Easter 3 Who bothered to count 2b
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
This passage, three times, will mention that this is how Jesus revealed himself to the disciples for the third time. The prior two appearances, were in the Upper Room, and those instances were very different from this one – really different. Not so much detail, more interaction between Jesus and the Apostles in the first, and more with Thomas specifically the second time.
I like Jesus meeting with the apostles up in that upper room, a room still heavy with the odors of the Passover, and the memories of the first communion meal. Where teaching and ministry occurs, and the disciples walk away empowered. Those meetings were very much like this service. You know what to expect, you know the grace you will receive, and then you can get on with life.
But this day, on this beach, is different. The detail is such that one would recognize that it is life that is being interrupted.
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?
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 †