John 21:1-14 - A Fish Fry Reveals Jesus' Power - May 1, 2022

According to the eye-witness accounts that have been handed down to us, our Lord appeared no fewer than 12 times in his glorified state in the 40 days between his resurrection and ascension (and Acts implies that he made many more appearances that haven’t been recorded – see Acts 1:3). Why? Why didn’t he just declare “mission accomplished,” leave this broken world and return to his Father’s side in heaven immediately? Paul explains in Romans 4 why Jesus made these appearances: he was handed over to death because of our trespasses and was raised to life because of our justification (Romans 4:25). Every appearance of our Risen Savior proves definitively that God accepted his holy sacrifice for our sins and the sins of the world. He didn’t appear for his own sake – he appeared for ours – to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that we are indeed justified before God. But each appearance of Jesus also had a more specific purpose. Jesus appeared to the women in the garden so that they could go and tell his disciples that he had risen (Matthew 28:10). He appeared to two disciples on the Road to Emmaus to teach them that he had to do everything written in the scriptures, including suffering, dying and rising (Luke 24:46). He appeared to the eleven apostles in Galilee to commission them to go and make disciples of all nations by baptizing and teaching (Matthew 28:16-20). But in John 21, Jesus invites his disciples to a fish fry. That seems trivial. What’s the point of that?

I’m going fishing, Peter says. That’s kind of strange, isn’t it? Doesn’t Peter have better things to be doing, like, say, preaching the Gospel? Actually, no. Peter and the six disciples with him were doing exactly what they were supposed to be doing. On Easter, Jesus directed the women: go, tell my brothers that they should go to Galilee, and there they will see me (Matthew 28:10). So the disciples listened and went to Galilee to wait for Jesus – and while they were waiting they did what men often do to pass the time: they went fishing. Being professional fishermen, the disciples knew that the best fishing is at night – but that was not the case on this night.

When dawn broke things got interesting. A stranger on the shore called out to them: Boys, don’t you have any fish? No! they answered… Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some. If you know any avid fishermen, you know that they tend to be extremely proud of their craft and will do almost anything before they accept the advice of a perfect stranger. But the disciples listened. They hauled in their nets and let them down on the right side. Then they were not able to haul it in because of the large number of fish. If you’re thinking that this story sounds familiar, you’re right. Jesus performed a similar miracle in Luke chapter 5 when he first called Peter, James, and John away from their boats to follow him (Luke 5:1-11).

More important for us is to see that here our Risen Savior reveals his power – his power to teach. Did you catch the lesson? It was a lesson the disciples should have learned by now – especially since this was the second time they had fished all night with no luck, only to have Jesus provide more fish than they could handle. Now there are lots of far-fetched interpretations out there – that the left side represented the Jewish people who resisted and rejected the Gospel and the right side represented the Gentiles who were ripe for the picking. Some have even tried to make this miracle political – right vs. left; conservative vs. liberal. That’s foolishness. No, here is one of the many places where we must let Scripture interpret Scripture. Psalm 127 says that if the LORD does not build the house, it is useless for the builders to work hard over it (Psalm 127:1). Jesus states the same truth in John 15: I am the Vine; you are the branches…without me you can do nothing (John 15:5). This was the powerful lesson Jesus was teaching his disciples: that apart from him, they will accomplish nothing – neither catching fish for breakfast nor making disciples for God’s kingdom.

What are you busy trying to accomplish right now in your life? Are you, like the disciples, simply trying to put food on the table? Are you in the middle of the daunting task of raising Christian children in a society that seems to have lost all sense of right and wrong, of morality and propriety? Are you working to maintain or strengthen your marriage? Are you trying to stay healthy or get back to good health? Are you just trying to age gracefully – leaving a fine, Christian example for your children and grandchildren? What’s the message here for us? Apart from [Jesus], no matter what you’re trying to do – from fishing to parenting to aging – you will do nothing. I know that sounds harsh – but there’s a good reason for it. Because Jesus knows that when we are working toward something and don’t seem to be having any success there are a million places we will look for help before looking to him. We will read a self-help book, we will watch a DIY YouTube video, we will buckle down and try harder, we will seek advice from a friend or doctor or therapist, finally, we might just throw up our hands and give up – but how often do we take Jesus up on his invitation to call on me in the day of distress. I will deliver you, and you will honor me (Psalm 50:15)? Whatever we leave here to try to accomplish today, this week, or this year – the powerful lesson our Risen Savior is teaching this morning is that apart from him, we will do nothing.

The next verses provide something of a character study of Peter and John, the two most prominent apostles. John is the quiet, contemplative disciple – and the first to recognize Jesus. Peter is the man of action – and the first to leap out of a perfectly good boat to swim to Jesus. Maybe there’s a small lesson here too: God can use both quiet, contemplative and bold, impulsive disciples to carry out his mission in this world.

