Grace to you and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ...the one who was, who is, and who is to come...
There is something holy about sitting around a table eating together. Some of my most beloved memories growing up were gathered around a table especially during the summer time. And even today when all the girls come home from their adventures...with their partners, babies and dogs...there is nothing better than supper time to reconnect, celebrate our time together, and send us back out into the world God so deeply loves. Throughout the bible we find the same thing..."table holiness."
Do you remember the story of Jesus and Peter at the end of the Gospel of John? Jesus had died. Peter had denied him and ran away to hide. Jesus rose to life, and Peter now has to look the risen Jesus in the face knowing he let him down. Knowing he abandoned him. Knowing his fear got the best of him. The writer of John tells the story like this...when they had finished breakfast. That came first...to something of God...something holy. Then...only after their time around the table did Jesus say, "Simon Peter son of John, do you love me more than these?" Peter said to him, "Yes, Lord you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time Jesus said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter again said to him, "Yes, Lord you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." Jesus said to him a third time, "Simon son of John, DO YOU LOVE ME?" Peter felt hurt because Jesus said to him a third time, "do you love me?" And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep."
Over and over again Jesus asks a simple question..."Do you love me?" And over and over again Peter says "Yes Lord, I love you." In the question...Peter receives what he most needs, what we all most need...a Sense of Belonging. He is brought back into the community of those who love Jesus. No matter what way you look at what has transpired between Jesus and Peter it can no longer cloud their relationship...Peter is no longer separated from Jesus and his disciples...he is one of them. He belongs. And because of that he now also has a Sense of Purpose...a direction to go with his life...to stop dwelling on the past and be about the mission in the present and the future. And that mission is always about the other...feed my lambs, tend my sheep...the other. The other is God's mission. Through Christ, God's mission is to redeem and reconcile the whole world to God's self. That is what God is ultimately about in all that God does. Redeeming...buying back that which was lost. And, Reconciling...feeding and taking care of those who have been separated from God.
As the church in this time and place I am not sure where to begin or better yet how to continue what God has already started among us. But then I remember this story and perhaps it is simple. Let's sit around a table together with some good food, and maybe a little wine and see what way the spirit leads us.
God's peace and strong presence be with you and your family, as you continue to grow in faith and life this summer.
Pastor Tim - Mission Developer for the Kettle River Cooperative