Nothing But The Blood
Nothing But The Blood
You are at risk. Your eternal soul at risk. You may be seated.
What’s it about, these postResurrection appearances of Jesus? Already he’s appeared twice again today in John’s gospel alone. Do you know what this is about?
It’s about love, agape’ -- one of the NT Greek words for love. But today love that is more than agape’.
There are at least three NT Greek words for love. Agape’, Philia, and Eros, perhaps in that sort of “ascending order” -- the ultimate being eros, from which we get “erotic” and I’m not going there today.
The most common NT Greek word for love is agape’ which means kindness, charity, lovingkindness, commitment, generosity. Agape’ is the particular love that is not a feeling, but how you treat other people.
Yet another NT Greek word for love is philia, which means friendship, fondness, affection. The tone is different from agape’, although in the Gospel of John, from which we read this morning, the words philia and agape’ seem interchangeable unless you pay very close attention.
During Easter, we hear about the postResurrection appearances of Jesus. This morning’s gospel from John chapter 20 reports two such appearances, a week apart, and there are more -- before that in chapter 20, at the tomb Easter Dawn that we heard about last Sunday, and then our gospel just now, at supper Easter Evening, and again a week later with Doubting Thomas. It continues later in John chapter 21, and I want you to “get it.”
Here’s the rest of the story. It’s after Easter Day. Peter and several other disciples are out fishing on the Sea of Galilee, and the Risen Jesus appears on the beach, you know the story. If you do not know the story, come to Tuesday morning Bible Seminar this week, it’s the first thing we’re going to read and discuss.
Anyway, the Risen Lord Jesus meets the disciples on the seashore and cooks a breakfast of fish and bread for them. That’s in John 21. Then after breakfast, at verse 15, Jesus turns to Simon Peter and says, “Simon, do you love me?” It’s that puzzlingly repetitive scene where Jesus confronts Peter, who had shamefully disgraced himself by denying Jesus at his time of trial.
“Simon, do you love me?” Jesus uses the word agape’, which means “Simon, are you committed to me?” Agape’ is impersonal, arms’ length, a bit formal, maybe even distant, not the same as the close friendship they had before Calvary.
If you use your imagination, you can see what’s going on --
Simon, with head down, eyes averted, ashamed and not daring to look Jesus in the eye, answers, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you,” and Simon Peter uses philia, in effect saying, “Lord, you know I am your friend, fond of you. I have warm feelings of affection for you.”
But Jesus asks him again, “Simon, are you committed to me? (do you agape’ me?, are you with me?, as in Are you with me or against me? can I trust you?)
Saddened, and John’s gospel is clear that Simon is upset, Simon answers again with the word philia, “Yes, Lord, you know that I am your friend, I care about you very much.”
A third time Jesus asks, but this time seeing that Simon is humbled and his heart heavy because denying Jesus has strained their relationship, possibly ruined their friendship forever, Jesus finally uses the word philia, which is close and personal and affectionate, “Simon, do you love me?” asking in effect, “Simon, are you really my friend, can I trust you?” And Simon, mindful that only a few days ago he turned his back, denied even knowing Jesus, and that Jesus has every reason no longer to trust him, Simon says, “Lord, you know everything -- you know I am your friend, I love you dearly.” And in my mind’s eye view of the scene on the seashore that morning, Simon Peter, realizing that his denial hurt his Lord and friend more deeply than the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, pierced even sharper than the spear of the Roman soldier, Simon Peter covers his face with his hands and breaks down in sobs, weeping. A man with a broken and contrite heart.
And then, with full acceptance, love and reconciliation, Jesus says, “Feed my sheep” and “Follow me,” and Simon knows he is forgiven. And more than forgiven, restored to fellowship, reconciled, friends again for eternity, following Jesus even to the cross: Peter with the teeming net head-down was crucified.
My gospel for you this morning, the good news, is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God the Son, God himself, died on the cross not only sacrificing himself to pay for your sins -- otherwise under the Law of Moses unforgivable because you committed them intentionally and so must die for them — under the Law of Moses intentional sins cannot be forgiven or atoned, but must be punished, some by death — Jesus died in your place, calling you to repent (which as Father Steve has told the children many times, means turn your life around).
But then you see, and here’s the main thing about it, not only does he die; he returns from death, returns from the grave, comes back into the world, to make sure you know that he loves you, God loves you, Jesus loves you as he loved Simon Peter that morning on the beach. Comes to you this morning asking: "Do you just -- believe -- or are you really my friend? — let me be your brother."
Just as Jesus did with Simon Peter, I ask you. Do you Believe? And if you say you believe, I ask “will you?” Will you repent, turn your life around and follow Jesus, even to the cross?
I’m putting you at risk this morning, you are at risk. There’s not going to be a confession of sin and absolution this morning, you are going to have to come sola fide, by faith alone, to the Altar for the Body and Blood of Christ, at risk, trusting that He loves you, trusting Him that your sins are forgiven, trusting Him that you are absolved and made clean in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, washed white in the blood of the Lamb.
You are not saved or cleansed by anything you say or do, not saved by your presumptive words of confession, which not only are redundant to the Cross, but in the wake of Easter blaspheme the sacrifice of Calvary — you are not saved by anything the priest says or does as he makes the sign of the Cross over you; you are saved into the kingdom of God only by the Blood. Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.
You are saved, and Christ is risen. But still he asks, “Do you love me?” Then “follow me.”
This is your morning. Just as with Simon Peter on the beach so long ago, this is your morning of renewal and reconciliation. Will you come?
The renewal of Baptismal Vows is in the Book of Common Prayer at page 292.
Sermon, Easter 2B, 20150412. Holy Nativity Episcopal Church 32401
The Rev. Tom Weller
Text: Gospel according to John, Chapters 20 and 21