Join us to celebrate two foundational apostles

Sunday 28th June, 11am, St Peter’s Chrurch,

The lives of Jesus’ foundational apostles, Peter and Paul, are marked this year on Monday 29th June. However, most churches will celebrate and remember these two remarkable men the day before on Sunday 28th June with services throughtout the Christian communion all over the world.

These two saints are different and yet alike. Both were passionate followers of Jesus, both lost their lives in his name and preaching his gospel, spreading his good word and good news. Yet, their paths to their passion were so different.

The fisherman and the academic

Their status in life before coming to serve Jesus could not have been more different. Peter and his brother Andrew were the first men Jesus called to follow him. They were fishermen, working men, strong and steady, with practical dexterity and honest humanity.

Paul by contrast, was born into a devout Jewish family in Tarsus. He was a Roman citizen, receiving a rigorous Hellenistic upbringing; the educational and cultural framework of the Hellenistic Period (323 – 30BC), which combined classical Greek ideals with the indigenous traditions across the Mediterranean and Near East. It emphasized paideia, an holistic education in literature, rhetoric, philosophy, and physical fitness, designed to create well-rounded, active citizens. He was fluent in both Koine and Classical Greek, allowing him to engage diverse population.

The contrast between the two couldn’t be more stark.

The Passion of Peter and Paul

Both came to Jesus in remarkably different ways. Peter and his brother Andrew were fishing, hauling their nets into their boat. Jesus, standing on the beach as they brought in their nets, called to them and asked them to follow him. He would teach them to be ‘fishers of men’ of people.

They both seemed to drop what they were doing, there and then and said ‘yes’. Quite remarkable when you think that they had families, obligations and their work. But that call was profound and deep. Something about Jesus’ call told them that this was the path they had to follow and that was that.

Paul on the other hand was a far harder challenge. Paul was originally named Saul, by the time we encounter him in the bible, Jesus has died and ascended to heaven. The young church, lead by Peter, Andrew, James, John and all the eleven remaining disciples was growing stronger, becoming a nuisance and gathering followers. For the pharisees, a continuance of the teachings of the man they thought they’d put down.

Saul was a pharisee when Stephen, a young apostle preached Jesus’ word and was seen as a disruptive influence. Stephen preached Jesus’ message before the Sanhedrin. Just like Jesus before him, Stephen was sentenced to death. He was taken outside, where they threw stones at him, until he died.

A young pharisee, Saul, held the coats of the attackers who killed Stephen, watching the horror unfold, mercilessly. Saul was never going to drop everything to follow Jesus. Not in the least bit.

The Conversion of Saul

Travelling to Damascus, Saul was thrown to the ground from his horse by a great light and a voice saying, ‘Why do you persecute me?’ After this apparition, Saul was left sightless. He was in the middle of the road, struck blind. At first, the men traveling with Saul took charge of him. Because he could not see, they led him by the hand and brought him directly into the city of Damascus.

Upon arriving in Damascus, Saul stayed at the house of a man named Judas, which was located on a street called Straight. Saul spent three days at this house, completely blind, fasting, taking neither food nor drink.

Ananias of Damascus

God subsequently sent a Christian disciple named Ananias to visit Saul at Judas’s house. Despite his initial fear of Saul’s reputation as a persecutor, Ananias bravely entered the home, placed his hands on Saul, and welcomed him as “Brother Saul”. Through Ananias, God miraculously restored Saul’s sight, filled him with the Holy Spirit, and baptized him into the Christian faith. After his sight returned, Saul finally ate food and regained his physical strength. He renounced his life before and changed his name from Saul to Paul.

This remarkable account lead to the phrase ‘a Damascene revelation’ or ‘Damascus moment’ when something changes our outlook dramatically and irrefutably.

The first and last apostles

The joy of these two men, who were the first and the last of the Twelve, is that despite their origins and such different beginnings with Jesus, took the young church and its early followers to new places, spreading the word throughout the Middle East, Asia and Europe.

Both spent time in prison for their beliefs, both died cruelly for them.

Both were advocates for Jesus in remarkable ways. Peter, practically, hands on, humane and human. While Paul, intellectually and spiritually, writing some of the most beautiful words ine the Christian canon. Words not spoken by Jesus but written in his name, which resonate and speak to us still.

Peter was the rock, the foundation of Jesus’ church. Peter had the keys to the kingdom of heaven. He is steady, human, an earnest, passionate and sincere man.

Paul, the writer, the thinker, the poet, expresses and interprets Jesus’ words and message in the most uplifting and resonant form. He is the communicator, the messenger we love to hear.

You can see why both are so important to Jesus and his church.

Two remarkable men and two remarkable lives to celebrate!