The Disoriented Disciples

John 21:1-14 | When you don’t know what to do next, Jesus is already moving towards you.

1. Jesus meets us in the ordinary
2. Jesus provides what we can’t
3. Jesus welcomes us before he sends us

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Today's passage comes from John chapter 21, verses 1 through 14. My name is Christine Oswald and I serve in kids once a month and lead a small group with my husband. So again, our uh passage is John 21, 1 through 14. After this, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas, called the twin, Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing. They said to him, We will go with you. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just as the day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore. Yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, Children, do you have any fish? They answered him, No. He said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. So they cast it. And now they were not able to haul it in because of the quantity of fish. That disciple, whom Jesus loved, therefore said to Peter, It is the Lord. When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish that you've just caught. So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast. Now none of the disciples dared ask him, Who are you? They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. This is the word of the Lord.

SPEAKER_01 2:30

Have you ever pulled out your phone, looked at it, scrolled, and then realized, I don't know why I pulled out my phone. You just instinctively reach for it. I did some research this week and it actually said that a smartphone user probably looks at their phone or pulls out their phone 150 to 200 different times a day. That feels insane, doesn't it? Like until you actually realize that there's times during announcements, even just a few moments ago, you probably looked at it, right? Or maybe pastoral prayer, or a couple times as you pulled into the parking lot this morning. See, I don't say that to say shame any of you, I'm right there with you. Uh, but I actually think that what that does is actually it reveals something really human in all of us. Like when we feel uncertain or anxious or distracted, or maybe even just like bored, what do we do? We just turn or we fall back into familiar patterns. And honestly, guys, that's right where we are in John 21. Uh if you have a Bible, I want to invite you to go ahead and just uh flip to John 21. One of my longings as a pastor here is that we would be a people that just love God's word, that you'd be a people that actually have God's word with you. And so uh, if you have a Bible at home, I want to encourage you, would you bring that on Sunday? If you're an app person, would you scroll there or get there? Uh but I want you to be a people that don't just take my word or Trevor or whoever's preaching up here's word for it. I want you to be a person who is in the word seeing what we are looking at together. Man, uh, we're continuing in a sermon series called Encountering the Risen Jesus, and that is what I long for all of us to actually happen and for us to do is actually to encounter the risen Jesus. We're looking at all the different types of people and encounters that uh happened after Jesus rose from the grave, and today we're actually landing on the disciples again for the third time in how Jesus revealed himself to them. And honestly, this group of disciples to me, the way we kind of describe it, I would say that they just seem a bit disoriented. Like they don't seem rebellious or sinful, uh, not necessarily running from God. I just think they're kind of like uncertain or overwhelmed and kind of just returning back to their old patterns. You could say they feel stuck. Uh reading through this passage this week made me kind of think about uh an old uh property that I used to hunt was off an old dirt road. And after much like a rain last night, like a spring downpour, uh, tractors and trucks would drive down this road, and then like a few days later, ruts would form. These deep uh ruts in the road would form. And then when I drive down that road a few weeks later, uh without even like hesitation or intention, my truck would just like fall down deep into these ruts. I didn't even want to be there. And honestly, I think that's a great picture of the human heart, isn't it? Like, especially after big moments, not intentionally, not thoughtfully, we sometimes just drift back into what is familiar. Now, maybe you have experienced this in big moments, or maybe you experienced this in the daily. Think with me about a recent moment. Like maybe you just graduated, maybe you just moved, maybe you started a new job, maybe you just had your first kid, maybe you just planted a church. Like maybe you just recently became a Christian. At first, everything feels like clear and exciting, and there's adrenaline and energies in the room. But then Monday comes. And suddenly you realize like, like I know something important happened. I know something has actually changed, but I'm not totally sure what I'm supposed to do right now. So when we feel uncertain, when we feel overwhelmed or spiritually disoriented, can't you see we just fall back into old rhythms, old patterns, maybe even old coping mechanisms? And honestly, sometimes