Reading John
21: 1-14 [going fishing]
Proclamation: Peter
monologue from Dandelions and Thistles pp79, 80
Hymn/song TiS 217
Love divine, all loves excelling
Reading Acts 9: 1-9
[Saul]
Proclamation:
Saul was a
Roman citizen, educated and a Pharisee.
The first
time we meet Saul is in Acts chapter7, Saul is the young man who looks after
people’s coats while Stephen was stoned. Luke
writes: “And Saul approved of their killing him” [Acts 8:1]
Then Saul
went from house to house dragging men and women off to prison. Then the section
we heard this morning.
Saul is
travelling to find and imprison as many followers of the Way, that is Christians,
as he can. Saul is so determined to wipe out this diversion from Judaism.
And then…
And then an interruption
in his journey.
An interruption
in his life.
And his life
goal changes.
He is no
longer a persecutor of those who follow the way of Jesus, but a proclaimer of
the way of Jesus.
I wonder,
has your life been interrupted.
Has illness
or war or unemployment or relationship caused you to rethink life?
One thing we
can learn from this story is that no-one is beyond God’s grace.
No matter
what you or I have done,
No matter
how terrible someone’s actions are,
No matter
how despicable a person
We, and
they, are not outside of God’s grace.
Not that
grace is a free ride. While God forgives and recreates and transforms people,
God also demands a change in us.
A change
that shows grace
A change
that shows love
A change
that works for justice and peace for all.
With grace
comes discipleship,
Are we
willing to pay the price?
[wp]
We will now
here the next part of the story of Saul
Reading Acts 9:
10-20 [Ananias]
Proclamation:
Who wants to be Ananias?
Whenever we read this passage, usually both
sections together, the focus is on the change in Saul. But I wonder how we
would react if God asked us to go and seek out someone like Saul, someone who
was looking to imprison Christians.
Ananias was obedient, sure he questioned God – do
you really means for me to go to this fellow?
But he went.
Ananias had a vision, he questioned God, made sure
he understood and then he acted.
As I said this passage is usually thought of as the
conversion of Saul, but what about the story of the disciple Ananias, the
brave, obedient disciple Ananias.
Ananias said to Saul: “Brother Saul, the Lord has
sent me—Jesus himself, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here.
He sent me so that you might see again and be filled with the Holy
Spirit.”
Ananias did not go to Saul because he deserved his
help.
Ananias went to Saul because God asked him to. [REV MINDI http://rev-o-lution.org/]
And Saul was then able to see and was filled with the
Holy Spirit.
And with that Saul also had a call, a commission,
not only a conversion. [Eric Barreto https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2835]
After seeing a vision in 2000, I stopped being in
some high profile church roles, and started a playgroup. Yes, a playgroup. I didn’t
have children, and I had never been to playgroup, but I sensed God calling me
to be part of helping to connect baptism families with the congregation; and I asked
a few families what would be helpful, and playgroup was what came out of that. Not
as big, or as well organised as the playgroup here, but it did connect people with
church. And the mothers soon realised I had no idea what I was doing, and they
ran it.
When you
have challenged to do something outside your comfort zone?
Hymn/song TiS 589
Jesus call us! O’er the tumult
Reading John 21:
15-19 [do you love me]
Proclamation:
Do you love
me?
What if
Jesus asked you that question?
Do you love
me?
Jesus asks
Peter, Jesus asks Peter three times.
There are a few
theories about why this Jesus asks three times, and they are all linked in some
way to the denials of Peter on the night Jesus was arrested.
The questions
asked of Peter were:
“Aren't
you also one of the disciples of that man?”
He was asked
that one twice
“Aren't
you also one of the disciples of that man?” and
“Didn't I
see you with him in the garden?”
He answered
no to all 3 questions.
In saying
no, he denies Jesus, but he also denies himself. Peter is obviously interested in
what is happening, he keeps hanging around to hear the latest news.
He denies
his discipleship, he tries to write off the last 3 years of his life – not to
himself, just to others. He is trying to wear a non-disciple mask.
And here,
after breakfast on the beach, we have another call story.
Do you love
me?
You know I
do!
“Take care of my lambs.”
Do you love
me?
You know I
do!
“Take care of my sheep.”
Do you love
me?
You know I
do!
“Take care of my sheep.”
Then the bit about Peter’s lack of independence as
he ages, and the final words: Follow me!
This is a
call to Peter, to follow, to be a pastor, to be the person God created him to
be.
It isn’t
only about forgiveness,
or undoing the denials,
this is
Jesus saying,
live out your discipleship,
be who you are in my grace and my love.
…….
As I look back over my life, and as I listen to the stories of pain and guilt
and shame, sometimes it seems like we just want to go back to whatever life was
like when it seemed most normal. We want to go fishing, we want to go back to the
time we had our favourite teacher, or Minister, or that first flush of love. We
want to go back to a time when life seemed simple and orderly.
But we can’t.
Discipleship
can be difficult, and sometimes denying it seems like the easy path.
We can’t go back to our old ways, life has changed – relationship with Jesus
changes us.
Our new identity is found in Jesus.
“It is almost as if by deciding to follow Jesus, we return to our true
selves, beloved of God. Our lives imitate Christ’s life, our joys Christ’s joy,
our heartaches Christ’s heartache. “[Robert Hoch https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2809]
This morning we have thought about the disciples trying to go back to
their old life
We thought about the call of Saul
The call and obedience of Ananias
The call of Peter
Where is God
challenging you?
· to obedience
· to transformed
living
· to respond
to a call
Where is God
challenging you?
