Breakfast With Jesus Series

Jesus, the God-man: Gospel of John

“Breakfast with Jesus”

John 21:1-14

Introduction: I have been invited to have breakfast with some important people in the past. My daughters and I had breakfast with Senator George Allen several years ago and I had the chance to have breakfast with some Disney characters last time I went to Disney World. Since I am not really a morning person, breakfast meetings usually are not that exciting for me.

There is one however that I do not think I would have skipped and that is the one found in our text today. Jesus invites His disciples to eat breakfast with Him not long before He would return to heaven. It would prove to be an important time for them to remember to what He had called them and what that would mean to their futures.

It would behoove each one of us to pay attention as well since these events still have repercussions for us today. We can learn much from this “breakfast with Jesus”.

1. Obedience brings blessing. (vv. 1-6)

It would seem like John concluded the book at the end of chapter 20 but he is inspired to tell of one more meeting.

Sea of Tiberias which is the Sea of Galilee, but at the time of the writing the name had been changed by the Romans.

Jesus had told them to go to Galilee and wait for Him there at a mountain.

Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”… Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. Matthew 28:10, 16

Seven disciples are hanging out together waiting, but then Peter says, “I’m going fishing.”

Sometimes we fall back on what we want or what is comfortable rather than waiting on God. Is fishing wrong? It is if Jesus told them to wait on the mountain.

“We are going too!” – Peter’s impatience leads others to stumble. Disobedience loves company. You feel less guilty.

We like to surround ourselves with people who are on about the same level as we are. If we are right with God, we want to be around others who are right with God. If we are out of God’s will, we feel rebuked by the lives of those who are living for the Lord and seek out those who are like we are. Sadly, we will often try to reproduce our spiritual temperature in the lives of those who are close to us. This is merely an effort to make self more comfortable. --Alan Carr, Pastor, Calvary Baptist, Lenoir, NC

Got in the boat and did not catch anything all night. Herein is the problem. Jesus did not call them to catch fish anymore; He called them to catch men! Failure makes it obvious.

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Matthew 4:18-20

v. 4 – Jesus comes along the shore, but they do not recognize Him. Shouldn’t they have been expecting Him?

How many times has Jesus passed by and you missed recognizing Him because you were doing your own thing and not waiting on Him?

“Children” – “Hey boys! Or Hey guys! Caught anything?”

“NO!” – He is waiting for them to admit their need. “I have failed.”

v. 6 – “Try the other side and you will!” Here is a command coupled with a promise.

They do and they pull in so many fish that they can’t pull the net into the boat.

What a striking line is this picture of Christian service. How He tells the servants that success in their ministry is due not to their eloquence, their power of persuasion, or their anything, but due alone to His sovereign drawing-power. –Arthur Pink (1886-1952), Exposition of John

This has happened to them before in Luke 5:1-11.

and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” Luke 5:10

It’s a reminder to them of who suggested it before – Jesus!

This symbolizes what He is about to do in using them to fish for men! Remember Pentecost??

This is Jesus’ final miracle and like His first, it is also performed at Galilee.

Upon the completion of it, the realization of who is on the shore sets in.

2. Follow Jesus without hesitation. (vv. 7-8)

John is the first to realize that it is Jesus and says to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Peter puts on his coat and jumps into the water and wades to shore.