"How Do We Be Easter People in an Interfaith World?" - Isaiah 61:1-4; John 21:9 - 19
A Sermon by Alex Evans, Pastor
Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA
From Sunday, May 1, 2022
“How Do We Be Easter People in an Interfaith World?”
Texts: Isaiah 61:1-4; John 21:9-19
In these recent weeks, Muslims around the world are celebrating Ramadan. Ramadan continues through tomorrow. This year, the high holy days of all three Abrahamic faith traditions - Ramadan, EASTER, and Passover - all occurred in the same month.
Ramadan - the most sacred season for Muslims - is a month of fasting, reflection, prayer, and community. Muslims, throughout the month of Ramadan, are expected to fast for all the daylight hours of the day - no food, no water, nothing to eat or drink from dawn to dusk. So, for Muslims during Ramadan, there is a pre-dawn meal, and then a nightly feast that begins as soon as the sun goes down, and right after the call to prayer. That nightly feast is called an Iftar. The Iftar meal begins with eating dates - and then a full course of wonderful food.
On this past Monday night, Ginger and I were invited by some of our Muslim friends to an Iftar. It took place at Amir Mediterranean restaurant on Lombardy St. The occasion was a gathering of a group known as “the Faith Forum.” Some of you know that I have been part of the Faith Forum for many years. This is a group of interfaith leaders who seek to know one another, and build bridges in greater Richmond, working together on more respect, more compassion, more justice and love in our city.
On this past Monday, we gathered around 7:30pm. We shared good fellowship for the first time in 2 years. Then, at sundown - about 8pm - we heard the call to prayer, and a few took a moment to pray. Then we were offered dates - a sweet, tasty snack before sharing a grand feast of bread and hummus, tabouleh and falafel, salad, chicken, beef, and many other fine tastings.
The evening was enjoyable. The fellowship was even more memorable - about 15 Christians which consisted of Presbyterians, Lutherans, Catholics, and others, about 15 of our Jewish friends, and 15 or so Muslims, including one who spoke about the recent destruction at the new western Henrico mosque. My good friends, Rabbi Michael Knopf, from Temple Beth-el and Imam Ammar Ammonette, from the VA Islamic Center - each of whom both spoke here on Interfaith Sunday in October 2020 - were present also.
How do we be Easter people in an Interfaith World? The world we live in - whether we are ready or not - is very much Interfaith! I think Jesus wants us to keep finding helpful ways to live and serve, to build bridges and build relationships in this Interfaith world, and work together for justice and peace.
As we build relationships in this Interfaith world, it must be less about certitude, and more about humility. It must be less about our varying beliefs, and more about compassion and commitments to a just and equitable society. It has to be less about our differences, and more about connected-ness, and humankind-ness - something that seems more and more lacking in these days.
As we continue to celebrate Easter, we have already heard from Isaiah - an image of deliverance and wholeness, joy and gladness. This is what God wants for the world. And we keep worshipping under these beautiful banners; we have a story from John’s gospel - from Chapter 21. Jesus has been raised. Jesus has appeared to his disciples, even a week later to Thomas, who asked to touch Jesus’ wounds. Jesus then appears again on the beach. The disciples - fishermen you recall - decide to go fishing again, after the resurrection. But they did not catch anything. Then coming ashore, they see the risen Jesus. Jesus says: “cast your nets on the other side.” They do. And they don’t have enough people to pull in the large, loaded nets. . . . . And then we get to this passage:
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.”
This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
There are some beautiful and intriguing things about this passage (see D. Bruner, John, p.1220f.)
In the first line, there is a reference to “a charcoal fire.” Jesus asks Peter to bring some fish from the fresh catch. That seems like a casual encounter on the beach. But earlier in this story of Jesus and his disciples, there was another “charcoal fire,” and it also involved Peter. In John, chapter 18, prior to Jesus’ death and persecution, a “charcoal fire” was warming Peter’s face when he denied Jesus. A “charcoal fire” heard Peter say he was NOT one of Jesus’ disciples. Peter stood standing, warming himself by the charcoal fire, and they asked him again - “were you not with Jesus?” He said he was not. . . . And the cock crowed.
Now we have another “charcoal fire” . . . . at Peter’s reunion with Jesus. Jesus says “bring some fish over to the fire, . . . let’s have breakfast.”
God and God’s ways, God and God’s love always have the last word. Remember - with God - the worst thing - a denial, a loss, a big regret, a disappointment, a terrible nightmare, whatever else might haunt our lives - is never the last thing. God is about reunions. God is about redemption. God is about resurrection. Peter - who denied Jesus three times - is invited to breakfast - around a charcoal fire - with the risen Lord. That is a picture of God’s great love!
