"Giving the Kids the Keys" – Matthew 16:13-20

Matthew 16:13-20

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. 

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In today's gospel text I recognized an opportunity to talk about the ways in which Cross of Grace ministers to and with our youth. 

You might think this is a stretch, given that Jesus doesn’t explicitly say anything about youth in today’s passage. However, today’s gospel text is all about the future of the church; and Jesus makes it clear that his disciples, uniquely Peter, have a significant role to play in the future of the church. It is worth noting that the consensus in Biblical scholarship is that Peter, along with the other disciples of Jesus, would have been teenagers during their time with Jesus.

That’s probably not the image of Jesus’ disciples you had in your mind, is it?

The centuries of canvas artwork, stained glass, illustrated Bibles, and made-for-TV movies have lied to us by portraying the disciples middle-age white guys with thick beards. Delete the mental image of the scene you had in your mind and realize that this is a conversation between God’s Son, himself in his late-twenties, and a bunch of teenagers who are eager to be a part of something bigger than themselves. This is a story about youth ministry, the future of the church, and the identity of God. We would be wise to contemplate its implications for us today because today’s teenagers are equally as eager to be a part of something like what Jesus promised. 

At least four years ago Cross of Grace started discussing the possibility of bringing in someone to focus on its various youth ministries. I wasn’t part of those discussions; however, for better or worse, I am the result of those discussions. For 3 1/2 years we have served together. You have entrusted your youth into my spiritual care and I have sought to care for the entire congregation, and in particular our youth, albeit with various level of success. 

In a very real sense, 3-1/2 years into this position I still don’t know what I am doing. The landscape of youth ministry is changing as rapidly as everything else in our society. Tried and true approaches to youth ministry are no longer as effective as they once were. Books on the topic written just a few years ago seem to reference a time long gone by. 

Congregations no longer serve the same functions as they did in previous generations. One’s involvement with a congregations is no longer a top priority, nor a cultural expectation. In fact, now more than ever before, congregations are viewed as a liability rather than an asset, even for people hungry to sense and serve God – people who prefer a safer individual spirituality so as to avoid the all-too-common painful experiences of religion observed alongside other imperfect people.

There is no one-sized-fits-all approach for a successful youth ministry. Nor is it something I can do on my own. I would have left this position long ago if I felt that you were expecting me to ‘do’ your kid’s spirituality for them (or for you, for that matter). In fact, the times when I have recognized success in youth ministry have been when I have been able to empower you to be the most important spiritual influences in our kid’s lives. That goes for you whether you are a parent, grandparent, or someone who simply wants to make a positive impact in a child’s life. 

The call to support, encourage, inspire, and equip the youth in our community is a call that extends to every Partner in Mission at Cross of Grace. And you participate in this virtuous work by acknowledging our youth, smiling with them, asking them about their lives and interests, teaching them and learning from them, serving alongside them in the community, showing up at their events to support them, and letting them know that they are valued, respected, and loved. 

So take this moment to acknowledge the role you play in the lives of our youth, both inside our church walls as well as the youth in our wider communities. I sincerely thank you for being parents, grandparents, Sunday school teachers, children’s church leaders, youth group volunteers, nursery attendants, mentors, and more. I trust that you have been inspired by encounters with our youth.

A few weeks ago I was talking with a Partner in Mission who told me how she grew up in the confines of a religion that made her afraid of God because God she was taught that God judged her unworthy to be loved. She told me how much our weekly children’s sermon time means to her because every Sunday morning Pastor Mark or I take something out of the box and always turn it into a message about how much God loves each child. She is optimistic that generations of youth who grow up in a church inundated with a consistent message of grace and love will yield abundant spiritual fruit both now and in the future.

I also keep a memory tucked in the back of my mind as motivation for the difficult work of youth ministry. During my first year of serving a congregation in Kentucky I recall telling the congregation I would skip the youth message that morning because no children were there. A potent sense of sadness and despair emanated from those pews. It was a despair rooted in two stark truths: 1) the congregation wouldn’t exist much longer without another generation to rise up; and 2) a feeling of failure, that they had not taken seriously their call to nurture generations beyond their own. 

