Yesterday, as I watched the sun setting, on the most holy of days for Christians, I could not help but think of how the day started…a sunrise service at a local fishing dock. The sky was beginning to glow. The sun’s appearance was imminent. As scriptures were read, messages shared and voices collectively sang hymns, I turned toward the boat ramp. A man in a pickup truck eased his trailered workboat down the ramp to begin his day. Respectful of the gathered crowd, and perhaps the Easter service as well, he motored slowly out into the marsh-lined waterway to begin his work. I turned my attention back to the service but could not stop thinking about that fisherman and a certain other fisherman, Peter, a follower of Jesus. Just after the resurrectionn of Christ, and even after witnessing the risen Savior themselves(twice!), many disciples did not know what to do next. Now What?…their next steps are relatable to many on our Eastern Shore…they went fishing!
The Bible recounts in John chapter 21, how Jesus once again appeared to his disciples as they were just off shore, fruitlessly casting their nets. He stood on the beach and called to them to cast their nets on the other side…the result was a haul too heavy to pull into the boat. When Peter realized it was Jesus on shore, he did not even wait for the others to row back, he jumped into the sea to get to Him. Peter surely loved Jesus, but perhaps his heart held guilt as well. Peter had, after all, denied knowing Jesus three times when Jesus was crucified. As Jesus sat on the shore with these fishermen/disciples, He turned to Peter and three different times asked him the same question, “Do you love Me?”. Each time Peter repilied, “Yes, Lord! You know I love you.” Each time Jesus gave Peter an action to show his love, “Tend my lambs”, “Shepherd My sheep”, “Tend My sheep”. I can imagine the lifting of Peter’s burden of guilt and shame…to profess his love three times after denying Him three times, to be given grace and a solid answer to their “Now What?” delimima. Jesus replaced Peter’s shame with grace and encouragement for how to live.
The sun rose. It was spectacular. My heart soared as I considered how blessed we are, how loved we are, and how thankful I am for the grace and forgiveness I know because of Jesus.
The sun rose again today…it is Monday. In the days to come, when the Easter service messages fade away, after the eggs have been found, the brunches consumed, and the family pictures posted, we may find ourselves a bit like Peter and the disciples…”Now What?” I feel mindful of the charge Jesus gave Peter that day…tend my lambs, shepherd my sheep, tend my sheep.
Now what? Care for others as He cares for us and give grace as we have ourselves been given.
Sorry to make a long post longer…just can not forget to post this
Here again is my Abigail…this memory will always take away my breath and fill my heart.
Abigail:
I’ve lost track of how many years ago it was, yet each Spring I can’t
help but recall my introduction to Abigail. I was a high school
science/Bible teacher for a small Christian school at the time. One of my
students was a football sized young man named Nick. He worked for a local
farmer who had offered him a young lamb to take home. Nick’s mom,
apparently destined for sainthood, not only allowed him to bring the lamb home,
but he got to keep it in his room! Early that Spring Nick brought photos
to share. To my amazement, there, wedged beside his bed and amid typical
teenage squalor, was a carefully built pen, complete with wood rails, chicken
wire and hay. Abigail the lamb had found a perfect home. Over the
next few weeks Nick would have numerous stories to tell of Abigail’s
antics. I couldn’t wait to see her for myself, so I invited Nick to bring
her to school one morning.
I ushered my entire class outside and we waited like giddy preschoolers
for Abigail’s arrival. I am certain I will never be able to adequately
describe what I saw that day. I will do my best. We watched as Nick
emerged from his vehicle with Abigail cradled in his big burly arms. We
stood transfixed by the sight of what can only be inadequately referred to as “precious”.
Her pure, white coat seemed almost translucent, radiating light under the
bright blue, cloudless sky. Her tiny nose was a perfect, pink
velvet triangle perched just above her little pink mouth. As
I placed my hand on her sweet little head, she looked at me. I found
myself staring into the depths of clear, brilliant blue eyes. I realized
I had been holding my breath in awe. We were expecting to see a cute
lamb, somewhat off white in color. I had not considered that, unlike the
lambs at the local petting zoo, Abigail had been living in a clean, loving,
environment. After everyone had made Abigail’s acquaintance, Nick left to
return her home and we settled back into Bible class.
We soon realized the relevance of Abigail’s visit as we continued our
study of Passover. The original Passover took place when Moses was
leading the Israelites out of Egypt. God instructed them to mark their
door post with the blood of a male lamb. This was to protect them from
the final plague which was the death of all first born in any home not so
protected. (Exodus 11&12) The yearly commemoration of this event required
the father to select the best, blemish free lamb and set it apart for the
Passover…four days prior to the celebration. My students and I began to
consider something quite startling. There was a good chance that the lamb
would have been brought into the house or yard during that time. This
perfect little lamb, probably as precious and sweet as our Abigail, may have
clamored under their feet while they did chores, fed out of their hands and
shared a living area. After four days, this lamb, which by now had become
even more precious to the family, was to be sacrificed. Suddenly
one can imagine the cries of the children, the quite sob of their mother, the
sorrow in the eyes of the father who knows a blood sacrifice is required.
For the first time, since meeting Abigail, we could truly envision
the “sacrificial lamb” of the Scriptures.
The continued observance of Passover was a powerful object lesson for
generations of Israelites. Every family member would be reminded not only
of God’s protection and provision when He freed them from slavery, but also of
the cost…the blood of their most precious lamb. This Easter we consider
the final sacrifice. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, perfect and precious
beyond description, was sacrificed for our sin. Many movies and videos
have stirred the heart of man as they depict the brutal crucifixion of our
Christ, yet none can compare to the vision of Abigail. As we celebrate our
freedom from sin and death through the resurrection of our Lord, let’s never
forget the cost. Praise God His love and grace make us worthy of such a
sacrifice!
1 Peter 1:18-19
“Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like
silver or gold…but with precious blood, as a lamb unblemished and spotless, the
blood of Christ.”
Tuesday With Teri 