This is an amazing message for us and the Church
Why, it tells of God and his heart for all of us brings us hope eternal and true
Why, well its tells of forgiveness and love beyond belief
Why, through this we see the foundation of the universe it self here is Gods fingerprint his blue print for church
Why, well its true for us today as it was for Peter and the disciples then
Why, well it’s the same Jesus that waits for us, for the time when we will see him
Why, it’s a love story with all of us in the centre stage the truest story ever, full of beauty, betrayal, death, hope, faith and above all Love
Why, well it’s a story that’s still being told
So What?
Are there times when you turn away from Jesus
Are there times when you just can’t see it any more, want to get back to the way things were before he came
Are there times when the worries and concerns of the world just sweep you away
Are there times that the love just does not get through, our hearts turn cold
Dangerous times, times when the Lord seems distant, far off, insignificant, unimportant, far from the centre of our lives
Are there times like these?
Are there times when we still have the stench of betrayal on our lips, when we deny Jesus, say we don’t know him, turn away
The Apostles knew times like this, the Disciples sometimes could not even see Jesus when he stood in front of them
Where?
Lets keep that idea, consider the number of times in the bible were Jesus was there BUT no-one could see him
I mean not recognise him, know him for his divinity, for his truest humanity surely a man like this must of stood out in the crowd, almost shone surely if you had lived with him for three years, seen him died and laid to rest, you might think “don’t I know You from some where?”
Jesus showing us what humanity is at its ultimate best and we were incapable of seeing the beauty of who God is.
But it happened all the time consider Mary at the tomb, those on the road to Emmaus the disciples look right at Jesus but they did not recognise him and it amazes me, bugs me and scares me that this can happen.
Jesus Christ looking at them straight into their souls and they did not recognise him who had walked amongst them, how many times I dread to think was that me looking at him and just not seeing?
John 1: 10 – 14 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Isaiah 53: 1 – 6 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
How could we not see Jesus and see his glory, know all of his beauty same today people cannot see and recognise his beauty even when it is right in front of us.
The context
Consider the moment, the Disciples, had given up their world to follow this Jesus, left families, the dead to bury themselves turned and followed. Turned their back on the fishing and the need to earn money and favour, turned to follow a King a Messiah. They turned after Jesus reviled himself to them and said “Come follow me and be Fishers of Men”, feeding the thousands with a handful of fishes and bread, watching the faces of those looking at Jesus and suddenly seeing his beauty like the rays of the sun illuminating there faces. Peter himself saw Jesus as the Christ God as Man, witness the miracles saw the transformation the beauty, heard the words, saw the tears felt that hand upon his arm, looked into those eyes and knew the living beating heart of God stepped out of heaven into our darkness to bring his light his love and here he was on earth. Peter knew Jesus, promised to him never to betray him even if all the others did, yet Jesus knew he would. Yet when Jesus was taken Peter deigned him, three times he was not alone others would rather flee naked into the night than stand with Jesus. They saw the Lord, beaten wounded, raised on a cross and knew that he died. As that body fell limp crying out "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last their dreams died, the faith was crushed and swept away, they lost all hope all reason to live. How crushing a blow to the disciples, all the time Jesus had prepared them telling them of the prophecy how the Son of Man must die, no doubt pointing them to the words in Isaiah 53, BUT this reality is to terrible to contemplate how can this be it, how can this be true. These men lost in a sea of despair trying to find a footing again, a reason to be turn back to that which they know, fishing for fish again, was it a dream did it really happen? The sheep turned and went astray. Maybe thinking, why did we trust him, I though he was it, was the chosen one, the Holy one the glorious one, but now he lies in a tomb, dead, decaying, lets forget the rants of the women, he’s not risen, lets turn our backs because faith is to hard, to difficult and lets go back to our old ways our way not Yahweh. And we who sit in judgement, are we really that different?
The Message
Are we so much better than the disciples. Do we not look sometimes and not see Jesus. Don’t you feel sometimes he looks arms wide open and we walk past not seeing, not wanting, the pain that must bring him, the hurt. Do our thoughts and attitudes betray us and show that we are not like him, not yet the ultimate human I think they do. Does this also not show us when we go our way, we cast the nets in vain in our own strength we fail. Does this not show us when we do church without Jesus, or tell others of what they must do to gain his love, religion this is called we miss this Jesus even hide him from the sight of those yet to see. But lets not sink into a pit of despair we have hope and faith. We know this Jesus loves us, will seek us out. Look at the disciples, Jesus came after them came to Galilee to find his flock. Did Jesus walk out on the water as they fished, stir up a tempest to “teach” them, did Jesus make them suffer for his love, pay for their betrayal and failure, did this Jesus stand over them eyes blazing like fire hand outstretch to smith the weak ones. No, he did not, nor should we if we want to be like him.