even just sinful. And honestly, sometimes not even necessarily sinful, maybe just habitual or familiar. And guys, that's exactly where we are in John 21. Like the tomb is empty, remember. But the the the disciples, they they haven't really made sense of this reality. Like, what does this actually mean for my everyday life? And Jesus has already revealed himself twice. He's literally showed them the scars in his hands. And they've heard him say, like, don't freak out, peace be with you. Uh, he's literally told them, I know what your plan is for your life. He's said, Just as the Father has sent me, so I am sending you. And yet, here in John 21, what's Peter say? Let's go fishing. Like, and the others actually just join him and they say, We'll go with you. It almost feels kind of like anticlimatic. But truthfully, it also feels really deeply human. Like they've encountered the risen Jesus, but they still don't know what to do with that reality yet. And I think this is why this passage matters so much. Because this passage reminds us that Jesus doesn't abandon the aimless or the disoriented or the uncertain. He comes towards them. And what we're gonna see is actually before they even recognize him, like he's already there. Before they figure things out, he's already moving toward them. And before they even know what to do next, Jesus is already on the shore. So here's the big idea I want you to see this morning. When you don't know what to do next, Jesus is already moving towards you. When you don't know what to do next, Jesus is already moving towards you. See, Jesus was already pursuing the disciples. He was always and already providing what they could, and also he was even just preparing a meal for them. And so I just want to walk through this text together and draw out three kind of statements for you or conclusions. The first is this Jesus meets us in the ordinary. Second is Jesus provides what we can't. And third, Jesus welcomes us before he sends us. Look with me at verse 1, John 21, all right? After this, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the sea of Tiberius. Okay, so notice the setting here. This isn't a temple. This isn't a real uh a ministry gathering. This isn't a massive mountaintop. This is a shoreline. This is a boat. This is ordinary life. And the Sea of Tiberius is also known just as the Sea of Galilee, just so you know, like when you're reading and referencing scripture, it was honestly just a massive lake. And then in verse 2, we're actually told that uh the specifics here we got Simon Peter, we got Thomas called the twin, Nathaniel of Cana, in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and the two other of his disciples were together. And so, just as a quick side note, like these details matter when you're reading scripture. Uh like who is there? Where were they from? What were they doing? This reads like an eyewitness testimony, doesn't it? That's because that's what it is. All right, like, how'd you actually like to be those other guys that didn't get their name mentioned? They're just like the two other disciples, right? Right? Like that Simon gets two names, one guy gets his birthplace, one gets his dad, and then like another one, they're like, and they were, and those guys were there. I don't know who you are. That's probably me. So, anyways, uh, this is how my brain thinks when I'm studying scripture. But, anyways, John remembers the details because John was there. And just to kind of locate you, this happens uh on the eighth day, uh or after the eighth day when Jesus reveals himself to Thomas and the disciples, and somewhat between the ascension on the 40th day, so maybe call it day 26, I don't know, in between that 8 and 26th day. Uh, and we find that out just kind of from other books in the scripture, Acts and vice versa. But what we know is this Peter says this in verse 3. He says, We're going fishing. I'm going fishing. Now, I don't think this is outright rebellion on Peter's hand. Like, this feels more like uncertainty, disorientation or in between living. Think about it. The disciples know that Jesus is alive, but they still don't really fully understand or know or understand what it looks like to live in light of that reality. And Peter was a fisherman by trade. And so what does he do? He just goes back to what he knows. He goes back to his normal nine to five. And honestly, I think that's why this text just resonates so deeply. Because the resurrection changed everything. But the disciples still have to like wake up, put on clothes, go to work, eat, process, live. And this is good for us because this is resurrection theology entering into ordinary life. And when people don't know what to usually do, what happens? They just revert back into their old patterns or what feels familiar. And so that's just what the disciples are doing. It felt familiar. Fishing was familiar, predictable, it was comfortable for them. And we do the same thing, don't we? After emotional moments, spiritual highs, grief, breakthrough, conviction, we drift back into familiar patterns. Not always sinful, but not always helpful either. Like we throw ourselves into work, or we stay so busy that we don't actually have to think, or we revert back to old rhythms and coping mechanisms, like we numb out, we scroll endlessly, we overeat, we maybe