The death of Jesus was not the end. It was the beginning of a new life and a new way in which He would rule over the world.
Grief has many hard moments. One of the hardest, however, has to be waking up.
You are sound asleep, you begin to wake, and, for a moment, you forget your loved one has died. You start to awaken to life as it once was... and then you remember. Your heart stops and the world comes crashing in. You realize, with fresh pain, what has happened, and you wish you could go back to the peace of not knowing, of waking up in that world you once called home.
The pain of grief is what makes today’s reading so poignant. In our text, there is an awakening, only this time it is not an awakening to our loss but an awakening to the living presence of Jesus in our lives. Jesus is teaching His disciples to trust that He is there. He is a voice calling out over the waters, a figure standing, watching, waiting on the distant shore. He is always there, even when you may not see Him.
The disciples have known grief. They have watched as Jesus was arrested, beaten, hung on a cross, and died. They have heard how He was taken down and placed in a tomb. The Son of God who was part of their lives for three years, healing, teaching, leading, was gone. They had left family and work to follow this figure and now they were without Him. The grief was monumental. The displacement and disillusionment raw and mind-numbing.
But then, Jesus rose from the dead, just as He had told them He would. If Jesus could conquer death, then life was truly different. He appeared to some of them on a road. He appeared to others in a room. These appearances were momentary, fragmented. They were glimpses of their Savior, alive, ruling, and leading, but not as before. For a moment, Jesus would be present with them and the memories would come rushing in, and then, in the next moment Jesus would be gone.
That is what happens in our reading this morning. Jesus has been gone, and the disciples are not sure what to do. They are waiting, as Jesus told them to, for the Spirit to come from on high. So, Peter decides to go fishing and the others follow.
As they are out there on the water, they see a distant figure on the shore. As morning dawns, He calls out to them, asking them if they have any fish. Then, He tells them to drop their net on the other side of the boat. As the net starts to fill with fish, their minds begin to fill with memories and their hearts fill with inexpressible joy. John remembers the first time they experienced a miraculous catch of fish. Jesus was present then too, telling them to cast their net. So, John whispers to Peter his hope beyond hope, his dream that, “It is the Lord.”
Peter is overwhelmed at the chance to see Jesus again. He grabs his cloak and jumps in the water to swim to the shore. In this story, the disciples have their dearest dreams come true. For a moment, Jesus is again with them, in the flesh, in this world.
In this story, the disciples have their dearest dreams come true. For a moment, Jesus is again with them, in the flesh, in this world.
For me, the beauty of this text is not just the appearance of Jesus or the miraculous catch of fish. The true beauty of this text is the greater work Jesus is doing. He is teaching His disciples that He is present with them in ways they cannot understand. Hence, the strange randomness of His appearances. Sometimes He comes and other times He does not. At times they are overwhelmed with their sense of loss but then Jesus comes, and they remember the new reality He brings. Jesus is there, even when they do not see Him. He overhears their conversations, listening as Thomas says how he needs to place his hands in Jesus’ side. He understands their guilt, knowing Peter cannot escape the burden of his three-fold denial. And, again and again, Jesus makes Himself known. Through His word, through His presence, through His miracles, through His Spirit... Jesus is awakening His disciples to a new reality. He is present, even though they cannot see Him. He is at work, even in the daily life of this world.
The death of Jesus was not the end. It was the beginning of a new life and a new way in which He would rule over the world. When Jesus rose from the dead, He rose victorious over sin, Satan, death, and the world. There is nothing now that can separate us from His love. Though we cannot see Him, He sees us. And, in this resurrection appearance, He teaches us that He is not far from any one of us.
Jesus knows our need for the basic necessities of life, and He knows our need for forgiveness. And, for these needs, He abundantly provides. He brings the disciples to a fire where fish are cooked and ready to be eaten. He then brings His disciple Peter into a conversation where He can pour the comfort of forgiveness into his wounds. Jesus eases Peter’s painful memory of denial and gives him the opportunity to confess three times that he loves his Lord.
Jesus lives and He is near... to you... today. He hears your cry, He knows your heart, and He offers you His word, His Spirit, and His presence that you might always awaken to His presence in your life in this world.
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Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching-Check out out 1517’s resources on John 21:1-14 (15-19).
Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you in preaching John 21:1-14 (15-19).
Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!
The Pastor’s Workshop-Check out all the great preaeching resources from our friends at the Pastor’s Workshop!
