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Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the text for this morning comes from the Gospel reading and also the first paragraph of the Epistle reading. I believe, teach, and confess that this world and all of creation was created by God by speaking it into being throughout six 24-hour days. Now, is this provable beyond a shadow of a doubt? No, it’s not. It is an article of faith, one that is trust in God’s authority as he has declared it in his holy word.
Now, there are also many in this world, especially in this country, who believe that the earth came about by some Big Bang thing and all of humanity evolved. Is that provable beyond a shadow of a doubt? It is not. It is an article of their faith as much as the creation is an article of our faith. But the authority upon which they base it, it’s not God’s. It is man’s. It is their own authority. Therein lies the juxtaposition between the difference of the world and of the church. The world clings to the authority of God that has declared something to be true, and this world clings to that which man has declared to be true, or the individual.
Jesus addresses this dichotomy in his gospel reading this morning when he speaks of the Holy Spirit’s presence. He says, “The Holy Spirit, or the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive… Because it neither sees him nor knows him.” Because man looks for proof and not on the authority of God, but on the authority of man and their own estimation. But you, you know the Holy Spirit, Jesus says, for he dwells with you as one of his baptized children. And he dwells in you as one of his beloved.
Now every day, this world says to you and to me, “You, a believer, you’re wrong. You have a warped and unclear understanding of reality.” And every time you gather here, and every time you open God’s holy word and read it, God tells you, “You are right. You have the truth. It has set your soul free again.” And it dwells within you by the spirit of truth, enabling you to say, “I believe in Jesus Christ.” But the world says you’re wrong. It says the very thing that Pontius Pilate said to Jesus: “What is truth?” That’s how the world views God.
And yet Jesus says the very thing that you and I cling to: “I have come into this world to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” It comes down to upon whose authority. The authority of man, the authority of your own estimation, or the authority of God and his holy word, where he has revealed himself to you. That is what it comes down to.
And the temptation that you and I struggle with the most, or one of them, is when we’re confronted with, do we cling to God’s authority or do we cling to our own estimation of what is right or true? Because in clinging to God’s authority, there is struggle and suffering, isn’t there? Because this world scoffs at you and your belief. Holding on to your own estimation, the world embraces you as one of its own. And there isn’t suffering. You are considered a part of the rest of the group and not counter-cultural or outside, right? And yet that is what you and I are in this world, as one in whom the Holy Spirit dwells.
Peter was told by our Lord in his moment of pride, “Peter, you’re going to deny me three times.” Why did Peter make the bold statement that he would not deny his Lord? In fact, he would even go to death before denying his Lord. Because Peter took more stock in the estimation of himself than what God declared himself. Peter took the estimation that he thought he knew himself well enough to say, “I would not do that.” And yet he did. When that rooster crowed, it was a reminder of him.
There are many times when you and I think, by our own estimation, either we will do this or we won’t do that. And then we are reminded again of our estimation of ourself and not God’s declaration of ourself. They’re at odds, aren’t they? Isn’t it interesting? This text was proclaimed to Peter and to the other apostles on the night of Christ’s betrayal. The night that he celebrated the Passover with them and then instituted the Lord’s Supper before he was betrayed.
What question he asks the disciples here was asked knowing full well what Peter would do when push came to shove with his denial. And knowing what all the other 11 would do, including Judas, when Christ is arrested; they would scatter for fear. When Christ knew all of that, he still says this: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” It’s not as if Christ is saying that thinking, “Well, I’m not sure if they really do love me or not.”
Remember, Peter, again, when Christ reinstated him, as it were, reminded him of his great forgiveness. Peter is asked by Christ, “Peter, do you love me?” Now why would Christ ask such a question of Peter? Was it for his sake, meaning Christ’s? Is he going to find out some new information that he didn’t know already before? Or is it for the sake of Peter to make that confession of faith? You know why. It’s for Peter’s sake.
Now Peter is asked, “Peter, do you love me?” This is after Peter also knows Jesus knows and he knows he’s denied Christ three times. What would you say knowing how you have taken stock of yourself and your own estimation and have found it to be not the same as God’s? What would you say knowing full well that which you have done and now stand before him? You could and should say the very same thing that Peter said: “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you,” because the Spirit dwells in you, and the Spirit that dwells in you has proclaimed to you who you are by God’s declaration and not by your own estimation of self.
And Peter is told, “Feed my sheep.” This is the same thing in this morning’s gospel text. When Jesus says this phrase, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments,” it is the same as if he were to say to the same disciples, “Do you love me?” And they all would say, “Well, yes, Lord, you know that we love you. Keep my commandments.”
When Jesus says, “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me,” it is the exact same thing. “Do you love me? Well, yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Keep my commandments.” This is Christ’s way of reminding Peter, reminding these disciples, reminding you that the Holy Spirit dwells in you and will be with you because Christ has declared it to be true, not because you have figured it out or came upon this by your own, but because Christ has said it.
It is the spirit of this world that wishes you to believe that God is an angry and unforgiving God because it doesn’t make sense to your head. Why would he receive me back time and time again when I have shown myself and him that my estimation of self is nowhere near his declaration of who I am? Because the spirit of truth says to you, “Do you love me?” Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Keep my commandments.
The spirit of falsehood always wants to add that conjunction, “but.” When Peter was asked, “Peter, do you love me?” You know that Satan was right there saying, “Oh, what are you going to say to this, Peter? Knowing full well what you’ve already done, what are you going to say?” When you come to terms with yourself and don’t like the look of it, what do you say? But… But…
Don’t you dare. That’s the spirit of falsehood. That is not who dwells within you and has revealed to you again and again, “You are God’s child.” The spirit of truth who does dwell in you says to you and enables you to say, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” And it is the same Spirit of truth who dwells in you that’s enabling you to keep his commands.
This same Peter, he wrote this morning’s epistle reading. This Peter cowered in fear and trepidation before Jesus’ ascension and Pentecost. And all of a sudden following that, Peter changes. A dramatic change indeed. What changed? Did Peter’s disciplined life become more disciplined? Did Peter all of a sudden begin with brand new principles of life’s growth to figure out how to live a holy life? How’s that working for you? Not so well, is it?
What made Peter so bold and courageous was forgiveness. The Spirit who reveals that forgiveness within him. That’s what made Peter bold and courageous. And so he writes in the epistle reading, “Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?” Oh my goodness, there have been too many times when I… And you have not been zealous for what is good. How can this be? And that’s the spirit of falsehood coming upon you, wishing you to take an estimation of yourself that’s different than what God has declared to you in Christ.
But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, and you and I do suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them. That’s a promise. Nor be troubled. That’s a promise. But in your hearts, regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.
And the hope that is in you is what God has declared by His Spirit within you: your adoption as His son or daughter. You’re joining yourself to him in this very Holy Supper where you become one with Christ, and Christ becomes one with you, and you and I, broken as we are, become one with one another. That’s what the Spirit declares to you. That’s the Spirit who dwells within you. That’s God’s declaration of you and not your own estimation.
“Do you love me?” And it is the Spirit that says, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Keep my commandments.” In the name of the one who declares to you who you are in him because of the spirit within you, his spirit of truth, Jesus. Amen.
The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and your minds on Christ Jesus to life everlasting. Amen.
