1st. May. 2022. Service.
Inverkeithing Parish Church linked with North Queensferry Church
Worship 1st May 2022
Prelude “Look at the world” John Rutter
Bible Introit Hymn 65 “Jubilate, everybody!”
Collect: O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Hymn 130 “Ye servants of God, your master proclaim”
Sing praises to the Lord, all you faithful!
We will give thanks to God’s holy name.
Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
We will give thanks to God’s holy name.
God has turned our mourning into dancing! Let us praise and not be silent!
We will give thanks to God’s holy name, now and always!
Prayer
Gracious God, we acknowledge you as the Father of the Risen Christ whom you have set over your church as Saviour and Lord. In him all things are made new. We rejoice as we see his resurrection mirrored by the rising earth as springtime unfold around us with its freshness and beauty. We are inspired to than you for all the wonders of your creation:
for the tiny perfection of a baby’s fingers grasping ours, for every flower unfolding to greet the spring, for the loveliness of trees in full bloom; for rocks and hills worn by wind and water, showing their rugged beauty in praise of your majesty and power all of which cause us to lift our hearts to praise you, too.
May the ongoing unfolding of the story the Risen Christ enrich our faith this morning as we greet a new week knowing that he is to be found among us in our worship and our time of fellowship, renewing out lives in the springtime through the ministry your Holy Spirit.
Receive our heartfelt worship, O God, Creator, Saviour, and Holy Spirit, ever Three and ever One.
Day by day as the weeks flow by, we lay our lives before you admitting that there are many times when we fall short of your will for us as people who are called to live in the love and discipline of Jesus, our Saviour. We confess we sometimes find it hard to forgive ourselves.
Things done long ago still haunt us as past injuries of others can still distress us. We hear your forgiveness proclaimed, yet your promise of a fresh start when we find it hard to let go.
Forgive us if we think we are the one sinner who cannot forgive or be forgiven. Forgive us when we cannot find the peace you offer. Give us a new spirit within and let your grace overcome our fears and hesitations. Remind us that all to who humbly seek the mercy of God, Jesus offers forgiveness and new life. So, let us be at peace with God, ourselves, and with one another.
Prayer for Understanding
Send your Holy Spirit to remove the scales from our eyes and overcome our preconceptions that we may discover your truth and grasp your wisdom as we listen to your holy Word today. Reveal the truths our souls need to grow in the love and service of your kingdom and your will for our lives. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever Amen.
The Intimations
Coffee mornings will be held in Inverkeithing each Tuesday at 10:00am and in North Queensferry on Wednesday 27th April at 10:30am. In Inverkeithing, where the “New for You” stall has been set up in the side room. Tuesday’s coffee morning will be for Christian Aid.
We are deeply saddened to intimate the death on Saturday of our elder, Bill Duff. Intimation of his funeral will be given in due course. Please remember his son, Billy, in your prayers along with his wider family.
The Offering
Our lives overflow with God’s blessings in Christ and in creation. With gratitude for all that we have received, let us present our offering to God, trusting that God can do a new thing with our gifts – and with our lives!
Prayer of Dedication
Gracious God, you have given us life and furnished it with beauty and blessing. In Christ you have given yourself to us. Here we offer to you a portion of what we have received to share in the work of your kingdom. Use all we give for your kingdom for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord. Amen.
Hymn 577 Christ be beside me
All Age Talk
What did you have for breakfast today? Who prepared it? Was it cereal, or something cooked? Do you like fish? Did you have fish for breakfast? Have your ever had fish for breakfast?
Did you know that Jesus once cooked fish for his disciples’ breakfast? Here is the story. You know that Jesus had died and came back to life on Easter. Well, some days later, Jesus’ friends were out fishing, trying to make a living.
They fished all night and caught nothing. Then, they saw a man, not knowing it was Jesus, on the shore. Jesus yelled to them, asking, “Have you caught anything?” They didn’t know the man was Jesus, but they still listened when He told them to cast their fishing nets on the right side of the boat.
Jesus’ friends caught 153 fish! There were so many fish that the friends couldn’t pull in the fishing net. That’s when Peter realized Jesus was the man yelling to them from the shore.
Peter was so excited when He realized Jesus had appeared again to them that He jumped into the water and swam to the shore where Jesus was! The rest of the friends brought the boat to shore and when they got there, they discovered that Jesus had cooked breakfast over a campfire. Jesus’ friends were reminded that day that following Jesus brings great rewards.
The disciples got to see Jesus and spend time with Him, and they ate the delicious breakfast He made for them and even had leftover fish to take home. Jesus loves being friends with you, too, and when we follow Him, He takes care of us and blesses us in amazing ways! Although I don’t think he will cook us breakfast!
