The cast of Risen!- The Musical at the Coventry Pentecost Festival

“There’s More Than One Way Of Saying I Love You” Featuring Lucy Stimpson- Maynard and Mustard Seed Soul Band  from Mustard Seed’s Album “Uplifted” produced by Bob Ross

So Risen!- The Musical premiered on Saturday, May 23^rd as part of the Coventry Pentecost Festival – more of that next week when there are photos to share but for now let’s just say it was “awesome”

In the meantime let me return to how Risen!- The Musical portrays some of its characters. So what about the disciple Peter? As with the disciple John a lot of what we know of Peter comes from the Gospel stories that precede the start of the Risen! storyline.  We know, for example that he was originally called Simon, was a fisherman in partnership with James and John and their father Zebedee  (Matthew 4:18 -22) We know that when first approached by Jesus he told Jesus to stay away because he was a sinful man (Luke 5: 8)  We also know he had a wife (Matthew 8:14)  and that when  the disciples were asked by Jesus who they thought He was, it was Peter who proclaimed “ You are the Christ the Son of the Living God.”  (Matthew 16:16)  Jesus responded by telling Peter (which means rock) that he is the rock upon which the church will be built; some interpret this to mean that it was Peter’s proclamation that Jesus is the Son of God which became the foundation upon which the church was built. Others believe it was  Peter himself upon which the church was built and indeed tradition has it that he became the first Bishop of Rome with St Peter’s Basilica built upon his bones.

After Pentecost Peter became one of the driving forces in the new church – after his speech (Acts 2: 14- 41) 3000 were baptised that very same day.  Acts also describes his miraculous escape from jail (Acts 12- 1-19) and his missionary work to the Hebrew people, Tradition has it that Peter was crucified by the Emperor Nero in AD 67/68. Peter chose to be crucified upside down as he felt unworthy to suffer the exact same death as his Saviour, Jesus.

In Risen! The Musical – Mary Magdalene tells Peter and John that the tomb is empty  and so Peter rushes there and is first to go in to find it  empty (John 20: 1-9) .  St Luke’s Gospel (Luke 24: 34)  tells us that Jesus appeared to Peter on the first Sunday when He rose from the dead. Peter was always impetuous and In Matthew 26: 33  promises Jesus that he will never deny him and that he would follow Him to death – Jesus replies by saying “Before the cock crows you will deny me three times – which is what, of course he did. Once, when Jesus appeared to some of the disciples who had returned to fish in  Galilee  Jesus takes Peter to one side and asks him three times if he loves Him. (John 21: 15-19) This is often referred to as Peter’s reinstatement as Jesus is using this opportunity to let Peter know that he has been forgiven.  Although Peter tells Jesus three times that he loves Him – right after Jesus leaves the scene  Peter wonders how he could love Jesus even more and sings the song “How can I love You more?”  Peter realises that he can only love more if he contemplates how much Jesus loves him, exemplified by His sacrifice on the cross -“Love’s source is in heaven not from within me.”

The featured song for today is “There’s more than one way of saying I love you” I thought it appropriate as I used its melody for the opening recitative of Risen!- The Musical  – “Family that’s what we’ve come to be, following Jesus for three years – family.”