Suddenly Aware of His Presence

The Problem of Presence

Have you ever gone to a meeting or a party and hoped that so-and-so would be there? Or that so-and-so would not be?

(sarcastically) “Oh bummer. He or she did t make it.”

What is it about someone’s presence that does something deep inside us? Why do some people make us cringe or become defensive? Why do others make us open up and make us feel free?

This week I started teaching Greek again and with every new class I’m a wreck during the first week. I’m always afraid of things like my class won’t like me or I’ll have a jerk student who will give me or the rest of the class a difficult time. But my students are also often terrified because language learning is hard and vulnerable work. So, here we are in each other’s presence, wondering what will happen.

Knowing this, I emphasize that we will be kind and patient with one another. Language and knowledge are not weapons to use against each other, but an experience to share together. I do this because I remember my first Greek class and everyone was scared out of their minds, to the point that you could cut the tension in the room with a knife. There was something powerful and freeing about how my teacher knew this and directly addressed it. When she did, the tension in the room evaporated. Her presence, which was initially terrifying, became a place of freedom and comfort.

To a large extent, how we feel about ourselves is derived from how we perceive that others feel about us. This is one reason social media is so satisfying and addicting. It gives us the ability to craft images of ourselves for other people. When they see how special we are, or how good we are doing, this will influence how others think of us. We are in control of the narrative.

What would happen if everyone knew the truth?

I wonder how that plays out here before God and one another. To what extent do we come to God or one another on our terms, being vulnerable to the extent that we want?

We don’t really want to experience an epiphany, do we?

Recognizing His Presence

What exactly is an epiphany? Last week, Loretta gave us a great visual of epiphany as we all awaited the appearance of the light that she had hidden away in many layers of packaging. One source defines epiphany as [definition SLIDE] "a visible and frequently sudden manifestation of a hidden divinity, either in the form of a personal appearance, or by some deed of power or oracular communication by which its presence is made known."

I used to think that epiphany was about God coming to the rescue, or appearing where he was not present before. But as this definition points out, epiphany is not about God coming, it is about recognizing his presence among us in a real and tangible way.

The good news Wilmore Anglican is that God is already present and already working without our awareness. We are invited to pay attention to His presence among us.

All of our scripture readings are connected by the theme of epiphany and this pattern emerges [pattern SLIDE]:

People suddenly realize that they are in God's presence.

They come to a deeper understanding of their sin and unworthiness in a way that they were not aware of before.

God forgives, strengthens, and restores them.

Deep transformation results from being in God’s presence.

They become witnesses to God's deep love for the world.

It’s as if their social media profile was hacked, suddenly fully honest, and rather than being pushed away by God, He embraces them and transforms them.

The Pattern in Isaiah 6

Prior to chapter six, Isaiah had already been warning the people of coming judgment. Then he has a vision of God in his temple. In this description he mentions Seraphim, which had 6 wings, with 2 covering their faces, 2 their feet and with 2 they flew [seraph SLIDE]. On the screen is a 10th/9th century relief of what many believe to be a seraph.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed this or not, but what do the seraph call out to one another? It is nearly the exact words we use in our Eucharist liturgy, right after we say “joining our voices with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven”:

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isa 6:3)

From now on, when we say this together, you will be thinking of Isaiah’s vision of God and the seraphim above him calling these words out. It is also scary to remember that when they called this out the stone foundations around the doors shook. [black SLIDE] It is for good reason that Isaiah was in terror and said (Isa 6:5):

“Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”

Something inside Isaiah said, “This is not right. There is a fundamental incompatibility happening right now. How am I, a sinner, supposed to go tell my people that they are sinners about to experience God’s judgment by exile?” He thought his end had come. But notice, instead of woe, in that place where Isaiah was most broken, God cleanses, forgives, and restores him through the Seraph.

Then, he responds to God’s call. While his message was simple, it was not positive. He is told in Isa 6:9:

“Go and say to this people: ‘Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep looking, but do not understand.’

While this strikes us as harsh, it’s not unlike what parents deal with. Sometimes my children don’t like hearing the truth so they cover their ears [twins SLIDE]. Children are truly independent beings and regardless of how well you love, care for, threaten, or punish them, sometimes, just like adults, they insist on doing what is wrong. Isaiah’s message was intended to jolt the people out of their complacency because of God’s love for them. [black SLIDE]

It is easy to forget that God had been working among his people long before Isaiah was born, and he continued working among them even when and where Isaiah was not proclaiming his message. And, God promised to continue working among his people even after Isaiah would be dead.

Wherever we are in life, and whatever we are facing, God has already been present and working without our awareness. Let us attend to His presence among us.

The Power of Presence

While I do not have time to go into Psalm 138 or 1 Cor 15:1-11 in any depth, I will just mention that the Psalm describes the internal disposition of someone who has had an epiphany. And 1 Cor 15 mentions numerous people to whom Jesus appeared alive after he rose from the dead. All of them were transformed by this experience and became witnesses.