have an extra drink, or we distract ourselves, or maybe we just hit an extra gym session. And one of the lies we believe when we do this is this Jesus only meets us in the extraordinary. You hear that whisper? You might not say that out loud or click that on a multiple choice test, but we believe that. And John 21 reminds us that Jesus reveals himself in the ordinary. Think about it with me. Like, Jesus is going to the disciples. He pursues them, he shows up at their work, he shows up in their exhaustion, he shows up in their irritation, in their frustration. He shows up on, like, call it a maybe a Tuesday morning. He meets them in the ordinary. And I think some of us need to hear this word this morning. Because we often just think that Jesus is only present with us, like in our Bible study, or like in my particular quiet time, or in maybe like really emotive worship services. But the risen Jesus is not like confined to spiritual environments here. Like, guys, he meets people in trucks, thank God, right? Like he meets people in cars, in coffee shops, in your living room, in dorm rooms, in uh man, work and job sites. He meets people in hospital rooms, Wednesday, Thursday afternoons. See, the story in the Bible is here for us to actually just see and to be reminded that like there's no boundaries to where Jesus will pursue his people. I can remember uh just a few months after becoming a Christian, uh, I was in college and full disclosure, like I was on fire for the Lord. Like if you met me at that time, like I was voraciously reading my Bible, I was sharing my faith with my teammates, I was growing rapidly. But I still found myself like drifting back into old unhealthy patterns. And I remember one night in particular, uh I had gone out with some teammates, and honestly, I just reverted back into some old habits and I had had a few too many drinks. And I remember waking up the next morning feeling awful, worse than I had ever felt before. Not physically, but spiritually. But something felt different. Like, not because God was crushing me, but because God was convicting me. Like that conviction wasn't condemnation, it was evidence that I was becoming new. And some of you are here right now, and you need to hear this like you've encountered Jesus, but you're frustrated because like actually those old patterns don't fill you or make you feel the right way anymore. But maybe like you you you know you've encountered him, and you know you can't go back, but you don't know necessarily how to go forward. That's the disciples. Like, and what you need to hear this morning is this Jesus Christ wants to meet you right there. Jesus Christ wants to meet you in the ordinary. Not after you clean yourself up, not after you figure everything out, he meets you in the ordinary. Even in the places that you've drifted, even in your old habits, your confusion, your exhaustion, your snapping at your kids once more. Harbor, the question is not, will Jesus be with me in that moment? The question is, will you be aware of his presence in that moment? See, what the disciples uh are about to learn is this that the presence of Jesus changes everything for them. Because Jesus doesn't just merely like meet with weary or disoriented disciples, he provides for them what only he can. Look with me at verse 4. We're gonna jump into point two. Jesus provides what we can't. Verse 4. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore. I mean, I love that detail. Uh before they even recognize him, like Jesus is there. Before they figure things out, he's already moving towards them, he's pursuing them. And notice what the text tells us continually. End of verse four. The disciples did not know that it was Jesus. That matters. Like every word matters. That matters because like this whole passage is about revelation. Uh it's about the word revealed. In fact, the word revealed is in this passage one through 14 three times. Okay? It's it's in there a couple times in the beginning, and then verse 1, uh, and then in verse 14, it's in there again. This is what theologians or Bible scholars call the top and the tail. Man, there's no bold-faced words in scripture. Doesn't that stink sometimes? This is scripture's bold-faced word for you if you were educated the way I was, all right? Or you just learned the way I was. It's the top and the tail. It's showing meaning, it's showing what this is about. And so John is making it crystal clear here. The story is about Jesus revealing himself to the disciples. Not nearly as risen, but present, providing, and pursuing. And I love what Jesus is going to say next. Look at verse 5. He says, Children, do you have any fish? Now, uh, this is not meant to be necessarily demeaning. Uh, this in the Greek or uh in the language was probably more of like a familial connection and connotation. There is probably some authority here, like you know, he's saying, like, children, like I have authority. But most likely, most commentators actually would just say it's probably like, hey lads, hey friends. And if you have an NIV Bible and you're reading it, it probably says friends. But it it still probably feels like the worst question you could ask somebody after they just fished all night and came up empty, right? Like it's like asking somebody after they lose the championship game on the way