Keith, Do you Love me?

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From Keith,
To the Congregation.

Mark 6:31 “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.

At 5:30 am it is dawn, but the sun is not yet visible. At almost seven hundred feet below seal level and with hills that surround the Sea of Galilee, it will take the sun another hour or so to make an appearance. The only inlet into this valley is the Jordan river. Its delta marsh used to extend over three hundred feet across in Jesus' day. Today the river is robbed of most of its waters by towns, cities and irrigation systems before it reaches the Galilee. And to call this a sea is a bit optimistic. It is not as big as Geist Reservoir. You can see across to all sides. It is called by several other names depending on what city you are near; the Sea of Tiberias, Kinneret, and the Lake of Gennesaret.

It is not by accident I am up so early standing at the edge of the water. I am starting a small fire about fifty feet from the water. Small waves crest and roll to the shore. There are only small fishing boats on the lake. Not a sound rustles. I gather kindling reeds along the shore and set the flame to them. As I add small sticks, they crackle. I place a cedar half board on some rocks at the edge of the fire. Then I lay four strips of fish along the top of the board. Smoke curls around the board and licks the fish. The grape juice is poured and the bread is ready.

This is one of my favorite moments in communion. The table set and the people start to come. One older woman sits down next to her husband and begins to read the scriptures to him. I am not certain he can read. They are simple in their dress and posture, but they have dreamed a lifetime of coming to the Holy Land. A stroke that causes her to throw her leg and waddle a bit when she walks was not going to stop her.

As others gather there is a holy silence that sits with us. Then one begins to read

After this, Jesus appeared again to the disciples, this time at the Tiberias Sea (the Sea of Galilee). This is how he did it: Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed “Twin”), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the brothers Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. Simon Peter announced, “I’m going fishing.” The rest of them replied, “We’re going with you.” They went out and got in the boat. They caught nothing that night. When the sun came up, Jesus was standing on the beach, but they didn’t recognize him.

Jesus spoke to them: “Good morning! Did you catch anything for breakfast?”

They answered, “No.”

He said, “Throw the net off the right side of the boat and see what happens.”

They did what he said. All of a sudden there were so many fish in it, they weren’t strong enough to pull it in.

Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Master!”

When Simon Peter realized that it was the Master, he threw on some clothes, for he was stripped for work, and dove into the sea. The other disciples came in by boat for they weren't far from land, a hundred yards or so, pulling along the net full of fish. When they got out of the boat, they saw a fire laid, with fish and bread cooking on it.

Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught.” Simon Peter joined them and pulled the net to shore—153 big fish! And even with all those fish, the net didn’t rip.

Jesus said, “Breakfast is ready.” Not one of the disciples dared ask, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Master.

Jesus then took the bread and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus had shown himself alive to the disciples since being raised from the dead.

 After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Master, you know I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

He then asked a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Master, you know I love you.”

Jesus said, “Shepherd my sheep.”

Then he said it a third time: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, “Do you love me?” so he answered, “Master, you know everything there is to know. You’ve got to know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 

The question hung in the air. Do you Love Me?

The images and words are still pounding in my heart.

Feed my sheep! 

To my community of Ovid Community Church I need you to know. That moment called, convicted, and committed me.