Dear Father, we know that you have wonderful blessings in store for us when we follow Jesus. Our prayer is that we will always follow you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Here is a Video of this:
Hymn 351 “Jesus’ hands were kind hands”
Reading: Psalm 30
A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple. Of David.
1 I will exalt you, Lord,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
2 Lord my God, I called to you for help,
and you healed me.
3 You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead;
you spared me from going down to the pit.
4 Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;
praise his holy name.
5 For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favour lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.
6 When I felt secure, I said,
‘I shall never be shaken.’
7 Lord, when you favoured me,
you made my royal mountain stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
I was dismayed.
8 To you, Lord, I called;
to the Lord I cried for mercy:
9 ‘What is gained if I am silenced,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
10 Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me;
Lord, be my help.’
11 You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
Lord my God, I will praise you for ever. Amen.
Hymn 577 Christ be beside me
Reading: John 21:1-14
21 Afterwards Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 ‘I’m going out to fish,’ Simon Peter told them, and they said, ‘We’ll go with you.’ So, they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus.
5 He called out to them, ‘Friends, haven’t you any fish?’
‘No,’ they answered.
6 He said, ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.’ When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, ‘It is the Lord,’ he wrapped his outer garment round him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred metres. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
10 Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’ 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Amen, this is the word of the Lord, to Him be all glory and praise.
Hymn 551 “In heavenly love abiding”
Sermon
A few weeks ago, I read a long article about the Lakes of Kenya in which the writer described a recent increase in the water level which is having a devastating effect on the livelihoods of these communities where fishing is still carried out in same way it was by Jesus’ disciples on the Sea of Galilee. Around 800,000 people in Kenya live and fish in much the same way the disciples did in Jesus’ day. It seems that the scene we have witnessed in today’s gospel may soon be gone as many are leaving Africa to go to the Middle Eastern oil nations because pollution, environmental degradation and rising water levels are destroying their livelihoods.
The final chapter of John’s gospel is rather strange. It doesn’t seem to fit neatly with the resurrection story in chapter twenty. It is hard to place the story in a satisfactory timeframe How long after the two Sunday evening appearances in the upper room did today’s events occur? It is hard to say. And if we look back at the final verse of chapter twenty, we find: “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” These words appear to be the original conclusion to the gospel.
The novel The Lord of the Rings, by J. R. R. Tolkien, was declared by at least some surveys as “The Novel of the 20th Century.” The central story of the renunciation of power as the means of defeating evil has since been made familiar to millions through the very successful films.
At the end of the novel, with a king crowned, an age passing and the departure of its hero from the realm of mortals to the Undying Lands, one of the main characters, the simple Samwise Gamgee, returns to his wife and, seating himself and taking his daughter into his arms, says simply, “Well, I’m back.”
What many don’t know is that Tolkien wrote an epilogue to clear up loose ends and let readers know what finally happened to all the characters. While Tolkien never published it, it was a polished preliminary draft, which his son Christopher Tolkien later edited. Set a decade and a half after the close of the novel, we find Samwise visiting with his family, especially his teenage daughter Elanor, revealing that the king and queen are making a special visit to the shire, and then answering their questions about what happened to everyone in the years since the story ended. While not necessarily earth-shaking, the epilogue contains information that readers mightlove to know.
That’s usually what an epilogue does — takes us a few months or a few years or a few decades past the events of the novel, history, or biography to allow us to see things from the perspective of the future. And that’s exactly what the 21st and last chapter of the Gospel of John provides us with — an epilogue, written afterwards, to fill in a few gaps and answer a couple of questions about what happened to the main characters and what it all means.
John’s Gospel stretches back from the depths of eternity before the beginning in Genesis 1:1, with the living Word, Jesus, present before and at the creation, through the great drama of the incarnation, through the death and resurrection. Everything we read is all that we need to know so that we may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, that we may have life in his name. Nothing else is necessary. Everything has been said.
It appears then that the 21st chapter is not part of the original gospel but was written by the same author later to tie up a few loose ends.
John wrote in very simple Greek with a limited vocabulary, in part because it was probably his second language, nonetheless every passage contains many levels of meaning. Everything that needs to be said may be on the surface but hidden within it are deeper riches of spiritual truth.
There are many profound lessons in this chapter, but we are going to focus on three words from today’s passage: “fish,” “sheep” and “follow.”
