Breakfast With Jesus

Good morning, dear family in Christ. It's a joy to be standing here before you today, a joy to be sharing in the love and fellowship that binds us together as one body, one family, one community in Christ. We're here to open our hearts to the word of God, to let His wisdom fill us and guide us, to let His love be the light that illuminates our path in this world.

[Title: Breakfast with Jesus]

Studies have shown that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as a good breakfast fuels you and gets you ready for the day. In general, those who eat breakfast have more energy, do better in school and work, and eat healthier throughout the day. Without breakfast, people can get irritable, restless, and tired. A good breakfast takes care of our physical body, but is there something similar for our spiritual? Yes, having breakfast with Jesus. So, let us look at the change in the disciples after having breakfast with Jesus.

After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.” And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”

Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish.

Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”

John 21:1-10

We open the story at a point a short time after Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, with seven disciples out fishing on the Sea of Tiberius, also known as the Sea of Galilee.

The seven were out fishing because Peter had decided to do so, as he had no idea of what else to do now that Jesus had left them without any clear instructions on what to do before His death. So, he did what he knew how to do, and that was to go fishing. We should keep this in mind as we wait for the Lord; we need to keep doing what we know how to do and not sit idle.

The fool folds his hands And consumes his own flesh.

Ecclesiastes 4:5

The book of Proverbs is ripe with verses relating to laziness, and the troubles it brings. So, Peter, not wanting to be lazy and not knowing what he should be doing because Jesus did not leave clear instructions on what to do after His death, so he reasoned that I will just do what I know how, and that is fishing.

In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul writes to the Thessalonians to not just sit around waiting, but to continue in their work. Scripture tells us that God blesses those who work, and you should remember that Jesus had never called anyone who was sitting around doing nothing; scripture shows that all the disciples he called were busy doing something. Four of the disciples were fishing, one was working in the tax collection booth, several were in church service with John the Baptist, and one was studying under a tree.

We see in verse 3: Peter and the other six disciples toiled all night and caught nothing.

How many times have you found yourself doing what you wanted to, relying on your on strength, resources, and knowledge? You found that you were just like the disciples here, toiling but showing no fruit for their efforts. Why is that?

• Was Jesus part of your plan?

• Did you come to Him and ask Him to bless your efforts?

• Did you come to Him and ask if you should even be doing whatever it was that you were doing?