First Presbyterian Church, Cottonwood Falls, KS

Jesus & Peter: Off the Record Conversations¹

Rev. Pat Ireland, Pastor

June 20, 2010

Scripture Matthew 4:18-22

18 As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea--for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

The Call:

Jesus :  Peter…?

Peter:  Yes, Jesus…?

J: Come with me.

P: Where are you going?

J: I’m not telling you.

P: Do you not know?

J:  Oh yes, I’ve a fair idea.

P:  Then… why won’t you tell me?

J: You might not like it.

P: Well, thanks for your consideration, Jesus.

(A pause)

J: Peter…?

P: Yes, Jesus…?

J:  Come with me.

P:  Can I bring somebody else?

J: Just bring yourself.

P: Will there only be the two of us?

J: O no, there’ll be plenty of others.

P: Will I know some of them?

What about my cousin Alec… will he be there?

And is there any chance of my sister coming if she still fancies you?

And what about my gran?

Oh, Jesus, I’d love to bring my gran to meet you.  Can I?

J: Peter… just bring yourself.

P: But…but… you said there would be others.

J: That’s right.

P: Who are they?

J: I’m not telling you.

P:  Why not?

J: You might not like them.

P: Aw , thanks a bunch Jesus!

(A pause)

J: Peter…?

P: Yes, Jesus…?

J:  Come with me.

P: Jesus, I’ve got better things to do than go on a mystery tour.

But, I’ll think about it.

Just tell me what I’ll need.

J: What do you mean?

P: Well, If I’m going somewhere I don’t’ know, with people you refuse to tell me about,

there are some things that might come in very handy.

J:  Like what?

P: Like something to read in case I get bored…

Like something to sing in case I get sad…

Like a new pair of jeans in case there’s a dance or party!

J: Peter, you’ll not need anything.  Just bring yourself.  That’s enough to contend with.

P: Jesus… do you want me to end up like you???

J: Peter…

I’m going…

Are you coming with me?

Let us participate and respond by joining in singing “The Summons” FWS 2131

Scripture Luke 4:38-40

38 After leaving the synagogue he entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked him about her. 39 Then he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately she got up and began to serve them.

40 As the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various kinds of diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on each of them and cured them.

A Question of Technique:

Peter (Judy): Eh… Jesus…!

Jesus (Pat): Yes, Peter?

P: Can I ask you a question about your technique?

J: What technique, Peter?

P: I was afraid you would say that.

J: What’s this about?

P: It’s just that the disciples and I were trying to work out what your technique was for healing people.

J: What did you come up with?

P: Well, at first we thought it was to do with your hands.

Because when you healed Jairus’s daughter and my old mother-in-law, you took them by the hand.

But, then we remembered the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years.  You never touched her.

So, we decided it wasn’t your hands.

J: Well done.  Was there another theory?

P: Yes.  Martha thought it was your voice.

Because when you raised Lazarus, you shouted at him and he came back to life.

An then Andrew reminded us of how you never saw the centurion’s servant, but you managed to bring him back to life without shouting at him.

J: So, you decided that it couldn’t be my voice.

P: That’s right.

Oh, Jesus, we even thought it might be something to do with your saliva.

J:  My saliva?

P: Well, you did spit on the deaf man’s tongue and it started him yapping as if it was going out of fashion.

And you spat on mud at the pool of Siloam and you rubbed the mixture on the blind boy’s eyes.

J: But I’ve healed other deaf people, and I cured Bartimaeus without spitting.

P: Oh, Thomas reminded us of that.  So the saliva theory is out the window.

J: So, what conclusion did you come to about my technique?

P: Jesus, we don’t think you have one!

J: Right fourth time!  I don’t have a technique.

P: The how do you heal?

J: Peter, when Andrew and you were little boys, did your mother always treat you the same?

P: Oh yes.  She had no favorites.

J: I’m not asking you if she had favorites.  I’m asking you if she treated you the same.

P: Well… yes and no.

J: Tell me about the ‘no’.

P: Let me think…   oh, yes, here’s an example.

If my mother wanted us to get up in the morning she would tell Andrew it was half past seven and me it was half past eight.

