Christ has risen! He has risen, indeed. Alleluia!
The sermon text is from John 21:1-14.
You’ve probably heard the old story about Joe and Larry who were out on the lake early one morning. The fish were hitting so well they fished till late morning when a hearse led a funeral procession over the bridge near where they were fishing. As the procession slowly passed Joe stood up in the boat and reverently cupped his ball cap over his heart until the entire line was gone. When he sat back down, Larry said, “Joe that was very touching. I’m impressed. I never knew you had that in you.” While re-baiting his hook Joe answered, “It’s the least I could do. She was a good wife to me for the last 30 years.”
In our text for today, seven of Jesus’ disciples were out fishing on the Sea of Galilee when they saw Jesus standing on the shore, but no one recognized Jesus. They didn’t stand up in the boat and sing the “Hallelujah Chorus.” They didn’t cup their hands over their hearts or fall to their knees. They just kept fishing away.
Now remember these 7 disciples were probably all professional fisherman before Jesus made them “fishers of men.” But as they eased their boat to within 100 yards of the shore, Jesus calls out to them in a way that shows He’s taking authority over them. In the original text, Jesus says, “Children, you haven’t caught any fish?” When they answered, “No,” Jesus said, “Throw your net on the other side of the boat.” I guess at that point they were willing to try anything, because our text tells us when they did the catch was so large they could hardly bring it in.
Then St. John, the author of our Gospel, was the first to figure it out. He turned to Peter in the boat and blurted out, “It is the Lord.” Peter was the fiery, impetuous disciple. When he heard John’s words, John wrote: “As soon as Peter heard him say, ‘It is the Lord,’ he wrapped his outer garment around himself and jumped into the water.” So while the other disciples struggled to stay afloat and save their catch and tow it to the shore, Peter went swimming for Jesus. When Peter got to shore, he saw Jesus had already started breakfast, cooking fish and bread over burning coals. You see, the disciples needed to catch fish, but the Son of God, who earlier in His ministry had turned 5 loaves and two fish into a feast for 5000, didn’t have to go fishing to provide breakfast.
Jesus called them to bring some of their catch to add to His breakfast. So again, rambunctious Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. Now, Peter may have been incredibly strong or given super-human strength, because this catch could have weighed more than 1000 pounds. Now, here’s where you get one of those neat – aha moments. Remember St. John was a professional fisherman, so these are the kinds of details you’d expect him to include: “[The net] was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.” Doesn’t that sound like a fisherman? He notes the fish were large. He notes the exact number, 153. And, he notes that contrary to what one would expect with such a catch – the net wasn’t torn.
Finally, when everyone’s on shore, Jesus says, “Come and have breakfast.” And once again, Jesus serves each of them, taking the bread and giving it to them and doing the same with the fish. The text of this miraculous catch of fish ends by reminding us of the greatest miracle of all: “This was now the third time Jesus appeared to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.”
This is a precious text, whether your vocation is fishing or farming or business or parenting or being a student… All the blessings and gifts we enjoy in life from the fruit of our labors are really gifts from God. God doesn’t only take care of our eternal, spiritual needs. He blesses our earthly lives. Psalm 145 says, “The eyes of all look you to You, O Lord, and you give them their food at the proper time; You open your hands and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” How blessed we are that God gives “every good and perfect gift”, and how wise we are to recognize in everything we do – whether student or farmer or parent or fisher – God is the source of all good. “Dear God, thank You for Your gifts and as we serve You give us all that You know we need!”
I think we can also officially declare this to be the first Easter breakfast, except this time the meal isn’t served by the youth group or church council or ladies aid. Just as Jesus served the disciples, washing their feet on Maundy Thursday, He again serves His disciples, His children, with a miraculous meal. What a great reminder of God’s gracious ways, the King of Kings came “not to be served but to serve.” And that’s still God’s gracious with us today.
You and I are blessed beyond words to be served by our gracious God as He invites you His children to His altar to receive the even more miraculous gift of Christ’s very body and blood! Receiving our Risen Lord Jesus, trusting in His Easter victory for us and for our salvation, we are fed and forgiven with the heavenly food that sustains us in this life and beyond. Receiving Jesus’ true body and blood, the Living Lord who serves us out of pure grace strengthens us to serve Him.
Lives of service to God can be a lot like our text. Fishing on their own the disciples were skunked. You and I have all had the experience of dismal failure in our Christian lives; times when our words and thoughts and actions brought shame to our Savior. We’ve gone through long nights when it seems like we’re wasting our time; dark nights of depression and sadness. We’ve all spent countless moments of our lives living for ourselves – out on our own – doing our own thing with little concern for the Living Christ who leads and guides our lives. Like the disciples, too much of our lives is wasted without that relationship with God guiding our thoughts, words and actions.
This is Easter’s joy and hope for us as we follow Jesus to our heavenly homeland. The God who created you in His image, who serves you with the gifts of His creation and takes care of each day’s daily bread, is the God took the form of a servant. Jesus was true God and true man, serving us by walking perfectly in our shoes, dying and rising from the dead. Even as Christ the King calls us into His service to do His will and work, He still serves and strengthens and forgives us, sending His Holy Spirit to baptize us into His family. He serves us at His Table the Easter breakfast that sustains us eternally – His flesh and blood given for you.
May God bless your service as He calls us to let down the nets of His love in this world, telling and sharing our Risen Jesus. May God bless you as the Holy Spirit uses your words and witness to gather into His nets a world of lost sinners. May God bless you as He serves you – purely out of His undeserved love – with strong, heavenly food. Christ has risen! He has risen, indeed. Alleluia!
And now may the peace of God which surpasses human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.