Solid Rock

John 21:1–19 NRSV

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Have you ever had the experience of reconciliation? Of coming face to face with someone you’ve harmed and leaving that interaction with a restored relationship? When we read John 21, that is the kind of interaction that we get to eavesdrop on between Simon Peter and Jesus. This tender moment is the stuff that points us to some of the most beautiful displays of resurrection power. And the beauty of it is that it points us to something that we can find in our own lives here and now 2000 years later if we will allow ourselves to.

We are in a series of sermons called “Resurrected” where we are looking at different interactions that people had with the Risen Christ that changed the course of their lives forever. What we need to understand and know is how that same power of resurrection is still active in our world today, and how Jesus invites us into a resurrected life.

Today we are looking at the Disciple — soon to be Apostle — Simon Peter. The scene that we get at the tail end of John’s Gospel is a scene that seems a bit weird when we read it out of context, but when we understand the totality of Simon Peter’s life with Jesus what we find is that this story of Jesus having breakfast on the beach with Peter is a perfect way to book end their relationship.

In Luke’s Gospel we are introduced to Peter in a very similar scene. At this point he is still being referred to as Simon most commonly:

Luke 5:1–11 NRSV

Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

This was the beginning of a long and life changing journey for Simon Peter. He truly left everything to follow Jesus. And he followed Jesus with so much zeal and enthusiasm that he’s kind of hard to keep up with. Like I love Peter don’t get me wrong. And I love Peter because he is all in. I see so much of Peter in myself. Like when I’m doing something I’m all in. I don’t have casual hobbies. I go at it like I’m a professional. And this is Peter’s MO. He’s following Jesus like he’s got no other options.

But Peter is exhausting. He always says the wrong thing at the wrong time. Always acts before thinking. And this is the part of Peter that exhausts me to no end. Because darn it if Peter ain’t me I don’t know who is.

But the plot thickens so deeply for Peter because even though he is like the most Jesus following dude in the Bible, he messes this thing up when it means the most, when it really counts. As Jesus is being subjected to the mockery of a trial that the Romans brought, Peter was asked three times if he knew Jesus. And three times Peter said no. And Jesus knew it. He knew it beforehand and he knew it in that moment. His best guy, the all-star, the guy who Jesus said would be the founding rock of the church — he flaked out.

When Jesus was crucified Peter and the other disciples went into hiding. All we know is that he wept bitterly. What was the state of Peter’s soul in the wake of what had just happened? How deep was the pit of despair that he found himself in? I can only imagine. But we do know one thing — Mary Magdalene came to tell them that the tomb was empty, and that she had seen the risen Jesus. Then Jesus showed himself to them, and still Peter didn’t fully believe that his previous call to be a fisher of people, the rock on which the Church would be built, the best all-pro Jesus follower would be a call that he was qualified to answer.

When we find Peter again he’s right back where we found him in the beginning of his story. On a boat, hopelessly casting nets with nothing to show for his efforts. He’s right back where he started. Right where Jesus first spoke to him and called him. And in this moment, he’s right where Jesus wants him. He’s vulnerable, carrying the weight of the mistake he made a few days earlier. And it’s right here, back at the beginning that Jesus begins Peter’s resurrection story.

He says cast your nets to the other side… just like he had 3 years earlier. And when Peter realizes who it is that has called to him he does the most Peter thing he can do — jumps out of the boat and swims to greet his master.

As the fire is lit to grill this breakfast, Peter is brought back to those many moments that he shared with Jesus doing this same thing. The smell must have created an atmosphere of nostalgia and safety. And in that space, Jesus asks him 3 times “Simon son of John, do you love me?” With each question, the Jesus’s language intensifies as does Peter’s response until finally in exasperation he just says “you know everything, you know I love you.”

And Jesus’s final words to him are those same words that he spoke all those years earlier. The words that changed the life of a fisherman forever, and would once again change everything: Follow me.

Following Jesus was not a casual endeavor for Simon Peter. Following Jesus was an all out vocational shift that would alter the course of his life and the course of this world. Following Jesus was everything to Peter. And when he thought he had blown it, when he thought he had failed, he was ready to just go back to his old life. Well that was a nice dream, but I guess I’ll just never be more than a lousy fisherman. I’m a failure.

But Jesus says to Peter, oh no sir. You are still the one that I called. You are still the one that I equipped. I’m not done with you yet.

And so maybe that’s you. Following Jesus is easy at first. With all the gusto and zeal of Peter you may have set off into this life, but things have gotten tough. You’ve failed. Heck you might have failed on the way here this morning. We all do. We fail to live up to the high standard of “being like Jesus.” But sometimes we fail super hard. Some times we fail in ways that cause us to totally discredit ourselves and throw in the towel.

We just feel so broken. Beat down. Excluded from the Kingdom of God by our own condemnation of ourselves.

That’s where Peter was. That’s where Jesus met him and resurrected his life. Peter went on to lead the movement that changed the world. To lead that first movement of the Church.

God’s not done with you yet. You are not the laundry list of failures that you keep reading over and over in your head. You are not the missed opportunities and failed chances to love those close to you that keep you up in the middle of the night.

You aren’t the sum total of your failures and mistakes. You are a person who is called by the God of the Universe to follow him. Not just back then, but right here, right now. God wants to bring you the resurrection of reconciliation. And he’s going to do it here, now, wherever you are. All you’ve got to do is jump out of that boat and swim.

We are being invited, begged, to come on home. Come on back to that call you answered all those years ago. Or come on home to that call you ignored. That call you are hearing for the first time today. This is the day we can be reminded that resurrection is our story too. Today we can leave here brand new. We can hear those words of Jesus… “follow me.” Let’s pray.