J: Why was that?

P: Because she knew that Andrew loved getting up and I hated it.

The only way she could ever get me out of my bed was to convince me that I was late.

J: Your mother, Peter, is like God.

P: Don’t be daft, Jesus, my mother wears dentures!

J: Peter, your mother is like God.

In order to get you changed from your pajamas to your shirt and trousers, she had to treat you as an individual.

When God, through me, changes people from being sick to being healthy, it doesn’t happen because of a slick technique.

When you love people, you treat them and heal them as individuals.

Response:  "O Savior in This Quiet Place"  PH 390

Scripture:  Matthew 9:14-15

14 Then the disciples of John came to Jesus, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

The Big Day:  (Peter is very excited)

Peter : Eh… Jesus…?

Jesus: Yes, Peter?

P: When’s the big day, then?

J: Big day?

P: You know… when do you intend to let the cat out of the bag?

J: I never knew the cat was in the bag.  In fact, I never knew there was a bag.

P: Oh, come one.  You can tell me…

J: Tell you what?

P: Who the lucky lady is…  none of us had any idea!

J: Well I’d be glad if you would make an informed guess.  For I’ve no idea either.

P: Come on, Jesus don’t mess around.  When are you getting married?

J: Married?

P: Jesus, I heard you…  five minutes ago…

You were talking to John’s disciples and you said to them, “The bridegroom’s friends don’t fast while he’s with them.’ Didn’t you?

J: Yes, but…

P: (Interrupting) Then, if you’re the bridegroom… who’s the bride?  Where’s the wedding?  And who’s doing the catering?

J: Peter…

P:  (Interrupting again) Me do the catering?  I’m a lousy cook!

J:  Peter…

P:  Now, Jesus don’t you get all coy.  I heard you

J: Eh, Peter, I was speaking metaphorically.

(Pause)

P. What do you mean?

J: What you heard was a snippet of a conversation in which I was trying to explain your behavior.

P: My behavior?  What have I done wrong now?

J: Nothing.  You just laugh too much and eat too much for some people to take you seriously.

P: You mean the holy rollers?

J: I think that there are better descriptions for the Pharisees.

P: How about ‘whited sepulchers’ or ‘snakes.’

J: (Slightly impatiently)

Peter, the point is that the Pharisees… and John’s disciples…

live a far more moderate life than we do.

They believe that being temperate and self-controlled is very important.

So when they see you enjoying a meal on the day that they decided to fast, they get a bit upset and a bit judgmental.

P: You mean we should be fasting as well?

J: No.  I remind them that fasting was a voluntary thing.  That’s why I said that when the bridegroom is among his friends prior to the wedding, they all enjoy themselves.

P: (Puzzled) I don’t get it.

J: Well, Peter, the way I see it is that the Kingdom of God is like a great feast.

P: I know… I remember the story.

J: So, when the sick are cured or the poor hear the good news or whatever, that’s a sign of the Kingdom coming.  And it’s a cause for celebration.

And as I am the one who makes the Kingdom come, it’s only fair that my friends should celebrate with me.

Now do you understand?

P: I think so.

(Pause)

Jesus, if I ask you another question, will you give me a non-metaphorical answer?

J: What is it?

P: When are you going to get married?  I mean you are over thirty and your not short of admirers.

J: Peter, there is no answer to that question.

I am here to bring in the Kingdom.  That is what my life is all about.  I couldn’t be loyal to my vocation and to a wife and children.

P: But if bringing in the Kingdom is for single people, why did you choose disciples who are married?

J: Peter, I never said the work of the Kingdom was for single people.

In my case, it is.  In your case, it’s not.

Now, can we go on?

At this table we meet once again the bridegroom.  Whenever we gather at the Lord’s table we are nourished, prepared for and participate in the kingdom of God as we enact and anticipate the joy of the kingdom in our midst as in heaven.   Single and married, young and old, prepare your hearts to celebrate as we join in singing verse 3 of “I Come with Joy”

1 From:  Off-the record conversations Jesus and Peter, by John L. Bell & Graham Maule, GIA, Chicago, 1999.