Light Dawns - Part 2 (Post 12)

After breakfast beside the Sea of Galilee, Jesus engages our man Peter in a most interesting conversation.

John 21: 15 - 25

There are so many fascinating parallels in this chapter of John.  Jesus seemed to intentionally use circumstances and trains of thought to remind the apostles of previous encounters and miracles.  He needed to remind them - to remind Peter - of the things of "first importance".   Let's consider a few:

1.  The miraculous catch of fish.  Jesus had done that for Peter before Peter decided to follow Him.  Jesus does it again ... remember, Peter ... Jesus has all power and authority.

2.  Jesus feeds them breakfast ... verse 13 tells us that Jesus "took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish."  He had done that before - this miracle of feeding - to 5000+ earlier in his ministry. Jesus does it again here ... remember, Peter ... Jesus is the source of sustenance, of life.

3.  Jesus asks Peter 3 times if he loves Him.  Why three times?  Perhaps because Peter had failed to acknowledge his own love for Jesus three times the night of Jesus' trials.  Each question from the lips of Jesus countered one of the betrayals from Peter.  Remember, Peter ... don't forget again that you are a disciple of the Lord.  

4.  As Peter answers each of Jesus' questions about loving Him, Jesus reminds Peter of his call, his work, his commission.  Jesus reminds him, "Feed my lambs",  "Take care of my sheep", and "Feed my sheep."  It is as if Jesus is saying to Peter, "Don't go back to fishing.  I have called you out for a higher purpose.  I have work for you to do.  You are to be a rock in my coming 'church'.  Remember, Peter."

5.  Then after giving Peter a preview of his end, Jesus says, "Follow me!"  Interesting ... that was what Jesus had said to Peter when He first called him into discipleship.  Same words.  Same mission.  Remember, Peter!

Now, for you and I.  Have you veered off track?  Has a failure or two or three caused you to doubt your usefulness in God's kingdom?  Have you wandered back into a previous way of life out of habit?  Do you feel that God cannot use the likes of you.  You're not strong enough.  You're not smart enough.

If any of those things can be said of you right now, go back and read John 21 again.

Here is what we know about Peter.  He listened.  He heard.  And he never denies his relationship with the Lord again.

Have you forgotten who you are?  Listen to Paul as he reminds us in Ephesians 2: 11 - 22

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.  In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.  And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

If you use navigation tools on your phone or in your car, occasionally you will hear the voice say, "Off course.  Correcting."  Are you "off course"?  If so, why not stop right now and spend some time in prayer asking God to correct your course and get you back on track.  Peter is a great example.  We can "follow" his example as he follows Jesus!

Light Dawns - Part 1 (Post 11)

The crucifixion of Jesus has been completed.  His body has been removed from the cross.  A disciple by the name of Joseph, along with Nicodemus, obtained permission to remove Jesus' body and bury it.  It had to be done quickly because it was nearly Sabbath.  This precious, broken body was laid in Joseph's personal tomb and the tomb was sealed.

Darkness seems to win sometimes.  Evil seems to have its day sometimes.  All seemed lost to this small band of apostles and disciples.  What had happened to their hope?  How could this be?  They had been so certain - so sure that Jesus was the Messiah of God - the Messiah for Israel.  And now he was dead.

Read John 20: 1 - 9

Did you watch Peter as you read?  When he heard the report of the empty tomb, he took off to see for himself.  That sounds like the man we have come to know!  We also see him step into the tomb without hesitation - while the other apostle, John, hung back.  Of course.  That's Peter.  Then John entered as well.  They saw.  But they did not fully understand.  And Jesus begins appearing to his disciples - reassuring them that he was indeed alive.  Death had no hold on him.  Death could not and would not win.

We learn in Matthew 28 that Jesus had told his disciples to return to Galilee and he would come to them there.  That is exactly what they do.  And we pick up our reading at that point.

Read John 21: 1 - 14

Some observations for us today:

1.  Peter went fishing.  Was it a one time event or was he "going back to fishing" as a vocation and livelihood?  We don't know.  Perhaps he was going back to the life he knew before he had encountered Jesus.  After all, those hopes and dreams had been dashed at the hand of the juggernaut known as the Roman Empire.  If that is true, how like us!  We return to what we know best when crisis hits.

2.  Jesus appears and repeats a miracle almost exactly like the one he performed early in his relationship with Peter.  Look back at Luke 5: 1 - 11.  Peter had fished all night ... nothing.  Then Jesus said for them to throw their nets one more time ... and ... a huge catch of fish!  It was then that Peter recognized Jesus as no ordinary man.  Did Jesus choose this similar miracle to remind Peter who He was?

Here is the question for you and I today:  Do you need a reminder about the identity of Jesus?  Is something in your life threatening to rob you of hope?  Are you tempted to return to the life or the lifestyle that was comfortable for you before you knew Jesus?  Watch Peter!

Peter jumped into the water to get to Jesus.  He has always been "all in" and this is no exception.  He wanted to get to his Lord.  Take the reminder ... Jesus is the only source of life ... He IS our hope ... He IS our life ... don't turn back.  Stay the course.  Stay with Jesus.

3.  In the Middle East, to eat a meal with someone who has wronged you is to forgive that person.  Did you notice that Jesus made breakfast for these bone weary men who had just fished all night?  Breakfast ... shared meal ... forgiveness.  The Lord ... offering up a meal for his disciples.

Next time you take communion with fellow believers, remember this scene.  A shared meal ... forgiveness offered ... provided by the Lord ... and He says, "Come".

Let's close our time together today with the words of the song, "Come Share the Lord"

We gather here in Jesus name,

His love is burning in our hearts like living flame.

For thru the loving Son the Father makes us one.

Come take the bread, come drink the wine, come share the Lord.

He joins us here, He breaks the bread.

The Lord who pours the cup is risen from the dead.

The One we love the most is now our gracious host.

Come take the bread, come drink the wine, come share the Lord.

We'll gather soon where angels sing.

We'll see the glory of our Lord and coming King.

Now we anticipate the feast for which we wait.

Come take the break, come drink the wine, come share the Lord.