Come and have breakfast
“Come and have breakfast”
For a few moments, I would like us to think about three people, all of whom we have heard about this morning, and all of whom are deeply affected by the reality of the resurrection. They are all quite different, with their own individual stories, and yet they have things in common with each other – and with us who are living so many years after them.
First of all, I would like us to think about Saul – or Paul as he become after his conversion. He came from a strict Jewish family living in the Diaspora. The city of Tarsus where he was born was the capital city of the region and Roman province of Cilicia, and though insignificant today, was in Paul’s time a flourishing Hellenistic city, a centre of Greek culture. From his birth, Paul possessed Roman citizenship but was always fiercely proud of his Jewish ancestry. He was a Pharisee, a sect within Judaism who with the scribes were the teachers and interpreters of the law. He was devout and zealous, successful and ambitious – and he was on a mission. That mission was to destroy what he saw as the heretical sect within his beloved Judaism – a cult grouping made up of the followers of a man called Jesus of Nazareth. Such was Saul’s standing and reputation within Judaism that he was able to ask for and was given letters of authority from the Sanhedrin – the supreme council of the Jews – enabling him to round up and bring bound to Jerusalem men and women he suspected of being followers of Jesus. He was a man of influence, of power and a man to be feared by followers of what Luke referred to as ‘the way’.
In the narrative we heard a few moments ago, Saul is heading for Damascus, confident in himself, secure in his faith, utterly certain that he was undertaking the work of God with letters of authority in his pockets that would determine the fate of men and women as yet unknown. He was unstoppable. When suddenly he was quite literally blown off his feet by a blinding light that flashed around him. Barely had he had time to realise what had happened when he heard a voice – ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ In the moments that followed, Saul’s life would be changed forever. (As a side issue, I do wonder what happened to the men who were travelling with him, for we are told they were speechless, and no wonder. They had heard the voice that Saul heard, but could see nothing, only that their leader who moments earlier was strong and invincible, was now unable to see and had to be led by them into Damascus. What effect would that experience have on them – we can only imagine.)
Three days, we are told, Saul remains in Damascus. Three days – the same length of time between our Lord’s crucifixtion to His resurrection on Easter Day. During that three days he neither eats nor drinks – he is engulfed by physical and spiritual turmoil as he struggles to make sense of the experience.
And it is here that the second person I want to think about today enters the picture - Ananias. Ananias was a Jewish Christian living in Damascus, and in a dream the Lord calls him by name. ‘Here I am Lord’ Ananias replies evoking Samuels response when God called him in the night. The Lord asks Ananais to go to a particular address and look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. A cold shiver must have shot down his spine at the sound of Saul’s name, for he was clearly well aware of Saul’s reputation. He is being asked to knock of the door of his sworn enemy, a man who has killed disciples in the past and nothing to indicate that he will not continue to do so. One can imagine the beads of sweat appearing across his brow. As I have done in the past, perhaps as many of us may have done, Ananias argues with God putting his case why he should not do what God is asking of him. But in the end, he had to make a choice. If he does as God asks, he will have to let go of his preconceived ideas, his hatred, his fear; he must leave them far behind. Only then could he visit this man, call him brother, touch him and so heal him. We know the choice Ananias made; such courage, such trust, such faith. And the touch of his sworn enemy who calls him brother brings healing to Saul and enables him to see the world and experience God in Christ in a way that had never been possible before. The choice of Ananias and the response of Saul opened up the way for Paul to carry the good news of the Risen Jesus Christ far and wide to the gentile world.
And so we come to the third person to occupy our minds this morning – Peter. Peter, who during those early years with Jesus around Galillee had been such a committed if impetuous supporter. The same Peter, who, when his friend needed him most, denied him three times. Peter, who while still standing by that charcoal fire in the courtyard of the High Priest glimpsed the look of love in the face of the man he had denied. The shame he must have felt. Peter, who was struggling to understand the empty tomb and recent experiences that Mary Magdalene, and some of the others had been talking about. It was all too much. So what better than to go back to something you know – something you are good at, something that is as familiar as a comfortable working smock. “I’m going fishing”, says Peter to his mates – and they join him. But the nights fishing did not go well – nothing in the nets. And then, as day is breaking, this voice from the beach says ‘You have no fish – try casting your nets over the other side of the boat’. How annoying is that – having some smart alec rub your nose in the fact that it has been a lousy night at sea, and then thinking he knows better than you who has been fishing these waters for years. But hang on a minute – suddenly their nets are full and there is something about that voice. Like the rising of the early morning mist, realisation dawns and the disciple whom Jesus loved says to Peter – ‘It is the Lord!’ Immediately, Peter grabs his clothes, jumps into the lake and heads for land followed by the others in the boat.
Jesus has a charcoal fire and fish already cooking and bread. Come, he says to them, Come and have breakfast. There is no condemnation here, no bearing of a grudge towards those people who had let him down so painfully, who all but disappeared while he hung, nailed to a cross. Rather, what was offered was the gift of unimaginable, incomprehensible love and forgiveness - and an invitation to a banquet of delicious fish and bread.
And when breakfast is over, Jesus turns to Peter and asks him – ‘Do you love me more than these’. Peter had once boasted that his own devotion was greater than anyone else’s, but three times that love had been tested in a courtyard and found wanting. Three times Jesus asks him now ‘Do you love me?’ and three times Peter declares his love and so receives the charge to feed and care for Christ’s flock – sheep and lambs, young and old alike – the great commission that would give birth to the building of the world wide church.
Paul, Ananias and Peter – very different people with very different baggage - burdens that bound them and prevented them from experiencing life in its fullness; all three had choices to make – just as we all have choices to wrestle with.
· Paul’s baggage, at least in part, consisted of power, status and sense of self righteous indignation which told him that he knew what was right and what was wrong in terms of faith and its appropriate practical expression.
· Ananais carried the burden of hatred, fear and prejudice
· Guilt and shame combined with a desire to fall back on what was familiar, safe and secure, these were the challenges for Peter
Each had to choose, as we all have to choose, between those things that are important to them, familiar and gave a sense of security – and the call of God which can so often seem ambiguous and involves risk. Such choices are not always easy and clear cut. But what is important is that the example of Paul, Anaias and Peter remind us that the experience of the resurrection is real and powerful; and that through three very imperfect people, God brought wonderful fruit to bear – each in their own way contributed to the rapid spread of the Christian gospel and the world wide church.
We have choices to make – dare to take that risk for Christ is Risen and in his risen power all things are possible. So come and have breakfast - then may our eyes be truly opened; then may we too be strengthened and emboldened to risk everything in the building of Gods kingdom here on earth.
Lesley McCormack, 18th April, 2010
