread and wine. … Later, in the garden, as Jesus prays in anguish, we see ourselves as sleepy disciples, not mature enough, or serious enough, in our faith to remain with him in prayer. Then, Jesus is betrayed and arrested.
On Friday, we watched as Jesus was rejected by the leadership and the crowd. With Peter, we see ourselves as the one who denied knowing him when in uncomfortable and unbelieving company. Jesus is mocked by the soldiers, and the crowd, and we see the darkness of the mob that rests just under the surface in our fallen human nature. We hear our voices crying out with the mob, “crucify him”. With Pilate, we choose what is practical over what is right. Jesus is scourged, and killed on the cross. We watched him die, powerless to prevent it. The Lord of life gave himself up to death. His body is placed in a tomb, and his disciples are adrift in an ocean of chaos. Their hope is gone. The light of the world has gone out.
Since then, we have been waiting- meditating on Christ’s cold body, wrapped in grave clothes, laying in the tomb. We meditate on a life without Jesus. A church without Jesus. … And if we want to go deeper, we meditate on Jesus plundering sheol, the place of the dead, to take back those who belong to him.
Tonight, we have been on a broader journey. … We started with the creation, and the first human beings, bearers of God’s image, placed in the Garden to image God to the creation. … But the human beings are seduced away from God and are infected by Sin. … Though, God doesn’t turn His back on humanity. God pursues humanity to bring us back- like a Lover pursuing the beloved.
The creation is cleansed from horrifying wickedness through a flood, but Sin lived on in the hearts of Noah and his family.
Through many powerful acts, God rescued the people from slavery in Egypt, but they found that Egypt still has a hold of their hearts.
Through the prophets we hear the words of God wooing His people back to him- Offering drink to the thirsty; food to the hungry; Good news to the oppressed; healing for the broken-hearted; and freedom to the captives. God, the great Lover, relentlessly pursues His beloved, wanting to win her back.
We finally come to the news that Christ has conquered Sin and death. He has trampled down death by death and has risen never to die again. … The great Bridegroom has performed the ultimate act to win back His bride, opening wide his arms on the cross to show that he will hold nothing back in pursuit of her. He will go to death (and back) to show his love for her. … Despite her betrayal and unfaithfulness. Despite her denial. Despite the destruction in her wake. Despite her addiction to sin, … He is still on a rescue mission to win back His love. …
In our Gospel reading (Jn 21), Peter, representing all of us as disciples, sits near a charcoal fire. The last time a charcoal fire is mentioned in John, Peter was in the midst of his 3 denials. … What is our sin but a denial of Christ?
What is Peter thinking as he looks across that charcoal fire at the resurrected Christ he denied? … Incredibly, Jesus is alive, but does he really want anything to do with a traitor? Does Jesus really want disciples who fall asleep while he is praying and sweating blood in preparation for his arrest and torture? Does he really want disciples who abandon him when the authorities show up and arrest him? … One of their own even sold him out for 30 pieces of silver!
Surely, they felt joy that Jesus is alive again, but would he have anything to do with them? Jesus, probably sensing Peter’s shame, turns to him and asks him,
"Simon, son of John, do you truly love me more than these?”
He doesn’t call him Peter, he calls him by his original name, “Simon”, which can mean something like “shifting sands”. And Peter responds,
“Yes, Lord, you know that I love you”.
And Jesus asks him again, and again Peter responds,
“Yes, Lord, you know that I love you”.
And he asks again a third time and we read that Peter felt hurt. Maybe this reminded him of his three-fold betrayal. Peter responds the third time
“Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you” (Jn 21:15-17).
The three “I love you’s” undo the three denials and he is called again to follow Jesus.
There might be more going on here than meets the eye, though. If you look into the Greek there is something strange happening. No doubt many of you have heard teachings on the different words for love in Greek. Two of those words are used in this exchange between Peter and Jesus.
One of those words is “Philos”. Philos is the love you have for very close family and friends. It is a deep love. It’s not necessarily an unbreakable love. We all know stories of families or friends who have had a falling out. It is a powerful love, but it is breakable.
“Agape” is the other word for love used in this exchange between Peter and Jesus. Agape was used by Christians to mean a self-giving, sacrificial, and unconditional love. It is an unbreakable love. The highest of the loves. Philos and agape are both very high loves, but agape seems to have been understood as a higher love.
When Jesus turns to Peter, he asks him “do you agape me?” Do you love me with the highest love? And Peter responds, “Lord, you know that I philos you”. I love you with a family love. … And Jesus asks him a second time, “Do you agape me?” And again Peter responds, “Lord, you know that I philos you”. … And Jesus asks him a third time, and this is the time it makes Peter sad, Jesus asks, “Peter do you philos me?” Jesus switches from asking Peter for agape and instead asks him for philos, which was what Peter was offering all along.
I wonder if this shows a new humility in Peter? This is the same Peter who said even if everyone else betrays you I will die with you… but then denies him three times. Could it be that Peter realized that maybe he doesn’t have agape to give. In humility and honesty, maybe he realizes that all he has to offer is philos. And in Jesus’ last question Jesus drops the bar from agape to philos so Peter can reach it. He meets Peter where he is. … When Peter first met Jesus in his boat, when he had the first miraculous catch of fish, Peter looks to Jesus saying,
There might be more going on here than meets the eye, though. If you look into the Greek there is something strange happening. No doubt many of you have heard teachings on the different words for love in Greek. Two of those words are used in this exchange between Peter and Jesus.