Jesus, risen, triumphant, ready to reign in glory are the essentials the gospel, but some of us would like to know more. The epilogue begins with a fish story. The day of Pentecost is weeks away and even with the dawning of the new age, you still must put bread on the table, and we find some of the disciples out at sea, fishing. There is a saying, “A bad day fishing is better than the best day working.” However, if you fish for a living, then you can’t afford too many disappointing outings, and in this story, the night before had been a very bad one in terms of the catch. Like the fishermen of the African lakes, the disciples used different weights of net, a light seine net, from Greek sagene, (not the river!) and a heavy dikluon, a cast net for large shoals of fish close to the boat.
Returning empty handed the fishermen encounter but do not recognise Jesus. He gives some seemingly bad advice about where to throw the net, which most professionals in the fishing industry would probably have ignored. Maybe he could see a shoal of fish in the shallows by the boat from the shore. Whatever, the disciples follow the instructions of this “stranger” on the shore, which leads to an large catch, the recognition of Jesus and then a wonderful shore-side breakfast of bread and fish.
But let us look at this odd number — the 153 large fish the disciples caught when they followed the advice of Jesus. Why 153? Is there something significant to the number? Probably. There could be 153 different interpretations of this comment. But one of the most intriguing may speak to the controversy that runs through the Acts of the Apostles, the letters of Paul and even the gospels: Just who are part of the people of God?
Earlier in John 12, the apostle Philip is approached by some Greeks — Gentiles attracted to the concept of one God — who ask him to tell Jesus that they wish to see him. When told of this, Jesus responds, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Once the nations of the world, represented by these Gentile visitors, come to Jesus, the great drama of death and resurrection can begin!
What does the number 153 have to do with this? Some ancient Roman writers believed there were 153 different types of fish, and this was interpreted to mean that when we act as fishers of humanity in the name of Jesus, we’re not to focus on one type of fish — in other words, not to focus on one type of human — but to seek them all!
Today we know there are many more than 153 species of fish — as many as 27,300 species and counting those known to science today. The main species in Galilee and in African lakes are varieties of Tilapia, including Nile Perch as well as lungfish, catfish and cichlids— but that doesn’t matter. The unravelling of human DNA has taught us that we are not all that different from one another, no matter what bigots may say. We are one humanity. But John seems to have used this number to make it clear to all who would be fishing on behalf of God that we are called to share the Good News of Jesus with everyone. The Good News of Jesus is not an exclusive message — it is universal. Interestingly the third type of net used in Galilee was a dragnet, which would catch anything and everything including the undesirable and sometimes the inedible.
The second word — “sheep”! A scene follows that seems to show the rehabilitation of Peter, the one who denied Jesus. Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” and Peter, growing increasingly impatient at the repetition of the questions, answers yes, to which Jesus responds, “Feed my sheep!”
Jesus is saying that it’s not enough to catch fish — to treat souls like trophies to be caught and mounted on a wall for our glory. Mixing the metaphors of fish and sheep, Jesus says we’re sent to all nations to make disciples, feeding them both literally and spiritually. Followers of Jesus who fish for people don’t put out to sea to catch trophies, but to feed people!
But there’s something more to this. Twice Jesus asks Peter if he loves him, using the agape form of the word “love” — the love given freely that demands nothing in return, the divine and highest love – the love that is commanded by God. Peter responds using the word for friendship love, philia, a wonderful form of love, but not quite divine because it is based on liking someone or something. Peter’s first two responses don’t match the kind of love asked about by Jesus. He is asking for unconditional love, love that doesn’t require liking or even approving. But Peter doesn’t or cannot get it. He cannot love Jesus in this new way, so he says, “Yes, you know I am fond of your!”
Finally, on the third try, Jesus uses the same word that Peter used, and Peter replies using that word again. This seems to suggest that when it comes to fishing and feeding sheep, Jesus knows we may not be ready yet to act with the supremely divine love he offers to us, but that’s not a mission stopper. Jesus will take us at whatever level we’re at. The work is that important. And his love is that great.
We don’t have to wait to be perfect to get on board with the Gospel. We don’t have to know every layer of the Gospel of John to answer the call to feed the sheep. We may find it hard at times to like people, but Jesus is content to accept that.
The final word is “follow.” Jesus makes it clear that Peter, who may have denied him, will one day be crucified as he was. When the time is right, he will follow in Christ’s footsteps. He will glorify Jesus as he was unable to previously. So will we.
Every disciple will glorify Jesus through his or her life and death in different ways. Some may be called to die in defence of God’s word while for others the sacrifice may come with a call to leave home and comfort for a lifetime, serving as a minister or missionary; or not leaving home but taking up one of the jobs in the community or congregation that no one wants, serving on Boards Sessions orPresbyteries.
