Friday, November 20 –
We come
to the end of the work-week and near the ending of John’s Gospel. Next week we will read his letters, and then
his last written work – the book of Revelation.
Today’s reading is interesting for many reasons and forms a fitting
ending for us. Please read John 21:1 – 19
first, and then return.
We don’t exactly know the time of this narrative, but we can understand the
reason it was included. John is present
with Peter, Thomas (the twin), Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee (John & his
brother, Andrew), and two unnamed disciples (possibly not of the eleven who
were left). They had been waiting, and
Peter, wishing to be doing something rather than nothing, announces he’s going
fishing (21:1 – 3), and the others speak up to say, “we’ll good too”. These men were experienced fishermen. It had been their vocation up until Jesus’
calling them to follow him. Yes, Jesus
was alive, resurrected, and had shown himself to them at least twice. Luke tells us in Acts 1 that Jesus showed
himself to the disciples several times for forty days after his
resurrection. Yet, he was not with them
at this present.
“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”
(21:3).
Been
there, done that, had the same results several times – nothing. Peter initiated the expedition because that
was Peter’s nature – let’s do something!
For Peter, it has been at least a few weeks since the Friday morning
failure in the courtyard of the high priest when he had denied Jesus. In fact, Jesus stood among them, including
Peter, and spoke the blessings of God’s peace to them, breathing the Spirit as
new life, so there was nothing left, right?
It seems that there was something left to do. Was Peter “going fishing”, or was Peter
“going to return to fishing”? I think
Peter had memories in his mind that would not allow him to believe everything
was now ok. This is a story of Grace
Affirmed!
“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” (21:4-8).
John
writing from fifty years later recalls that the large quantity of fish had
happened before, and so he knew it was Jesus on the shore. Peter put on his outer garment and jumped in
the water, choosing to swim to shore rather than wait for the boat to oar it
there. Excited, Peter wanted to see his
Savior and Lord. He had fled from the
courtyard, but run to the tomb. He had seen Jesus alive and didn’t need
convincing of who Jesus was, but perhaps he needed convincing of who he
was. Was he the Peter who would flee
when things got tough again; or was he the Peter that ran with faith to find
out if Jesus was truly resurrected? As we see, Jesus has prepared everything –
“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” (21:9-14).
I find
it interesting that they had counted the number of fish they had. Yet, as a person who loves fishing, it is the
same thing I would do if there had been that kind of success. Yet, I’m also sure, as if I had been there, I
would have wondered, “why is he doing this?”
John tells us that it was the third time he had revealed himself to the
disciples. Jesus had called them
originally from a life of fishermen to “come follow me and I will make you
fishers of men” (Mark 1:16-17).
Fishermen was their past identity, and followers of Jesus, Apostles, was
their present identity – the mission was still ahead for them – “Jesus said
to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am
sending you” (20:21). Returning to
fish because you love fishing is much different than wondering if you should
ever return to being a fisher of men.
Jesus has prepared everything, and now we see it all come together –
“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” (21:15-17).
When
they had come onshore, they all noticed a charcoal fire was there. Naturally, one needs a fire to cook the
fish. Yet a charcoal fire was where
Peter warmed himself the night of his denials. Jesus ate with them finishing
the breakfast before he speaks, asking Peter, “do you love me more than
these?” We have to ask, what is the
“these”? Is the “these” the fish that he
caught – referring to his previous livelihood?
Or, is the “these” the other disciples that sit around the fire with
him. Jesus called him “Simon”, not
Peter. Peter had wounds that were deeply
hidden, often covered over by blustery announcements. Jesus asked him in the strongest term for
love – “do you love (agapao) me?” That kind of love is God’s love – love that
gave his one and only Son, love that was willing to sacrifice for another. Jesus had said it to them a few weeks earlier
– “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his
friends” (15:13). Peter knew the
implications, and he answered Jesus humbly, honestly, without using the same
word Jesus had used – “Yes, Lord; you know that I love (phileo) you” ( 21:15). Jesus is performing heart surgery here. Simon is a human…Peter was the rock! We’ve all been both.
The
question is asked twice more, and each time, Peter is being torn down inside
that he might be restored by the Grace of his Savior –
“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” (21:16-17).
At the
end, Peter has confessed his love as friendship (phileo), even though twice
Jesus used the stronger word for love (agape).
Peter was grieved. I see
tears, a fallen face, a shoulder bowed in humility and pain. Jesus is doing heart surgery. “Tend my lambs, Shepherd my sheep, Tend my
sheep” are words of affirmation and grace.
No one can serve Christ faithfully without failing. Jesus wanted a humble servant, not a prideful
leader. The future for Peter was to
continue to follow Christ Jesus. Reading
the book of Acts we see a man who is a leader, but a man who is totally relying
upon Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit to do the will of God.
“Truly,
truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk
wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and
another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This
he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying
this he said to him, “Follow me” (21:18-19).
I love
Peter because in some ways I am so much like him. He needed his identity restored, and that is
what Jesus did. His Identity was
restored and now we know “who” Peter is.
Identity resolved – who are you?
I’m a follower of Jesus til the day I die – failures included. We come to terms with our humanity when we
stop pretending and allow God’s grace to flood over our failures. “Confession is good for the soul”. Yes, but restoration is what follows, and
that’s even better. In stage musical, Les’
Misérables, Jean Val Jean sings a beautiful song of confession that leads
to grace – “Who am I?” Are we
defined by our past and our failures, or are we defined by God’s infinite love
and grace? Who am I? I’m a person who loves Christ, and one day
I’ll see him face to face – the lamb of God who died for me. Who are you?
Peace
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