¹After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. ²Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin,^£ Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. ³Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

⁴Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” ⁶He said to them, “Cast the net to 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 there were so many fish. ⁷That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. ⁸But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards^£ off.

⁹When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. ¹⁰Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” ¹¹So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. ¹²Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. ¹³Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. ¹⁴This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

¹⁵When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” ¹⁶A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” ¹⁷He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. ¹⁸Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” ¹⁹(He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Once upon a time in a large big-city church a boy attended Sunday school. When his parents moved to another part of the city, he decided to still attend the same Sunday school, although it meant a long, tiresome walk each way. A friend asked him why he went so far, and told him that there were plenty of others just as good nearer his home.

I think every Christian who ever lived, would hope that such a thing could be said about their own church. That their home church was a church that really knew how to express love and caring, that it was a church that could “love a guy.”

Its what church is about, its what the fellowship, the body of Christ should be devoted to.

Here in the passages we read today, we see the origins of that tradition and legacy of the Christian church that has been passed down through the generations from Jesus himself.

As the passage begins, we find Peter, Thomas and five other of their comrades in a fishing boat. It is after the crucifixion and Jesus has appeared a few times to the disciples. The fact that Peter is back in a fishing boat leads some people to say that he has in fact begun to give up on this Christianity and being a fisher of men and returned to his old traditional vocation of fishing.

So they are in this boat and the fishing is terrible. They haven't caught anything at all. Suddenly, there is a voice from the shoreline asking if they have caught any fish. When they reply that there has been no fish, the person on the shore tells them to cast their net from the other side of the boat. They do this and the passage says that they cannot pull the nets back into the boat because they are so heavy with fish. Just then one of those in the boat cries out "The Lord..". Peter turns and realizes that the voice from the shoreline was that of Jesus. He immediately dives into the water and swims to the shore to be with Jesus. When the others put in to shore they find a charcoal fire and Jesus serves them breakfast. He has prepared the fire, he has already prepared bread and already has fish roasting on the flame. He invites them to sit and they eat together.

As breakfast ends, Jesus and Simon get up and take a walk up the beach. All the roasted fish has been consumed and now it seems that Peter is being grilled.

Jesus asks Peter three times whether Simon loves him. Three times Simon answers yes. The third time, the text says that when Simon answers that he is "grieved". What is happening here? Why is Peter grieved that Jesus is asking him these questions? Is he ashamed because he has betrayed Jesus, or is he ashamed that Jesus has found him away from the other disciples, taking up the vocation of his pre-Christian days. Why does Jesus ask him these questions? And why does he repeat the questions three times?

Some folks believe that the reason that the questions are asked three times is because Peter denied Christ three times, and this is Peter’s chance to match those three denials with three affirmations. Others believe that in the ancient world the most forceful and convincing way to legitimate a certain saying or witness, was to affirm it three times. Regardless, the gist of each question is whether Peter loves Jesus and the response each time by Peter is a resounding "Yes". This passage establishes a relationship between Jesus and Christ. Peter has avowed his devotion to Christ. Despite all that has happened to them and their friendship and to the state of Peter's devotion to his savior, we find a fresh start and a confession by Peter that yes he does in fact love Jesus.

As they are being reconciled to each other again, Jesus gives an instruction to Peter, each time. Jesus tells Peter to feed his sheep. Jesus has asked Peter if he Loves him, Peter responds yes and in response to Peter's answer, Jesus commands him to feed or tend his sheep. Jesus is instructing Peter to act based upon his feelings toward Christ. “If you really love me, then do this!” Despite the denials and the doubts, Jesus trusts Peter and gives him a task that Peter is to undertake. The task is to feed his sheep.

As an Armenian, especially on the day we’ll be holding our Deacon’s Losh Kebab Dinner, I’ve also to notice one more thing. They’re eating again!

The events here are occurring just after Jesus and his friends have shared a meal together. Much like Peter’s denials of Jesus, much like their ultimate separation and alienation from each other through Jesus’ crucifixion, their reconciliation happens immediately following a meal where Jesus has made all the arrangements and is the host.

They had been fishing, and not catching anything until Jesus appeared. He leads them to a catch unparalleled in their experience. They’re hungry after fishing all night, he prepares a meal and sits with them to eat. Next, Jesus is instructing Peter to do the same to others, to feed others. There is an instruction to feed along the pattern of Christ's own example, an instruction to act upon the pattern of Christ's own actions. Jesus feeds his disciples, he cares for them and gives to them when they have nothing. He then turns and instructs Peter to do the same, to feed the sheep.

This is a commandment and an instruction from Peter to Paul to each and every person who has ever professed to Love Jesus as Peter did three times that day on the shores of the Sea of Tiberius.

Each church of Christ, each Christian, each person who professes to love Jesus is standing alongside Peter when Jesus tells him “feed my sheep.”

One wise person, or maybe some wiseguy, you be the judge, once said, “there are four main bones in every organization. The wish-bones: Wishing somebody would do something about the problem. The jaw-bones: Doing all the talking but very little else. The knuckle-bones: Those who knock everything. The back-bones: Those who carry the brunt of the load and do most of the work. [2]

But Jesus’ standard was different, it was the standard, which was set when he fed his disciples and then invited them to do the same if they loved him. It was the standard which had him the teacher, the leader of this new community, on his knees, washing his own disciples’ feet on the eve of his crucifixion. It was a standard that has been followed over the centuries by many great people.

During the American Revolution a man in civilian clothes rode past a group of soldiers repairing a small defensive barrier. their leader was shouting instructions, but making no attempt to help them. Asked why by the rider, he retorted with great dignity, "Sir, I am a corporal!" The stranger apologized, dismounted, and proceeded to help the exhausted soldiers. The job done, he turned to the corporal and said, "Mr. Corporal, next time you have a job like this and not enough men to do it, go to your commander-in-chief, and I will come and help you again." It was none other than George Washington. [4]

Today, we inherit the legacy of Christ, his standard of love and of service. Today when we accept officers and new board members into the life of our church, we receive the invitation that Jesus extended to us all. Tend my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep.

We do so also remembering one more thing illustrated by the Jesus’ eating with the tax collector as we saw last week, by the parable of the good Samaritan, and by the example of the Apostle Paul as well, who went as an evangelist and apostle to the entire world. We remember what was taught a century ago by the Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple:

“The church is the only cooperative society in the world that exists for the benefit of its non-members.”

That we in the church devote ourselves to tend the flock of Christ, but by defining that flock in the same way that Jesus defined a neighbor, in the same way that the Apostle Paul spent his life, looking outward and toward the world, looking to include and expand the body of Christ and to tend and feed all whom Christ would have loved.

As new Deacons, Trustees and Christian Educators stood before us and dedicated themselves to taking positions in the leadership of our church, I pray as well that each of us might rededicate ourselves, and that we might all focus together on the work and focus that Jesus passed down, Tend my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep.

[1] Moody's Anecdotes, pp. 71-72.

[2] Bits & Pieces, October 15, 1992, pp. 16-17.

[3] Quoted in Sunday Express, London.

[4] Today in the Word, March 6, 1991.