(Slide 1) This morning we begin with our text for today, John 21 verses one through nineteen. Let us hear the word of the Lord this morning:
Later Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.
Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”
“We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.
At dawn the disciples saw Jesus standing on the beach, but they couldn’t see who he was. He called out, “Friends, have you caught any fish?”
“No,” they replied. Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get plenty of fish!” So they did, and they couldn’t draw in the net because there were so many fish in it.
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and swam ashore. The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only out about three hundred feet. When they got there, they saw that a charcoal fire was burning and fish were frying over it, and there was bread.
“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.
“Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. And no one dared ask him if he really was the Lord because they were sure of it. Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.
After breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
Once more he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was grieved that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep. The truth is, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked and go wherever you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will direct you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know what kind of death he would die to glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
Here we have Jesus and Peter with a lake (the Sea of Galilee) and a boat together again. It is a scene that we are now very familiar with these past two months having spent time in Matthew 14.
But it is different this time.
This time it is quiet on the lake. Some of the disciples are fishing, and have been, all night long.
There is no raging water. There is no terror or fear. There is no storm.
Jesus is present in this story, too.
But, He is not walking on the water this time. He is on shore, with feet planted firmly on terra firma. He is also the cook in our story and, perhaps to the frustration of the fishing professionals, a critic of their fishing patterns.
But there is water, a boat, Peter, and Jesus… together again in the same story.
Another thing about this story is that it takes place after Christ’s resurrection, as John makes clear in our text. This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.
Much has changed since that dark and fearful night on the lake perhaps two or so years earlier. Jesus had been arrested, judged, crucified, and rose from the dead as He said that He would be.
Peter is different, too. Perhaps wiser (perhaps). Perhaps quieter. Perhaps less sure of many things than he once was.
Since that ‘out of the boat’ water walking night, Peter had failed in his commitment to Jesus. A fear driven denial, not once, not, twice, but three times, had come from his lips as Jesus said it would.
He wept and probably fled, into the night… and, as we have read this morning, eventually returned to what he knew best – fishing.
But, Jesus is not done with Peter. He still has a plan and a purpose for Peter… and some unfinished business.
Once Jesus is recognized by John and the recognition dawns on Peter, Peter puts his clothes on and gets out of the boat. But this time, there is no walking on the water. Peter swims to shore.
The smell of cooking fish hits Peter’s nostrils, because Jesus is frying up some fish for breakfast.
(Where did He get that fish? How did he get that fish? “We have been slaving out here all night long to get some fish and there He sits on the shore cooking some… How dare He…”)
It was not enough fish and so Jesus asks for more fish to be brought from what could be labeled a ‘miracle’ catch. So Peter goes back into the water and hauls the very full net to shore.
I wonder what Peter did while he waited on the others to come to shore before Jesus asked for more fish. Did he look at Jesus or stand a ways off trying to decide what to say, what to do? Did he jump into the water and swim to shore because he wanted to be with Jesus? Or did compulsively respond to John’s observation?
There is some tension in this story. There is unfinished business.
But,… breakfast first, please… Of bread and fish… (Remind you of another time when loaves of bread and fish were on the menu?)
Finally, Jesus broaches the subject…
“Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs..”.
“Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,”
Once more he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was grieved that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
Over the years, much has been made of the words translated love in this passage. Using different Greek words have been interpreted to indicate a progressive deepening of the commitment Jesus is seeking as He focuses on a deeper and more sacrificial love with a change of terms.
Others have talked about the progression from feeding lambs to caring for sheep to feeding sheep as another important progression. A progression that says Jesus is calling Peter to a new level of commitment and leadership in the Kingdom.
Then, the emphasis of the three questions has also been highlighted as a parallel to the three emphatic denials that Peter had made not long ago.
But, the whole context of our story is very important. Peter had gone back to fishing. He seemed to be done as a Jesus follower. That chapter in life was over… and this after Christ’s resurrection.
Jesus had other plans for Peter… and He still loved him.
He had to bring Peter to the place where he would be in touch with buried grief, and love, before any more progress is made in his life and faith. It would take three rounds of questioning to get there.
Peter was grieved that Jesus asked the question a third time.
Grief indicates sorrow, unhappiness, pain, and misery. Peter cannot move forward until he finally grieves not just his actions but also again feels the love for Jesus and others still present, and buried, within himself.
Once Jesus gets down to the bottom of Peter’s heart, He again says to Peter something that He said once before, “Follow me.”
This is a familiar setting for Peter and some of the others. For it was along this same lake shore, perhaps in the very same spot, three years earlier, that Jesus jumped in a boat and had Peter row Him away from shore so that He could teach a growing crowd of people.
Here is Luke’ account of what happened next as we read in chapter 5 and starting with verse 4:
“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper and let down your nets, and you will catch many fish.”
“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, we’ll try again.” And this time their nets were so full they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” For he was awestruck by the size of their catch, as were the others with him. His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.
Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.”
Jesus now brings Peter back to a place where something can happen. And I think that Peter’s memory was jarred with this large catch and these very familiar words.
(Slide 2) So what does this mean for us? How do we get to the place where we follow Jesus in spite of our failings and flaws?
It requires us to do the following:
(Slide 3) We recognize Jesus for who Jesus is – the pure and perfect Son of God; our savior and redeemer.
He died on the cross for our sins. He is the way, the truth, and the life.
This is a very important recognition and statement of faith.
Many people recognize Jesus as a great man and person. (And He was and still is.) Many believed in the passionate revolutionary nature of what He proclaimed. (Revolutionary, He was in His statements and actions.)
But, unless we choose to believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, perfect and without sin and who died on the cross for our sins and then rose again, we will have a flawed view of Christ and hence a flawed view of what it means to follow Jesus. To follow Jesus is to follow the Son of God who calls us to a journey of faith, hope, love, and commitment that will take us, as it would Peter, where we often do not want to go.
And there is more…
(Slide 4)We must also let God dig down into our hearts and souls and bring up that which has dammed up within us the love for God and others.
As I think about my own life and journey, I recall that when I have allowed God, through the Holy Spirit, to dig within me, there has been spiritual progress that has included uprooting grief, anger, jealousy, and a host of other things that has dammed up love for God and others within me. Only when God has brought these things up, and I have faced them honestly, have I begun to live again. Just as Peter could not return to the place the Lord desired for him to be until Jesus did His digging and prodding, so too with us we cannot move forward until we allow God, when it is necessary, to do the same for us.
In Jesus’ command to Peter again to ‘follow me,’ Jesus is calling Peter back to the life of following that we are called to as well. However, as Peter (and the others) would be told in a short time, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what he promised. Remember, I have told you about this before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:4-5, NLT)… we too, are reminded the Holy Spirit is vital in our journey.
(Slide 5) So, we ask the Holy Spirit to empower us to follow Him.
We need the Holy Spirit to help us make the choices and do the things that in our own strength we cannot do. Like walking on the water or facing our inner pain and failures that holds us up and hold us back.
As we conclude this morning, I want us to remember this:
In our life journey with God, there are moments when we are to get out of the boat because our faith and trust in the Lord needs to grow. But, there are also moments when we need to get back in the boat because we need to rest and be renewed.
In both situations, we must listen to and for the Lord’s direction.
What are you needing to do this day? Get out or get in? Listen to and for the Lord. Then respond in faith and love.
Let us continue to walk by faith and not by sight. Amen.
