April, 2007
Father’s Day Sermon
I Go a Fishin’
John 21:1-15
INTRODUCTION: Peter, once again the spokesman of the group said, “I go a fishin’,” and the others said, “We’ll go with you.” It may have been just an overnight fishing trip or maybe he was getting hungry and just wanted to catch a few fish. Some say that this was an action of despair because he was going back to his old occupation as a fisherman. That may have been the case, or he may have needed some extra cash since he was “laid off” from preaching at the time. The ascension hadn’t taken place yet or the day of Pentecost. It was the “between time” before the early church began. Also remember, Peter had already denied the Lord three times just a while earlier. He may have thought that he would never have any future ministry. He had blown it--three strikes and you’re out. He had denied the Lord three times. Peter had seen the Lord three or four times after the resurrection, but there was still a sense of sin, guilt, and unworthiness over denying the Lord. He had not completely worked through this intense experience, and he still had doubts about his relationship to Jesus and his place in God’s work. He probably felt pretty worthless at the time.
In this ordinary fishing experience Jesus led up to dispelling these doubts and helped give Peter the special encouragement he needed to remove this cloud of denial that was still hanging over his head. Peter may have felt that he was already disqualified from further service to the Lord, but Jesus reconnected with Peter through an ordinary fishing trip and breakfast on the shore.
Although Peter in the past had risen to a position of leadership and had even been given the “keys of the kingdom,” (Matthew. 16:19), he had lost all of that.
How many times do we, too, feel that we have lost our testimony in the world and doubt God’s willingness to forgive us over and over again when we blow it? Sometimes second and third chances are not often available in families, communities, or workplaces. All you have to do is fail once too often and you’re out the door. You’re history. This happens in Christian circles too. You probably can think of a time when you were kicked off a team, out of the club, out of the house, kicked out of school, or out of a church. These probably were all important happenings at the time, but what is the closest that you have come to blowing it so badly that you thought God was never going to speak to you again? What did you learn about God in the experience?
Peter learned that the Lord offers boundless forgiveness to those who own up to their failures and repent. Can we offer any less to our families, friends, and co-workers?
This is where Peter was emotionally during this fishing trip. Although he was repentant and had wept bitterly over his denials, he still didn’t have the restoration he needed for his future in God’s plan. Although they had toiled all night, they had caught nothing. This was discouraging to these professional fishermen. They may have felt like a loser for sure. They may have thought that they had lost their skill.
Story: The story is told of a fisherman who had such bad luck that the fish would gobble up the bait from the lines on both sides of him but wouldn’t touch his bait. People would say, “Oh well, tomorrow’s another day.”
The fisherman decided that the only way he would be able to catch fish was to buy a boat. He bought an Old Cape Codder and called it “Meals on Reels” and the fish avoided it too. One day the boat sank. He raised it and refurbished it. Finally he ended up selling it. He just couldn’t catch a thing. The fish avoided the boat too.
One day a man in a small boat came up to him and said, “Could you use some fish? I’ve got far more than I can take care of.” The bad luck fisherman was a proud man and said, “Thanks,” but I only take home fish that I can say I caught.”
The man said, “Tell you what, you wade out a little, and I’ll toss a bluefish to you. Grab it with both hands. When you get home, you can say you caught it!”
That day the hard luck fisherman went home happy!!!
1. Jesus Came on the Scene: The disciples had a different than usual fishing experience too that day. After fishing all night and catching nothing a man on the shore yelled out to them, “Haven’t you caught any fish?” They probably felt humiliated because they had to say, “No, we didn’t catch a thing.” The man said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”
They could have indignantly said, “Hey, who are you to tell us how to do it. We’re professional fishermen. We have the expertise. We’re not going to do it. We’ve fished all night.”
At this point they didn’t know it was Jesus, but they were not too proud to give it a try. After all, their way hadn’t worked. When they took the advice of the man on the shore, they were unable to haul the net in because there were so many fish. And besides that, the net didn’t break and the boat didn’t sink. It was then that one of the fishermen, John, recognized that it was Jesus.
How does the direction of Jesus in our life change things? We can often do things “our way” and not accomplish anything. They had worked hard all night and caught nothing; but when they did it according to Jesus’ direction, they caught so many fish that they could hardly pull the net in.
What does this say to us in our everyday lives. Do we often feel that we are the “professionals’ and don’t need help from anyone, not even the Lord? Do we say proudly, “I’ll do it my way,” and then find that our lives end up in a mess? What if we say, “OK, Lord, what do you want me to do? How can I handle this? Guide me and show me what I should do.” Wouldn’t our lives become more productive? We might think that the Lord is not interested in our daily lives, but on this weekday during an ordinary day of fishing, Jesus was there to help. He made himself known to people who were busy at work, not just at church. The risen Redeemer showed an interest in the commonplace things of their lives--daily fishing--breakfast on the shore. He met these people where they lived. Jesus is interested in you today right where you are and is able to direct you every day of the week. It made a big difference when Jesus came on the scene of their lives, and it makes a big difference to us too. All you have to do is to be willing to follow His direction. He has many ways of making himself known to us. Let’s not insist on doing things “our way” to the exclusion of His insights. These fishermen had not thought of letting the net down on the other side of the boat. That was not the traditional way of doing things. But the Lord often wants us to break out of our traditional, accustomed way of doing things in order to find success. He can help us to do things in different ways. Let’s be open to whatever He suggests.
2. Jesus Extends the Invitation: Not only did Jesus give them the boost they needed for a successful fishing experience, but He extended the invitation to them to “Come and Dine.” He already had breakfast cooked and waiting for these tired and hungry fishermen, He invited them to bring some of their catch along with them. Why did He do this? I believe he wanted to let them know that it is a combined effort. We are laborers together with God.
We don’t do it all and neither does He. It is a joint effort where we are dependent upon each other--our efforts, our talents, and abilities combined with His direction and strength for our day. He needs us to carry out his work in the world, and we need Him to help us to do it. This breakfast paved the way for an important talk with Peter. He needed this man who had blown it one time after another. He knew that first of all these people needed some nourishment--fish and bread to strengthen them and some extra nurturing when he called them “children.” There was the care and gentleness of a father toward them. He wasn’t rough and abrasive with them. He understood their discouragement and their doubts and fears. He was not only concerned about their spiritual needs but also about their daily, ordinary needs for food and encouragement after working all night.
Our gospel is more than a Sunday morning worship service. It extends to the total person in the business of ordinary living.
3. The Restoration and Recommissioning: When breakfast was over, Jesus still had more business to take care of. He had some things to say to Peter. He called him Simon, his old name rather than his new name, Cephas, meaning “Rock” probably because Peter felt as if he were back to square one again. Jesus met him where he currently was--square one. He asked him a question. “Simon, do you love me more than these?” More than these other disciples, more than this fishing job, more than all of these other things… Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus was asking, “Do you value and esteem me more?” At Peter’s response He said, “Then feed my lambs.” This was only the first step in Peter’s restoration. It is one thing to say you love Jesus but the real test is your willingness to serve Him. Peter had denied Jesus 3 times and Jesus asked him this same question three times.
A second time Jesus asked, “Simon, do you truly love me?” He said again, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Then Jesus said, “Tend my sheep.” What he was saying here was, “I am asking you to recommit your life, Peter. I am restoring you and recommissioning you. I have work for you to do, Peter.” He was showing him that he was to resume his work--to take care of the people--the new converts, the lambs, and the more mature believers--the sheep.
Again a third time Jesus asked him the same question, “Simon, do you love me?” Peter was getting a little frustrated by this time. He answered, “Lord you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus was not going to settle for quick, superficial answers. He was going to get to the heart of the matter. How would you respond if Jesus asked you:
Do you truly love me?
Do you really love me?
Are you even my friend?
Story: An elderly man was at his wife’s funeral and he was over and over saying, “Oh, how I loved her… Oh, how I loved her..”
People tried to comfort him by saying, “Yes, I know you loved her. It’s OK.”
He wouldn’t stop. “Oh, how I loved her. Oh, how I loved her.”
He kept it up and kept it up. Nothing would comfort him. He finally said, “You don’t understand, I ALMOST TOLD HER ONCE!”
Each time that Peter affirmed his love, Jesus gave him a commission to do something.
What is different about this third question from the other two is the Word love. Jesus is using a different word from the first two--he used the Greek Word phileo which was asking, “Do you love me DEARLY. An affection that was characterized by constancy--cherishing him above all else--the love of a brother, a friend.
On the other hand the word Agapa meant to value or esteem, godly love. I think the phileo love was a closer bond between Jesus and Peter--more of a personal relationship or friendship--a daily, I will follow you.
Yes, Lord, I love you--a closer father/child relationship--a friend/friend relationship--not just a general casual, “Yes, I love you with the love of the Lord--I love PEOPLE in general--but it was a SPECIFIC love--I love you specifically as a parent loves a particular child. Not just all children in general. At this point, I think the “light bulb” turned on--Jesus knew that Peter got the point. He said, “Feed my sheep.” He had his future assignment. Peter was now “OK.”
CONCLUSION: How does this speak to us? We too need to know in our hearts that He has not only forgiven us our sins but that He has restored us to service. We are not disqualified any longer. We are not rejected but rather accepted “into the beloved.” We may say Peter didn’t deserve another chance, but God saw it differently. The same is true for us. We fail many times but we receive God’s forgiveness and restoration. Not only do we need this tender loving forgiveness but we need to be quick to offer it to our families. Many parents and children are alienated from each other in spite of attempts to straighten things out and make them right again. Like Peter, often children do not THINK they have been forgiven. They still have a feeling that they have been permanently disqualified. Parents often feel a distance from their children for years and feel the guilt of having failed as a parent. Restoration of families takes time. Peter’s restoration took time. Jesus did not preach at him--he showed gentleness, he offered hospitality and kindness by inviting him to a simple breakfast. That was what Peter needed at the time.
Peter got the message that Jesus truly did forgive him for he was able to carry out his love and commitment to Jesus in the early church. He fed and taught the lambs, he tended the flock as a spiritual shepherd, he fed and taught the mature believers. Peter’s entire life was back on target just as we can experience in spite of blowing it time after time.
There can be reconciliation in our families, in our jobs, and in our communities because of the mercy and grace of God to us today. Can we believe it and accept it in our own lives?
Let us pray:
