this sermon begins the next preaching series, "Questions for the resurrected Christ." Each week will focus on a question we might ask the resurrected Christ, or in this sermon, a question we do not ask the resurrected Christ.
When I chose the John passage for the sermon, I did not have a second Scripture lesson in mind. As the bulletin deadline arrived, I went ot the lectionary calendar to see what the Scripture passages were for this Sunday. Amazingly, one of the lessons as the Acts story in which Saul asks the question, "Who are you?" A perfect fit for the sermon. I could have done more to compare and contrast Saul asking the question and the disciples not asking the question.
Overall, I thought the sermon worked well.
(John 21:1-14) After these things 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. (NRSV)
“Who Are You?” April 10, 2016; FPC, Troy; John 21: 1-14; Acts 9: 1-6
Introduction: A Presbyterian colleague in ministry tells the story of her first Easter as a solo pastor in a church.
As an Associate Pastor, she had been part of Easter services, but had never preached one.
She was really looking forward to Easter morning when she would be the one who proclaimed Christ is Risen.
When she arrived at church that Easter morning, she excitedly greeted the woman making coffee and her young daughter. She knelt down next to the little girl and said, “it's Easter and I'm so excited. Today we celebrate that Jesus is no longer dead, but alive.”
The little girl looked up and her and asked (beware of little kids with questions!), “Where is Jesus.”
The minister reached down and patted the young girl's heart and said, “Jesus is here in our hearts.”
The minister saw the girl's look of disappointment mixed with suspicion as she said, “but I want to see Jesus. Where can I see Jesus today?” (Journal for Preachers, “The Stones Would Burst into Cheers: Easter Worship for all the Senses,” Donna Giver-Johnston; Vol. XXXVIII, Number 3, Easter, 2015, 26)
That, of course, is the question we who live in the post-resurrection world continue to ask and strive to answer.
To help us reflect on where we see the resurrected Christ in our world, I am going to be preaching a sermon series covering questions we might ask the resurrected Christ.
We begin this morning with the question, “Who are you?”
Move 1: “Who are you? The question the disciples dared not ask Jesus that morning on the beach.
a. Don't you find it rather odd that the story includes a question the disciples did not ask?
1. It seems to me that it would have been much more powerful to boldly affirm, “We know you are the resurrected Christ!”
2. Or at least, “Hey, Jesus, we know who you are.”
3. Instead, they would not ask, “who are you?”
Move 1: “Who are you? The question the disciples dared not ask Jesus that morning on the beach.
a. Don't you find it rather odd that the story includes a question the disciples did not ask?
1. It seems to me that it would have been much more powerful to boldly affirm, “We know you are the resurrected Christ!”
2. Or at least, “Hey, Jesus, we know who you are.”
3. Instead, they would not ask, “who are you?”
b. This unasked question reveals how the disciples and the early church straddle the issue of what it meant for Jesus to be raised from the dead.
1. No easy task understanding what a resurrection is.
2. That's probably why the story included the charcoal fire and the passing of bread and fish to be eaten.
3. Evidence for those who read the story later that Jesus' body was actually resurrected.
4. “See, he even eats just like we do!”
5. and yet, there are also stories of the resurrected Christ passing through doors and disciples not recognizing him.
6. the disciples, the early church, we still struggle to know what exactly what resurrection means.
b. Or maybe it's not about what shape or form the resurrected body of Christ is when he appears. Maybe the disciples do not ask the question because they are not sure they want the answer.
2. the disciples are taking staccato steps, tentatively engaging Christ and wondering what their next step might be now that Christ has been resurrected.
3. To follow Jesus when he is right there in front of them doing miraculous things and healing and teaching makes sense. A high demand, yes. But it seems reasonable.
4. But what lies ahead for them now that Christ is resurrected.
5. The game has changed.
6. If they do not ask, maybe they can avoid having to figure out what the answer means.
7. Perhaps you know what it's like to think about following Christ and tentatively wonder what it might mean if you make that commitment.
Move 2: Saul on the other hand, does not hesitate to cry out the question: “Who are you?”
a. Saul, the Pharisee who wants to persecute those who follow the resurrected Christ, finds himself blinded and on his knees on the road to Damascus.
1. A voice from the heavens asks, “Why do you persecute me.”
2. to which Saul boldly responds with the question, “Who are you?”
