Did you hear about the scripture teacher talking about John 20, where Peter and the beloved disciple raced each other to the empty tomb and then went home.

“Why do you think Simon Peter, after making this amazing discovery of the empty tomb, went home?” asked the teacher. One bright student answered, “He went home to hide from Jesus!” Given that Peter had denied he was a follower of Christ 3 times, after Jesus was arrested and on trial,, he might well feel guilty, despite his protestations that he would defend him to the end, he abandoned Jesus.

In John 21.1-19 Peter meets with the risen Christ. At the dawning of the new day - a truly new day with the resurrection of the Messiah - Peter walks and talks with the risen Jesus on the lake shore. Can you imagine the beauty of the scene with the sunrise illuminating the peaceful waters of the lake. Despite the wonder of the resurrection, how do you feel Peter felt as he met with Jesus. Was he bound down by the past, by his failures?

Here Peter’s past life meets with the new life brought by the risen Christ. For each time Peter had denied Jesus he is asked ‘Do you love me’. Have you noticed Jesus just doesn’t say it’s all right you are forgiven. Rather he commissions Peter to go out into the world and bring his transforming love, the love that went to the cross for us, to heal that broken world, to restore justice, to set us free. We have been transformed by that love, so we need to reach out to the world in need of it.

The resurrection was about the transformation of the world: from the fruitless quest to catch fish to a haul beyond imagination: from a stumbling follower thinking only of himself to one prepared to follow Jesus even to his own death; from the small group of people sharing a meal who lived out that message of love to the point that they transformed an empire and the world.

As we approach another election I can’t help but think what we need to be is transformed by love; love for others, love for our opponents, thinking of those who need our care and attention. As we look to situations like Ukraine, what can be the only lasting solution if it is not this same transforming love? It is not about exercising power, lording it over people: it is about serving them through the power of the risen Lord.

I am reminded of the words of Horatious Bonner: