Pastor Jonah preached John 21:7-22. He taught the mission of God is restoring our relationship with him and each other. We do this by keeping Jesus as the center of who we are, feeding the ones he loves. Lector: Kristen McGee
Pastor Jonah preached John 21:7-22. He taught the mission of God is restoring our relationship with him and each other. We do this by keeping Jesus as the center of who we are, feeding the ones he loves.
Lector: Kristen McGee
There’s a wonderful pattern that happens in the gospel of John, Bible Pro Tip time:
Today is an example. John 8-9 is another example.
In john 8, he says he is the light of the world. Sounds great…what does that mean?
John 9…he gives sight to a man born blind.
Then, after a chapter of controversy and a confusing parable, Jesus invites his disciples to trust him and follow him.
States a truth, shows a truth, invites us to live a truth.
This is how John’s gospel ends. Some folks wish John ended at chapter 20.
It’s a very clean ending…John states why this was written, invites us to believe.
But…life is not very clean, is it? Certainly following Jesus isn’t. Let me tell you why.
The mission of Jesus was not only to forgive our sins.
Only is an important word here. Yes, he came to forgive our sins. But why?
Ephesians 1 spells out the core of Jesus’ mission:
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
-Ephesians 1:5
The mission of Jesus was adoption. RESTORED RELATIONSIHP.
In order to achieve that mission, our sins had to be forgiven.
Forgiveness of sins is a means to the end of restored relationsihp.
And if relationship is the mission of God…we gotta prepare for some messiness!
Jesus prays for his friends in front of his friends, and listen to how he ends:
I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me
-John 17:20-21
He prays for unity. His last lesson before his death. That’s the truth stated.
We are created for community and then rescued for relationship.
That’s the stated truth. Now…how does he show this as the story goes on?
Well…after the resurrection, what does Peter decided to do?
I’m going out to fish
-John 21:3
Some days, I think all we need to know about Christianity is found on a fishing boat
Jesus’ last words to them are about unity…and then Peter finds himself in the spot where unity is perhaps most necessary.
Ask anyone who fishes about who they invite to fish with them.
It’s a careful choice. Because you’re stuck on the boat with them all day.
Can’t go into another room or make up an excuse to leave. You’re stuck.
And no matter how careful your selection is, you’ll be in a boat with someone different
In John 21, you’ll see John recognize Jesus on the shore and say, “IT’S JESUS.”
He’s a rational guy. Sees Jesus, there’s Jesus!
Peter just jumps in and starts swimming. John’s a thinker, Peter’s a doer.
Thinkers and doers, there on a boat together, because Jesus saved them.
Over these last months, we’ve witnessed a baptism of someone who met Jesus in a jail cell and someone who met Jesus at a Burger King eating onion rings.
Baptized people meet Jesus after a mentor died and after years of Bible study with mom and dad
From sermons and from student ministry. All kinds of ways.
The call for unity Jesus taught about is seen in the diversity of his church
We got thinkers and doers in the same boat. And we have the privilege of learning how together.
The reason Jesus prays for unity is because he’s going to save all. Kinds. Of. People.
Jesus shows us this teaching throughout his ministry
He calls rich and poor, educated and uneducated, thinkers and doers, the well thought of and those not thought much of at all.
And I don’t think it’s a coincidence some of them were fishermen, stuck on a boat with each other.
What brought them together? It was not affinity, and not initially at least even affection.
It’s not WHAT they had in common, it’s who they had in common.
And that’s the secret to unity in the church.
If we make politics the center, it’s over.
If we make sports teams or hobbies or music styles or favorite preachers…it’s over.
The secret to restored relationship is Jesus, from start to finish.
We are saved because of what he’s done and we are unified because we are his.
Watch how he shows what this looks like. He commits the unspoken heresy of fishing:
Friends, haven’t you caught any fish?
-John 21:5
If you want to start an argument, find an exhausted group of men on a boat with no fish and ask them if they’ve caught anything!
Last Summer, I spent 7 days on Lake Kabetogama, Minnesota. 8 hour days.
That equals roughly 56 hours of active fishing. I caught 3 fish. Baby tiny ones.
It was as though we were under the judgment of God.
And let me tell you, that’s a level of frustration few can understand.
