Breakfast with Jesus

4/18/10

John 21:1-14

Rev. Michael Trask

“I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” (v3)

 

Peter decided he wanted to go fishing. Why? Up until just this last week, I never really thought about that too much. I’d always thought it was because Peter was one of those hyper guys who always had to have something to do. Jesus had told them to go up to Galilee and wait for him from there. I imagine that Peter sort of got all fidgety as guys like Peter are wont to do. I know guys like that. We got some of them in our church. And you know who you are, God bless you. Everybody knows who you are. From all the evidence that we gain about Peter in scripture, he seems to be one of those guys. So, I’ve always assumed that this is why he went fishing and for no other reason. He was hyper, needed something to do.

But then I thought about what happened some three years before that and I started to rethink my hyper-Peter theory. Do you remember? Jesus was walking along the shore of the sea of Galilee and he says to Peter and Andrew, “Come follow Me! And I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:18). At once they left their nets and followed. The leaving of their nets was very significant for these fisherman and so taking them up again, as they do in this text, I think is equally significant. Wouldn’t you say? Peter had a lot more going on than just a bad case of hyperactivity.

Think about what happened up until this point: A wonderful three years with Jesus. Watching him feed 5000 with just an armful of bread and fish; healing the sick, casting out demons, the growing crowds. And then; and then he saw him transfigured on top of that mountain. This Jesus was the very Son of God, come into the world, to reestablish his kingdom! Peter saw all this! Peter knew all this! And then right at the critical moment, when he is called to stand up for this one he serves, he denies that he even knew him! Three times he did this. Jesus saw him do it the last time.

Do you think that this might be an unresolved issue? He was there when Jesus said “he who denies me before men, I will deny him before my father in heaven” (Matt. 10:33) Yeah, that might have something to do with his fishing. Unresolved issues, issues with God often motivate people to behave in ways that don’t make sense. For Peter it was thoughts of returning to the old ways, back to his nets.

Peter was called to be a disciple, and then an apostle. How about you? You were called to be a disciple. You are also called to Love. To love your husband to love your wife, to love your children, to love your neighbor as yourself. Though you are not called to be an apostle, you are most certainly called to always be ready to give an account of the hope that you have.

But the old ways some times seem so more comfortable and safe. You return to what you did before Jesus became important to you. But as you do this, there is this nagging sense of unease that tugs at you in the background; a nagging sense that you were meant to do an be more than you are. There are unresolved issues.

I imagine that is what Peter felt as he got into his fishing boat with his companions. I think the big part for why he got into the boat is at least partly because of this lingering sense of guilt for what he had done or failed to do for his Lord. He was no longer right with him. No longer worthy of him. No longer worthy to be his sent one. The guilt led to doubts. The doubts led him to toy with the idea of going back to his nets. He really didn’t know what to do.

They fished all night and caught nothing. This was eerily familiar to the last time they went fishing where they had fished all night and had caught nothing. A man from the shore calls to them, asking how they are doing. Upon finding out, he encourages them to throw their nets out on the other side of the boat. When they do, the net was so full they can’t bring it in the boat! Too familiar! John says, “It is the Lord!” and peter jumps into the water and swims to shore.

That’s the thing about Jesus. Always the Shepherd. He never lets you get too far away. In my own life, when my thoughts or attitudes cause me to stray, right in the stride of life, right as I’m doing my thing in my boat, he appears and inquires and calls. It is true when he says “I shall never let them snatch you out of my hand.” You have certainly noticed this too. He keeps popping up in your life. You can’t really get away from him. You can ignore him. You can disregard him. But he keeps coming and inserting himself in your life. Perhaps even today as you hear this.

Peter was cheered just to see him. The long wait without him, had caused doubts to rise. “Does he still want me....after what I have done” he must have wondered as he floundered around in the 40 days after the resurrection. To see him meant there was hope...the Lord wanted to see him, wanted to be with him. Peter’s heart was all a flutter.

When they arrived on shore, they saw that a nice charcoal fire was burning there. Fish and some bread were prepared. “Come have some breakfast”. “Bring some of the fish you just caught”. Their contribution was welcome. At the last supper Jesus had made it clear that he was their servant and now he acted as such....even in his resurrected and glorified state, he prepares them their morning meal. How wonderful it was to eat with him again! There’s a reason we pray “come Lord Jesus, be our guest’.

About 40 days earlier Jesus had stood before them and said, “Peace be with you.” By his death and resurrection Jesus forgave all of his sins....But Peter needed more personal attention and encouragement. It could have been one of those times when guilt still lingers when guilt has already been spoken for. That was Peter’s unresolved issue. In Jesus’ mind his guilt had already been answered for by his death and resurrection, but in Peter’s mind it still lingered. Jesus said to all the disciples including Peter “Peace be with you!” But Peter wasn’t quite there yet. Didn’t quite believe it. Didn’t yet have the peace.

So Jesus confronts the very issue that lie on Peter’s soul. Three times he asks Him: “Do you love me?” Three times is very significant because Peter had denied Jesus three times. So Jesus is now probing the depths of Peter’s guilt and bringing it out in the open. The first time he asks it by saying “do you love me more than theses”...... Which refers back to Peter’s boast that even if all fall away from him, he never would. This he did as they were seated near a Charcoal fire, the same kind of fire that was present when Peter had denied him. Jesus was knocking at his door...letting Peter know that he knew what was afoot Having been forgiven, Peter now had to be restored; personally restored.

Each time, that Jesus asks” “Do you Love Me” Peter says “You know that I love you”. This was important for Peter to say this out loud. And Jesus says “feed my lambs” “Take care of my sheep” “Feed my Sheep.” All aspects of a shepherd’s work is covered...feeding and taking care of. This he said to a fisherman. A fisherman now recommissioned to be a Shepherd. Jesus ends by saying “Follow me”. Peter had heard that before. He had followed, but then he faltered, now he hears it again. And he would follow. This breakfast with the Lord was time to push the stop button on guilt and move on.

Truth is Jesus wants sinners, forgiven sinners, to be the ones who serve. If he wants Peter, he wants you. If you have backed away from the Lord if you’ve returned to the same old same old and lived your life as if you we’re not part of him he still wants you. Please know this. Please know that his death and resurrection means that you are forgiven and saved for all eternity. In Easter joy he stands before you and says “Peace be with you!” He is knocking on your door now asking if you are ready to start living according to his word...asking if you love him. And if you do, then show it. Show it by what you do. Show it by what you do every day. So will You? Think about that as you eat breakfast with him this morning. AMEN