The Importance of a Good Breakfast
Notes
Transcript
I remember one time that I was going to go out fishing. We want to a particular spot and we sat and sat, we used up the bait and we stayed out most of the day. When everything was said and done, I caught one thing that day…..a stick! I am not a great fisherman, but I DO want to use that experience to look at the next sermon in our series Unlikley Disciple.
Last week we looked at what happens When We Fail, and we examined the instances of Peter’s denial of Christ. This week, I told you that we are going to look at the aftermath of Peter’s denial. So let’s jump right in.
Have you ever failed at something? I mean really failed, I mean big time failed. Maybe it was at home, or at work, or school, but that kind of failure that stays with you for a while? That’s what has just happened to Peter. So what did Peter do, lets read John 21
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.
There’s No Retiring from God’s Service
There’s No Retiring from God’s Service
So Peter being down, decides he’s going fishing
In our reading this was no leisure trip Look at verse 3 again. Peter said, “I’m going out to fish” The Greek translation of the word Peter used is “hupago.” It’s pronounced (hoop-ag’-o), and literally means, “I retire.” That’s right. Peter, the one who jumped out of the boat to walk on water, the one who told Jesus he would never deny him, although he did 3 times, now feels like giving up, retiring from being a disciple and going back to being a fisherman!
Body of Christ while we are going to unpack these verses more, I want to tell you something right now. Spoiler Alert!!! This retirement plan of Peter’s doesn’t work.
Just like Peter I want you to know that there is no retiring from the work of the Lord. That means that I don’t care your age, I don’t care what you did Or didn’t do, you are still important to the work of the Lord, and He has a plan for you! If you’re not currently doing the work that God has for you….now is the time!!!
So let’s continue with the story…..
Although I have never though much about it in the past, Jesus had for 3 years provided their every need, they didn’t have to work anymore as fisherman, tax collectors etc. Although there is no mention to my knowledge in the Bible about people financially supporting the ministry of Jesus, I’m sure there were many grateful people about who would have supported him. The selection of recorded miracles he did was just the tip of the iceberg, we are told in Johns Gospel. Now the disciple’s leader, Jesus had gone, they had to think about the future. We don’t know much about the disciples families but I’m sure they would have some family responsibilities. Unfortunately money doesn’t grow on trees does it! I gather from what I have read and studied over the years that Simon Peter before he followed Jesus was a very good fisherman and probably had a successful business. However like we all do occasionally, he was having an off day.
Out all night and nothing caught, they must have all had the right hump! Then this bright spark who none of them recognise at first, tells them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. Can you imagine it, hey Simon Peter was an expert and not only that but in those days fishing boats were designed to pull nets up only on one side. I think if it had been me I would have called back with a rather rude remark. None of us like being told how we should be doing our job do we, especially when we think were good at it! However part of the miracle as far as I can see is that Peter actually did it, after all he had a reputation for being very strong headed and single minded. Maybe in his sub conscious he remembered the last time someone had told him where to drop his nets.
And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
It’s strange isn’t it how after Jesus has done something rather wonderful and dramatic in our lives we often lose sight of the fact and when faced with a problem we still muddle on in our own strength.
I am sure that on this second occasion as the nets were filled John was reminded of this previous occasion and then he recognized it was indeed Jesus.
Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on 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 of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 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.
As soon as Peter heard John say “It’s the Lord” he put his clothes back on and jumped into the water, strange most of us take our clothes off to jump into the water! The Greek translation makes it clear that Simon Peter was fishing naked. Strange fellow is our Simon Peter, sounds a bit like a Monty Python sketch doesn’t it “the naked fisherman” it was a good job he was using nets & not hooks, they are painful when you get one stuck in your……finger! Maybe he was going straight out afterwards and didn’t want his clothes smelling of fish.
Jesus Wants to be with us in our Lives
Jesus Wants to be with us in our Lives
When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out 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, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
On their return to the beach Jesus had a fire going and was already cooking breakfast, grilled fish & bread, I’m sure they were ready for it after having to haul in such a load.
They all recognized it was Jesus. Up to this point I’m sure many still wasn’t sure about the resurrected Christ, maybe the two previous appearances in the upper room was a figment of their imagination or a ghost. But now on that beach as Jesus shared a meal was the evidence they needed. Ghost don’t eat! This was he risen Lord. From this moment on they were transformed back from skeptical, fearful beings to being courageous fisherman of men. Every one of the disciple apart from John would subsequently be killed for their faith!
I want to bring out a couple of points here. Jesus met them in their time of need. Like he will for us if we listen to him and allow him to minister to us. Secondly just imagine the scene as they got back to dry land. There was the Mighty Risen Savior, humbly cooking breakfast, did they rush over and bow before him in adoration? No they carried on their work counting the fish. You see, being a disciple a follower of Jesus, doesn’t mean we have to retreat into a permanent spiritual world cut off from the realities of daily life. Jesus is there with us in our day to day lives.
We Are Still Called to Service
We Are Still Called to Service
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.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved 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.
Peter here is being called to account for his greatest failure, the times that he denied Christ. He has tried to run, to hide from it, and he can’t get away. Much has been made over the fact that Jesus asked Peter the question do you love me three times. There is a lot of thought out there in why. Some see this as sort of raised importance, like we talked about in Biblue Study on Wednesday, by repeating it we emphasize it. If we look into the greek we see some differences in the words used that can be used to tie different importance and meaning to the three questions. I think, one of the reasons, and the one that I want to focus on today is the similarity between the number of times that God asked Peter about his love and the number of times that Peter had denied God.
See I think that even in the face of God’s forgiveness, Peter was still feeling down and out. Peter needed the reassurance from God. In this moment, Christ is reaffirming Peter’s call to serve the Lord.
Body of Christ, we have to remember that even in the midst of our failures, we are still called to be engaged in the work of the Lord. He is still with us in our day, and He is still calling us to His Service.