Last Sunday's Sermon

First Lesson
Acts 9:1-6, (7-20)


Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" He asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do." [The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." He answered, "Here I am, Lord." The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight." But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God."]



The Gospel
John 21:1-19


Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, you have no fish, have you?" They answered him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go." (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, "Follow me."

The Sermon

Saul, persecutor of the followers of the Way, has his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. It was life changing for Paul and world changing as well. Some people say that if it had not been for Paul, Christianity might not have turned into the world religion it is today. Paul was a Roman citizen and he had protections the Galileans did not have. Paul knew people. He was well connected. Paul had lots of energy and his experience on the road to Damascus sent him a new direction. Paul is still reaching out to us in his writings today. The new testament would be a much thinner set of writings if it weren't for him. Jesus chose well when he picked Paul.

Today's gospel reading from John gives us another encounter with the risen Lord. The disciples had been fishing all night and were having no luck. Jesus calls to them from the shore and tells them where to fish. When they return to shore with a net full of fish Jesus takes Peter aside and asks Peter if he loves him and Peter responds yes. Jesus tells him to feed his sheep. Jesus does this three times and Peter has to repeat the response a third time.

Why do you think Jesus did this? What are your thoughts?

Mine is that it had been some time since Jesus first visited the Apostles after his resurrection and here they are in a boat fishing for fish. Remember at the beginning of his ministry Jesus told them he would make them fishers of men. And yet, they have fallen into their old habits. They have returned to their old occupation of fishermen, not fishers of men.

Jesus uses a powerful metaphor. Jesus wants Peter to feed the sheep. Jesus wants Peter to spread His story of the Good News and nurture those who have to chosen to follow the Way. That is our mission as well. We can show our love for Jesus by feeding his sheep. We all have different talents just as those early Christians did. We can share our love for Jesus by feeding his sheep with those talents. It may be by watching over the details of this house of worship. It may be simply by telling a friend in need that we are praying for them. It could be speaking about your faith in bible study or any where else for that matter. And, the thing is, when we feed others we are being fed as well.

May God's Peace Be With You.

Amen