As the sun rose this [Easter] morning, a few of us warmed ourselves around a fire outside the church. Two charcoal fires were recalled, involving Peter, “the Rock” who crumbled like a piece of shale, and the risen Christ, who would re-create the scene to change the story from denial to welcome, forgiveness, and a commissioning to love.
Steve Shoemaker Verse, “The Charcoal Fire”
THE CHARCOAL FIRE Charcoal Fire Three times Denial: I do not know the man I do not know the man I do not know the man Charcoal Fire Three times Forgiveness: Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me? Charcoal Fire Three Times Commission: Feed my sheep Feed my sheep Feed my sheep Steve Shoemaker Urbana, IL April 8, 2012
Gordon C. Stewart, author of Be Still! Departure from Collective Madness (2017 Wipf and Stock), edited and republished in memory of Steve Shoemaker. Steve is sitting on a Bristlecone Pine stump above the tree line in Colorado during a gathering of seminary friends. Mutual friend Anna Strong and canine companion stand by him.
Views from the Edge 
Is it what we have always been taught, or is it something more?
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The three lines in John’s Gospel are in response to Peter who had denied him three times. Seems to me “Feed my sheep” is spoken specifically to Peter, who, by the time the Gospel had been written, was considered the Shepherd of the Flock. He was to manifest his love for Jesus by tending to the flock of the Good Shepherd. It was and is a command to lead in a way that feeds rather than starves, nurtures rather than tortures, abuses, etc. It’s the mandate to any leader anywhere – ecclesiatical or secular. Leaders exist to serve the people, not the people to serve the leader.
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Amen!!
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I hope you hold a similar ceremony next year – I had previously booked a weekend away or I would have attended. I really look forward to next year and to celebrating Easter Sunday by hearing a sermon of yours, standing next to a fire as the sun rises. What a wonderful idea!
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I knew you were going to be away. I know you would have enjoyed it – glad you’re looking that far ahead – and that you’r plowing through all those posts on the blog. Makes me kinda humble…but not too much 🙂
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And from your sermon: Fear, Forgiveness, Call to action. Great services this morning. Great, thought provoking sermon.
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Thank you, Karin. For others reading this, what struck me in preparing the sermon was this line from the Gospel of John: “If anyone does not keep my sayings, I do not judge him, for I have not come to judge the world but to save it.” And the Judge who refuses to judge, instead of rending a verdict or imposing a sentence, issued one command: eternal life. “Say WHAT?” I said to myself. The command is to release the fear and to live in God (the Eternal) NOW.
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And that is one mind boggling command!
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And mund-numbing. What does it mean to “feed the Shepherd’s sheep”?
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