3. Saul is not a follower of Christ who is struggling to figure out what the resurrection means.
4. he is a non-believer who is being pursued by the resurrected Christ.
b. Saul's question is met with both the answer “I am Jesus,” and the call to change his life.
1. As you know, Saul will change not only his life, but also his name, as he becomes Paul, arguably the most important leader of the early church.
2. for him, the question “Who are you?” and the answer he receives reveal the opportunity he has, the opportunity we have, to be new creations in Christ.
3. Paul, who will focus much of his preaching to the early church about the crucified Christ, begins his life of discipleship in an encounter with the resurrected Christ.
4. Saul's story reminds us that to follow the resurrected Christ means being called to new places.
5. Perhaps you like Saul have that sense that God is pursuing you.
Move 3: Back to the beach – maybe the disciples do not ask Jesus who he is because they are afraid that he might ask them who they are.
a. “are you people of the resurrection?”
1. Henri Nouwen notes that, “Jesus does not speak about a change of activities, a change in contacts, or even a change of pace. He speaks about a change of heart” .” Making All Things New, Henri Nouwen, 42
2. Are the disciples on the beach ready for the transition from their pre-resurrection belief in Jesus to a post-resurrection transformation by the power of God to resurrect?
b. there are signs along the way, of course, to help them make that commitment.
1. Remember in the story we read this morning that without the resurrected Christ, the disciples can catch no fish.
2. With the resurrected Christ, however, the disciples can let down their nets and catch a lot of fish.
3. Not just a lot of fish. But 153. Sort of odd that we are told exactly how many fish were in the nets. Not 154; not 152; 153 exactly.
4. How many fishermen do you know who tell you exactly how many fish they catch?
5. They talk about how big the fish are in grand terms.
6. Or they talk about how huge the catch was. But no specific number.
7.Fish stories work better if the facts do not get in the way of the story.
c. But we are told exactly how many fish the disciples caught because this is not a typical fish story, not an exaggeration, not some fairy tale.
1. This story reveals the resurrected Christ and his power to bring the disciples 153 fish.
2. A real sign in the real world.
3. The resurrected Christ is not asking the disciples to imagine what the future could hold and stop there.
4. The resurrected Christ is inviting them into the future as people of the resurrection, people whose lives are changed in real ways and who bring hope for real change to others in the world.
c. William Willimon tells a story about a heroin addict approaching him in the weeks after Easter and asking for help.
1. In the conversation the person asks, “Preacher, do you really think that I can get a grip on my addiction to heroin?”
2. You know that question. It's the question that hangs in the air at Breakfast Club – do you really think that feeding me breakfast can help me change my life?
3. Or the question that we ask ourselves when we deliver the clothes and backpacks of school supplies each year to children in our community – can they really be changed and get out of the cycle of poverty.
4. Or it's the question we ask ourselves when we continually repeat the cycle of tearing down our relationships – can I really change who I am in this relationship?
5. Or the question we ask as we face the uncertainty in our lives and wonder, can I really handle what the future has for me?
6. Willimon notes that his immediate response was to say, “No, It's almost impossible to change.” But he caught himself, he says, because the resurrection was fresh in his mind.
7. Instead, he said something to the effect, “if it were only about what you could do or what I could do, then no, but God is a God of resurrection, so yes, we can dare to hope that you can change.” (Journal for Preachers, William Willimon,”Preaching As Demonstration of Resurrection,” Volume XXXVII, Number 3, Easter, 2014, 15)
conclusion: The disciples dared not ask the resurrected Christ “Who are you?” because they were trying to decide if they could dare to hope in the God of resurrection.
Could they dare to become people of the resurrection.
“Who are you?” Amen.
1. No easy task understanding what a resurrection is.
2. That's probably why the story included the charcoal fire and the passing of bread and fish to be eaten.
3. Evidence for those who read the story later that Jesus' body was actually resurrected.
4. “See, he even eats just like we do!”
5. and yet, there are also stories of the resurrected Christ passing through doors and disciples not recognizing him.
6. the disciples, the early church, we still struggle to know what exactly what resurrection means.
b. Or maybe it's not about what shape or form the resurrected body of Christ is when he appears. Maybe the disciples do not ask the question because they are not sure they want the answer.
2. the disciples are taking staccato steps, tentatively engaging Christ and wondering what their next step might be now that Christ has been resurrected.
3. To follow Jesus when he is right there in front of them doing miraculous things and healing and teaching makes sense. A high demand, yes. But it seems reasonable.
