In our text today from John Chapter 21, Jesus is described as hosting a breakfast on the beach. He is the master chef seen to be the chef and the host on the beach. Throughout the Bible, we see God as a chef hosting tables for people in many places in unusual places and circumstances. He hosted the people of Israel with Manna in the desert. He prepared a table for them in the promised land. He prepared a raven to bring food to the prophet. Jesus prepared table for the five thousand with 5 loaves and 2 fish, and then another four thousand with 7 loaves and fish. Jesus hosted a table with his disciples on the night before his death. Here, after resurrection from the dead, he is hosting a table for his disciples who were tired and disappointed.
The post-resurrection appearances of Jesus must have been bewildering and puzzling. It says in verse 14 that this was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. Jesus appeared at random places without notice. On the way to Emmaus they saw him, but they didn’t – until he revealed himself in the ‘breaking of the bread.’ The disciples behind locked doors on two different occasions were busily occupied with their own conversation when suddenly he was there among them – until he was no longer with them – and the door had never opened or closed! He keeps coming unexpectedly and leaving equally unexpectedly – in unexpected places and times! How were they ever to know where He was – where He was going to be – when they would see him and where they might meet him?
The disciples are gathered in Galilee by this point, when Peter suggests a fishing trip. Peter and a number of the other disciples were fishermen by trade. Fishing had been their life’s work, as likely their only source of living, it would also be well within their comfort zone. It is not a vacation fishing trip where you hang a 'gone fishing’ sign on the door. This is more like getting back to work. The disciples had been fishing when they met Jesus; no wonder, really, that they went back to fishing again; back to the beginning.
The trip turns out to be not a successful fishing trip, at least not until Jesus shows up. John 21 says they went out and got into the boat, but caught nothing all night long. They did an awful lot of work all night with no results. Here the disciples were in such a devastating stage in their lives. The Lord and Master that they had followed leaving their old businesses is now dead and buried. They lost their hope of the Kingdom of God in this world, and now they are trying to piece together their lives again by going back to try their old business, the business of fishing which turned out to be a failure.
Life has all these big challenges that we have to face. The issue is not will you have challenges in life; the issue is how you will deal with the challenges that ultimately come. I have a friend who says, "The trouble with life is that it's so daily." One of the hardest things about life is the discouragement that comes at the hands of people. I've always thought that ministry would be a cakewalk if it weren't for people. But how can it be there is ministry without people? There are times when we say, down deep inside, "I just didn't think it would turn out like this." The waves of discouragement and disappointment begin to bury your heart and your spirit. You work hard to keep going, but something's dying deep inside. If the discouragements don't get you, then failure will begin to haunt your spirit. You'll think, "I'm not really worthy. I'm such a failure. Nothing seems to work. I'm such a loser."
If those kinds of things don't get you, then the distractions of cash and comfort and all distract you from the things that really count. If you can identify with what I'm saying, please know that you're not alone. Some of God's best people struggled so deeply with these types of things that they began to go on their missions.
But then comes this encounter with Jesus. “Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.” He asks if they’ve caught anything, and they say no, and he tells them to cast their net on the right side of the boat and they’ll find some fish. They do as this apparent stranger says, and lo and behold, the net is suddenly full to bursting – so full of fish they can’t even haul it in! One of them – it seems to be John - figures out it must be Jesus then, and Peter jumps right into the water and swims to shore to meet him.
And what was Jesus doing, when they made it to shore? He had a little campfire going, and he was cooking them all a nice hot breakfast of bread and fish. Here Jesus meets them in a comforting, normal moment, in a way by welcoming them to share a meal together, just like old times. Right on the beach, right next to their fishing boat. He had helped them motivated by helping them catch a big load of fish. Their beloved friend and teacher was the Son of God, after all. Here is he building a gentle scene of friendship and reconnection. Not to mention a good meal after all their hard work. And just as he did at their Last Supper together, Jesus plays the roles of both servant and host at their breakfast on the beach.
