So, did you miss me last week? Yes, well, I meant to tell you that I was going to skip a week, for Spring Break and all, but then I forgot. Sorry about that. I’ll try to remember to announce in this space when there is going to be a gap, so you aren’t hanging around your computers all day looking for a your bible study. Not that anyone does that, except in my imagination, but still it is only common courtesy. So, forgive me.
In fact there shouldn’t be one from me this week either, since I’m not preaching again. Wow, two weeks without preaching. I’ll probably get withdrawal symptoms or something. Not to worry, I’ll make up for it next week, since I am preaching on Sunday at Aldersgate and then preaching on Monday in Indianapolis for the Indiana Conference on our Life Together for clergy. But more on that later.
The explanation for this week is that it is Youth Sunday at Aldersgate. Which means that our preachers are a number of youth in confirmation class this year, as well as singers and servers and announcers and members of the band. So, anything that I might say in this space will probably have even less to do with what happens on Sunday morning than usual! Just sayin’.
But I still felt moved to put something here, so as not to go dark two weekends in a row. As I was pondering what approach I might take I was reminded of a line from a film about King Arthur and Camelot (Can’t remember which one exactly - sorry). It when Arthur was describing his teacher and mentor Merlin. He explains that Merlin actually moves backward through time, living in reverse from everyone else. It’s a quite complicated concept, because for him the last time he spoke to you would be for you the next time he speaks to you. Makes your head spin just trying to figure it out. But Arthur sums it all up by saying that Merlin doesn’t age, he Youthens.
Given the amount of money the we baby boomers spend on trying to stay young, it seems like there is marketing potential in the ability to Youthen. But then I thought that the real benefit of Merlin’s take on living, is a spiritual one rather than a physical one. The old “If I knew then, what I know now” kind of thing. But then, does foreknowledge really help us all that much. Maybe. If we use it. But if we don’t? Well, ask Peter.
How many times does Jesus tell the disciples what is going to happen? But what do they do with that information? Does it save them from acting stupidly when push comes to shove? Do they rise to the occasion and seize the moment and stand on their principles and beliefs? What was that Peter, didn’t quite hear your mumbled response to my probing questions?
Maybe living backward wouldn’t save us, maybe foreknowledge wouldn’t keep us safe. Maybe we need a different way of figuring out how to Youthen. Maybe it isn’t about chronological age, but about spiritual youth. Maybe what we need is not a way to go back and live knowing, but a way to start over and live forgiven.
At least that’s what it seems that Peter needed.
John 21:15-19 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." 16 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." 17 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. 18 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." 19 (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, "Follow me."
John outlines a pretty elaborate conversation between Jesus and Peter on a beach one early morning after Easter. And a whole lot can be heard in these words. I’ll be interested to hear from our Confirmation youth as they approach these verses on Sunday morning.
There is something here about service, and the source of the service not being obligation or duty but love. There is something here about obedience to the one we call Lord, but that too grows out of love and a relationship that is all encompassing. There is something here about following to the ends of the earth, about allowing our life agendas to be set not by our own grand plan but by the will of the one we follow.
But whatever else might be in here, I hear quite clearly a process of forgiveness wrapped up in these words. I hear redemption. I hear an opportunity to if not undo what had been done, then at least a chance to overlay a denial with an affirmation just as strong, just as nerve wracking, just as deeply felt. A chance, in other words, to start over. To step back, to Youthen.
OK, maybe it is a leap we shouldn’t be taking. But when Jesus told us to become child-like in order to live in the Kingdom, maybe a part of what he was offering was a way to start over. Maybe it was an offer to Youthen our lives enough to know the freedom of life in the Spirit.
We who will gather for worship will be privileged to be led by some of our youth this Sunday. I for one will hope to hear some fresh insight, some new opportunity. Do we still have things to teach them? Certainly. But do they have things to teach us? Most assuredly.