Look What Jesus did…
Jesus came to forgive
Jesus came to bring hope, faith and above all love
Jesus was prepared for the moment of meeting, cooked bread, had a fire ready for those cold after being out fishing all night
Jesus came and met them were they where
Jesus came and told them cast your net just there and 153 of the biggest fish were instantly caught
Jesus accepted them as they were, knew their faults, knew their sins, knew their imperfections, but loved them wanted them to know he was and is and will ever be
Jesus came and showed them the glory of God in his resurrection his victory over sin and death
Jesus came and reviled himself to them and the blind could see the captives were set free
Jesus came himself to bring redemption
Jesus came to feed and nourish those he loved
Jesus did all of this and more for free, no cost, no emotional black mail, no payment extracted or expected
My friends that’s what he wants us to do, good enough for the master good enough for the servant
My friends, this is Jesus showing us a vision of church, a place were his love is freely offered, were we take it into the community light fires feed the hungry, set captives free – AT NO COST we walk in truth and light, faith and hope and above all Love
The number of….
Lets pause for a moment and consider a slightly different angle.The number of the fish in the net, the number 153. You would not believe the amount of the internet taken up with trying to explain this number, you perhaps would not believe the diversity of people and beliefs trying to claim as a sign for themselves and their way – millions. Clearly the number has meaning and is biblical, meaning its in the bible. Yet, think of it this way, it seems so easy to get caught up in the net the trap if you like of trying to explain this number. The trap of trying to show others “Look at me I know the secret things of God” or “Look at me I know more that God” both totally wrong and it shows how the simple truth can be missed.
What’s the most important thing in this picture is it the net with the 153 fish in it some about to be eaten by God by the way, figure that out. No the single most important thing in this picture is God, aka Jesus sitting by a small fire on the banks of a lake as the morning mists are still rising with that smile on his face of satisfaction knowing he has his flock around him again, just about to commission them to Go do the same, knowing full well their potential, the impact this band of rejected dejected men would have, these fisher men from an occupied land, change the world forever, he thinks the same of us I’m sure. When Jesus comes along side us, looks at us with that look, he knows what we can do in his name, he knows what potential we have, if we just see him follow him, trust him and let God be God. So lets not get distracted by attempting to look cleverer than we truly are and lets focus on Jesus, keep our Gaze on him alone and let him perfect our faith
Learning’s
This message first priority is to make the resurrection of Jesus clear, he rose from the dead, not as a vision, a ghost he was and is real, real enough to light a fire, real enough to stand on a lake side and say “cast it there”, real enough make you bead and eat it with you.
The message also tells us that even if we go our own way turn our back on Jesus and betray him, he comes looking for us, will find us and will reach out in total love, forgiveness and will willingly pay the price to redeem us, he’s done it for me and would do it for you.
The message also tells us that if we are in a place where we can’t see Jesus he is still there with us, ask him to show you and you will see, ask him to help you feed you and he will, ask to achieve all he has planned for you and you to might change the world or save many for an eternity of love, anything more meaningful than that?
The message also shows us how Jesus does church, its out there its not in a building as precious as they can be, its in the bustle of it all, its in the community, its were people are at, its available to those who hurt, those who are in need, it feeds, it brings warmth, it brings hospitality, forgiveness, acceptance and the most essential ingredients for humans to be, it brings purpose, faith and hope. Above all this it brings Love at no cost to people where they are today.
The message teaches us not to be focussing on the side issues, like mystical numbers, to keep focussed on Jesus and keep reaching out for his lost sheep, that way we please our masters heart, that’s what I live for, how about you?
Don’t worry if you feel lost, not matter what it is Jesus loves you, turn to him today ask him for your meeting on the lake shore, lets all close our eyes now, imaging the mist, the gravel under your feet the smell of water and wood smoke, a beautiful aroma of fresh bread and fish sizzling on the fire, There is one sat near the fire, he lifts his head looks straight at you, through you into your heart and smiles a look that melts even the biggest of walls of bronze, the hardest hearts and his hand beckons you to sit, talk, share and find the acceptance, beauty and love you have always craved deep, deep in your heart, you sit and hear a soft voice say “ I love you my precious child” as the arm comes over your shoulder and he wipes the tears away, you know you are home, you know you are whole and healed and all you should be, you know you have a hope for eternity and faith that can move mountains and walk on water, but above all of this, ringing loud and true like the sun evaporating the morning mist, you know you are Loved by one that will never leave you, never reject you and will always be with you, always, his name is Jesus our Lord and saviour
Lets Pray "Lord Jesus we come to you today and ask to meet you as you met with your disciples on the lake shore, please Lord help us be all you know we can be, help us love as you love and help us follow you forever...Amen".
