Without a doubt the 9/11 terrorist attack shook the core confidence of Americans unlike any other event did. It made us think of the brevity of life and posed questions such as what is beyond life? Is there life after death? After those attacks one would have liked to think that we have learned our lessons and it is time we have returned to God. Rightly so the emotional pain and search for answers after Sept. 11 had many flocking to religious services like never before. In the same week after 9/11, over 20 thousand people showed up, at Fellowship Church in Dallas. It was the largest crowd in the history of this Church. The senior Pastor Ed Young, said, “When I walked on stage I looked around and said, 'Where have you guys been? It takes something like this for you to show up to church?'" But, like many of the initial post-attack phenomenon, church attendance has since returned to normal." The pastor said, “the pews were soon a bit roomier. "I was disappointed somewhat that more didn't stick because we dropped, the next weekend and then the weekend after that to about 14, 500,"By some estimates, on the Sunday following the terror attacks roughly half of the adult population in the United States attended a religious service. But the attendance dropped off starting in November.[1]
Isn’t it amazing that even after seeing such dramatic growth following 9/11 the church in the USA somehow couldn’t sustain the growth? What happened to the eagerness showed by Christians immediately after the attack? Last week we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. One would have imagined that the whole Jerusalem would now turn to Christ after that spectacular event. How was life right after the resurrection of Christ? What were the disciples doing? We read about the life after the resurrection of Christ in John 21:1-18.
I. BUSINESS AS USUAL (Vs 1-4)
One day my wife and I drove passed by a huge funeral. I thought to myself some prominent person of the city must have died. Many driving by may not have given a second thought to what was going on in the church. On our way back I said to my wife let’s avoid going back the same way lest we get stuck in the traffic jam. She said, you may be surprised the funeral procession may be gone by now. Reluctantly, I followed her suggestion low and behold not a single car was left in front of the Church. Within twenty minutes everything was cleared up and life was back to normal. If any one passed by the church at that moment they would have had no clue as to the fact that half an hour before a huge funeral service took place there. In the same way, we witness catastrophes, the deaths of our loved ones and for a brief time we may be shaken, feel sad and grieve but after that life becomes busy as usual isn’t it?
Life after resurrection of Jesus was somewhat like that. Here the whole city of Jerusalem and Jesus’ close disciples had witnessed a super spectacular event. But only after a few days it looked like as if the whole world had forgotten it including his beloved disciples. For seven out of eleven, life became normal. They have pushed all the miraculous events surrounding the resurrection aside and went about on their own business as if nothing has ever happened. Peter the ring leader said, I am going fishing and the rest said “We will also come with you” so off they went that night to do what was familiar to them. They went back to their old usual business.
After witnessing the mighty resurrection of Jesus one would imagine that the disciples would say to each other, “let’s carry on the great mission of our Lord” instead they said, let’s get back to fishing. Have you ever wondered what must have made Peter to say I am going fishing?
One could only imagine several reasons that may have triggered Peter’s decision. Peter probably recalled his own actions that brought Jesus to such a horrible end. "First I bragged about my undying loyalty to him, and then I betrayed him. He may have struggled with a sense of failure and unworthy to continue to be his disciple. Or he might have doubted whether Christ would ever trust him again. Or he may have imagined, “life without Christ would be challenging, difficult and he didn’t know whether he could handle it. Whatever may be the reason he wanted to get back to what was familiar, and had always enjoyed doing.
Let me put this into our context, like Peter; we all have made boastful statements about our lives or about our faith at one time or another. And we all have been embarrassed when reality confronted these claims. While following Christ some times things get tough and when that happens we tend carry negative view of ourselves, we want to quit and throw in the towel quickly and get back to what is familiar, and comfortable?
How does God look at us when we mess up? He will by pass our failures and looks at our heart that wanted to do the right thing. That’s what Jesus saw in Peter; he passed right through his failures and weaknesses and saw a broken and contrite heart. Jesus didn’t want to leave Peter in a discouraged and disillusioned state so he came to Peter. In the same way Jesus doesn’t want us to remain in our failure, neither does he want us to get back to what is familiar and lead a normal and boring life. Life with Jesus is more adventurous and exciting. He comes to us in our troubles and wants to walk with us the rest of the life’s Journey.
