We are currently in the period between Easter and Pentecost.
Put yourselves in the shoes of these first disciples and remember what had happened to them. Three years before, Jesus had called them from their daily occupations – for many of them it had been fishing on Lake Galilee. They had left everything to follow Jesus who had declared to them that the kingdom of God was at hand. They had listened to his teaching, much of it in parables. They had witnessed his miracles – healing the sick, casting out demons and feeding hungry crowds. They had seen how he had got into arguments with the Jewish leaders and teachers and how, much to the annoyance of these officials, he had always got the better of them. They had gone with him up to Jerusalem where the crowds had welcomed him as one coming in the name of the Lord, coming to save them. He had gone to the temple and had overturned the tables of the moneychangers and chased out the traders. And then …
And then he had been taken captive and subjected to a mock trial. He had been rejected, mocked and handed over to the Roman authorities – the oppressive Imperial power. They had crucified him, and his lifeless body had been buried in a sealed stone tomb.
And then, when all hope seemed lost, Jesus had risen from the dead and appeared twice to the disciples. But just as quickly as he appeared to them he had disappeared again.
But Jesus had instructed them to go back to Galilee where he also would meet with them again.
And this brings me to my first of three points in today's sermon. I have three points but five words all beginning with the letter 'R' – Returning, Remembering and Relearning, Restored and Recommissioned.
So first …
Mark tells us that when the women went to the tomb on that first Easter morning they did not find Jesus, but they found an angel in the tomb who told them, "Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'" (Mark 16:6). So the disciples, having now seen the risen Lord in Jerusalem went back to Galilee to meet with him there.
And what would these Galilean fishermen do now that they are back home in Galilee? Back home to wives and families. Perhaps Peter's wife said to him, "How are you now going to provide for your family?" And Peter suggests that they return to their fishing.
They are back to the place where they first encountered Jesus, where he first called them to follow him. It must have been a place filled with memories and with mixed feelings.
That was a very short point but it sets the scene for the next which now involves two 'R's …
These men, who had made their living catching fish, spent the whole night casting their nets into the sea and then drawing them back in; and they caught nothing. Then, as dawn began to break and the mists that had descended on the lake were beginning to disperse, they saw the figure of a man standing on the shore. The man called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?", or the question could be translated, "Friends, you don't have any fish, do you?". When they replied that they had caught nothing the man said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some."
Well, those words proved an understatement for they did not just find some, they caught so many fish that they were unable to pull in the net. And now the penny begins to drop. Surely this has all happened before. Before they began following Jesus there had been an occasion when they had been fishing all night and had caught nothing. Jesus had used their boat as a pulpit or preaching stage and when he had finished speaking to the crowds on the shore, had told the fishermen to sail out into the depths of the lake and let down their nets and they had caught so many fish that their nets had threatened to break and when two of their boats had begun to haul the fish aboard the boats had threatened to sink under the weight. Jesus had enabled them to catch an extraordinary quantity of fish, more than they had ever caught before. Then he had told them "Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people." That is when they had left everything and followed him (see Luke 5:1-11).
And here they were again with an enormous catch of fish. The disciple whom Jesus loved is first to speak but he voices, surely, the realisation of all when he says "It is the Lord". Jesus has met with them again in Galilee to teach them afresh what it means to follow him.
Jesus had already told them that they were to continue the work for which the Father sent him into the world: "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you", he had said (John 20:21). Now he reminds them that in this task of 'fishing for people' – drawing people to know the Saviour and into the life of the kingdom – they can do nothing apart from him. It is only as he is with them and as they are responsive to his direction that they will succeed in the mission he is giving them. But when they are dependent upon him and obedient to his command, then he will pour out blessing upon them beyond anything they could ask or imagine.
There are 7 disciples here. How many fish do you think they can eat for breakfast, or in a day, or even if they share them with their families? Certainly not 153 fish! Jesus' provision for his obedient disciples is abundantly plentiful. Like the first miracle of Jesus recorded by John, the miracle of transforming water into wine at a wedding in Cana of Galilee – 150 gallons of water (or 900 bottles) into the finest of wine! – so in this last of John's recorded miracles Jesus provides super abundantly. And did you notice that one of the disciples here was Nathaniel from Cana in Galilee. Could he have been the bridegroom at the wedding feast?
As the disciples now tow the net full of fish to the shore they see a fire with burning coals on it (we shall return to this fire in a minute). Jesus invites the disciples to join him in a meal. He took bread and gave it to them. Would they not have remembered how Jesus had often taken bread, broken it and distributed it to them? He had taken two barley rolls, broken the bread and, along with five small fish, fed a crowd of many thousands. He had supplied blessing in abundance again on that occasion. And he had told the crowds that he was the bread of life and that those who eat this bread will live for ever – enigmatic words that they did not understand at that time.
But the disciples understood these words now. For, on the night he was betrayed he took bread, broke it and gave it to them saying, "This is my body which is for you." They remembered how he had spoken of laying down his life for them and giving life to the world.
So Jesus takes them back to the beginning of their calling, away from their fishing in Lake Galilee to fish for people. He reminds them of the things he has taught them, of his sacrificial death and risen life. He reminds them that they can do nothing apart from his presence, direction and power. But that when he is with them and they are obedient to his direction they will experience abundant blessing and extraordinary success in the work to which he is calling them.
Jesus enables them to remember and relearn the things he has taught them.
