The focus this week is more or less on following, or getting a call, and several themes around these ideas.
The first reading
Isaiah 6:1-13 is Isiah's call. The last half or so is one of those troubling passages if read literally, even figuratively. But in context it offers hope that even in the most desolate of places, after the longest of time a seed will emerge. Immediately before this though is one of Christianity's most popular passages "Here I am". During the early service, this is
one of the favorites.
The Psalm is
Psalm 138 which continues the theme along with the one mentioned below for the epistle. It ends with "You will make good your purpose for me; O Lord, your steadfast love endures forever; do not abandon the works of your hands."
The second reading
1 Corinthians 15:1-11 starts with the salvation message of this thread and how that message spread from Jesus' first post resurrection appearances through Paul's calling and beyond. It ends with Paul channeling an Avis commercial "we try harder", but the main take away is that Paul's success at following the call is not due to Paul, but due to God. A theme that runs through all of these.
Finally, the Gospel is about Jesus picking up one of his forgotten followers and the forgotten story behind it with
Luke 5:1-11. Joking aside I don't connect that much with Peter's impulsive nature, but a pastor that left about a year ago from my church certainly did (per him) and it led to very some interesting sermons from a very different perspective.