NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY MAY 1, 2022
Sunday is the Third Sunday of Easter. In the assigned Gospel text from John, Jesus appears for a 3rd time to the disciples. Included in it is a conversation Jesus had with Peter. Jesus asks Peter 3 times “Do You Love Me?” Peter seems to get frustrated by Jesus repeated asking of this same question. Much theological debate and speculation has occurred over the years as to why Jesus asked Peter this question 3 times. The simple explanation seems to be Jesus helping Peter to understand an important truth and used repetition for Peter to get the point.
David Beckett shares that on one occasion when he was a middle school teacher, a group of teachers were waiting in a room to play the students in a basketball game. He remarked to his principal, “You know what I have discovered about teaching is 50% of teaching is repeating directions.” His principle shot right back, “What did you say?” Beckett repeated, “I said, ‘50% of teaching is repeating directions.’” He said, “the laughter of the other teachers helped me get the joke; and I laughed with them.”
Anyone working or living with children knows that messages, directions, orders, everything must be repeated multiple times before anything seems to register. Jesus seems to know this is not just an issue for youngsters; but for all of God’s children as well, including the grown-up ones.
By the way, instructions aren’t the only things we need to hear more than once in order to take them to heart. God knows that God’s message of unconditional love, forgiveness, caring, mercy, and grace also seems to require repetition several times before we get it, take it to heart, trust it, believe it, and then act on it.
Join us for worship on this 3rd Sunday of Easter, IN-PERSON, by Zoom or Facebook livestream. I will share a less conventional perspective behind Jesus’ questions to Peter, “Do You Love Me?” My sermon titled based on John 21:1-19.
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