Summer 15 John 21:1-19 "Peter's Picnic"

 John 21:1-19 Peter's Picnic

What is the weirdest sandwich you have had?

Peter's sandwich was a roller coaster ride between two miraculous catches of fish, or two calls from Jesus.

JESUS CALL IS PERSONAL

Even Peter, the overweight Labrador of disciples, couldn't fail to spot the message here. "Boat - Stranger - Nets - Fish - Call" ring any bells?

Our sandwiches. Jesus called us. "You did not choose me..." . Remember when he called you? At church? At home? Youth group? Holiday? Ironing? Work? To PETER he'd said, "I have a job for you... Not fishermen but Fishers of men. Did he say something like that to us? What happened to us?

JESUS CALL IS PERMANENT

His' call is permanent. However PETER's sandwich had a rather patchy filling. He had messed up in the meantime, You know the ham that has lots of gristle, the chicken bone. The black banana. The unexplained long black hair? Jesus re-calls him. Ever happen to you? We give up on ourselves, we assume he gives up on us. But his love and patience far outstrip ours.

JESUS CALL IS PERSISTENT

And something wakes up in Peter. That impulsive love that blurted out " you are the Christ. The son of the living God" at Caesarea Philippi, that wanted to build the stupid shelters on the mount of transfiguration, that propelled him to walk to Jesus on the water, that cut off the high priest's servants ear, that wept bitter tears of shame at the trial courtyard; woke again. This is what he wanted. This is who he wanted. He leapt at the chance. The fish. The boat. The friends. This time he takes his coat with him. All forgotten for Jesus. 

JESUS CALL IS PURPOSEFUL

But this time it has to be different. This time it matters. It's not just about how well Peter will do. Not about his good reputation. Not about his competition with John. The sandwich had cooperation rather that competition too you see. The three questions "Do You Love Me?" are not about reminding Peter of his triple failure. Not about cleansing 3 sins with 3 challenges. They are about stressing the "sheep". Its they who are the threefold focus. They are " my" lambs, says Jesus. They are your work.
Are they ours?

Jesus call is personal.

Jesus call is permanent.

Jesus call is persistent.

Jesus call is purposeful.

Our call.

My call.

Young, old, in work or out, well or sick, flying or sinking... He who called you is faithful.

Summer 15 "Stone in my Shoe" Matthew 26:69-75 Denial?

STONE IN MY SHOE
This week we are thinking about Matthew 26:69-75 Peter's denial.

I had a stone in my shoe. 

 We all face challenges. What do you do when you have a stone in your shoe? Most of us wriggle it around, shake it all about, hobble along for a bit ..you can get by. There are things that we find awkward, like Peter, things that stop us living fully Christian lives. 

Peter loved the picture of being the hero leader, dauntless, pioneering, loyal – you see it in the garden with the sword. But his “stone in my shoe” was that he wanted to fit in, to be accepted. Here at the fire. And he wanted to keep out of trouble! What are your “stone in my shoe” things? Do you just put up with them?

Stone in my Shoe! Jesus knows we will fail. Peter surprised himself – when that cock crowed he was devastated. He realised what he'd been doing. But it was no surprise to Jesus. He'd seen it coming. He knew Peter. Do you know - it is no surprise to Jesus when we mess up. He knows us too! We are often devastated – but its just our pride that's hurt. Like Peter, we thought we'd be able to do it.  Jesus always knew that we, like Peter, couldn't. But I think He loved him for trying.

Stone in my shoe! Jesus still trust us. The surprise is not that we have a stone in our shoe, not that we we fail, not even that He forgives us and still loves us. But that  he still trusts us with his love. We need to stop, sit down, take off our protective footwear and get that thing out! Then..... well that's another story. That brings us to next week!

Summer 15 "Mother's Headache" Matthew 8:14-27

Matthew 8:14-27 . Healing Peter's Mother-in-Law

What Are We Putting Up With?

Some people go to the beach with a tiny rolled up towel, sunglasses, suncream, a bottle of water. They are called “French”. Others go with the kitchen sink: - sandwiches, flasks, picnic baskets, chairs, towels, sunshades, windbreak, football, cricket, badminton, surfboards, nets, buckets, spades, blow up dinghy (no pump!), camera, phone, charger, anorak.... and they go to the furthest part of the beach. That's us! What are we carrying? What are we putting up with?

How are you? “Not too bad, considering”. “Can't complain”. “Mustn't grumble”. “Plenty worse off”. “Fair to middling”. What did you expect? 

What do you expect?

God Comes Close.

Did you ever play: “Mother's Headache”? Its is a game where everyone has to change their behaviour to accommodate Mum's malady. Creep up on tip toe so as not to arouse Mother, who is afflicted by a rage inducing malady. Don't make a noise or she'll turn round and catch you moving. Then its back to the start for you! Ever done that in real life? Sometimes it is unavoidable. Sympathy and self preservation.

Sometimes we live our lives as if God was “mother” - with a headache: Judgemental, fractious, suffering through our disobedience, angry and meting out justice. We tiptoe around righteously and try not to incur his wrath. We try to remain unnoticed. God is not like that.

Peter discovered that this Rabbi – who defied convention by not only using humble fishermen, but called them to become that most respected of the learned: disciples, reached out to the poor and lowly, healed them and forgave them. He discovered that Jesus was the Son of God. God come close. 

Have we?

God Reaches Out To Touch

In Kibera, a major Nairobi slum I visited,  it was considered an honour to take the visiting pastor into your home. Even if you had nothing but a mattress and a curtain in it. Peter was taking the Rabbi home! It was a big deal. His position could be vindicated before the family perhaps? They would have been determined to put on a good show – especially with all the neighbours looking in. Mother in Law's illness was a real “Headache” for them. Shame. Disgrace. Rumour. Gossip. But Jesus comes, not as a judgemental dignitary for whom we have to put on our best show. He comes as one who reaches out to touch our needs. And he showed the possibility that people could be healed at His touch.

Did you know that it is true that He “took our illnesses. He carried all our diseases”. Isaiah 53:4 It was true for the extraordinary: demon possessed and those who were searching for healing. He took them to the cross. He carried them through death. He overcame them in resurrection. He still does this for you and me. It's true then. It's true now. 

Are you “putting up with” something that Jesus can heal?

God Restores Us To Real Living.

But it is also true for the world's “mothers headache”.

We sometimes have expectations that are too high – but more often our expectations are way too low. We put up with things, limitations, dis-eases that actually need challenging and changing. Not only illness, but injustice, bullying, inefficiency, prejudice, hopelessness, joylessness, sin. Not only because we're lazy (and we are!) but because we forget or don't believe that these things are ARLEADY dealt with. “He took up ALL our infirmities and carried all our diseases”.

When Jesus wanted tea. He didn't tiptoe around trying not to disturb his hostess (that would have shamed her). He touched her. Healed her, but also restored her to life. He enabled her to fulfil her calling as hostess. He took away her shame. He made her whole. She knew that she was valued and needed.

He drank her tea – and probably had cake too

When Jesus comes close to us, touches us, heals us – we are free to overcome the dis-ease of our world too.