The disciples thought they could get away from the Lord by going fishing. They wanted to settle down in life and be like any one else. But God has other plans for them, boy little did they know that God was about to embark them onto an exciting journey with Him.
Jesus came, and stood on the beach as the exasperated, expert fishermen came back after spending a whole night on the sea yet caught nothing. They could hardly believe that they couldn’t even catch a single fish. How frustrating that would be for you especially if that’s what you did all your life? I think it was God’s mercy that they didn’t catch a single fish that night, had they caught perhaps they would’ve settled down for a normal way of living. God didn’t want them to settle for a mediocre and normal living. He wanted to take them on to uncharted waters. He wanted them to be courageous and do things they had never dreamed of before. In the same way God wants us to experience his abundance as individuals, as families and as a Church. He wants us to be fruitful and enjoy the abundant life. How can we receive this fullness of life? The answer is in obeying God’s instructions, which are many in God’s word.
II. FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS (5-11)
Have you ever been in a place no matter how hard you worked at a particular job you just couldn’t get it done? You are at the end of your rope. Peter and his gang were exactly in that place. When we come to the end of ourselves, Jesus steps into our lives. I like the way Jesus addressed this bunch of exhausted and frustrated disciples. He said, Children, you do not have any fish do you? I hear a little sarcasm in his voice just like a father scolding his children in a loving way. “So boys you thought you could go out without my help and catch fish, but did you catch any fish? Don’t you know without me you can do nothing, not even fishing?
The disciples must have replied with guilt ridden face, yes sir you are right we caught nothing! Then he said to them, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to pull the net in because of the large number of fish.
How does this apply to our church? Firstly, notice that Jesus did not say throw your fishing rod instead he said through your net indicating that the time is over for people to do their own thing for their own personal satisfaction It is time that they learn to work together in order to accomplish greater purposes. When it comes to Kingdom building we must come out of our individualistic approach. We can not afford to say “I will do my job and you do yours.” Or this is my ministry and I will do it my way and I don’t care what others think. Instead we would say how can I bless your ministry, how can I support what you are doing?
Secondly, we need to pay close attention to what God is saying to us as a church through the leadership and cooperate with them. We just don’t do a program because it sounds cool; instead we do a program because God has directed us to do so. Thirdly, the disciples did exactly as Jesus directed them they were able to catch 153 large fish. In the same way when we follow God’s instructions, we will see large number of people getting saved and discipled through our ministry. Getting back to our story; we will see how Jesus restored and reinstated Peter to his ministry.
III.LOVE’S EXPECTATION (15-17)
When Simon Peter heard it was the Lord he put his outer garment (out of respect) and threw himself into the sea. He must have been struck with remorse, as he jumped into the water we may hear him saying to the Lord, "Jesus, why do you put up with me? I failed you! I am not worthy to be your disciple any more let me swim away from you. Did Jesus let Peter getaway? No! He loved him too much so he wanted to restore him back. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said, Peter do you love me three times and Peter replied three times yes Lord.
Why three times? It could be to make up for his three times denial or it could be that Peter didn’t get it at the first time. In this passage two different Greek words were used for love. The conversation went somewhat like this. Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these means more than the other disciples (unselfishly to the point that you would be willing to sacrifice). Peter replied, Yes Lord you know that I love you (that I have a deep personal affection for you as a close friend)
Christ may have expected to hear Peter say “Yes Lord I love you sacrificially and unselfishly”, but disappointingly Peter said yes Lord you know I like you; you are my best friend. If Christ were to ask you, “do you love me” what would be your response? Would you say yes Lord I love you, and I am willing to do anything for your sake or would you just say, Oh, Yah, you know I like you let’s just be buddies?
Next time when you say you love God ask yourselves these simple yet profound questions: Is my love for God costing me anything? What am I willing to let go? Or what do I need to give up? When God loved the world He gave his only begotten son? When Christ loved the Church (that is you and me) he gave up His life so that we might live with him forever.
How are you going to express your love for God today and in the days to come? It may require for some to make a decision to follow Christ at the expense of a lucrative CAREER. For some it may mean saying sorry for hurting a fellow brother or a sister in the Lord. For some it may mean giving up their addiction, for some it may mean stop quarrelling and gossiping. Whatever it may mean for each of us let’s be sincere in our Love for God. Amen