It fills me with so much joy and energy to be able to say to you that if I lived in this area and had a job other than pastor at Cross of Grace, I would still choose to worship here and raise my children here. I hope you recognize what a gift we have here. I hope that you recognize your role in it.

Go ahead and pat yourselves on the back, but stay focused, because there is work left to be done. And I desperately want you to be a part of it, both for the youth’s sake, as well as your own.

One of the directions I have been trying to steer us towards is a focus on building relationships across generations. The only reason I am a part of the church today in any capacity is because I was fortunate to have a number of people in my home congregation from all different ages who went out of their way to make me feel appreciated, valued, and loved. In my darkest times, I could remember many people from my home congregation whom I knew thought that my life was important. This is incredible gift that you could give to our youth at Cross of Grace. 

I place a high priority on any ministry that brings different generations together to create nurturing and healthy relationships. Starting in October, Cross of Grace will start its second year of “Cross-generational gatherings” between worship services on the first Sunday of each month. These are opportunities to sit at a table with a child, work on a craft or activity, play a game, sing a song, talk about Bible stories, and make a new friend. Last year’s participants told me how much they enjoyed the events. I hope you realize I am talking to you when I say you missed out if you didn’t participate last year; and you will really want to be a part of this.

Another exciting cross-generational aspect we’re trying this year is a mentoring program with our Faith Formation students. Pastor Mark is pairing an adult faith mentor for each of our Faith Formation students. This adult will pray for the youth, make a point of conversing on Sundays, and take it upon him or herself to be an example of faith and dependability for the youth. I had a faith mentor when I was in Middle School. He and his wife became dear friends and I still look forward to seeing them, even though those opportunities are rare these days. 

And here is one more way that you can make a difference in the lives of our youth: show up for their concerts, performances, and sporting events. Joannie Bowen preached a fantastic message at a midweek Lenten service in which she encouraged us to be the “fans in the stands” for our youth. She was instrumental in bringing women’s athletics to Hancock County and she makes it her mission to go to as many games as possible. Talk to any of our youth and they will be able to say that Joannie came to at least one of his or her games. You know that’s powerful. And it’s something you can be a part of. So look for our F.I.T.S. announcements and mark your calendars to show up and be amazed at what our youth are capable of. 

The landscape of youth ministry is changing and it is a very exciting time to be a part of it. What amazing news it is to know that every change, experiment, success, and failure is supported by God’s promise that the church built on the rock will last forever. May you remember that Jesus first gave this promise to a bunch of teenagers. And may you be inspired that the future of God’s good news through word, service, and sacrament is in the hands of our youth. 

Amen.

"From the Lips of Fish" – John 21:1-19

John 21:1-19

After Jesus appeared to his followers in Jerusalem, he showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.
When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

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At the summer camp in Ohio where Lindsey and I worked, there was a pond. In this pond were fish. To my knowledge, no one ever ate the fish that were caught in the pond. We simply threw them back into the water, over and over again.

Now, when I say “we” I am referring to everyone except me. I will never be confused with a fisherman. I can barely muster up the courage to pierce a worm with a hook. Now, when I say, “I can barely muster up the courage,” I mean, I cannot muster up the courage. Every time I took kids to fish in the pond, I teamed up with another counselor who would handle all of the parts dealing with hooks either going into or out of wiggling, convulsing creatures. 

One morning when we were fishing, and when I say “we” I mean “they;” when they were fishing, a kid reeled in a fish. I happily let the other counselor grab the fish, release the hook, and toss it back into the water. Except that at nearly the exact same time, another kid caught a fish; and then another kid caught a fish. Three fish on hooks; two counselors. The other counselor was busy. It was up to me to touch the fish, release the hook, and toss it back into the water.

The problem was that every time I touched the fish, it moved…and creeped me out. I must have tried a half a dozen times to grab hold of the fish without throwing up. I finally got hold of it. I grabbed the hook and tried to wiggle it out.

Recall, I said we never ate the fish, we simply threw them back into the water, over and over again. Well, this particular fish had been caught dozens of times before. How do I know this? The fish’s “lip” (do fish have lips?) was perforated like a piece of paper designed to be torn in two. 

