An Invocation of Peace
Good Morning Friends,
Today on this Pentecost Sunday we study the relationship between love and forgiveness in restoring relationships, and begin to understand the confusion we have when we focus on our circumstances and not God’s love in our circumstances. The important lesson is on how our love is received…How out of the depths of our hearts we are filled with the forgiveness of the Holy Sprit’s love. Peter had been waiting for it, we have been waiting for it. It is An Invocation of Peace.
Scripture: But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
Matthew 16:23 (NRSV)
When 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.” A 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.” He 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. Very 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.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”
John 21:15-19 (NRSV)
and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32 (NRSV)
Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven
times. “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Matthew 18:21-35 (NRSV)
Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 (NRSV)
Message: Today ask the question that Jesus asked Peter. Do you love? But we also connect it to the events of Pentecost. The parable from scripture is of the unmerciful servant and it really asks us what we love? And if we love money more than people…more than God we are in for trouble. It is meant for us, to help us understand that we are not in the driver’s seat but also specifically for Peter who asks the question that prompts the story. The story is for Peter and the Peter in us who has no idea how God works. It is relevant on Pentecost because it is Peter’s profession of faith that is the foundation of the church… It is relevant today because it is the Holy Spirit that connects us in love. Yes the same Peter who figures so prominently into the story of Pentecost is the same Peter who denied Christ three times and was asked by Christ three times… “Do you love me?” Well perhaps I should not say the same because something did change. In the parable and in the bigger story of the saving act of Jesus on the cross, as in the life of Peter, we begin to see the process of reconciliation. The message is that it can occur in our lives and in the church when we recognize that to love abundantly is to be loved… to forgive abundantly is to be forgiven. We are confronted with the amazing love that God sent His Son to ask our Heavenly Father to forgive all our debts and gave us the Holy Spirit to help us on the journey. Jesus makes success out of our failures. The proof text and its relevance for us is in today’s scripture reflected on in consideration of the events of Pentecost. Here it becomes clear that God can love us too for the Lord loves
even Peter. God loves us, God has forgiven our sins. But are we willing to receive the forgiveness by forgiving others? Earlier this week we have focused on the various passages related to the Pentecost in John’s gospel when the Holy Spirit is given to the church. We know Luke’s version the best, from Acts chapter 2, when tongues of fire descend and the church receives the Spirit. We don’t see tongues of fire in today’s passage, but we do get a sense of the importance of the peace we are to receive along with an instruction– As the Father has sent me, so I send you. Can you see it in the parable of the wicked slave? Can you see the act of Peter feeding the sheep in his sermon? Peter was having a hard time forgiving himself even though his sins had been forgiven. The Jews who saw the crucifixion might well have been experiencing something similar. The revelation of Peter is one he shares at Pentecost and it should therefore be a revelation for us as well. Forgiveness and love go hand in hand on Judgment Day. Maybe that is why Peter quotes Joel and its setting of a plague of locust that had eaten the harvest. It seems to me that his choice of scripture on this Pentecost, on this harvest feat day is revealing. On this day Peter was sharing in the feeding of the sheep as instructed. He was forgiving debts. He was loving. He was at peace.
Pray we are faithful servants. Pray we are divinely energized. Pray we share an invocation of peace. Pray we practice connecting love and forgiveness. Pray we see that there is much for us to do and much love for us to share. Pray we creatively turn hate into love. Pray we forgive. Pray we always remember to love.
Pray we receive the Holy Spirit and the commission to go out into the world as an agents of forgiveness and a witness of love.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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