Give us Hope in our Calling

This sermon can be listened to here

Gate Pa –  3^rd 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

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

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.

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?

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