Saul was the ringleader of a violent campaign of terror directed against the followers of Jesus. He went to the high priest and got permission to go to Damascus to hunt down anyone who had joined the Way of the Lord there. The high priest gave him a letter of referral to show to the leaders of the Damascus Synagogues, and authorised him to bring the culprits, men or women, back to Jerusalem in chains. Saul wasted no time in heading off, but just as he got within sight of Damascus, there was a blinding flash of light that knocked him right out of the saddle. As he hit the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why have you got it in for me?” Saul replied, “Who are you, Lord?” The voice came back, saying, “I am Jesus — the one you are seeking to crush. Now I want you to get up and go into the city and then wait for further instructions.” The people who were travelling with Saul stood there gob-smacked, because they could hear the voice but they couldn’t see who was speaking. Saul picked himself up from the ground and rubbed his eyes, but he couldn’t see a thing. He had been completely blinded and had to be led into Damascus by the hand. For the next three days he felt as weak as a kitten. He couldn’t eat or drink anything and he couldn’t see at all. Now in Damascus, there lived a man named Ananias who was a follower of Jesus. The Lord called out to him in a vision: “Ananias.” He answered, “Yes, Lord. I’m here.” The Lord said to him, “I want you to get yourself over to Judas’ house in Straight Street. Ask there for a man named Saul who is from Tarsus. Even as we speak he is praying, and in a vision he has seen you come and lay hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias protested, “Lord, you’ve got to be kidding. Everyone has heard stories about this man and about the atrocities he has committed against your people in Jerusalem. And the word is that he’s here on the authority of the chief priests to hunt down anybody who declares allegiance to you.” But the Lord insisted: “Go and do as I say. I have chosen this man to work for me. He will be instrumental in bringing me to the attention of people everywhere — kings and commoners, Jews and Gentiles. He will pay a high price for switching his allegiance to me, but I myself will give him fair warning of what he is going to be put through.” So Ananias went to the house he had been sent to and found Saul there. He placed his hands on his head and said, “Saul, my brother, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me to you so that you may regain the use of your eyes and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” The words were barely out of his mouth when something looking like scales fell from Saul’s eyes and he could see normally again. He got up and was baptised straight away. After a good meal, he could feel his strength returning. Saul spent several days in Damascus with the followers of Jesus. Without delay, he began to speak out about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” ©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

I’ll be singing your praises, every chance I get, LORD, because you got me out of deep trouble and spared me the gloating of my enemies. I pleaded for help, LORD God, and you stepped in and healed me. They were nearly ready to pronounce me dead but your brought me back, LORD; you put me back on my feet when I was about to be carried to the morgue. So I’m singing your praises, and I’m encouraging everyone to do the same; to name you with joyful thanks. We manage to get you angry at times, but it blows over in a moment because your mercy keeps on keeping on. We may have an evening of bitter tears, but by morning your mercy has us smiling again. I was guilty of taking your goodness for granted; I thought I had it made. You had put me on top of the world but I got all too full of myself. You stepped aside – made me stand alone — and I turned to jelly! I realised how much I needed you, LORD, and in my panic I begged you for mercy. “What good is my blood to you?” I cried. “How will it help if I’m in the grave? Can a corpse sing your praises? Will a gravestone publicise your goodness? Give me another chance, LORD. Please, LORD, bail me out one more time.” And sure enough, you did, LORD. You turned my tears to laughter; you set my dragging feet dancing; you dusted me off and dressed me up for a party. So now I’m singing your praises from the bottom of my heart, and no one can shut me up! You are my God, LORD, and I’m eternally grateful. ©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

I had a vision of a huge crowd of angels circling around heaven’s throne. There were thousands and millions of them; trillions perhaps, more than anyone could count. I heard their voices swelling, joining with the four awesome creatures and the twenty four elders in a mighty song:

“The Lamb who was slaughtered deserves all we can offer: power and wealth, wisdom and strength, honour and glory and every good thing!

Then I heard every creature everywhere joining in the song — from heaven and earth, from under the earth, from the waves of the seas — their voices rose as one:

“To you who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, we give it all: blessing and honour, glory and strength, forever and ever and ever!”

