Easter Sunday

This Sunday, Simon Lace brings us the talk in the latest of our EBC services. We encourage you to reflect on the bible text and join us in the prayer that follows below.
 
Here are some questions to consider:

Readings:

John chapter 13 verses 31-38

As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once.  Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going.  So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?”

And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.”

“But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.”

Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.


John chapter 21 verses 1 -17

Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. 2 Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.

Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”

“We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.

At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?”

“No,” they replied.

Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.

Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.

“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.

“Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.

After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”

“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.


Prayer and Reflection:

Loving God, we confess and say sorry for the times when, one way or another, in our thoughts, words and deeds, we have denied you. Please restore and revive us and grow us in our love for you and for one another. Make our love resurgent, King of Glory.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your sacrifice, for restoring us and for offering us a place at Your Father’s heavenly table. Help us Holy Spirit, to see where we have gone wrong, strengthen us to answer Your call and to do the will of the Father.
Help us to be a church that pleases You, O God, that we would be recognised as ours because of our love for one another and for you.

We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.


Questions to Consider

1. Have you ever experienced some kind of ‘death’ in body, mind or spirit? What were the circumstances – what happened?
2. Was this followed by any kind of revival, or resurgence? If not a personal example, what other example can you think of?
3. What part did confession and turning back to God play?
4. What do you make of the idea of sorrowing, lament and perhaps penance when you have done something wrong?
5. Do you think that penance (some kind of self-inflicted penalty for wrongdoing) has any value? If so, what, and for whom?
6. Would you say you love (agape) Jesus, or that you adore (philo) Him?
7. What might Jesus be calling you to do, and is there anything you need to ‘die to’ in answering His call on your life?