Easter Sunday

Resurrection People

Mark 16:1-8, John 21:15-19

Happy Easter to you all! This is the day that the Lord has made for us. Jesus Christ our Lord defeated the power of the death and saved all humantiy from the bondage of sin and death. We are now full of joy and gratitude. May the resurrection of Jesus give joy and hope to all of us today and to the world.

Today, as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, I would like to think of living with the resurrection faith. Before talking about it, I need to briefly talk about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. We canceled our worship service last Sunday and we missed the waving palms and joyfully shouting out to the world, “Hosanna, blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” But I believe that your hearts were full of joy and gratitude as you celebrated Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is a very significant event in church calendar. This event serves as a reminder for Christians to welcome Jesus into their hearts and be ready to follow him. We call Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem “Triumphal entry!” Why do you think it is triumphal? Here is the reasonable answer to that question. Jesus entered the city knowing he would be tried and crucified. It must have been very challenging for him to enter the city that day. That is why he prayed more earnestly in his anguish and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground (Luke 22:44). However, that didn’t make Jesus run away from God’s plan given to him. Jesus knew what would happen after his death. God would raise him up from the tomb to fulfill God’s plan to save humanity. That would be very hard road for Jesus to walk alone. People wanted to make Jesus their king. It would be way easier for him. But Jesus didn’t listen to them. Instead, he followed the plan of God, the plan to make people the people of resurrection. Throughout his life, he always followed the direction of God, no matter what it was. For God’s plan for humanity, Jesus entered Jerusalem and we call it “Triumphal entry.” Jesus had his own battles that no one has ever had and he won it which is the Good News for us.

If Jesus didn’t go through the death on the cross, there would be no resurrection that the church has celebrated. If Jeus didn’t go through the resurrection, then we wouldn’t be able to be called resurrection people. Jesus went through all the betrayals, denails, unfair trials, and painful death for us. So, now, as we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, let us together remember that thanks to Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, we are called the people of resurrection.

Now, I would like you to think of Jesus’ conversation with Peter. After Jesus was alive, he showed himself to the disciples. John especially presents the conversation between Jesus and Peter at the end of his book. As you know, Peter denied Jesus three times about a couple of weeks ago. But here Peter is enabled to restore his previous relationship with Jesus. From this story, we  can find the Good News for us this morning. Let’s see their conversation. Jesus said to Peter, “Do you love me?” Peter replies Yes, Lord you know I love you. Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” Jesus asked the same question and Peter answered the same. Then, Jesus said, “Tend my sheep.” Finally, Jesus again asked the same question. This time, Peter felt hurt but answered the same. Then, Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” It seems a very simple conversation that Jesus can have with one of his disciples. But this has a hidden meaning in it. In order to see the hidden meaning, we need to see the use of the words in the original Greek text. English translations do not distinguish the two different meanings for “love” that are in the original Greek. In the first two times Jesus asked Peter “Do you love me?”, Jesus used agape love, which was unconditional and unwavering, totally oriented for the good of the other. But when Peter answered, he used a different word for “love.” That is philios, which means “friendship.” That is, Jesus offered unconditional love to Peter but he responded with the conditional love as a friend. Peter, when he denied and even cursed Jesus three times, was not able to keep this friendship with Jesus. But now with some courage, he answered, “Yes Lord, I love you as my friend!” You might feel it is not good enough compared to the agape love Jesus offered to him. But here we can see Jesus’ grace and love toward Peter. Jesus understood Peter and knew him well. So, in the third time when he asked “Do you love me?”, Jesus used “philios” instead of agape. That means Jesus accepted Peter’s love as a friend which is conditional and wavering. Jesus accepts Peter as he is. After the resurrection, after going through the painful death, Jesus still accepted and loved Peter and all of the disciples as they were. Likewise, Jesus accepts us and loves as as who we are. And as he does so, he commnads us to do one thing. Feed his lambs. Tend his sheep. Jesus knows that we are not perfect. Our relationship with each other is conditional and wavering. Nevertheless, Jesus encourages us to love each other and repeat his service for one another. Today, as Jesus is alive, he encourages us to continue living with the resurrection hope and resurrection faith. Today, as we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, let us give thanks to God for Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus’ resurrection is the most amazing gift given to us. Thanks to Jesus’ resurrection, we are given new life as resurrection people. Rejoice in the Lord for he is indeed risen today. Amen.