The chapter closes with Peter’s question about the beloved disciple himself, John: “Lord, what about him?” Jesus replies, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!”6 The question is shared because, evidently, a rumour had arisen that the beloved disciple would never die. He was probably long-lived, but by the time this chapter was written, he had finally died, leaving people to wonder if the Gospel was true.
In this epilogue, John reminds the believers that Peter, the beloved disciple, and those in our churches who are essential to the well-being of the body of Christ come and go, but the story goes on. That’s because it’s all about Jesus, not us.
John effectively ends his gospel with a reminder that despite the wonder and the glory of the resurrection Jesus is still supremely human. I find myself wondering about how Jesus relates today to the toilers of the African lakes. See the man on shore building a fire and gutting fish, grilling them, and serving them to his astonished disciples. The resurrection is the victory of the man who loved the common people and who refused to put on airs! Sadly, the church often turned Jesus into an all-powerful king of kings, or the souls who come in as notches on an evangelist’s belt.
There on the shore, the victorious Christ says: “Come and have breakfast.” The disciples experienced awe, they grew quiet and at first felt awkward in his presence. But not terror. It is natural to feel awe when one is present with the risen Christ. Awe is a healthy reaction to the holy Friend whom death cannot hold in its tomb. A unique Friend in whom one finds God awesomely present, is bound to bring a hush and a wonder.
Yet it is the same Jesus. Not a different model. Have you ever gutted scaled and cooked fish on an open fire? It is impossible to do that without getting your hands smelly and grimy. That’s how it was with the risen Jesus the Lord with smelly hands, and maybe smudges of charcoal on his face, who waits for his friends to join him for breakfast. The God who comes to us in Christ is always this kind of God, a down-to-earth God, a humble God.
So, remember: The risen Jesus calls upon us to seek and serve all nations, every tribe and tongue, close at hand and far away. The risen Jesus calls us not to “catch” trophies, but to feed people — feed the sheep — physically and spiritually! And finally, remember that while our part in the story may be greater or less, it may go on for a long time or only a brief period, it is Jesus who is glorified by our belief!
As the Gospel of John tells us, this comes directly from one who knows, “… and we know that his testimony is true. Amen.
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
All knowing God, we thank you for our calling to be your disciples. Our first prayers as we acknowledge that your love is beyond our understanding is for people who feel that they are unworthy of your love: folks who have failed in life, who have let other people down as well as themselves and do not know how to make amends. May they be touched with grace as Peter was touched and restored by Jesus. Help them to respond to the love which reconciles.
Then we pray for those whose faith is tested daily because of poverty, persecution the circumstances of war or any other difficulty. May they have the courage to trust you and to respond to Jesus as he calls people who are heavily laden with fear or guilt to find rest for their souls in him. We pray too for people who find Christian faith does not feel relevant to their live, those who are searching for peace or meaning in other things. May they be moved by the Holy Spirit to discover and know you as St. Paul knew on the road to Damascus.
And there are the concerns we feel as we learn from the news headlines about the many world situations where hope and change are desperately needed. We pray that you will intervene in the horror of war that has overtaken Ukraine and threatens the peace of many nations. Give wisdom to the national leaders who stand up against tyranny and violence and soften the hearts of those who seek their own ends through these same means. Give all power to the forces of goodness and truth and bring an end to the suffering of Ukraine and its people.
We pray for our own nation that the divisions, confusions, corruptions, and disdain for the good of others may be healed that there may be peace and a just prosperity for our children and grandchildren. Spare us your divine judgment on all evil. Closer to home we pray for families under stress, relationships that are strained, friends and neighbours in need of reconciliation that their lives may be restored in peace and unity. Keep silence for a few moments.
We also bring to you our families, friends and neighbours who are in hospital or care; folks who struggle with illness, pain or health burdens; and we remember those facing grief and loss, bearing burdens of sorrow and worry We pray for your comfort for Bill Duff’s son and family as they mourn him and as we thank you for his life and service among us.
Finally, we lay before you, Lord, the earth itself, struggling in so many places to maintain its fruitfulness, and we pray for all the vulnerable creatures and communities which are finding it harder and harder to live on land, sea, or sky. Restore your creation through the resurrection power of the Saviour in whom you are making all things new and in whose name confidence faith we ask all these our prayers. Amen.
Hymn 680 “You are called to tell the story”
The Benediction
Go now and follow the risen Christ.
Love God and nourish the faith of God’s little ones.
Make Christ known to all people
for God has chosen you as an instrument
to lead others into the way of mercy and love.
And may God change your anguish into a joyful dance;
May Christ Jesus lead you from betrayal to mission;
And may the Holy Spirit fill you with light and love and purpose.
Go in peace to love and serve God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Postlude: “For the beauty of the earth John Rutter”