I am sure I am like many people who like life when things go according to plan. Routine for most of us is a good thing. If I am out in the garden at 9.19 in the morning the Sheringham train arrives from Norwich and crosses the bridge on Beeston Common. This happens with great regularity. Then if I sit and look up into the sky four aircraft will fly over from west to east in the next three minutes high in the sky, often with white trails streaming out behind them. This happens on most weekdays. On the odd occasion I realise that I haven’t heard the train or there are only three aircraft not four. The routine hasn’t worked and it is fun to notice it and hardly worrying or disastrous.

What the disciples discovered after the death of Jesus was that their routine had changed and they weren’t sure whether this was a disaster or was it something good. When you have relied on a leader for three years and then he is executed this is frightening and worrying. Jesus had provided them with comfort and security. Even when they began to accept that he had risen, they started to realise that they were now in charge and they were responsible for preaching the good news and starting the community which would become the Church, the Body of Christ.

The order and routine of their lives was utterly changed. Each needed to adjust to the new situation. How could Peter begin to lead the Church when he knew that at the first crisis he had faced he had denied Jesus not just once or twice but three times? Jesus didn’t try to cover up what Peter had done but led him along a path of forgiveness asking him three times “do you love me?” And each time leading him to greater and greater responsibility. “Feed my lambs”, “tend my sheep” and finally “feed my sheep”.

This sets in place for us a pattern of growth both then and now. Look after the new Christians, help them to mature to an adult faith but never stop feeding them with good news so that they will go on learning and maturing to the day they die. We are here today not as an audience to the worship of God but to be fed and to grow in the Christian Faith.

Amen.

Andrew SSL