Last week, Tuck Leong posted on the FreeCom list saying that protestant churches place too much emphasis on the sermon in a worship service. It is the focal point and everything kind of builds up to it. Whereas in a Catholic church, the sermon is just a reflection of the gospels that are read out. In Tuck's words – it should be mere garnishing on the plate. I was quite glad when I read that. Yes, my sermon today will be just garnishing on the plate. I struggle with the topic given to me. So I will pose more questions than I would give out answers, for our own reflection.

The sermon theme for the month of June is Passion for Christ. For those of us who are highly churched, and have attended church, Sunday school, cell group, bible study all our lives, the expression Passion for Christ sounds totally legitimate, nothing unusual about that. As I thought about it, I realized this expression is seldom used on other personalities, historical or contemporary. I have never heard people say Passion for Mother Teresa, Passion for Mahamat Gandhi, Passion for Buddha. So why Passion for Jesus? What is it about Jesus that we are passionate about? I can imagine in a more energetic church perhaps in North America , the preacher might ask a congregation ‘Gordon, do you have passion for Jesus?' And with some hesitation, Gordon says ‘Yes, I have passion for Jesus'. ‘Stephen, do you have passion for Jesus?' Yes, Pastor I have passion for Jesus. Then one by one, the congregation proclaim they have passion for Jesus and they erupt into a unanimous Hallelujah Praise God! We have passion for Jesus! Amen! Praise God! Honestly I don't have an issue with that as long as people know the basis of their passion. Do you have passion for Jesus? Why might we be passionate about him?

Are we passionate about Jesus because he is the centre figure of the great christian story? God the creator, who is all loving and all just, who so loved the world that he gave his only son to die on the cross, so that we might be reconciled to him and have everlasting life. No greater love is there that a man should die for another. Jesus is the expression and culmination of the sacrificial love of the Father God. There is no other religion where God is portrayed as Love, and Love in the form of the crucified Jesus.

Or are we passionate about Jesus because of his teachings and how he lived when he was here on earth? A few weeks ago Gary preached about Kingdom values. Are you drawn to the values Jesus talked about in his parables and sermon on the mount? Perhaps you strongly believe that if only a quarter of the world's population were to live out the teachings of Jesus, if only government policies were based on the principles Jesus expounded, the world would be a better place. For you Jesus is a source of inspiration for God with Us, here and now on planet earth if we as Christians were to live as he has taught.

Or are we passionate about Jesus because he is like a friend who sticks closer than a brother? A friend whom you have never met, but in the most silent and darkest moments somehow he is there. You recall how he was merciful toward the woman caught in adultery so that no stone was cast at her; how he allowed the supposedly sinful woman to wash his feet with her tears; how he gave Zacchaeus the tax collector the chance to make good of the wrong he has committed. Jesus met them where they were and gave them a chance to start afresh.

While we reflect on the basis of our passion, I want to look at Peter the Apostle, and try to draw some lessons from his last recorded conversation with Jesus. As far as I know, Peter is the only character recorded in the bible who proclaimed explicitly that he loved Jesus. Let's turn to John 21:15-18. This is the famous conversation Jesus had with Peter after his resurrection.

(15) When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"
      "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
      Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

(16) Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
      He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
      Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

(17) The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
      Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."

(18) Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.

The first question that came to my mind was why Jesus had to ask Peter so directly if he loved him. And not just once or twice but three times.

Is it because Jesus did not know the answer and needed to confirm if Peter could be entrusted with his sheep, especially after Peter's betrayal of Jesus in the hour of his need? Surely that must be ascertained. Yes, I think that needs to be ascertained. But not on the part of Jesus. It was Peter who needed to be aware of his own love for Jesus. It was Peter who needed to hear for himself that he loved him. Why would Peter need to know that?

Listen to Jesus's response to Peter's declaration of love.

"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

"Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.”

Love is not an end in itself. Love demands a response. Love comes with a price. And the cost of love may be high. You would know the price you are willing to pay, if you knew the depth of love within you. Peter went on to become one of the founding fathers of the Christian Church. And ultimately he gave his life for the gospel of Jesus, the one he said he loved.

You may have noticed that the name Jesus punctuates almost every other sentence in my sermon. This is not my usual style. I am not a Jesus man. It's kind of deliberate as I want you to really question what Jesus means to you as a believer, as part of the faith community here in FCC. After I have finished writing the sermon, I sat down and asked myself the same questions I posed to you. For some reasons, a verse from Romans has been hovering in my mind these past weeks. Romans 13:8

(8) Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.

Perhaps it is the chemist in me that like to strip things down to their barest minimum and see them as atoms and molecules figuratively speaking. Some of you know I am in a relationship with Rizal. As I reflect on our relationship and relationships in general, I think perhaps underlying the highs and lows of everyday living, from novelty to familarity, the exciting to the mundane, in the end what remains is the continuing debt to love one another. But where is our source of love? Where do we get this love from which we could give away? To a large extent our parents, family and friends give us love, and that love becomes a source from which we give to others. When the love demanded of us seems to be beyond what we can give, where do we find the inspiration to continue to pay this debt of love? I realized that the sacrificial love of God in the giving away of Christ is my inspiration. For no greater love is there that a man should die for another. That's the basis of my passion for Jesus.

In closing, I just want to leave you with these questions. Do you have passion for Jesus? If so, what is the basis of that passion? Love demands a response. What is your response if you say you do love him? Amen.