‘First Wobbly Steps’ by Allister Lane

John 21:1-19

This week we had General Assembly. This is where we make big decisions of the PCANZ (training leaders, using resources for mission, policies about caring for creation, etc)

On-line event, but I joined with other commissioners of the Assembly in a room together at Scots College.

I was driving out to Scots College from the city through the Mount Victoria tunnel.

And I noticed something new on the road on the other side of the tunnel – Ruahine Street.

The speed limit has changed from 70 to 50.

And I was very conscious of having to reduce my speed there.

My instinct was to drive at the normal 70km/h.

But I had to adjust.

It’s a very minor adjustment – but I was aware of it, and it was necessary for me to change for the new situation.

The resurrection stories in the NT are about adjusting – to a major change!

In today’s story we hear the experiences of those adjusting to the massive change of resurrection life.

Some of the disciples have gone back to their ‘normal’ life – fishing.

And on this day, their experience is like my normal experience of fishing

– they’ve caught nothing!

When some bloke on the shore starts dispensing advice.

He tells them “Cast the net to the right side of the boat…” (v6)

To me, this advice sounds like when people say to me “turn it off and turn it on”.

I’m like “Suure” (eye roll)

But it worked!  The normal is interrupted.

This was a sign of the new.

A sign of the resurrection life

A sign that bloke on the shore is the kingdom-bringer,

…the defeater of death,

…the Promise of God made true!

Story: Rowan Atkinson not recognised

·      Waiting in a Land Rover parts workshop

·      “You look a lot like that ‘Mr Bean’…”

·      Man did not accept he IS the actor that plays Mr Bean

·      Man got increasingly annoyed by Rowan Atkinson insisting he IS the actor

·      “You know, you look so much like him, you could probably make some money from it”

A common feature of the resurrection stories, where Jesus appears alive, is initial non-recognition.

1.     Mary in the garden – mistakes Jesus for a gardener

2.     Here on the beach – they do not recognise Jesus

Even when they are eating breakfast with him, there seems to be some ambiguity about their recognition of the risen Jesus: “none of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ because they knew it was the Lord.” (v12)

3.     On the road to Emmaus – next week we will hear this story, and how the disciples walked and talked with Jesus without recognising him.

There is nothing in any of these accounts to suggest their senses of inquiry were impaired in any way, and yet they did not recognise Jesus.

In these instances it was not a simple case of ‘seeing-is-believing’.

This common feature on non-recognition signals something important about these experiences.

Our own knowledge of the resurrection for our faith; for our relationship with the risen Jesus needs something more than what our physical senses give us.

These stories show that our physical senses of sight, hearing, touch etc are unable to apprehend the risen Jesus.

Jesus must reveal himself to us.

This is a great encouragement to us.

We, who are not able to experience that immediate post-Easter period of history recorded in the New Testament.

We are still able to know the risen Jesus through the revelation of the Holy Spirit; the Spirit of the risen Jesus.

We know the promise of God’s resurrection presence with us.

Hallelujah!

I love these resurrection stories.

These stories are rich;

They are stories of adjustment to the new;

they occur in the time and space where God’s redemptive actions in Christ have taken affect.

They are bursting with the implications of what living with resurrection life entails!

And actually I LOVE this feature of non-recognition.

Some may see at as a problem for faith, but I see it as like the first wobbly steps of living the Christian life.

What does it mean to have the presence of the risen Christ in the world?

What is the interpretation/the implications/integration by the Christian community?

With unflinching honesty, the NT captures the stories and experiences of these first wobbly steps, walking as disciples of the risen Jesus.

We may still be wobbly!

Walking on the journey of faith with the risen Jesus still means adjusting from what is ‘normal’ to the profound and audacious truth of resurrection life. 

You and I are still learning how to walk this way – and thank God we have each other on this journey!

There are two other features in today’s resurrection story I want to highlight.

The first is how Jesus offers welcome/hospitality/manaakitanga.

He welcomes them to a charcoal fire; extends his aroha to them, as they share fish and bread together.

What does this tell us about the resurrection life Jesus shares with us?

For one thing: we experience God’s generosity – something holy swirling in our daily rhythms of life.

The delight of good company, aroha, at peace, not work but (quite literally) recreation.

In recent months the St John’s Session has been discerning a new Vision – we see something that’s new, about the life that God gives. 

This Vision involves aroha, friendship, welcome, sharing – neighbourliness.

I’ll share more about this Vision in the coming weeks.

We trust God is leading us together on the journey.

Jesus speaks to us (as he spoke to Peter) “Follow me”.

As well as Jesus offering welcome/hospitality/manaakitanga, Jesus offers forgiveness.

There is a very tender exchange here between Jesus and Peter.

Peter will have been very sensitive to his own guilt and shame at having denied he knew Jesus a few days earlier.

But Jesus doesn’t make Peter apologise, or make Peter do anything – Jesus doesn’t even mention what Peter did.

The question asked three times expresses how Jesus wants to purposefully repair the brokenness between them.

Jesus restores relationship with Peter, gently ministering to Peter’s heart and what had been broken.

Jesus may be wanting to minister to your heart, to restore something that has been broken. 

Maybe something that he is helping you bring to mind now;

…maybe something that’s been broken a long time.

Will you let Jesus gently speak healing to you today?

A friend of mine shared with me recently an excerpt from a book by John Roedel, which Naomi and I will share with you.

It’s an imagined dialogue with God.

Me: Hey God.
God: Hello.....
Me: I'm falling apart. Can you put me back together?
God: I would rather not.
Me: Why?
God: Because you aren't a puzzle.
Me: What about all of the pieces of my life that are falling down onto the ground?
God: Let them stay there for a while. They fell off for a reason. Take some time and decide if you need any of those pieces back.
Me: You don't understand! I'm breaking down!
God: No, you don't understand. You are breaking through. What you are feeling are just growing pains. You are shedding the things and the people in your life that are holding you back. You aren't falling apart. You are falling into place. Relax. Take some deep breaths and allow those things you don't need any more to fall off of you. Quit holding onto the pieces that don't fit you anymore. Let them fall off. Let them go.
Me: Once I start doing that, what will be left of me?
God: Only the very best pieces of you.
Me: I'm scared of changing.
God: I keep telling you —YOU AREN'T CHANGING!! YOU ARE BECOMING!
Me: Becoming who?
God: Becoming who I created you to be! A person of light and love and charity and hope and courage and joy and mercy and grace and compassion. I made you for more than the shallow pieces you have decided to adorn yourself with that you cling to with such greed and fear. Let those things fall off of you. I love you! . . . Become! Become! Become who I made you to be. I'm going to keep telling you this until you remember it.
Me: There goes another piece.
God: Yep. Let it be.
Me: So . . . I'm not broken?
God: Of course Not! —but you are breaking like the dawn. It's a new day. Become!!!

Might these words offer you a glimpse of how the frustrations of a sometimes uncomfortable and uncertain journey could guide you back into God’s presence?

Hearing the stories of Jesus' resurrection, might we find ourselves open to the joy that he is alive and real and with us – on a journey of transformation?

Today, will you be able to offer to Jesus your willingness to take his hand in the journey of your life?

Will you offer your willingness to let the journey be messy, uncomfortable, and uncertain?

And, at the same time, hold on to the promise that this is exactly where we expect to find the hope and joy we need?

The joy and hope our world needs?

May it be so.

Amen.