4. But what lies ahead for them now that Christ is resurrected.
5. The game has changed.
6. If they do not ask, maybe they can avoid having to figure out what the answer means.
7. Perhaps you know what it's like to think about following Christ and tentatively wonder what it might mean if you make that commitment.
Move 2: Saul on the other hand, does not hesitate to cry out the question: “Who are you?”
a. Saul, the Pharisee who wants to persecute those who follow the resurrected Christ, finds himself blinded and on his knees on the road to Damascus.
1. A voice from the heavens asks, “Why do you persecute me.”
2. to which Saul boldly responds with the question, “Who are you?”
3. Saul is not a follower of Christ who is struggling to figure out what the resurrection means.
4. he is a non-believer who is being pursued by the resurrected Christ.
b. Saul's question is met with both the answer “I am Jesus,” and the call to change his life.
1. As you know, Saul will change not only his life, but also his name, as he becomes Paul, arguably the most important leader of the early church.
2. for him, the question “Who are you?” and the answer he receives reveal the opportunity he has, the opportunity we have, to be new creations in Christ.
3. Paul, who will focus much of his preaching to the early church about the crucified Christ, begins his life of discipleship in an encounter with the resurrected Christ.
4. Saul's story reminds us that to follow the resurrected Christ means being called to new places.
5. Perhaps you like Saul have that sense that God is pursuing you.
Move 3: Back to the beach – maybe the disciples do not ask Jesus who he is because they are afraid that he might ask them who they are.
a. “are you people of the resurrection?”
1. Henri Nouwen notes that, “Jesus does not speak about a change of activities, a change in contacts, or even a change of pace. He speaks about a change of heart” .” Making All Things New, Henri Nouwen, 42
2. Are the disciples on the beach ready for the transition from their pre-resurrection belief in Jesus to a post-resurrection transformation by the power of God to resurrect?
b. there are signs along the way, of course, to help them make that commitment.
1. Remember in the story we read this morning that without the resurrected Christ, the disciples can catch no fish.
2. With the resurrected Christ, however, the disciples can let down their nets and catch a lot of fish.
3. Not just a lot of fish. But 153. Sort of odd that we are told exactly how many fish were in the nets. Not 154; not 152; 153 exactly.
4. How many fishermen do you know who tell you exactly how many fish they catch?
5. They talk about how big the fish are in grand terms.
6. Or they talk about how huge the catch was. But no specific number.
7.Fish stories work better if the facts do not get in the way of the story.
c. But we are told exactly how many fish the disciples caught because this is not a typical fish story, not an exaggeration, not some fairy tale.
1. This story reveals the resurrected Christ and his power to bring the disciples 153 fish.
2. A real sign in the real world.
3. The resurrected Christ is not asking the disciples to imagine what the future could hold and stop there.
4. The resurrected Christ is inviting them into the future as people of the resurrection, people whose lives are changed in real ways and who bring hope for real change to others in the world.
c. William Willimon tells a story about a heroin addict approaching him in the weeks after Easter and asking for help.
1. In the conversation the person asks, “Preacher, do you really think that I can get a grip on my addiction to heroin?”
2. You know that question. It's the question that hangs in the air at Breakfast Club – do you really think that feeding me breakfast can help me change my life?
3. Or the question that we ask ourselves when we deliver the clothes and backpacks of school supplies each year to children in our community – can they really be changed and get out of the cycle of poverty.
4. Or it's the question we ask ourselves when we continually repeat the cycle of tearing down our relationships – can I really change who I am in this relationship?
5. Or the question we ask as we face the uncertainty in our lives and wonder, can I really handle what the future has for me?
6. Willimon notes that his immediate response was to say, “No, It's almost impossible to change.” But he caught himself, he says, because the resurrection was fresh in his mind.
7. Instead, he said something to the effect, “if it were only about what you could do or what I could do, then no, but God is a God of resurrection, so yes, we can dare to hope that you can change.” (Journal for Preachers, William Willimon,”Preaching As Demonstration of Resurrection,” Volume XXXVII, Number 3, Easter, 2014, 15)
conclusion: The disciples dared not ask the resurrected Christ “Who are you?” because they were trying to decide if they could dare to hope in the God of resurrection.
Could they dare to become people of the resurrection.
“Who are you?” Amen.
Interesting thoughts.
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