So come and listen and learn, come and set aside your preferences and limited expectations. Come and let the Spirit blow through you. Who knows you just might come out feeling ... younger.
Or forgiven.
And loved.
Shalom,
Derek
In fact there shouldn’t be one from me this week either, since I’m not preaching again. Wow, two weeks without preaching. I’ll probably get withdrawal symptoms or something. Not to worry, I’ll make up for it next week, since I am preaching on Sunday at Aldersgate and then preaching on Monday in Indianapolis for the Indiana Conference on our Life Together for clergy. But more on that later.
The explanation for this week is that it is Youth Sunday at Aldersgate. Which means that our preachers are a number of youth in confirmation class this year, as well as singers and servers and announcers and members of the band. So, anything that I might say in this space will probably have even less to do with what happens on Sunday morning than usual! Just sayin’.
But I still felt moved to put something here, so as not to go dark two weekends in a row. As I was pondering what approach I might take I was reminded of a line from a film about King Arthur and Camelot (Can’t remember which one exactly - sorry). It when Arthur was describing his teacher and mentor Merlin. He explains that Merlin actually moves backward through time, living in reverse from everyone else. It’s a quite complicated concept, because for him the last time he spoke to you would be for you the next time he speaks to you. Makes your head spin just trying to figure it out. But Arthur sums it all up by saying that Merlin doesn’t age, he Youthens.
Given the amount of money the we baby boomers spend on trying to stay young, it seems like there is marketing potential in the ability to Youthen. But then I thought that the real benefit of Merlin’s take on living, is a spiritual one rather than a physical one. The old “If I knew then, what I know now” kind of thing. But then, does foreknowledge really help us all that much. Maybe. If we use it. But if we don’t? Well, ask Peter.
How many times does Jesus tell the disciples what is going to happen? But what do they do with that information? Does it save them from acting stupidly when push comes to shove? Do they rise to the occasion and seize the moment and stand on their principles and beliefs? What was that Peter, didn’t quite hear your mumbled response to my probing questions?
Maybe living backward wouldn’t save us, maybe foreknowledge wouldn’t keep us safe. Maybe we need a different way of figuring out how to Youthen. Maybe it isn’t about chronological age, but about spiritual youth. Maybe what we need is not a way to go back and live knowing, but a way to start over and live forgiven.
At least that’s what it seems that Peter needed.
John 21:15-19 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." 16 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." 17 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. 18 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." 19 (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, "Follow me."
John outlines a pretty elaborate conversation between Jesus and Peter on a beach one early morning after Easter. And a whole lot can be heard in these words. I’ll be interested to hear from our Confirmation youth as they approach these verses on Sunday morning.
There is something here about service, and the source of the service not being obligation or duty but love. There is something here about obedience to the one we call Lord, but that too grows out of love and a relationship that is all encompassing. There is something here about following to the ends of the earth, about allowing our life agendas to be set not by our own grand plan but by the will of the one we follow.
But whatever else might be in here, I hear quite clearly a process of forgiveness wrapped up in these words. I hear redemption. I hear an opportunity to if not undo what had been done, then at least a chance to overlay a denial with an affirmation just as strong, just as nerve wracking, just as deeply felt. A chance, in other words, to start over. To step back, to Youthen.
OK, maybe it is a leap we shouldn’t be taking. But when Jesus told us to become child-like in order to live in the Kingdom, maybe a part of what he was offering was a way to start over. Maybe it was an offer to Youthen our lives enough to know the freedom of life in the Spirit.
We who will gather for worship will be privileged to be led by some of our youth this Sunday. I for one will hope to hear some fresh insight, some new opportunity. Do we still have things to teach them? Certainly. But do they have things to teach us? Most assuredly.
So come and listen and learn, come and set aside your preferences and limited expectations. Come and let the Spirit blow through you. Who knows you just might come out feeling ... younger.
Or forgiven.
And loved.
Shalom,
Derek
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