John 21:1-19
When we hear today’s gospel from the 21st chapter of John, we don’t know how much time has passed since the crucifixion and the discovery of the empty tomb and the times that Jesus appeared to his disciples in the upper room and again to Thomas. The Fourth Gospel doesn’t include the account of how Jesus physically leaves the disciples and ascends to heaven that we will have just before Pentecost, so we lose that marker of time.
Whether it was the next day or later the same week, John tells us that Peter decided to go fishing and the others followed him, and when Jesus again appeared to them, no one recognized him. It didn’t matter how many stories about Jesus they had heard or how many miracles they had witnessed. They didn’t recognize the teacher and Lord who they had been with for three years, the One who had overcome death on the cross.
But, isn’t it often the same for all of us? After the glorious celebration of the resurrection on Easter morning, how long is it before we no longer recognize when Jesus is with us? We are quick to judge Simon Peter and the others but we should not be too smug, thinking, surely we would know Jesus when we see Him.
But then, whether it was hearing his Word and the way he called them “Children”,
or seeing the miraculous abundance He provided in the nets now full of fish,
the beloved disciple did recognize Jesus.
And the Evangelist says,
“When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea.” (John 21:7 NRS)
This is the same Simon Peter who asked Jesus to wash not only his feet but his head and his hands, also (13:9);
who promised he would lay down his life for Jesus (13:37);
who cut off the ear of the high priest’s slave on the night of Jesus’ arrest (18:10);
who denied Jesus three times in the courtyard of the high priest (18:15-27); and,
who ran to the tomb when Mary reported what she had seen there on Easter morning. (20:3-4)
While Simon Peter can be described as imperfect, reckless and fearful, he is also ardent, eager and faithful. Time and again, he is the first one whose faith moves him to action.
The way Simon Peter is described here evokes the memory of the story of Adam who hid his nakedness from God in Eden in Genesis 3. But Simon Peter doesn’t hide from Jesus; instead, he jumps into the sea so he can go to Him.
I believe the story of Simon Peter “walking wet” to be with Jesus is a story of baptismal faith being lived out.
In baptism, by water and by Word, we are washed clean – by grace, our sins are forgiven – and we are given new life, clothed in Christ and commanded to go and make disciples, to love and follow Jesus.
Simon Peter reminds us that faith is not merely informational; it is transformational.
Faith does something to us; it compels us to action, not for ourselves but that the world might know God’s forgiveness, grace, and love through us.
Simon Peter’s story lets us ask, “What does an active faith look like in the midst of our everyday lives?”
“Martin Luther taught that each morning we are to rise and say, “I am baptized into Christ” and then go about our daily affairs living in the covenant God made with us in our Baptism.”[i] Every day, wherever you are – at the sink brushing your teeth, in the shower or in the kitchen washing up from lunch – you are invited to touch the water and remember your baptism.
Our baptismal covenant begins with promises to “live among God’s faithful people” and “hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper”.[ii] So, whenever we gather for worship and fellowship, read the Bible, and receive Holy Communion together we are living out our baptismal promises.
But the promises don’t stop here, with our activity within these four walls.
Our baptismal covenant also includes promises to “proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed, serve all people following the example of Jesus, and strive for justice and peace in all the earth.”[iii]
It’s not as obvious how we live out these promises. But, let’s take a look around our own community here in Shelby.
Proclaiming the good news, let’s ask:
Who are the people who need to hear “God loves you”?
Who needs to know you remember them in your prayers?
Serving all people, let’s ask:
Who are our congregation’s neighbors, and how can we be praying for them?
Look around and see who’s missing. Not just individual members but whole groups of people? How can we support people who may not worship with us?
And striving for justice and peace, let’s ask:
How do we share the peace of Christ beyond our congregation? What does it mean to be a person of peace in a world filled with noise and violence?
What injustices exist in our own community and who is suffering?
Simon Peter’s witness invites us all to an active, reckless and imperfect faith, where we jump at the chance to follow Jesus in the world. We won’t always know the answers to these questions but we have confidence God is with us as we wrestle with them and alive into our baptismal covenant.
Let us pray….
Holy and life-giving God,
We give thanks for Your Son Jesus who calls us to Him even when we are reckless and imperfect.
Shower us with your Spirit, and renew our lives with your forgiveness, grace, and love.
Help us respond to the world with an active faith that bears witness to your mercy.
We pray in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
[i]“Faith practices have changed!”, Living Lutheran, ELCA. https://www.livinglutheran.org/2014/01/faith-practices-changed/, accessed 5/4/2019.
[ii] Evangelical Lutheran Worship, ELCA. 236.
[iii] ibid
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