But let’s get back to the text, because the Risen Savior is not done displaying his power. When they stepped out on land, they saw some bread and a charcoal fire with fish on it…Jesus said to them, “Come, eat breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. What’s the big, burning question here? The symbolism of the 153 fish? How did Peter, alone, pull the net on shore when previously seven men couldn’t pull it on board? Why didn’t the disciples dare to ask him who he was? No. (The number, 153, simply shows us that this catch was truly a miracle and that John was clearly an eyewitness and it made a huge impression on him. Peter’s strength was possibly another miracle. And, the disciples didn’t dare to ask Jesus because the evidence – the miraculous catch – spoke for itself; even though they didn’t initially recognize him in his glorious state, they knew that this could be none other than the Risen Lord.)

No, the big question here is: where did the fire, fish and bread come from? The answer is simple and profound. Jesus, the Risen Lord, had miraculously provided it. What the disciples had tried and failed all night to do, Jesus accomplished easily with his almighty power. Jesus was teaching another important lesson here. The apostles needed to realize that in the coming weeks and years, when they would be rejected and hated for their message, when Satan would tempt them to doubt the power of the Word, when they would face danger, poverty and hunger – that no matter how serious or dangerous or unsolvable the situation seemed to be, Jesus could and would provide. The book of Acts tells us that Jesus kept this promise. When the apostles were placed on trial for their preaching – Jesus gave them the words to say (Acts 4:1-22; Acts 5:17-42; etc). When they needed proof that their message came from heaven – Jesus gave them the ability to perform miracles as validation (Acts 3; 5:12-16). And, when they ventured off into regions unknown to preach the Gospel – Jesus provided open hearts and open homes; believers who loved their Lord and provided for his apostles. The Risen Lord showed his disciples with this powerful miracle that they could trust him to provide.

Is there anything more difficult for us to do than trust that Jesus will provide what we need when we need it? Too often we are consumed with worry about [our lives], what [we] will eat or drink, or about [our] body, what [we] will wear even though Jesus tells us not to worry and assures us that [our] heavenly Father knows that [we] need all these things (Matthew 6:25, 32). Too often we wait until we have exhausted every other possible resource before we turn to Jesus and lay our problems into his hands. When you find yourself worrying, agonizing, stressed out – remember this fish fry. Remember that it is as easy for Jesus to satisfy your needs today as it was for his disciples then. How can you be sure? What if you’ve worked all night or all your life and seem to have an empty net? You can be sure because Jesus has already taken care of your greatest need: he has already done the one thing we haven’t done – he trusted God above all things – and he did it perfectly. He has taken away your sins of doubt and worry and has given you the riches of the righteousness he earned for you by his perfect life and innocent death. Instead of worrying, instead of growing frustrated, instead of exhausting all your other resources before turning to Jesus; ask this question with Paul: [If God] did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also graciously give us all things along with him (Romans 8:32)? Our Savior is Risen, and he’s not just kicking back on a beach somewhere sipping on a margarita – he’s the powerful Lord of heaven and earth who can and will provide what you need, when you need it (according to his perfect will and perfect timing) – from something as small as breakfast to something as big as the forgiveness of all your sins.

John closes this interesting little sea-side story rather abruptly: This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. Perhaps it pays to note that Jesus appeared more than just three times, but John was only counting his appearances to his inner circle of disciples, namely, on Easter evening (John 20:19-23) and again a week later (John 20:24-29). Apart from showing us that he can count to three, what does John hope to express with this abrupt ending? He saved the best for last. It’s not new to us, but it is the most important news in the world. Do you know what it is?

Christ is (still) Risen!!! The one who was brutally betrayed, beaten, and condemned to die – he’s not dead! The one who had nails pounded through his hands and feet and a spear plunged into his side – he’s alive! The one who cried out my God, my God, why have you forsaken me (Matthew 27:46) as he experienced the torture of hell – he’s walking and talking with his disciples! The one who bowed his head and gave up his spirit (Matthew 27:50) – is here, with us and for us (Matthew 28:20)! The one whose body was laid in a tomb is not clothed in decay, but clothed in so much glory that his disciples were afraid to even wonder aloud who he was! It’s easy for us, especially in reading a Biblical account with as many peculiarities as this one, to get hung up on the details or get lost looking for deep, mystical truths. But the central truth, the truth that all the details point to is the most important one: Jesus Christ who died in humiliation is alive in all of his glory! Realize what this means: your sins are forgiven! You are liberated from the burden of the law! You don’t have to do anything to earn God’s favor! You are never alone in this life! Nothing in this world can separate you from his love! Jesus will provide for you now and is preparing a mansion for you in heaven (John 14:1-4)! All of that is true because Jesus Christ is your (still) Risen Savior. That’s powerful comfort for this life and the next.

The Holy Spirit never inspired men to spill ink for nothing. Every page of Holy Scripture strengthens our faith, builds our hope, and guides our lives. Today we see, once again, that Jesus lives, and he’s got power; power to teach, power to provide, and power to comfort. Next time you go out for a fish fry, remember this one, one that teaches that Easter has changed everything – Jesus lives, he lives to bless us with his love; he lives to plead for us above. He lives, our hungry souls to feed; he lives to help in time of need! (CW 152:3) Amen.