Reflections on "When you Think You Know" John 21: 1-14

 It was confirmation Sunday when the confirmands publicly profess their faith and join the church.  Technically, they had met with the Session and done both, but this was the public aspect of it in the midst of the gathered congregation.  As I usually do, I tell the confirmands this sermon is written for them, which it was.  All four confirmands were sitting on the second row, so I had plenty of eye contact with them throughout the sermon.

The sermon title had nothing to do with the sermon.  The initial thought never materialized.  

“When You Think You Know”, Confirmation Sunday, May 4, 2025; St. Andrew Presbyterian Church; 

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. 2 Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin,[a] Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 3 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.

4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” 6 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. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he had taken it off, and jumped into the sea. 8 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.

9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 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. 

12 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. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Introduction:  Elizabeth, Rhys, Emily, and CiCi

this sermon is written just for you on the day you publicly profess your faith and say taht you believe God is calling you to live out your discipleship as members of St. Andrew.

The sermon is for you, although everyone is invited to listen in!

Move 1:  we are told that On the beach that morning with the Risen Christ, “none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord.

Saul knew it that day he was struck blind on the road to Damascus and heard the voice of the Risen Christ, knew the truth of who Jesus was.

a.  They knew in that moment what you know today?

that Jesus Christ was their Lord and Savior

that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior.

1.  The disciples  did not seem to know it a few days earlier when Jesus was being tried before the religious and Roman authorities?

2. the disciples did not seem to know it when they first heard the tomb was empty.

3. Saul did not know it when he was persecuting Christians.

3. But then they suddenly recognize the risen Christ and his claim in their lives.

b.  That I think is the life of discipleship.

1. Moments of clarity like today when you stand and publicly profess your faith, 

and lots of days when you wander, 

when you wander,

when you search for that which you have previously known and professed.

2.  For most of us, 

life is a mix of moments 

moments when we know with certainty God’s claim on our lives,

and moments we face struggles that challenge are faith

and moments when we feel the holy Spirit sweeping us away

moments we are searching for answers to the deep questions we can barely articulate

moments we see the risen Christ in our midst

moments we look at our world and wonder where God is.

3.  Do not be afraid to ask  questions, 

or have doubts,

or wonder about how your faith works.

4.  Because God is not afraid of your doubts, or questions, or wonder.

in fact, God is like the shepherd Jesus describes who goes to find the one lost sheep.

5.  as you live your life, God relentlessly pursues you, 

calling and inviting you into discipleship And new life.

6. So celebrate today what you know to be true - Jesus Christ is your lord and savior 

and trust that as you live your life you will again and again discover anew the risen Christ in your midst, just as the disciples discovered the risen Christ that day on the beach and Saul discovered him in the road to Damascus.

Move 2:  I would also point out that different disciples react differently that day.

a.  Notice the disciples in the boat.

1.  The unnamed disciple whom Jesus loved quickly recognizes who Christ,

he  tells Peter, 

and then does not seem to do anything in the moment - he just stays right there in the boat.

quick to recognize, but slow to act.

2. Peter, on the other hand, did not seem to recognize the risen Christ immediately, but when  hears the unnamed disciple identify Jesus, he immediately springs into action, 

he jumps into the water and swims to the beach.

slow to recognize, but quick to act.

3. The other disciples stay in the boat. 

maybe frozen by uncertainty,

maybe recognizing that someone has to take care of the fish they have suddenly caught after Jesus’ command to lower their empty nets again.

4. Saul on the road to Damascus, seems more like peter - once he knows it is Christ, he is ready for action.

b.  I hope you have learned a lot in confirmation and grown in your faith.

1 But, but I hope you have noticed that no one has told you there is only one way to be a disciple.

2. Like your varied mentors, each of you has different skills and gifts, 

different ways of thinking and responding.

3.  The God who comes for all of us, 

meets is where we are,

engages with us in the joys and challenges that are unique to our own lives,

and calls us to different ways of responding.

4. There is no one path of discipleship,

but there is one God who will always love and call you to follow.

Move 3:  finally, Listen to Jesus.

a.  Super Wednesday the kids’ choirs sang their favorite songs.  

One of the songs the Noel choir sang was “Peter, James, and John in a Sailboat”  about this story in the gospel of John.

You should have seen the big fish jumping around on that verse!

Listen to the final Final verse - 

The lesson of the story is listen to Jesus

the lesson of the story is listen to Jesus

the lesson of the story is listen to Jesus

wherever you may.

The disciples listen to the risen Christ and catch 153 fish where they had previously caught none.

Saul listens to the risen Christ and has his life transformed and becomes one of the great leaders of the early church.

who knows what God has in mind for you, 

but listen to Jesus and find out!

Conclusion:  today you know and profess Jesus Christ as your lord and savior. 

just as the disciples knew the risen Christ  that morning on the beach 

just as  Saul knew the risen Christ that moment on  the road to Damascus

So you know this day.

