Saturday, June 04, 2005
Simon come see who I've met
**Roughly based on John 1: 34-37, 40-41***
Just imagine that you are Simon (later called Peter the apostle), you are simple fisherman going about the day's work. You are right in the middle of fixing a broken fishing net. The catch was a bit light today, and you would like to go out for a second try if possible. Unfortunately, the broken nets on the ground are keeping you on the shore. Your brother, who is also your business partner, is nowhere to be found. You don’t have time for anything unexpected to interfere with your work. Suddenly your brother approaches you. You're a little put out with him and let him know it by the expression on your face. He rushes to you and says, “We have found the Messiah, the Christ.”
Angrily, you look at him and tell him that you don’t have time for jokes and insist that he help you. But your brother insists that he is deadly serious. You drop the net and ask, “How do you know for sure that this man is the Messiah?” Andrew explains what John the Baptist, the well-known prophet, said about the man. John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God. Andrew recounts just a few of the man’s teachings and says that He speaks as one with authority.
Someone coming up and telling you that they just met the Messiah may not mean much to you today. But it meant everything to the Jews during the time of Roman occupation. The Messiah is the one foretold in the Holy Scriptures. They thought he would restore Israel back to its glory and help destroy all of its enemies. Simon could likely think of little else after his brother’s words.
What if Andrew was right? This could change everything. Simon had to go see for himself.
Just imagine that you are Simon (later called Peter the apostle), you are simple fisherman going about the day's work. You are right in the middle of fixing a broken fishing net. The catch was a bit light today, and you would like to go out for a second try if possible. Unfortunately, the broken nets on the ground are keeping you on the shore. Your brother, who is also your business partner, is nowhere to be found. You don’t have time for anything unexpected to interfere with your work. Suddenly your brother approaches you. You're a little put out with him and let him know it by the expression on your face. He rushes to you and says, “We have found the Messiah, the Christ.”
Angrily, you look at him and tell him that you don’t have time for jokes and insist that he help you. But your brother insists that he is deadly serious. You drop the net and ask, “How do you know for sure that this man is the Messiah?” Andrew explains what John the Baptist, the well-known prophet, said about the man. John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God. Andrew recounts just a few of the man’s teachings and says that He speaks as one with authority.
Someone coming up and telling you that they just met the Messiah may not mean much to you today. But it meant everything to the Jews during the time of Roman occupation. The Messiah is the one foretold in the Holy Scriptures. They thought he would restore Israel back to its glory and help destroy all of its enemies. Simon could likely think of little else after his brother’s words.
What if Andrew was right? This could change everything. Simon had to go see for himself.