back, hanging their head, and you're like, hey, how'd the game go? Right? Like, of course, Jesus already knows the answer, right? So why does he ask the question? See, Jesus does not ask questions for information, he asks questions for confession. He wants honesty. He longs for his disciples to acknowledge reality, to see their need. And then I love how the disciples respond. It's a very simple but honest no. We caught nothing. And y'all honestly, I want you to say that is freedom kind of blossoming and blooming. Some of us cannot experience freedom because we're still lying to ourselves that our nets are full. Let me say that again. Some of us cannot experience freedom or grace because we're still pretending that our nets are full. But freedom begins when you can actually like look at your neighbor, look at the Lord, and say, like, I've got nothing. And notice, like, these guys aren't lazy. They're hard workers. They worked all night. Which means the issue here is not effort. Like, it's it's not effort versus laziness. It's actually like self-sufficiency versus dependence. It's fruitfulness apart from Jesus. And Jesus says, verse 60 says, Cast the net on the right side and you will find some. Now imagine this scene with me. These guys have been fishing all night. They're exhausted, uh, frustrated, probably irritated. Professional fishermen taking fishermen or fishing advice from some stranger that they can't recognize in the fog on the shore. They're probably at the end of their rope and end of themselves. And what we see here though is like even with an inkling, a droplet of trust, they obey him. And suddenly, look, abundance, overflow. So many fish that they can barely haul it in. Verse 11 says, There was 153 fish. Just a quick side note for you like uh this number, 153, like depending upon what book you read or what author, like this is not a mystical like number for you. This isn't meant to be like, oh, all these different additions and things like add up to this magic number, and then it's like complete, or there was 153 different types of fish in Galilee, and that's just like probably showing you that all of like different types of people come and can follow and be a part of Jesus and his mission. That's beautiful. That'll sell books. I'm just not really convinced that's there. Uh I just know as a fisherman, like you know how many fish you caught, right? Like all the fishermen in the room are like, amen. Like this happens because John was there and he records this number. But also, this moment triggers memory. It reminds him of something. Every fisherman knows the number. Like, I think about like we as a family, every single year have made it a point. Like, we go on a family vacation to Minnesota, and if you uh ask my daughter Emma each time she gets off the boat, actually, you don't even have to ask her, she tells every single person in camp how many like Northern Pike or Walleye or Crappie we caught. Like, real fishermen know the number. And so, really, what I want you to see as an apologetic is like these little details, they matter. They matter to like build like eyewitness testimony, but also for you in a culture that's actually very skeptical of Christianity, the Bible is true. It's the authentic word of God, but it's also verified. It's actually one of the most verified historical documents that we that we have on. On this earth today. And so we're not just blind faith here as Christians. We actually have a rationale behind our faith. I said a few moments ago, like that that number and even this moment, it triggered memory. Well, for what? It feels familiar. This scene almost mirrors Luke 5. It's when Jesus first called Peter through another miraculous giving of fish or catch of fish. And what I think Jesus is doing is he's reenacting their calling. He's re-stepping into that story again. He's going back into their story. Same sea, same fisherman, same miracle, same Peter. But there's one massive difference. Back in Luke 5, when Peter realizes who Jesus is, he falls down and he says, Depart from me. I'm a sinful man, O Lord. So Peter sees Jesus' holiness and his own worthiness. An important part of the gospel. Like to see your own sin. But now here in John 21, notice like after this miracle, John in the boat says, It's the Lord. And when Peter hears that, he throws himself into the sea towards Jesus. He's swimming in a massive lake towards Jesus at 6 a.m. I don't know how many of you do that. Like, the difference is like, this is grace. Grace has changed Peter. The first time Peter says, depart from me, this time he runs towards him. Because Peter's like really starting to understand the gospel, y'all. Not merely that he is a sinner in the presence of a righteous and holy God, but that through Jesus, a holy and righteous God welcomes sinners into his presence. And this is where some of us like have a fundamental misunderstanding of Christianity. Here's what I mean. Religion says that when I fail, I should run away and hide. The gospel says that when I fail, I should run towards Jesus. Religion says, like, dude, when my dad finds out I'm dead. The gospel says, like, dude, I need to call my dad. Religion says, like, I need to fix this before I can come back. The gospel says, Jesus is already moving toward me. That's the difference. So, Harbor, I just