You’re Doing It, Peter!

Pr. Jasmine Waring

5th Sunday of Pentecost June 27, 2021

In Steven Spielberg’s 90’s classic, Hook, Robin Williams plays a now middle aged Peter Pan who finds himself back in Neverland to rescue his kids, and rediscover his forgotten childhood roots. A disheveled, awkward, and reluctant Peter finds himself living amongst the Lost Boys, who take him in to teach him how to be The Peter Pan again. There is a particular scene which came to my memory this week as I thought about our text for today. The Lost Boys were preparing a feast after a long day of training him how to fly. Peter, who is sore and famished, licks his lips with eager anticipation as the steamy pots are passed by him. He holds two spoons in his hands ready to devour this feast. One boy says to him, “We don’t use those.” To which Peter replies, “Then why have them?” The boy then says, “We have them so that we don’t have to use them.” After the boys paused and then yelled, “GRACE!” everyone digs in. To Peter’s surprise, there is no food! Yet the boys are eating invisible corn on the cob, watermelon, giant turkey legs, and scooping bowls of soup. Tinkerbell encourages Peter to eat, and he replies frustrated, “Eat what? There’s nothing here! Gandhi ate more than this!” It wasn’t until much later, Peter was able to loosen the restraints of adult sensibility, and began to play and use his imagination. That was the moment the table transformed from a feast of air, into a feast that nourished them. “You’re doing it, Peter!” they said to him in wonder and amusement. I imagine the Kingdom of God is a lot like this feast. To the world, the kingdom of God is foolishness, like feasting on air. But for those who have eyes to see, ears to hear, and open hearts, can understand that God has prepared a feast for all of us. The Kingdom of God is a reality counter-cultural to the oppressive systems of this world. We can enter into it and find a seat at the table. This revelation is what transforms what is invisible to the world, into something that is as tangible as bread and wine. It is here, at the Lord’s banquet table we find nourishment for all who hunger. Not only those who experience food insecurity, but also for those who are hungry for community, purpose and meaning. Jesus said that he is the bread of life. We are nourished by him…carbs are very good in the Kingdom of God! In a world filled with scarcity, we can experience abundance. There is grace found at the Table. I loved the part when the Lost Boys took a moment of pause to shout grace before they ate. Even a rowdy bunch of boys knew this feast was gift freely given to them. Grace reminds us that we are beloved and valued for who we are as children of God, not by what we do or produce. Everything is a generous gift from God. We see this grace in our text when the messenger goes out and invites anyone, regardless of their social status. In a world that holds your mistakes against you, and makes you earn and strive for everything, the Kingdom of God shouts GRACE! There is equity and hope at the Table. Jesus tells his disciples who were fighting over the seats of honor at the table to humble themselves and take the less honorable seat. The banquet host gathers in those on the fringes of society and gave them a place of honor at the Table. Jesus said in Matthew 20, “The first will be last and the last will be first.” In world of punishingly hard hierarchies and inequality, the Kingdom of God elevates the poor and oppressed, and humbles the mighty. This brings us hope because if we can experience liberation in this place, then maybe we can experience this in other places. We can go into the world and see the things which held us back, only to leave them there to show (like the spoons) “That we don’t have to use them.” Every Sunday we gather together in order to join in on the feast that is already happening. Traditional Lutheran liturgy has been crafted so our worship services act as a divine drama. We are all cast in a role and are participating, imagining, even playing as we enter into a realm no eye has seen, nor ear has heard, and no mind could comprehend. For some, we look like we’re feating on air. For those with holy imagination, worship and liturgy are one of the many ways we can experience the Kingdom of God here. Now. We can be nourished, we can find grace, we can find hope and equity at the Table God has prepared for us. As we enter into the Kingdom of God here on earth, with our holy imagination, we have a cloud of witnesses cheering us on saying, “You’re doing it! You’re doing it! You’re doing it!” Of course we know from this parable that the feast is not just for us. This feast is for everyone. God is on the move in the world sending messengers to invite anyone who will receive it. The late author, Rachel Held-Evans wrote this in her book, Searching for Sunday, “This is what God's kingdom is like: a bunch of outcasts and oddballs gathered at a table, not because they are rich or worthy or good, but because they are hungry, because they said yes. And there's always room for more.” The reality is, there will be people who reject the invitation because the Kingdom of God is incompatible with their lifestyle. We are witnesses to a God who is the host of a great banquet. God is moving around the world sending messengers to invite everyone and anyone who will say yes. How do we respond to this? Will you accept the invitation? Will you join in on God’s mission? There is plenty of room at the table here at First Lutheran Church Fullerton. Let’s go out into our neighborhoods, to our favorite coffee shops, to our book club. Let them know that life doesn’t have to be this way. We can experience heaven on earth if we allow ourselves to play, imagine, and create as we partner in God’s mission. If you feel like you’ve been feasting on air; may the Holy Spirit ignite your holy imagination, and may you be nourished by Christ’s presence in bread and wine. If you don’t feel worthy to take a seat; may you find yourself in the good company of fellow misfits, and be reminded of your belovedness. May you sit at the Lord’s table and shout, “GRACE! GRACE! GRACE!” because everything is a gift. May you hear the cloud of witnesses cheering you on as you enter into the kingdom of God, saying, “You’re doing it! You’re doing it” Amen