Instruments God Has Chosen

John 21:4-17, Acts 9:1-20

In our John passage we have the disciples returning to their trade of fishing yet they are catching nothing. Jesus appears the third time but they don’t recognize him until after he tells them to cast to the right side and there are so many fish it is too heavy to haul in. Then John realizes that it is Jesus. The Lord then serves them breakfast. Afterwards he asks Peter three times if he loves him. This counters with the three times that Peter denied him. After Peter answers yes each time Jesus tells him to tend to his sheep. Christ here is commissioning Peter to shepherd – take care of Christ’s sheep – these being the Jewish people – proclaiming to them the gospel that Jesus is the Messiah. Peter becomes the instrument that God has chosen to reach out and take care of the souls of the Jewish people.

Our Acts account tells of another chosen instrument of God – the apostle Paul. It tells of his dramatic conversion to Christ. When Ananias is told in a vision to go to this man known for persecuting and turning in Christians he protests but Jesus assures him that Saul who later becomes Paul is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings. Paul then is given the care of the Gentile believers. So, Ananias lays his hands on him and Paul regains his sight and is filled with the Holy Spirit and immediately begins to proclaim Jesus saying he is the Son of God.

Jesus in these passages chooses two men whose resume would never clear Human Resources. Peter was an impulsive, sometime bumbling fool who denied Christ three times. Yet Jesus forgave him and assigns him the task of shepherding the Jewish Christians. Saul/Paul is a violent man breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord who wants lists of Christians he can round up and bind to take to Jerusalem.

God sees beyond our actions to what’s in our hearts and what talents may be hidden to others that we can bring to help bring in the kingdom of God. All Christians are chosen in our own unique ways to be instruments of God to help bring God’s love into the world, proclaiming the good news so that we too can be part of bringing in the kingdom of God. May God open our eyes so we can see ways to use our gifts to do so.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Setting the Veil Aside

Exodus 34:29-35; II Corinthians 3:12-18 This Sunday was Transfiguration Sunday which celebrates the time Jesus and his disciples went up to the mountain to pray. Jesus begins to shine brightly and is seen in conversation with Elijah and Moses. Our Exodus account talks about Moses experience with talking directly with God and returning with a shining face so bright it scared the Israelites. After telling the people God’s commandments for them he puts a veil over his face until he talks with God again.   Our Corinthians passage uses this figurative language of a spiritual veil saying that the Israelite minds have been hardened and a veil lies over their minds. Paul goes on to say that in Christ the veil has been set aside since when one turns to the Lord the veil is removed. He goes on to say that where the Spirit of the Lord is – who we receive when we turn to the Lord – is freedom. We are freed from having to submit to the law – accomplishing everything on it to earn our salvat...
Read more

Trust but Don’t Tempt

Psalm 91:1-2, 4-16; Luke 4: 1-13 Psalm 91 talks about having great trust in the Lord. It tells how God is our refuge–protection or shelter from danger and distress. Going along with this theme of protection is the image of being safely surrounded by a fortress. Because of this we are told that no evil will befall us. The idea of guardian angels comes from this passage when it says, “The Lord will command God’s angels concerning you to guard in all your ways. They will bear you up so you won’t even dash your foot against a stone.” The Lord will protect those who know God’s name and when they call God will answer – will be them in trouble, will rescue, honor them, and show them God’s salvation. Our Luke account tells of the Temptation of Christ. I am impressed by how Jesus when tempted with food after a 40 day fast, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 “Thou shall not live by bread alone.” When the devil tempts him with power only if he will worship him, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13 saying ...
Read more

Trusting and Forgiving

Psalms 37:1-11, 39-40; Luke 6:27-38 Psalm 37 tells about trusting in the Lord and not being envious or fretful of evil doers. Anger, wrath, and fretfulness are said to lead to evil. Instead, we are to put our trust in the Lord and live God’s righteous ways. We are to do good as we live on the land and enjoy its security. The opposite of envying those who prosper is to delight in the Lord who will give you the desires of your heart – what you truly need. When we trust God and turn the evildoers over to the Lord, God will vindicate us – our vindication shining as the light and the justice of our cause like the noon day sun. The psalmist promises that the wicked will be cut off and will soon fade like grass. But those who wait patiently for the Lord shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant prosperity. Jesus goes further in our Luke passage – telling us not to just turn our enemies over to God but to love and forgive them. He says to do unto others as you would like th...
Read more