A fresh start – that phrase is so positive, so hopeful. It paints a picture of a new beginning after a long period of rough going. But how often do we really get a fresh start. If we’ve messed up bad, let’s face it, people remember. Sure, they can say it’s all in the past but the truth is, we can feel them just waiting for us to screw up again so they can say, “See, I told you so! You haven’t changed a bit.”
This Sunday we’re going to listen in on a conversation the risen Jesus had with Peter. It takes place maybe a couple of weeks after Easter Sunday. Jesus has appeared to his disciples several times, including a personal visit to Peter. Though he is overjoyed at seeing Jesus alive, there is still a black cloud which hangs over Peter. It is the uncomfortable memory of his denying Jesus three times the night before Christ was crucified.
The talk Jesus has with Peter takes place in the early morning on one of the fishing beaches on the Sea of Galilee. It is not a pleasant conversation but definitely a necessary one. Above all, it is the beginning of a fresh start for Peter as a follower of Jesus Christ. The resurrection means a second chance is available to us all. Not a second chance “with reservations” but rather with a clean slate.
How are you at giving second chances to other people? If you have a hard time with that, join us this weekend for one of our services. Understanding the second chance Jesus offers us is the key to giving people the fresh start they need.
Saturday evening worship: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am
Hawaii Lutheran Church (WELS)
- Community Lutheran Church
- Honolulu, HI
- Community Lutheran Church holds protestant chapel services in Honolulu, Hawaii near Pearl Harbor, HI. We are next to the USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hickam Air Force Base, and Fort Shafter Hawaii. Look for us directly behind the Salt Lake, Hawaii, Target.