I grabbed the hook, tried to wiggle it out, and the whole lip – a perfect circle – came off with it. I returned the fish to the pond. Now, when I say I “returned the fish to the pond,” I mean that I screamed and threw the fish like a fastball into the water.

I’m no fisherman.

But I love John’s story of Jesus’ fishermen disciples. Because while I’m not a fisherman, I am a Christian who is committed to the Christ’s work in this world through the church. And as it turns out, fishing and being a Christian, and being a part of a church, are very similar endeavors.

Recall from the gospel story last week that Jesus had already appeared to the disciples two times since being raised from the dead.  The most earth-shattering event in history had just unfolded, and what were the disciples doing? Fishing! Not fishing for men, as Jesus had instructed them; but fishing for fish. 

This strikes me as similar to someone undergoing a serious and complicated surgery that saves their life, only to spend the rest of their days lying on the couch watching TV. Everything the disciples had learned, witnessed and experienced had prepared them for lives of courageous service and miracle-working…not fishing.

No wonder, then, that Jesus appears to them a third time. The disciples still don’t get it!

And yet, Jesus doesn’t come with judgmental or condemning words. In fact, he gives them a pointer on how to actually catch the fish they’re fishing for. The secret, the unbelievable secret, the secret that no one else seemed to consider throughout the evening…put out the net on the other side of the boat! It’s an invitation to try again, even after failing all night long.

The disciples end up with quite a haul of fish – 135 big ‘ens. They realize the mysterious man on the shore with the incredible fishing advice was Jesus. So they come ashore, and find that Jesus has already provided them with bread and fish. And yet, Jesus invites them to contribute a portion of their haul to the beachside barbecue.

There is an important connection between this scene and our life of faith. We are commissioned – called and sent – at our baptism to share in the work and ministry of our Lord. 

And yet we often fall short, failing to give witness in word or deed to our faith in the living Lord. 

And yet Jesus doesn’t just call and send us, Jesus also forgives us when we fall short. 

And Jesus doesn’t just forgive us, but calls us to try again. 

And Jesus doesn’t just call us to try again, Jesus also invites us to share what we have and gives us meaningful work to do.

Is it possible that we as a church have failed to give witness in word or deed to our faith in the living Lord?

Is it possible that Jesus has forgiven us for falling short?

Is it possible that Jesus is calling us to try again?

Is it possible that Jesus is inviting us to share what we have? Is it possible Jesus is giving us meaningful work to do?

It’s more than possible; it’s a fact. What you do matters. As parents or children, siblings or friends, employees or volunteers, citizens or neighbors, you are called to look for opportunities to care for the people and world God loves so much.

Do you love Jesus? If so, you are to care for the people and world God loves so much.

Do you love Jesus? If so, then you need to take some risks. 

Do you love Jesus? If so, then live in a way that honors the fact that Jesus has destroyed the power of death.

Like Peter, we too will deny Jesus. We will convince ourselves we have nothing to offer anyone. We will follow the path of certainty, even if it is certainly leading to death. But like Peter, we will have as many opportunities to serve God as we have denied Jesus.

We are called to be fishers of men. 

Some of us will get sea sick – we’ll want to leave the church because it navigates the rough waters of faith instead of resting on the solid ground of certainty.

Some of us will get queasy at the idea of touching a fish – reaching out with compassion to someone different from you; someone who is struggling and afraid. 

Some of us will become impatient after not catching anything all night long – we look around and wonder, “Shouldn’t our church be growing more and doing more?” 

And some of us will forget that Jesus has already provided everything we need to survive and thrive and is inviting us to rest and enjoy God’s provision. 

I don’t know if you like to fish for fish. But each one of us, regardless of our age, physical ability, or sense of faith, is called to fish for people. We will get sea sick, queasy, impatient and forgetful. But by proclaiming God’s grace through Jesus Christ, by caring for those in need, by loving those who have been disregarded, we will be living lives that give honor to God and ourselves.

May Cross of Grace Lutheran Church be a boat navigating the rough waters of faith. May this church be patient through the lonely nights. May this church be willing to risk failure by tossing the net off the other side of the boat. And may this church never lose sight of Jesus who provides all we need and guides us safely to shore.

Amen.