But Jesus also has particular things to say to Peter. So we move on to our third point …
Peter is the first to jump from the boat and make for the shore. He is the first to see Jesus beside the fire of burning coals. And this must have reminded Peter of another recent occasion when he had followed Jesus and sat by a fire of burning coals. That had been in the courtyard of the High Priest where three times Peter had denied that he knew Jesus. And on the third occasion, the cock had crowed, Jesus had looked at Peter and Peter had walked away and wept. Peter must have been so conscious of how he had let down his Lord.
And now Jesus turns to Peter and asks him, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?"
What are the "these" that Jesus is speaking of? It is possible that Jesus was pointing to the great catch of fish and asking Peter whether Peter loves the prospect of a great catch of fish more than he loves Jesus and following Jesus. It's possible that Jesus is challenging Peter, asking him if he wants to return to fishing or whether he loves Jesus more.
But I think that there may be another explanation. Do you remember how, after eating the Last Supper with his disciples, Jesus tells them that that they will all fall away. Listen to the way it recorded by Mark in Mark 14:27-31:
‘You will all fall away,’ Jesus told them, ‘for it is written: "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered." But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.’
Peter declared, ‘Even if all fall away, I will not.’
‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘today – yes, tonight – before the cock crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.’
But Peter insisted emphatically, ‘Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.’ And all the others said the same.
Did you notice Peter's words, "Even if all fall away, I will not"? Peter was boasting that his love for Jesus is so much greater than that of any other of the disciples. Even if everyone deserts Jesus, he never will.
So now Jesus, perhaps pointing at the other disciples, asks Peter, "Do you love me more than these?" – has your love really proved stronger than that of the rest?
This question must have cut Peter to the core. He dare not claim to a greater love than all the rest. All he can do is to say, "Yes Lord, you know that I love you."
Three times Peter had denied his Lord. Now he is asked three times by Jesus, "Do you love me?" Each time he reaffirms his love and each time the Lord Jesus recommissions him – "Feed my lambs… Take care of my sheep… Feed my sheep." Peter is not only forgiven, he is restored to the task of ministering to others.
Peter clearly found this question and answer session with the Lord challenging and humbling, but he took its lesson to heart. In 1 Peter chapter 5 he writes to those who have leadership responsibilities in the church saying:
To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them [and] being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
Do you hear what he says? He tells them that he has been given by Jesus, the Chief Shepherd, the same task as these church leaders, that of being shepherds of the flock of God that is under their care.
Do you notice also how Jesus goes on to speak of the way in which Peter will have to face death? Peter had boasted that he was ready to die with Jesus even if everyone else ran away. Now Jesus tells him that his faithfulness in following Jesus will result in a violent death. Following Jesus will mean following him in the way of the cross.
Peter is clearly troubled at Jesus' words so when he notices that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them he tries to shift the focus away from himself by asking, "Lord, what about him?" Jesus answers, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." In other words Jesus is saying, "Never mind what work I have for him to do. Focus on your task of following me in the task I have given you of seeking the lost – fishing for people – and caring for my people."
I wonder whether there are times when we are all too conscious that we have failed to live the life Jesus has called us to live. We are aware that we have let him down and compromised our witness to him. Maybe we have felt guilt and shame over our failures.
Or maybe we are simply aware that our original enthusiasm for Christ has grown a little cold. We have returned to the pattern of life we lived before we knew him rather than being wholly devoted to the life of the kingdom.
We need to Return to the place where we first met Jesus, or perhaps, more accurately, to the place where he first met us. We need to meet Christ afresh and to hear afresh his call upon our lives. Remember the lovely character of the Lord Jesus described in Isaiah 42 (a passage about the Servant of the Lord) and applied to Jesus in Matthew 12:20, "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out." He always deals with us gently and lovingly rather than harshly and severely. Turn back to him.
We need to Remember and Relearn: to remember all that Christ has done for us, especially through his death for us and his glorious resurrection. To remember that we have forgiveness through the cross:
My sin, Oh the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord Oh my soul.
We need to learn afresh that we can do nothing by our own strength but that we can do amazing things in his service when he is with us and when we are obedient to his call upon us.
I need Thee every hour
Most gracious Lord
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford
I need Thee, O I need Thee
Every hour I need Thee
O bless me now, my Saviour
I come to Thee
We need to realise afresh the abundant generosity and goodness of our God, and to be emboldened to attempt great things for God.
This is the way to be Restored and Recommissioned: restored to a guilt-free relationship with Christ, knowing we are loved and forgiven. This is the way to find joy in the work of the kingdom – following the Saviour in seeking the lost and caring for his people.
We need to learn these important lessons: Jesus is able to do amazing things through lives devoted to him and dependent upon him. But this does not mean that our lives will be free of trouble. On the contrary, Jesus calls us to follow him in the way of the cross. It is only as we are prepared to die to self and to our own plans that we can truly live for Christ and know his blessing – a blessing that will spill over to others as they too are attracted to the Saviour we serve.
And so let me finish with this final question, Do you love Jesus? Do you love Jesus more than anything else? Jesus calls us to search our hearts and to be honest before him.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you know all things. You know our hearts. You know that we love you and yet that our love is often weak and faltering. Help us to love you with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and to love one another as you have loved us. Help us to follow you and to serve you faithfully in the work of the kingdom. May others be drawn to you through the testimony of our lives and words. For the glory of your name. Amen.
Peter Misselbrook, Whitehill Evangelical Church, 18/5/25