We turn now to Luke where Jesus is on the coast of Galilee with some fisherman [lake SLIDE]. To give you a visual, here is a photo of part of the lake. There are several odd features of this text that deserve some attention. What is particularly confusing is why does Peter, who had been with Jesus all morning, suddenly fall at his feet and recognize that Peter is a sinful person?

The context is straightforward. Jesus is addressing a crowd that desires to hear “the word of God.” By getting into the boat and pushing out a bit, he could use the water and the shore as a natural amphitheater to address the people more easily [boat SLIDE]. Up on the screen is part of the hull of a first-century boat that was very possibly the same type of boat used by Peter. In fact, it resembles the same type of boats used in the 1800s for the same type of fishing that Peter performed. The next image is a reconstruction of what the boat would have looked like [reconstructed boat SLIDE].

So, here’s where things get odd. When Jesus was done speaking, he suddenly tells Peter to go fishing. Note that Luke specifically says that before getting into the boat, Jesus saw the boats and that the fishermen were cleaning their nets. Why does Luke mention this? He wants you to know that Jesus knew full well that they had worked all night and since he didn’t also see any fish, it was bad night.

Just to be sure you didn’t miss this, Peter tells Jesus,

“Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” (Luke 5:5)

Keep in mind that Jesus was a carpenter, and Peter was a professional fisherman. I’m sure you’ve had an experience when some well-meaning friend or family member tries to give you advice about your profession and they have no idea what they are talking about. Well, can you hear that in Peter’s voice?

To grasp the depth of Peter’s “are you kidding me?” it might help to know what Peter was doing all night. There were at least three types of fishing techniques used in Galilee. One was the cast net which could be thrown by a person on the shore or from a boat near the shore. This method was only practiced in the day time because you had to chase the fish before you cast the net.

Another, up on the screen [fishing method SLIDE] is one of three main fishing methods known in antiquity. This is called the “beach seine” method. This type of fishing appears in ancient reliefs, mosaics, and literary sources, and there are some archaeological remains of these nets. Scholars estimate that 10-30 fisherman would be involved in this kind of operation. However, this method was also practiced during the day time.

Another more common method is similar but was used only at night when fish could not see as well. The fisherman would follow a similar procedure, but would use a gill-net. It was called this because the fish would get caught trying to swim through the net. The way it worked was like this. They would spread a standing net like a wall similar to what’s on the screen. The boat would then position itself between the shore and the net and then they would suddenly start pounding the bottom of the boat to scare the fish. As they darted to the deeper waters, many would become ensnared in the net. The boat would return to shore, pull in the catch, and then repeat this 10-15 times a night. It’s no wonder that Peter was exhausted. [black SLIDE]

So, after laboring all night, having canvased the area with nothing to speak of, a carpenter tells a fisherman to let his nets down. Since the nets are cast and retrieved from the boat, it is probable that they were using the cast nets at this point. But this makes the story all the more ridiculous because one typically cast the net when fish were visible. I can just see Peter copping an attitude and half-heartedly tossing his net randomly into the water. Then boom.

There were so many fish they had to call for help and their nets were tearing. Why so many fish? Had they caught some fish, even a “normal” catch, the point would have been made. But this catch is over-the-top. It is at this point that Peter comes to his senses and realizes that Jesus is no ordinary person and that Peter himself is a sinner. Like Isaiah in God’s presence, Peter has the same reaction.

“Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8)

Peter’s FB account just got hacked and the truth was revealed. Yet, Jesus welcomes him rather than pushes him away. And, like Isaiah, he is commissioned by Jesus to be a fisher of men.

As we close, I want to make a final observation that relates to fish. From the 2nd century on, early followers of Jesus used the fish symbol. I think it is likely that this choice goes back to this event in the life of Peter. In fact, the Greek word ἰχθύς [fish SLIDE] which is featured on the slide was in a way the first creed. It was an acrostic for Jesus, the Messiah, Son of God, Savior.

Attending to His Presence

Of course, we can wait around for God to reveal himself in our lives in miraculous ways like he did in Isaiah’s vision, or Jesus did in Peter’s boat, but since we know he is working in and around us, let us attend to God's hidden presence among us. It is often hidden because we are not paying any attention even as we are literally in the same boat with together!

One of the places that I’m attending to God’s presence in our home is with my children. So many times, I just want them to stop behaving in the way they are. I’m focused on controlling them. It is my desire against theirs. Once kids get old enough, your desires are no longer a real compelling reason to obey.

But as a reflect on it, God doesn’t seem all that interested in controlling us. Rather, he will let us run around seeing, but not perceiving, and hearing, but not understanding, because that’s really what we want. But if we attend to his presence among us, we will see him at work and can join in that work.

So, with my kids, I’m asking the Lord to show me how to help cast a different vision for them. Rather than insist on just stopping their bad behavior, I’m seeking ways to invite them into experiencing God’s kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.

Like my Greek professor who addressed our fears at the beginning of class, and whose presence became a place of freedom and comfort, so also God knows the depth of our sin, directly addresses it, then forgives and restores us. May our epiphany experience lead us into new life as we testify to God’s love and forgiveness.