Of course, no matter how interesting a gospel story may be in its own right, each story has an application for our lives. Immediately before today’s text, back in John 20:31, w ’re told “these things were written so that you [that is, we readers] may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.” In other words, the story gets to be our story too.
We may have missed out on that early morning cookout with Jesus; we may not have been out in that fishing boat or hauled in that net with the other disciples, but we are offered the same promises nonetheless. Jesus welcomes all of us, to feed, heal and forgive, and to give fresh starts and new opportunities. We may even be surprised some day to find great abundance, nets full to bursting, where it seemed nothing at all would ever materialize for us. We are going through perilous and unprecedented times with this COVID-19 disease. Nothing seems to work for a cure or vaccine, while tens of thousands are dying. Millions around the world are locked up in their homes. Jesus is in the midst of this and he will have a table set ready for us to eat.
The people of Israel doubted: "Can he supply meat for his people?” Exodus 16:1-36. and in Numbers 11:1-9. "Can God prepare food in the wilderness in this hot and steamy desert? (Ps 78:19). In the midst of doubts and anxiety, God provides the best. It is described in the Book of Numbers as manna arriving with the dew during the night. When the layer of dew evaporated, there were fine flakes on the desert. Not only God showered manna, but He covered it with dew. I would say that is the refrigerator of God in the desert.
God prepares the table before us in front our challenging enemies of doubts and worries. When God prepares the table, you don't have to do anything. Just show up. The first blessing you will find on your plate is immediate and unconditional forgiveness. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). There is nothing you can do to earn it. God gives us all his blessing along with eternal life freely without price. There is nothing we need to do or we can do. Quite often people wear themselves out trying to prepare that table when God has already prepared it. In the parable of the prodigal son, the runaway young man was overcome by sin and spent all his resources on his lusts. He ended up in virtual bondage, having to eat swine’s food. He thought, “I’ve sinned so badly I can never be accepted by my father as before. Surely I have to pay for this somehow. So he asks his dad to hire him as a servant. He thought he could pay some of it back. But his father wants him back ash His son, not servant. Scripture tells us, “The father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry” (Luke 15:22-23). God's grace is deeper than the deepest sin you may have committed. He will forget the past and forgive the sins. He will give you the bright robe of righteousness through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
When we are invited to the table, we focus on the table and not the enemy. It is a bountiful table with all heavenly delights. God's table is full of riches of his blessings. If we are focused upon looking at the enemy, it may be difficult to see the table that God has set before us. "The enemy is at the door and yet God prepares a table, and the Christian sits down and eats as if everything were in perfect peace." (Spurgeon). Phil 4:19, Paul says, "Do not worry about anything, my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." The enemies can be failure, fear, doubt, guilt, or lack of patience or anger or frustration. God wants you to enjoy the meal without worrying about the enemy. Mary sat down at the feet of Jesus to the learning table that Jesus set before her. Martha tried to create her own table for Jesus. (Luke 10:38-42). "But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:42).
Jesus is preparing a table in heaven, where there will be no enemies. Jesus prepared a table at the Passover just before he went to Jerusalem to be tried and crucified (Luke 22). He said, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." He then took the cup and said, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood" (Luke 22:20). The table that He prepared was a table of remembrance. It is where the 13 men sat, one of them betrayed his Lord, and another one rejected him and all of them left him when faced with trial of death. It is a table of remembrance to all. Today millions of Christians around the world celebrate this table. In small groups to thousands of people gathering, from various nations and race and languages, various cultures and colors, various levels of social and economic status, all sit together as one body in Christ, sharing His body and His blood. That table is the table of triumphant victory and unity that will shake the foundations of hell. The table signifies the feast in heaven when one day, all those who are redeemed by the blood of lamb of God, will eat together with Him.
Then we will all say like David, "The Lord is my shepherd, and I shall not want (or He is all I want!)" T "The Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Rev 7:17). The great preacher Spurgeon wrote, "While I am here I will be a child at home with my God; the whole world shall be his house to me; and when I ascend into heaven, I shall not change my company, God is still there with me forever."
He is preparing a table for us in heaven so that we will be feasting with Him forever.
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