JOHN 1:29-42

[29] The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

[30] This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’

[31] I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”

[32] And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.

[33] I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’

[34] And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

[35] The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples,

[36] and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

[37] The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

[38] Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”

[39] He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

[40] One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

[41] He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).

[42] He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

Peer pressure.  That’s something parents worry about as their children get older.   You think about all the potential problems. What do I do if my daughter starts hanging out with the wrong crowd?  What do I do if I think my son is experimenting with alcohol?  What do I do if my child wants a violent video game because it’s the one all his friends got for Christmas?

It can be a real challenge.  If you’re like most parents you can probably remember a conversation similar to the one a frustrated father had one evening with his son.  The father was tired of listening to his son complain about not being able to wear the same clothes his friends were wearing.  The son wanted to wear baggy, saggy pants, sexually suggestive t shirts and $200 sneakers just like them.  So, when the subject of clothes came up again the father decided to try a different tactic.   “Son,” the father said, “Do you really have to wear what your friends are wearing?  What do you think Jesus would do here? Do you think Jesus would complain about his clothes and insist on wearing the clothes your friends are wearing?  Why can’t you be more like Jesus?”  Now the son was frustrated.  He shrugged his shoulders and said, “All right Dad, I give up. Just tell me what Jesus is wearing and I’ll wear it too!”

Peer pressure is a reality that every teenager has to deal with in sooner or later but what about us?  Peer pressure is something that adults have to deal with as well.   It’s called keeping up with the Joneses.  It’s called climbing the ladder of success so you can look good to your friends and neighbors.   It’s all about image and going into debt so you can live in the fashionable neighborhood and wear the fashions that will make you a part of the in crowd.

If you worry too much about what other people think though you could end up feeling completely empty and lost.  You could end up just like the person who was sitting in church one day wondering what happened to his life. 

You – sitting in the pew next to me –

I’m scared.

Years are passing quickly

And I seem to have little control over my life.

It’s as though somebody else

Set out a course for me.

When did I decide on this life-style?

I’m scared by the subtleties of life.

I’m scared by what’s expected of me

By some unknown “they” out there.

I’m scared by the pushing, the pulling, the pressures.

Whoever decided that I had to live on this street in this house

And work like crazy to live on another street in a bigger house?

Whoever decided for me that success was chasing after things?

And that there’s no end to it…

Keep chasing…

My life dedicated to owning.

Whoever decided I owed my children bigger and better things?

I’m scared when I take a good look at my way of life.

I’m scared when I look at myself.                                  (Ann Weems’ Reaching For Rainbows)

Sometimes without even realizing it you get caught up in all that peer pressure and it leaves you wondering, “Who am I really?  Why am I here?  What should I really be doing with my life?”

I wonder if Peter ever asked himself any of those questions.  What do you think?  In some ways Peter had a simple straight forward life.  Peter was a fisherman and he was probably good at it.  Then again, maybe he wasn’t very good at it.   It’s interesting to note that on the two occasions where we see Peter fishing in the Gospels his nets are empty, E-M-P-T-Y, empty! His nets were empty when he first met Jesus and his nets were also empty when he saw Jesus after the resurrection.  

So, maybe Peter wasn’t a fisherman because he was good at it.  Maybe Peter was a fisherman because he enjoyed it.  I doubt it.  After all think about it.  If Peter and the other disciples really enjoyed being fishermen then why were they so eager to drop their nets and follow Jesus?  Why did James and John leave their father in the lurch like that?    Why did Peter immediately go with his Andrew when his brother told him that they had found the messiah?  You can almost hear Peter weighing the options in his mind. “Let’s see. What am I going to do here?   Am I going to continue to do this back breaking work, hauling in these slimy nets full of smelly fish day after day after day with no vacation time and no pension plan?  Or am I going to follow this messiah who Andrew says is going to usher in God’s kingdom and lead us all to a whole new wonderful world full of peace and justice?”

When you come right down to it there was one reason and one reason only that explains why Peter was a fisherman.  Peter was a fisherman because everyone said he was supposed to be a fisherman. That’s the way it was back then. You did what your father did before you and what his father did before him.  If your father was a shepherd it meant that you were also going to be a shepherd whether you liked it or not.   If you’re father was a carpenter it meant that you were also going to be a carpenter whether you liked it or not.  And if you’re father was a fisherman it meant that you were also going to be a fisherman whether you liked it or not.

All his life Peter thought he was supposed to be a fisherman.  Then Jesus showed up and changed everything.  Jesus said, “So you are Simon the son of John?”   Not anymore.  From now on “You shall be called Cephas.”  Now if you take that ancient Aramaic word and translate it into Greek you get the name Peter and if you take the name Peter and translate it into English you get the word rock.  So, in changing his name Jesus was basically saying, “Peter, you’re not a fisherman.  Deep down you’re a man of courage and conviction.  You’re a rock.  You may not see that in yourself right now but I know that you’re a rock Peter and you’re the rock that I’m going to use to build my church.”

If you want to know who you really are and what you need to do to be content in life you won’t find the answer to those questions in the politicians and the pundits or even the preachers in the pulpit.  You won’t find the answer to those questions in the athletes or the ad executives who create all those commercials that tell you that you’ll only be someone if you use this deodorant and or drink that beer and drive the car that they’re selling. You won’t find the answer to those questions in the football players and the cheerleaders at school.  You’ll find them when you follow the Jesus who is the ultimate authority when it comes to authenticity.   When you follow Jesus he will lead you to the authentic you.  He’ll unlock the goodness in you.  He’ll unleash the potential in you.  He’ll unchain you from the voices that criticize and condemn and try to control you.

You – sitting in the pew next to me –

I’m sacred when I look at myself.

That’s why I’m here –

Because I’ve heard there’s a better way.

I’ve heard that some people take Christ seriously.

I’ve heard that if I follow him I can become a “new creation.”

Is it possible?

Could I talk to you about it?

Would you laugh to think successful me needs you?

Or would you be compassionate because you know I’m scared?

Maybe you’ll be the one to tell me…

Jesus will help you discover the authentic you because he is the authority on authenticity. Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

January 11, 2011