You Will be…..?
From time to time I am asked to provide character references for people.
How would you feel about these “eager, impulsive, generous, loyal and essentially unreliable” so says William Temple a former Archbishop.
He’s not the sort of person that you think would be a great leader, particularly the unreliability bit. But Jesus has other plans and says “you will be”…..
The great thing is how that can be applied to Josh, Helen and Mark as they get baptised today but in reality how this can apply to us all.
Andrew brought his brother to Jesus. And when Jesus saw him, he said, "Simon son of John, you will be called Cephas." This name can be translated as "Peter." John1:42
People get baptised when they have discovered something of whom Jesus is. For them Jesus is more than a name from history, he is none other than God himself who as well as being God is fully human. This Jesus is the one who has died for them.
From our reading, Jesus was described as being the Lamb of God. John told Andrew and another of his followers that Jesus was the Lamb of God.
This title refers to a sacrifice that would make forgiveness available for the world. Baptism is a bath, but the real cleansing goes on inside and Josh, Helen and Mark are saying that they know this Jesus, and he has brought a fresh start into their lives. He can do the same for you. For baptism also celebrates Jesus being raised from the dead and we have every intention of bringing each of the three back up out of the water, which is symbolic for the new live they are able to live because of Jesus.
Well, when one of John’s followers saw Jesus and was told who he was he wanted to find out more, so he went to his home. So impressed was he with the discovery of Jesus he just had to bring his brother along. The church grows as we discover Jesus for ourselves and as we help others to discover Jesus too. That can be family, a friend, a neighbour, or maybe through other personal contact. The fact is we can help others to make the amazing discovery of who this Jesus is and what he is able to do.
Now it could just be that you haven’t a clue who Jesus is, but the truth is he knows you inside out. The Bible tells us that God is involved in our creation, he is active even before we were conceived.
Jesus when he sees Simon, takes his time when he looks at him and says you are Simon. Nothing incredible about that, he was chatting to his brother Andrew the night before, yet he is saying more than that, he is saying I know you Simon, I know what you are like and I still want you to be my disciple.
A lot of what William Temple says about Simon, I would agree with, although I am not so sure about the unreliable bit. He did deny that he knew Jesus years later after Jesus was arrested and he recognised that saying that he knew Jesus could put his own life on the line. A demonstration that when we try to do God’s things in our strength it just doesn’t work, but the reality was Jesus wanted Simon to be his disciple.
Just as Jesus knew Simon, so he knows each of us, and what is even more incredible, he loves us and was willing to die for us.
You may just recognise this guy on.
An 18 year old on whom we pinned our hopes to win the European Football Cup. A guy who loves football and his family. A guy with enormous potential.
Jesus sees Simon and he sees the potential, this Simon could make a great leader for the Church.
Jesus sees Josh, Helen and Mark and sees what they can be.
He sees you and sees what your life can be.
The incredible thing is that when God created humanity he took a seismic risk when he gave us the power to choose, the power to make our own decisions for good or ill.
The power that can bring great good and creativity to the world, but also the power to create hell on earth where God’s ways are disregarded.
You won’t necessarily be an Einstein or a Rooney, but you can decide whether you are going to live your life going God’s way or your own. For God that’s a huge risk but creating us in love meant that was a risk he was willing to take.
Some of you will watch the discovery channel, with it you discover a lot more channels and can find out a lot more things.
Spiritually discovering Jesus as your Lord and Saviour opens up the discovery channel for your life.
Jesus gives Simon a new name possibly a nickname which in itself is a sign of friendship but also one which sees what is going to be.
Simon, which has the idea of hearing and obeying, will become The Rock man literally Rocky
The giving of a new name by Jesus to Simon refers to the new character, which increasingly will be true of him, hence he is called Peter by Jesus.
John Calvin writes
“That Jesus promises Peter something he would never have expected”.
William Temple wrote
“When a man is brought to Jesus, Jesus can make him strong at the very point of his apparent weakness”
Simon is going to be transformed by Jesus and become Rocky.
Jesus not only sees potential but with our co-operation he can make it happen.
William Barclay tells of Michael Angelo chipping away at a shapeless piece of rock. He was asked what he was doing “ I am releasing the angel imprisoned in the marble. The picture of the sculpture is of King David, like the angel he must have been able to see David within the rock.
Jesus sees what we can become. He sees not only what is but what can be.
Jesus sees in Peter not only a man but also a person upon which the Church could be built.
Jesus knew that with God’s power Peter could be transformed.
A life surrendered to Jesus enables us to be the person God created us to be and Jesus himself will be evident in our lives.
Who will you be? God knows, and if you get to know Him as Josh , Helen and Mark have done he can make sure that your life will really count.