One of those words is “Philos”. Philos is the love you have for very close family and friends. It is a deep love. It’s not necessarily an unbreakable love. We all know stories of families or friends who have had a falling out. It is a powerful love, but it is breakable.
“Agape” is the other word for love used in this exchange between Peter and Jesus. Agape was used by Christians to mean a self-giving, sacrificial, and unconditional love. It is an unbreakable love. The highest of the loves. Philos and agape are both very high loves, but agape seems to have been understood as a higher love.
When Jesus turns to Peter, he asks him “do you agape me?” Do you love me with the highest love? And Peter responds, “Lord, you know that I philos you”. I love you with a family love. … And Jesus asks him a second time, “Do you agape me?” And again Peter responds, “Lord, you know that I philos you”. … And Jesus asks him a third time, and this is the time it makes Peter sad, Jesus asks, “Peter do you philos me?” Jesus switches from asking Peter for agape and instead asks him for philos, which was what Peter was offering all along.
I wonder if this shows a new humility in Peter? This is the same Peter who said even if everyone else betrays you I will die with you… but then denies him three times. Could it be that Peter realized that maybe he doesn’t have agape to give. In humility and honesty, maybe he realizes that all he has to offer is philos. And in Jesus’ last question Jesus drops the bar from agape to philos so Peter can reach it. He meets Peter where he is. … When Peter first met Jesus in his boat, when he had the first miraculous catch of fish, Peter looks to Jesus saying,
“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Lk 5:8).
Jesus called him knowing he wasn’t perfect.
Those of us who are living as baptized people have made vows to be more than we are. The life we vow to live is bigger than we are. We can’t do it on our own. We need Christ to draw us into that new life. … Our Lord, knows he did not call perfect people. You will mess up as you try to follow Jesus. I have the names and faces of people I have disappointed that regularly pass through my mind. Those memories can cause me to wince in pain. And once in a while I will pass by a charcoal fire and I will cringe and pound my fist into my chest saying “Have mercy on me Lord”- “how can you stand to have me as one of your disciples”. …. And I will hear his voice, as I hope you hear it, “do you love me?” And with everything we can muster (whether that be philos or agape) we respond, “Yes, Lord you know that I love you”. And he will say again, “follow me”. This is resurrection power. And as we follow him, he will lead us into agape. He will draw us into a deeper and deeper love. He will draw us into agape.
Peter learned to give it all as he followed his calling to tend to the flock of Christ. He learned self-sacrificial agape love. Holding nothing back Peter would later ‘stretch out [his] hands, and another [would] dress him and carry him where he didn’t want to go’ (Jn 21:18-19). Tradition tells us that Peter was crucified under the persecutions of Emperor Nero in about 64 AD, but not feeling worthy to die in the same manner of the Lord he loved so much, he asked to be crucified upside-down. Peter learned a love that held nothing back. …
Our Bridegroom calls us; He pursues us; He woos us; and He teaches a deep love. This love requires self-giving, and other-centeredness. That isn’t a kind of hurdle we have to jump to show we are good enough for him. It’s just what being close to Him looks like. … And He won’t stop pursuing us until we are drawn into his death-defeating, resurrection-powered, agape love, so we can be with Him forever. … The Bridegroom will finally be united with His bride, and you are his bride who he will never stop pursuing. AMEN
Those of us who are living as baptized people have made vows to be more than we are. The life we vow to live is bigger than we are. We can’t do it on our own. We need Christ to draw us into that new life. … Our Lord, knows he did not call perfect people. You will mess up as you try to follow Jesus. I have the names and faces of people I have disappointed that regularly pass through my mind. Those memories can cause me to wince in pain. And once in a while I will pass by a charcoal fire and I will cringe and pound my fist into my chest saying “Have mercy on me Lord”- “how can you stand to have me as one of your disciples”. …. And I will hear his voice, as I hope you hear it, “do you love me?” And with everything we can muster (whether that be philos or agape) we respond, “Yes, Lord you know that I love you”. And he will say again, “follow me”. This is resurrection power. And as we follow him, he will lead us into agape. He will draw us into a deeper and deeper love. He will draw us into agape.
Peter learned to give it all as he followed his calling to tend to the flock of Christ. He learned self-sacrificial agape love. Holding nothing back Peter would later ‘stretch out [his] hands, and another [would] dress him and carry him where he didn’t want to go’ (Jn 21:18-19). Tradition tells us that Peter was crucified under the persecutions of Emperor Nero in about 64 AD, but not feeling worthy to die in the same manner of the Lord he loved so much, he asked to be crucified upside-down. Peter learned a love that held nothing back. …
Our Bridegroom calls us; He pursues us; He woos us; and He teaches a deep love. This love requires self-giving, and other-centeredness. That isn’t a kind of hurdle we have to jump to show we are good enough for him. It’s just what being close to Him looks like. … And He won’t stop pursuing us until we are drawn into his death-defeating, resurrection-powered, agape love, so we can be with Him forever. … The Bridegroom will finally be united with His bride, and you are his bride who he will never stop pursuing. AMEN
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