{"id":3036,"date":"2019-05-06T10:23:19","date_gmt":"2019-05-06T10:23:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk\/web\/?page_id=3036"},"modified":"2019-05-06T10:23:19","modified_gmt":"2019-05-06T10:23:19","slug":"sermon-5th-may-2019-morning","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk\/web\/information\/sermons\/sermon-5th-may-2019-morning\/","title":{"rendered":"Sermon – 5th May 2019 – morning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sermons index<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Third Sunday of Easter \u2013 morning (8 am service) <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Sunday 5th May 2019 <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Easter 3 – morning (8 am)
\nActs 9. 1-6
\nJohn 21. 1-19<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Revd Preb Maureen Hobbs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\"Maureen<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Today’s\nreadings are all about the apostles\u2019 resurrection experiences. We\nhear of the 2 great influences on the early church – Paul and Peter.\nVery different characters, who had very different initial\nunderstandings and were very different in their experience of the\nResurrected Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul\nfell off his donkey and Peter jumped into the water fully clothed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus\nthe Christ, meets us where we are, and in the way most meaningful for\nus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From\nEaster to Pentecost we always include readings from Acts to remind us\nof how the early Church spread – and struggled, AND succeeded. How\nworking together, worshipping together – listening and learning\ntogether \u2013 from each other – the Church, as the gathered people of\nGod, can move forward on its mission from God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This\nchapter of John is probably an add-on – an appendix. Probably written\nafter the martyrdom of Peter, because the focus is on the\nResurrection experience and the healing of Peter – and his\ncommissioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peter\ncarries the extra load of knowing he denied his friend and his Lord.\nAfter all the bluster and bragging – it was all as wind – and he is\ndeflated, and deeply depressed. With the others he has given up \u2013\ngone back to the old ways \u2013 back to the only thing that still seems\nto make sense \u2013 fishing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But\neven then \u2013 he and the disciples catch nothing! In a lake full of\nfish – they catch nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then\na stranger tells them to cast the nets on the other side – and they\ncatch a huge haul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But\nthis is NO miracle – this not unusual. The disciples wouldn’t have\nbeen particularly surprised – from the shore it is often easier to\nsee the movement of the shoals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And\nfishermen often listened to the one on the shore – not too proud to\ntake advice from a ‘non’ fisherman – not too full of professional\npride to listen to the other who saw something they could not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And\nGod often works through other people – their words and insights can\nguide us in our journey of life and of faith. Others can see what\nwe’ve been looking for, which is there, but just not where we expect\n– and we need to listen and respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For\nGod works also through the ordinary. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\nare many little ‘miracles’ in the ordinary; the miracle of people\nactually listening and responding positively to others – being open\nto opportunity and possibility – open to God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And\nJesus, the Christ, is waiting – for us to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\nwaited on the shore for the disciples to come near and hear. And he\nhad prepared for their needs – prepared\na barbecue for\nbreakfast!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who\nhere has had a cooked breakfast this am? We are told that breakfast\nis the\nmost important meal of the day. The one you should never skip (tho\u2019\nmany of us do). The one that can help ensure we have the energy for\nthe tasks ahead \u2013 that can help us regulate our food needs for the\nrest of the day \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus\ninvited the disciples to join him – ‘Come\nand have breakfast<\/em>!’\n– the 1st<\/sup>\nmeal of the day, the one that sets you up for all you have to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And\nJesus also said to them ‘Bring\nsome fish’<\/em>. He\nincluded their fish with his – as he joins and includes us in his\nfeast of the Eucharist. Whatever we have and offer back, God accepts\nand uses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And\nChrist is here, waiting for us – invites us, knowing our needs – and\njoins with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christ\ncalls to us in our ordinary lives, throughout our lives. When we\nrespond, new possibilities and opportunities are opened up – a new\ndirection and mission. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now\nI don\u2019t know if you have held your annual meeting yet? But in\nPattingham there were new people who respond to the needs of the\nchurch by standing for the PCC and a new CW. They will create new\npossibilities through their actions. They will also experience a new\ndirection and mission in their life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saul\nthe persecutor became Paul the Evangelist. Peter the fisherman became\nPeter the shepherd. From the moment they recognised the risen Christ\nfor themselves \u2013 Paul and Peter were changed – cleansed and\nforgiven. Restored by Jesus’ words. By questions they each heard\ndirected at them alone. \u201cSaul,\nwhy do you persecute me?\u201d<\/em>\nand when Saul replies \u2013 even though he doesn\u2019t fully understand,\nhe is told, \u201cGo\ninto the city. You will be told what to do.\u201d <\/em>Jesus\nhas a task in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\u201cPeter<\/em>,\nDo you love me more\nthan these? Feed my sheep, my lambs<\/em>\u201d\nJesus has a task in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nchallenge and the request is there to Paul and Peter – as it is to\nus!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each\nof us – the post Easter people – are called to Christ’s mission for\nand in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If\nwe respond to the invitation, we hear for ourselves those last words\nto Peter – ‘Follow\nme’. <\/em>Christ is\nwaiting, he has provided the bread and wine – and invites us to share\n– Come let us share the feast. Thanks\nbe to God. Alleluia!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Third Sunday of Easter \u2013 morning (8 am service) Sunday 5th May 2019 Easter 3 – morning (8 am) Acts 9. 1-6 John 21. 1-19 Revd Preb Maureen Hobbs Today’s readings are all about the apostles\u2019 resurrection experiences. We hear of the 2 great influences on the early church – Paul and Peter. Very different … <\/p>\n

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