LIVING INTO THE RESURRECTION 2
Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19
3rd Sunday of Easter, May 1, 2022
Pastor Ritva H Williams
Good morning and welcome to Episode 2 of my sermon series, Living into the Resurrection. Last Sunday, Episode 1 introduced the book of Revelation. We met the author writing letters from a prison cell to refugees and immigrants who were members of the seven churches he pastored. They were a minority struggling to survive and flourish in a culture that was suspicious of and hostile to people who were different. John wrote an “apocalypse,” an expose to uncover the truth about the world they were living in. Think of Toto in the Wizard of Oz pulling back the curtain to reveal the fraud who was posing as the great wizard.
Our first reading from Revelation introduced us to the true ruler of the universe: the One who is and who was and is to come, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end of all things, Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and ruler of the kings of the earth. We heard the amazing good news that this Eternal One loves us and frees us to know, live, and share Christ’s love. Our Gospel lesson told of how the Risen Christ sent his disciples out to free people from sins, and to hold fast people like Thomas who struggle to accept the good news of Christ’s love. Thomas held fast to the community of disciples despite his doubt, and the community of disciples embraced Thomas despite his doubt. Christ held Thomas fast transforming doubt into faith as Thomas declared the risen Christ to be “my Lord and my God” (John 20:28).
As Episode 2 begins today, the disciples have left Jerusalem and returned to Galilee to the lives they led before Jesus. Peter organizes a late-night fishing expedition. Seven of the disciples join him, but they catch nothing. Whatever happened to the commission the risen Christ gave them? Why aren’t they going about forgiving sins, and embracing people for Christ’s sake? Perhaps they are still too shell-shocked by the roller-coaster ride of their passover pilgrimage during which Jesus was hailed as king of Israel, crucified by Roman soldiers, dead and buried, only to be raised within 3 days. Peter’s failed fishing venture makes it clear they can’t go back to the way things were but they don’t know how to go forward.
As they return to land, a person standing on the beach tells them to lower their nets on the right side of the boat. This time it comes up so full of fish, they can’t haul it into the boat but have to drag it to shore. The beloved disciple recognizes Jesus. Peter jumps in the sea. The boat, disciples, and net full of fish arrive at the beach were Jesus is grilling fish and bread for their breakfast. Peter has a “come Jesus moment”with the risen Lord.
Here again Christ holds the disciples fast. Christ doesn’t give up on them, despite their initial inability to live into their new calling as apostles. Christ encourages, guides, and feeds them. Christ gives Peter an opportunity to undo his denial of Jesus and take up the leadership of the community of apostles. Feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep. For Peter, living into the resurrection means nurturing and nourishing those who are weak and vulnerable, innocent and meek, gentle and peaceful. Nothing dramatic — just tending to people and their relationships with Christ, building caring relationships between people, changing lives through love and kindness — up close and personal ministry in the name of Christ.
The recipients of the book of Revelation were very much like the apostles in those early days after the death and resurrection of Jesus. In a foreign land among hostile strangers, unable to go back, not knowing how to go forward. Wondering if they should give up on a God who seemed to have given up on them.
Today’s reading from the book of Revelation is a vision report. John is given a glimpse into heaven. He gets to see what’s on the other side of the veil, what is going on in the invisible spirit world that surrounds our visible reality. John sees and hears angels, living creatures, and elders, thousands upon thousands singing. John hears every creature in heaven, on earth, and under the earth singing. The universe is filled with music, and our scriptures reveal that music’s origin is in God. Maybe, that’s why music is untouchable, even as it touches everyone. We feel music through the emotions and responses that it calls forth.
In John’s vision, every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth is singing praises to the Eternal One and to the Lamb. We might wonder, what do these songs of praise do for God? Does God have an ego that needs to be eternally stroked? No of course not. These songs give encouragement from creature to creature, from human to human, from angels in heaven to God’s people on earth. Their songs call us to stay tuned in to the Eternal One who is the source of light and life for all people. In their singing all creatures in heaven and earth and under the earth are rooting for each other.
In this vision, Christ appears as a lamb. The Greek actually says, “little lamb” or “lambkin” — a baby lamb. When first introduced the Christ lambkin is described as “standing as if it had been slaughtered” (5:6). In our reading the angels sing “worthy is the lambkin that was slain” (5:12). The image of the lamb who was slain yet stands occurs 30 times in the book of Revelation. It is a metaphor that is central to John’s message. But what does it mean?
A number of years ago, Barbara Rossing, professor at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago wrote a book called The Rapture Exposed — The Message of Hope in the Book of Revelation. She devoted an entire chapter to what she calls “Lamb Power.” She writes,
“In the face of Rome’s ideology of Victory, the victorious Lamb of Revelation looks almost incongruous. In place of overwhelming military might, we are given the image of the Lamb’s nonviolent power. In place of Rome’s image of inflicting slaughter on the world, Revelation tells the story of the Lamb who has been slaughtered — and who still bears the scars of that slaughter. This reversal of images must have come as a big surprise to first-century Christians accustomed as they were to Rome’s images of power and victory. Revelation undertakes to reveal what true power and true victory is: At the heart of the power of the universe stands Jesus, God’s slain lamb.” (p. 109-110).
… the Lamb of Revelation became the victor not by militaristic power and slaughter but rather by being slaughtered … the vision of the Lamb teaches a “theology of the cross,” of God’s power made manifest in weakness … Evil is not defeated by overwhelming force but by the Lamb’s suffering love on the cross … God’s people are called to conquer not by fighting but by remaining faithful, by testifying to God’s victory in self-giving love” (p.111).
Lamb power is a lifestyle centered around Jesus’ self-giving love. It is the power of nonviolent resistance and courage in opposition to injustice; it is the power of solidarity and forgiveness” The message of Revelation is “we have the Lamb’s power in us.” It goes with us everywhere like Mary’s little lamb in the children’s nursery rhyme” (p.112).
That my friends, is good news indeed, so let us join in the song of every creature in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth …
