Give us Hope in our Calling
This sermon can be listened to here
Gate
Pa – 3rd Sunday in Easter- Year
C, 2019
Readings:
Psalm- Psalm
30
First Reading- Acts 9:1-6
Second Reading- Rev 5:11-14
Gospel- John 21:1-19
What I want to say:
How
does the story of the re-call of Peter, and the call of Paul offer us as we
seek to live out Jesus resurrection today
What I want to happen:
·
what does power, wealth, wisdom, might, honour,
and glory look like in our world and to us
·
what does the writer of Revelation suggest it
look like?
·
what new way of seeing the world and of living might
we be invited into?
The Sermon
1. Introduction
• what
comes to mind when you hear the words “power, wealth, wisdom, might, honour,
and glory”
2. Calling Peter and Paul
today heard two well-known stories
call Paul
recall of Peter
not often describe these as call stories
though do we
more often
conversion of Paul – and there is some conversion
there
many ways not
begins as a very passionate Jew
great zeal for God and God’s law
- Israel Folau kind of person
- Israel Folau kind of person
at the end he remains a very passionate
Jew
great zeal for God
·
Conversion how
sees Jesus as fulfillment of law
firstly this is a
resurrection story
secondly Paul describes this as his call to be
an apostle
Paul meets risen Christ
on road to Damascus
going to tidy up
mess made with his persecution of Greek speaking followers of Jesus
-
left Jerusalem and
scattered
leaves him in a
black hole
Everything built his life on was suddenly called into
question,
had nothing to replace it with
He is left
literally and figuratively blind
Ananias called to
go to him
Brave man who despite all doubts and misgivings
Goes to the person who in all probability forced him out of Jerusalem
Goes to the person who in all probability forced him out of Jerusalem
Without Ananias, there is no call,
and no Paul,
Because of Ananias
There was a Paul called to be an apostle to Gentiles
Because of Ananias
There was a Gentile church
And Christianity survived the
destruction of Jerusalem and became world
religion.
religion.
All from Ananias' simple act
obedience
Little prayer for healing
Who would have thought?
I wonder what great things
happen because of the little things you and I
sometimes do?
sometimes do?
Big thing here is that in that
moment Paul learns to see world and Jesus in a whole new way
transformed from zeal for obedience
to law
to zeal for living in God of
love found in Jesus
everything changes for Paul
he is called see world and
live his life in very different way
3. Peters re-call
compared to this dramatic story
all its clashes light, voices, healings.
Peters call is much more plain and every day
two big differences between John and 3 synoptic
gospels
-
a. no last supper
in John with bread and wine body and blood speeches
o
this little meal
here by sea Galilee
o
remind us of
feeding 5000 men and unknown number of others
o
this is close as
we get
-
b. Peter does not
deny Jesus as he stands at charcoal fire while Jesus is tried
o
denies he was disciple
of Jesus
o
renounces his
calling
o
his sense of who he
is with Jesus
o
even though Jesus
is resurrected
o
does nothing to
restore his relationship
o
still denied
being disciple
o
so goes back to
life as it was
o
life thought
never return to
o
fishing
o
others join him
o
some days of
weeks later – not really told
after long fruitless night fishing
hear voice and see man on shore
uncommon
often fish merchants there to buy catch
this story set in everyday life as it was
there is Jesus at charcoal fire
inviting them throw net on other side
inviting them bring their fish to add to his
there is Jesus bringing them breakfast as they
struggle with this great abundance of fish
there is Jesus inviting Peter to be his disciple
once again
helping him see that he had never stopped
being his disciple
even when he thought he had
there is Jesus in this everyday setting
gathering them all in a meal where all are fed
all their eyes are opened
like Paul’s
see world very differently
see that revolution of justice, compassion, generosity
revolution of love that Jesus began will continue
in them.
grace upon grace John promised in John 1
an abundance of fish in the last story
an abundance of stories of all Jesus did pre
and post crucifixion and resurrection
so much so that the world cannot contain all
the books needed to tell the stories
4. Eucharist and Justice
which brings us back to that other difference
no Eucharist moment in John
no sharing bread and wine with words of institution
as found in other gospels and Paul
feeding 5000 men and this meal are as close as
we get
feeding 5000 men with an abundance of food
5000 many of whom lived lives of subsistence
grinding poverty
not ever knowing abundance
except here
as Jesus lived grace upon grace
initiating God’s revolution of justice,
compassion, generosity
as they gathered around that charcoal fire
with an abundance of fish
offered an abundance of bread and fish
they remembered
and John invited his listeners to remember
that abundance
as we gather around this table
we are invited to remember
to imitate
live this new way
for Paul one heart breaking was way old ways
crept in to this meal
segregated Jew and Gentile
rich and poor
generosity and hospitality lost
as have with us
was radical meal all could gather
all were fed
reminder that we like Peter and those
disciples
live in God’s revolution of justice,
compassion, generosity
radical sharing
5. Conclusion
we too are called to see world differently
live in love of God
brings us back to our list of words
how do we understand these?
writer revelation suggest in crucified Jesus
what does
power, wealth, wisdom, might, honour, and
glory
Comments