Easter 3 Who bothered to count 2
Who bothered to count?
Third S. of Easter 4/22
Acts 9:1-22 Rev. 5:1-14 John 21:1-14
† In Jesus Name †
2 May grace and peace come to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus! Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:2 (Phillips NT)
Detailed Descriptions
More detailed even than Luke usually was!
Does this really make sense?
153, One Hundred, fifty, and three. Not just a lot of fish, but an exact number, one hudred, and fifty, and three. I picture these fish, laid out in nice groups of five and ten, on tarps on the beach. One hundred, and fifty, and three. Ever since I read this passage 5 weeks ago, I wondered one thing, who bothered to count?
We don’t know if Matthew was there, he would make sense, as the former accountant tax collector type. Perhaps it was Thomas, the one who is still trying to make sense of what he knows, I mean – who he knows, and trusts. When Luke records another miraculous catch at the beginning of Jesus ministry, he just says a great catch – no precise count. But our text doesn’t bother to tell us who counted, just that they had been counted, and that there was one hundred, fifty, and three large fish.
One hundred, and fifty, and three. I wish I had some super spiritual way of telling you the importance of that number, some way to decode it, or to explain why one of the 7 disciples mentioned would bother to count. I don’t, and it sort of bothers me.
All the other incredible details in the passage, I can begin, at least to explain. I can see John, sitting in a small room, no longer the youth on the beach, but 60 years later, the elderly, beloved apostle, the last member of that group that was in the boat. I can see his quill, with a sense of urgency, roll across the scroll. He chuckles, as the Holy Spirit reminds him of Peter, who bothered to get dressed, before casting himself out of the boat! I can see John thinking, maybe Peter thought he could still walk on water! I can see him savor the smell of the white hot coals, as the breeze from shore brought the smell of broiled trout out to the boat. As the Holy Spirit directs the words that will be put on paper, the fine detail rolls off of his pen.
But why is One hundred and fifty, and three, recorded there? One hundred, and fifty, and three! One hundred and fifty and three….
Where do I want to meet Jesus?
The Details of Life?
I want to be bothered
Dive in – head toward Him! Pursue Spiritual things –
Jesus words to Peter
Why is this detail of life included. We don’t really need it, is there enough in the fact that it was a mega-catch? I mentioned before – that I want a reason for that detail to be in there. I want some reason to make sense out of a disciple, who bothered to line them all up, and count them, and to make sure everyone knew that detail. Because it doesn’t make sense to me.
Think about it, there on the beach, is the Messiah. Though John is the first to realize it, Peter takes action – casting himself into the water, and covering 100 yards in what I am sure what was Olympic caliber speed! That’s the place to be, isn’t it? At Jesus side? Making sure nothing, not snow, nor sleet, nor people, nor work, is in the way of ME being with Jesus. If that is the correct attitude, then the guy who counted the fish, doesn’t have his priorities straight! And we know that guys like the apostles, well they were perfect weren’t they? So there must be a reason for the time wasted on counting the fish. I want desperately to be able to put this in the same category as the confrontation between Mary and Martha – where the busy one was corrected, and the one just enjoying the presence of Jesus was praised.
I want everything to be so super-spiritual, I want every day to be like those of the mountain top type experiences that so bolster my faith! I want every word of scripture, to be of incredible importance, and to deepen my faith! I would love it, if all there was to life, was baptizing people, and celebrating the Lord’s supper together, as the family of God. I want to never leave here, to face the news, or that phone call, or that visit. Just like Peter, give me an opportunity to see Jesus, and all else is abandoned…
And that is, the problem….
Listen to the verses leading up to their time of breakfast…
8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. 9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn.
Where does Jesus reveal himself to us?
Who gave them the fish?
Everything in its time!
Yet, He is there…
Brother Andrew?
Re-reading this section, one translation indicated that Peter sprung aboard, to haul in the net, to finish the task given when Jesus said – you want a catch – toss the net over to the other side. Implicit in that, is the idea of completing the catch, of bringing back in the boat and the catch – a task that John and Thomas and Nathaniel and the others were completing. Remember – the directive came from Jesus – to accomplish their task.
I’m going to be a bit bold, and say that Peter’s act, in jumping into the water, could be considered sinful. Sinful in that it ignored the work given to the men in the boat by their Lord Jesus. It was also sinful in that it sought a blessing, a special position, to the detriment of others. His action was one of great zeal, and probably a sincere heart behind the action. But it put self before God’s plan, and it put self, before others. Peter had abandoned the task, he abandoned his fellow-workers, and indeed the directive of Jesus! He forgot a basic lesson of scripture,
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; eccl 3:1-4 (ESV)
One might add, a time to swim, and a time to haul in fish!
Ultimately, that is the nature of all sin, that we either do not love God, or our neighbors, more than we love ourselves. We think of ourselves and our desires first- rather than trusting God’s word, and where He has placed us, and given us to do. Not that the actions save us, but the lack thereof does tell of our attitude towards God. The same goes for when our desire for what is good for us, eclipses our view of those God given to us as neighbors and companions by God. We leave them behind, rather than work that all might rest and enjoy the presence of God.
I love how Jesus handles Peter, and his misplaced zeal. He re-directs Peter back to the work of the moment, the work of gathering in the catch. “Peter, go get some more fish”, even though Jesus knew there were enough, broiling on the white coals. Why else say that, except to draw attention to the need to complete the task given?
When we think of Jesus, and His work among us, that which is accomplished at the cross, and the promises made sure by His resirrection
Would we all respond so, when called to repentance by Christ!
Come and Dine!
Ultimately, there is the call of Jesus – Come to eat! I love one translation – Come, and dine! For Jesus himself, has prepared the food which they shall eat. The bread and fish, reminiscent of another meal, and another lesson in faith. He calls not just Peter, but all the disciples, to a time of relaxed feasting.
The meal is provided, an act of grace, which has nothing to do with the un-successful night fishing, nor the obedience which resulted in 153 large fish being caught. It is an act of love, from Jesus, the Son of God, to those men He called His friends, his brothers, adopted children of God. A day, when God walked and worked among His people – and gathered them together, for a meal.
Today my friends, is the time for such a meal, as we too have been gathered by God to this place, for a time of rest, and nourishment, and joy found in realizing we are in His presence, together, a reunion of the family of God.
Later, we shall return to our vocations, where we shall strive to do what God has placed us to do, whether it is to raise our kids, to respect our folks. But know the promise Jesus gave to those disciples – that lo, He shall be with you always, until the end of time.
So come, and dine, on the feast prepared for you, by Jesus,
And know and trust in the grace that has brought you here, and realize God’s peace, which cannot be surpassed, but guards yours hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus.
AMEN †