And then there is this conversation between Peter and Jesus.
Do you remember that quote - “all that the forces of evil need to prevail in this world is for enough good people to do nothing.” That has been an important line for a long time. Evil prevails when good people do nothing. Prime Minister Zelensky in Ukraine has been saying things like this for two months. Maybe following his resurrection, this is what Jesus was worried about - people would “do nothing.”
I recall the famous line from Nietzsche - the 19th century philosopher and critic: “Show me that you are redeemed, . . . .and then I will believe in your Redeemer.” Do we demonstrate by our living that we are redeemed? Do we live as Easter people?
Jesus asks Peter three questions about his love and devotion: “do you love me more than the other disciples?” Remember Peter from other stories - he was often so quick to elevate his importance. He was one to brag about his exceptional loyalty to Jesus. And here, maybe because of the previous charcoal fire, Peter has had a dose of humility by this charcoal fire. Peter responds to Jesus NOT that he loves Jesus more than the others. He simply says, “Yes, Lord; you know I love you.”
Jesus responds, “Please, . . . feed my lambs.”
The way the grammar works in this sentence, the word “please” ought to be added, because it is not just a directive from Jesus. It is a hopeful urging. It is a request that sounds like a new calling. It is a big expectation and heartfelt plea from Jesus. “Please, . . . feed my lambs.” (see Bruner, p. 1227)
And the idea of “lambs” - the weakest, the most needy, the easily lost - that is whom Jesus cares about and mentions first. What Jesus says, and what Jesus means, and what Jesus says three different times: “Please, . . take really good care of my dear people.” That is what is most important to Jesus!
Notice - Jesus does not ask “are your beliefs all coherent and orthodox?” Nor did he say - are you living a perfect life? Nor did he say - “this is how you get to heaven.” Jesus says, “Do you love me?” Three times. “Please, . . . take really good care of my people.”
Feed my lambs, tend my sheep, shepherd my people.
How do we be Easter people in an Interfaith world?
“My lambs, my sheep, my people” - Jesus wants us to care for others, to love and extend grace to others, to help and strengthen others - all people, whoever comes across our path. Not just people who look like us, think like us, believe or act like us. He says, “feed my lambs, tend my sheep, shepherd my people.”
We, no doubt, have big problems in these days - the horrific war in Ukraine and deep concerns about a possible world war. We have growing divisions, we can even call it hatred, among people. We see it in the politics at every level, in media, on the streets, in airplanes, on every social platform. I continue to read so many articles by smart people concerned about our society, our world. Tribalism, animosity, despair, rage - these are the words that describe our culture, even our world lately. Again - how do we be Easter people?
Jesus has a viable and always appropriate heartfelt plea, expectation, urge for us: Feed my lambs - please. Tend my sheep, please. Shepherd by people, please! Jesus says, “Follow me” - because this is what he did - loved and cared, helped and healed, spread human-kind-ness.
We claim to be “a Matthew 25 church” - that means we seek in this church to do to everyone as if we are doing it to Jesus - feed the hungry, visit the prisoner, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked.
We could also get on that same road by saying we are “a John 21 church:” we feed - we tend - we shepherd - everyone whom Jesus cares about. And who is that? Well - that is everyone. That is how we live. That is how we live in an Interfaith World. It is what we do that matters.
Sometimes we might think - I cannot solve the situation in Ukraine. I cannot keep up with all the scary news. I do not know how to even make a difference this week. BUT, here is what we can do:
- we can pay attention to the people who come across our paths, and see them as Jesus asks us to see them - as fellow human beings and siblings.
- We can resist the temptation to demonize everyone who does not think like us, and recognize and dial back our own contributions to the animosity;
- and we can each bring some healing to the divisions.
- We can help where we can help, we can pay attention to the depth of our own character, and seek to be noble, . . . and neighborly.
- We can really and truly seek to be the people Jesus calls us to be - people who tend, who feed, who care, who shepherd others. “Follow me,” says Jesus.
Today, we gather at this table. As you come forward today - open your hand to receive, and open your heart to Jesus’ way of loving, tending, helping, serving. And remember - as we return to our seats with bread and cup, and as we seek to follow Jesus - we are all called to “feed my lambs,” tend Jesus’ sheep, shepherd Jesus’ people - and that is everyone we meet.
May we, in the power of God’s Spirit, even in this complex, interfaith world, embody the light, the love, the joy, the peace of Christ our Lord. Amen.
Alex W. Evans, Pastor, Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA preached this sermon during Sunday morning worship on May 1, 2022. This is a rough manuscript.