The Story of Fish, Fires, Fellowship, Forgiveness and Faith the Other Side of Easter
Evangelism is always necessary but not always easy. To help us with the challenge, we see embedded in today’s text a tacked on primmer and fishing story of how to be more effective in making disciples for Christ. The story line is just days after the resurrection. The setting is on the Sea of Galilee which lies on the Via Maris, the ancient, heavily traveled trade road linking Egypt to the north and east. Here Galilean fishermen were able to trade their catches to traveling merchants. Perhaps it seems odd that Jesus, who was said to be a carpenter, would rely on fishermen to help spread his teachings, but he promised that they would be able to put their skills to good use, making them “fish for people” a phrase that has a double meaning, for they would proceed both to gather people and to “feed” those who hungered for the spiritual message they sought to impart. It is The Story of Fish, Fires, Fellowship, Forgiveness and Faith on the Other Side of Easter.
Scripture: 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.
John 21:1-14 (NRSV)
But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him’—
1 Corinthians 2:9 (NRSV)
Message: Today’s scripture from John is like a secondary thought for those who did not get it the first time around. It is designed to bring the insight needed so that we respond with passion to the call of Christ into the world seeing burning bushes in every bush and the hope of warmth in every fire. Here we are confronted with the reality that a church without evangelism is a contradiction in terms, just as a fire that does not burn is a contradiction. And here like Moses we are called, even in our weakness, to duty from a flame that does not burn and we are called like Peter to a baptism of fire in the Holy Spirit outside the boat. The late Sam Shoemaker, an Episcopalian bishop, summed up the situation this way: “In the Great Commission, the Lord has called us to be–like Peter–fishers of men. We’ve turned the commission around so that we have become merely keepers of the aquarium. Occasionally I take some fish out of your fishbowl and put them into mine, and you do the same with my bowl. But we’re all tending the same fish.” Today’s scripture was written to address this situation to which Shoemaker alludes. Let’s go to the text. Here we discover that when they got to shore, something was waiting for them: Fish, a Fire, Fellowship and Forgiveness. Friends, God put us here in the richest country the world has ever known for a reason. He gave us the best education, the most disposable wealth, the greatest technology, and the most freedom any society has ever known for a very important reason. It is not merely to serve ourselves but to bring the gospel to others. God loves the whole world and wants everyone to come to saving faith in the Lord Jesus. As disciples of Jesus we are also his fishermen. The dilemma of the success of the catch is what Peter challenges us to confront. “Do I stay with what He gave me? Or do I leap off the boat and go for the One who gave it to me?” It is as if Peter said, “You all can stay here if you want, but I’m going after Jesus.” Friends, if you are going to get Jesus now, you got to leap off the boat, rock it if need be and leave people behind and go after Jesus. Friends, here on shore realize that with Jesus we have a job we do not have to work for. With Jesus we eat from vineyards we did not plant and live in houses we did not build. The reality is that the blessings don’t mean anything when you see the Blesser. And that is the very reason why we must lovingly through Jesus extend the blessings to others.
Pray we realize that Jesus has prepared something pretty miraculous for us. Pray we realize that Jesus has prepared not only the fire of passion but also the right supplies for such a time as this. Pray we realize that we have been invited to the fellowship of family, food and faith. Pray we realize the difference between the raw blessings of abundance and the prepared blessings of Jesus. Pray we realize that we have been called out of crisis not just to enjoy but to share the miracle of Jesus. Pray God redirects us and deploys us to serve. Pray we be part of a church that is aflame for Christ and ignites people spiritually in ways that spreads out into the world. Pray our churches not become museums and aquariums. Pray in mission we retain relationships with others.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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