Reflections on "Why Are You Weeping?" John 20: 19-31

A glorious day of worship with outstanding music and a baptism at the 10:45am worship service.  The sermon went as planned on both services.  No funny story this year, which I sometimes try to have to seem more inviting to visitors, but the sermon did not seem to make a place for it.

As I read the biblical text, I realized that it might be fun to preach about Peter and the other disciple racing to the tomb.  That could be a fun sermon topic.

“Why Are You Weeping?”, Easter, April 20, 2025; St. Andrew Presbyterian Church; John 20: 19-31

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. ²So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” ³Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. ⁴The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, ⁷and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. ⁸Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; ⁹for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. ¹⁰Then the disciples returned to their homes.

¹¹But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; ¹²and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. ¹³They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” ¹⁴When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” ¹⁶Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). ¹⁷Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” ¹⁸Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

Introduction:  as some of you know, During Lent, we reflected on our Lenten questions, which leads us this morning to an Easter question:  why are you weeping?

A question Asked not once, but twice of Mary - first by the angels in the tomb and then by the resurrected Christ, although at the time Mary thought it was the gardener.

Why are are you weeping?

Not much weeping here in worship on Easter morning, at least not visibly.

The celebration, the energy, the joy, no doubt aided by the glorious songs and brass and timpani, lift up our spirits.

Move 1:  but even Even today in our joyous worship as we celebrate resurrection, we know the answer to the question,

We know why Mary was weeping outside the tomb.

a.  We know she weeps because she is grieving.

1. Her friend Jesus had died and she already misses him.

2.  Her grief has begun and tears accompany her grief.

2.  Any of us who have had a loved one die, a family member a close friend, we know what Mary feels in that moment as she stands outside the tomb.

3. Most of us who gather here know what it feels like to grieve and weep.

b. Mary weeps because she is angry and disillusioned.

1.  she is angry at the world she cannot control.

2.   they have crucified her friend Jesus, even though he was not guilty.

3.  How helpless she must feel - she could not stop them from crucifying her friend Jesus, and and now the body is gone

she cannot even use her perfumes and spices to lovingly prepare Jesus’ dead body.

4. Any of us who have felt helpless, who have felt like we have no control as the world races by knows why Mary weeps.

c. Mary weeps because she has lost all hope.

1.  Weeks before, 

even days before, she was so full of hope.

2. She was connected to this incredible man Jesus who was transforming the world before he very eyes.

the possibilities seemed endless.

until he was dead on the cross.

3.  Any of us who know what it is like to have our dreams crushed know why Mary weeps.

d.  Mary weeps because she does not know what to do.

1. Peter and the beloved disciple have run off, leaving Mary standing alone at the tomb.

2.  She c

Move 2:  We might say that Mary weeps because she does not  know the rest of the story.

a.  But the resurrected Christ does.

1. He is standing there before her to tell her

to show her

invites her to a new way of life.

2.  A way of life ? By the power of God to resurrect.

3. We may still weep as we grieve, 

we may weep at our as we add three things

b. But they are not the end of the story.

5. As Martin Luther King, Jr. used to say, “God makes a way out of no way.  There are no red ends with God.” (Journal for Preachers, Vol XLVIII, No. 3, Easter, 2025. “Easter Preaching“ Mark Ramsey and Adam Mixon, 4)

c.   That is why we gather here today - 

1. To hear the story of God’s resurrection power at work.

2.  To hear the story of how God overcomes death.

3. To hear the story announce to tell ourselves that the God of resurrection is not done.

c. And to live the story.

1.  Did you notice Mary’s first reaction once she recognizes Christ?

2. She wants to cling to him, to stay in that moment.

3. But there is no clinging to the resurrected Christ.

4.He sends Mary to tell others.

5. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not a stand there and appreciate the empty tomb moment.

6. The resurrection compels us to go into the world and proclaim the resurrection.

d. If we believe the world has been disrupted the God who resurrects;

if we believe that the world is a different place because christ is alive

if we believe that the God of resurrection is still at work in the world by the power of the Holy Spirit, then we go and live like it. 

1. We dare to hope in the face of despair.

2. We dare to work for peace in a world where too many people chose to exert their power to control others.

3. we dare to extend ourselves to others, even those who are different than we are in a world that too often chooses the path of exclusion.

4.  we dare to live as people of the resurrection, sometimes even as we weep, because we know the rest of the story.

Conclusion:  My oldest sister Helen loved reading.  In fact, The Children’s Place reading room was set up as a memorial to her.

  She was not only a reading specialist in her school system, but she read all the time. from childhood through adulthood, she was always reading a book.

She not only read numerous books, but she would reread books.  I’m like that too.  Some characters in books seem like good friends.

Late in her life as battled cancer, reading gave her something to do when she was getting a chemo infusion, or felt sick, or recovering from surgery.  Reading was a great friend her 14 yr. medical journey with breast cancer.  

Toward the end of her life, she quit reading new books.  She only read books that she’d read previously.  She only wanted to read stories she knew the endings - endings that made her feel good at a time she didn’t really feel that good. She wanted to know the rest of the story.

We know the rest of the story - God has raised Jesus from the dead.

Go and live as people who know the rest of the story.