And at that, the four awesome creatures said, “And so say all of us!” And the twenty four elders fell to their knees and worshipped. ©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

One of the places where Jesus appeared to his followers after his resurrection was at Lake Galilee. A few of them had gathered there: Simon Peter; Thomas the Twin; Nathaniel, who came from Cana in Galilee; the two sons of Zebedee; and a couple of others. Simon Peter had decided to go fishing, and the rest of them had said, “You can count us in. We’ll come too.” They spent the night in the boat, but they didn’t catch a thing. They were heading back in to shore as the sun came up, when they saw a man standing on the beach. It was Jesus, but they didn’t recognise him. Jesus called out to them, “Morning boys! How are the fish biting?” “We haven’t caught a thing,” they replied. Jesus said, “Try casting off the right hand side of the boat instead. You’ll find some there.” So they did, and suddenly there were fish everywhere – more than they could pull in. The disciple with whom Jesus had been most intimate said to Peter, “It’s got to be the Lord!” Simon Peter had been stripped for work, but when he heard it was the Lord, he threw his shirt back on, dived into the sea, and struck out for the shore. They weren’t far off the beach – no more than a hundred metres – so the rest of them dragged the boat in with the load of fish. When they arrived on the beach, they found that Jesus had a fire going and was baking some damper-bread and barbecuing some fish. He looked up and said to them, “Put on some of the fish you’ve just caught.” Simon Peter dragged in the catch. There were a hundred and fifty three fish in all, most of them whoppers. It was surprising that the fishing tackle was still intact after landing them all. Jesus said, “Breakfast’s ready. Come and get it!” Some of the disciples half wanted to say, “Who are you?” but none dared because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus divided up the bread among them and then did the same with the fish. This was the third time the disciples had seen Jesus alive since he had been raised from the dead. When they had finished eating breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me above anyone else?” Simon Peter replied, “Yes, Lord. You know I do.” Jesus said to him, “Then feed my lambs.” Then he asked him again, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He replied, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”  Jesus said to him, “Well, take care of my sheep.” Jesus asked him a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was starting to feel hurt that Jesus kept questioning his love, and the third time he replied, “Lord, you know everything. You know how much I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. I kid you not, Simon, when you were a young bloke, you dressed however you liked and went wherever you wanted. But when you are an old man, you’ll put your hands up when you’re told to, you’ll wear what’s issued to you, and you’ll be taken places you don’t want to go.” (In saying this, Jesus was foreshadowing the kind of death Simon Peter would eventually face in his honouring of God.) After that, Jesus simply said, “Follow me.” ©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Let us lift up our hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God, for you alone are worthy to receive all power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise. With your powerful voice and glorious light you created the heavens and the earth. In mercy and love you saved a people from the pit of slavery, and commissioned them to bring your name before all the world. Your child, Jesus, lived your compassion to the full and called us to follow him. When he was killed by those who would murder your Way, you raised him to life again and enthroned him as the centre of heaven’s worship. He meets us in our uncertainty, redeeming even our failures and betrayals, offering forgiveness and removing the scales from our eyes, so that we might recognise you in everything, and express our love in worship and service. Therefore with ..... ©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

We thank for your Son, Jesus, who redeems even our failures and betrayals, and removes the scales from our eyes, so that we might recognise you in all the earth, and express our love in worship and service. ©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion) We give you all thanks and praise, O God, for you alone are worthy to receive all power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise. With your powerful voice and glorious light you created the heavens and the earth. In mercy and love you saved a people from the pit of slavery, and commissioned them to bring your name before all the world. Your child, Jesus, lived your compassion to the full and called us to follow him. When he was killed by those who would murder your Way, you raised him to life again and enthroned him as the centre of heaven’s worship. He meets us in our uncertainty, redeeming even our failures and betrayals, offering forgiveness and removing the scales from our eyes, so that we might recognise you in everything, and express our love in worship and service. Therefore, with our hearts lifted high, we offer you thanks and praise at all times through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. ©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Awesome is our God whose anger passes quickly, and whose mercy lasts a lifetime. Sisters and Brothers,   your sins are forgiven;     be at peace. ©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Go now and follow the risen Christ. Love God and nourish the faith of God’s little ones. Make Christ known to all people for God has chosen you as an instrument to lead others into the way of mercy and love. And may God change your anguish into a joyful dance; May Christ Jesus lead you from betrayal to mission; And may the Holy Spirit fill you with light and love and purpose. We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,    In the name of Christ. Amen. ©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net