Why does Jesus poke them in their frustrations?
After they tell him no, he keeps on poking:
“Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”
-John 21:5-6
The only thing worse than asking about the fish is telling them how to fish.
Listen now: in this family of faith, you’re going to be asked uncomfortable things.
Things that aggravate you, that you think are maybe even offensive.
I guarantee you that if you call Jesus Lord, he WILL press into those places, he WILL ask you those questions.
And in this family of faith, you have two options.
Option 1 is to fuss and fight with Jesus.
To stay in this story, you can tell Jesus that you don’t need to be told how to fish.
Even when your nets are empty, you can keep up the pretense.
Don’t talk to ME about politics or parenting or money or my sexuality or my job…
You can try that. Best of luck to you.
Or, you can listen and obey. You can try and trust him.
There’s NO WAY these guys weren’t aggravated after a night of fruitless fishing.
But they listened. They obeyed. And they caught a lot of fish.
So, our relationship with God is restored through Jesus, and our unity is maintained by actively listening to Jesus.
When we get fussy and want to fight, we have to be more curious.
Is this because I think I know all there is to know about fishing?
Is this really something worth splitting the family up over?
Could there be a reason Jesus is calling to me in my frustrations?
These stories are worthy of great reflection. Let me try and put some big pieces together.
Jesus prays for his disciples to be unified. Shortly after, one of his friends betrays him.
After that, Peter denies even knowing him.
Then, even after his resurrection, they hide in fear. He appears to them, forgives their sins, breaths the Holy Spirit into them…but one of the disciples, Thomas (who we looked at last week), does not believe.
Even still, the disciples continue hiding behind locked doors.
Then, Jesus appears to Thomas. Thomas believes. All seems well…
And Peter declares he’s going fishing.
Jesus is not frustrated or disappointed. He says, “I can work with this.”
To try and finally show them what his prayer for unity means, what the forgiveness of sins means, and what the truth he is inviting them to live, he allows them to have a fish less night of fishing. He blesses them with abundance as they trust him.
And now, it’s time for the lesson and the invitation.
Hear now the first words the risen Jesus speaks to the disciple who betrayed him:
Bring some of those fish you have caught…now come have some breakfast!
-John 20:10, 12
Stunning, isn’t it? You must be tired. I made you a fire. You must be hungry, come have some breakfast.
And after they eat, Jesus gives Peter his final lesson:
A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “then feed my sheep.”
-John 21:17
Three times, Jesus asks Peter a question. It’s no coincidence.
And it’s no coincidence Peter feels the hurt after the third one.
Jesus, so patiently and gently, is restoring Peter from his denial.
And notice that there’s an invitation and action from Jesus here.
He’s showing him what forgiveness means: I’m here with you, I’ve made you breakfast!
And then he’s inviting him into a restored relationship.
If you want to live forgiven, be someone new, then this is what you do.
A restored relationship, reconciliation, is never just a word or a conversation.
It begins there, but it’s a way of life that flows from there.
Isn’t that what we all want?
To find the security of love strong enough that can empower us to change.
We don’t want words, we want transformation. We want restored relationship.
This is what Jesus has been building towards since his ministry began.
Connect the dots with Peter here..
A prayer for unity…a predicament in a boat…and a plea for provision.
If you love me, Peter. You’ll be one, just like you were one on that boat. And what will that mean? It will mean taking care of the people I love.
If you need to know what that means, Peter, just remember what these last few weeks have been like for you.
Maybe you’re like John, wondering what to think about this.
Maybe you’re like Peter, wondering what to do about this.
If so, I invite you to carry this story with you, and consider what it might mean for you to hear Jesus say, “feed my sheep.”
The disciples didn’t even get it right then…Peter hears what Jesus has to say about his death, and his immediate concern is how John will die.
But that wasn’t the invitation, was it? It wasn’t to know the details of everyone else’s story. It wasn’t to know what someone else is supposed to do, or how someone else should respond.
Jesus simply, directly, says to Peter feed. My. Sheep.
The mission of God is restoring our relationship with him and each other.
We do this by keeping Jesus as the center of who we are
And we do this by focusing on feeding the ones Jesus loved…you and me.
COMMUNION