wonder, like, how many of you, your first gut reaction is the former? Like running and hiding or fearful of what your heavenly father thinks, or trying to fix anxiously what you just broke. As your pastor, like honestly, some of you are exhausted because you keep running from the very presence that can heal you. Like you fail and then you isolate, you drift, and then you hide, you sin, and then you avoid prayer, community, scripture, confession. But Peter shows us something so beautiful here. Grace causes sinners to run to Jesus, not away from Jesus. And some of you need this this morning. Just because you've drifted back into old patterns does not mean you are who you used to be. Let me say that again. Just because you have drifted back into old patterns does not mean you are who you used to be. If you belong to Christ, you belong to Him. You are not defined by your old life anymore. And maybe today, like Peter, you need to just stop hiding in shame. Take off the fig leaves and throw yourself into the water towards Jesus again. And some of you, like Peter, you've been fishing all night. Parenting, working, striving to fix your marriage, striving to fix yourself, trying harder spiritually, and you're empty. And maybe, maybe, maybe the hardest working people in the room are actually the most empty. Or maybe say it the other way. Some of the most empty people in the room might be the most hardworking people in the room. Because skill cannot replace dependence. Effort cannot manufacture fruitfulness. Jesus' word creates what our work cannot. Remember back to John 15. We preached this a few weeks ago. John 15 says this apart from me, you can do nothing. And maybe this morning, Jesus is calling some of you to throw your net in again, but in a different way. A net of dependence, not independence. So maybe for you, like throwing your net in might look like this. Maybe it actually means like praying honestly for the first time in a long time. Maybe it means like sending that text of reconciliation you've been avoiding. Maybe it means like confessing all of the truth or all of the sin, the last 5% or 1%. Maybe it means leading your family spiritually, even though you feel super insecure or inadequate. Maybe it means showing up after failure. Just simply admitting, Jesus, I need you. Jesus, I trust you. Not because you're strong, not because you got everything figured out, but because he is Lord. That refrain is over and over in this passage. It is he is the Lord. It's him, the Lord. Only Jesus can provide what you cannot. After all this confusion, failure and uncertainty, and empty striving. I love what Jesus does next. This is why I want to follow him. He makes breakfast. All right. Point three, all right? Point three, Jesus welcomes us before he sends us. Look at verse 9 with me. When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place. Man, I love that detail. That could be more timely, right? Like uh we're on the edge of grilling season. Uh, Jesus has got the Weber out. He's stoking the coals, he's got fish cooking over the fire. Full disclosure, I whipped out the Weber last night. Uh just to get in the whole essence and embody this for the scriptures for you. Like that detail matters more than we think, though. Like, all joking aside. Because the word charcoal fire or that phrase is only in the New Testament two times. Back in John 18 is the first time, when Peter stands over a charcoal fire, denying Jesus three times. And now, here in John 21, Peter arrives on the shore, and the first thing he smells is another charcoal fire. There's something about a charcoal fire smell, isn't there? This is not accidental. John knows exactly what he's doing, and Jesus knows exactly what he's doing. Because all of us know something instinctively. Our senses are deeply connected to our memory. Like a smell can actually take you somewhere else, can't it not? The smell of your grandma's house, the smell of popcorn at the ballpark, or fresh-cut grass, or in the morning, fresh brewed coffee, or maybe the stench of a hospitable room. Often those smells are attached not just to memories, but to emotions. So put yourself in Peter's sandals for a moment. He just leapt overboard. He's swimming back to the presence of Jesus. He's beginning to trust Jesus again. Like Jesus really does love me. Jesus really is risen. Jesus really does welcome me. And then he steps onto the shore and suddenly he smells the very smell connected to his greatest failure. It's a scent of shame, a scent of despair, a scent of failure and regret. But Jesus is not shaming Peter here. He's not avoiding Peter's failure. He's redeeming Peter. He is going to restore Peter's story attached to his failure. And I hope you see that this is such good news for us. Because many of us assume that Jesus doesn't want to touch that. We've all got that. Jesus doesn't want to touch that part of our story or that failure or what was done against me. But you need to hear that the God of the Bible is not afraid to revisit your places of failure. He actually wants to enter into them and apply the gospel balm right with you in them. He wants to redeem those moments for you. And notice what Jesus does first. It's not correction, it's not strategy, it's not ministry. It's not a ministry plan. What's he do? Breakfast. This is why I'm in ministry with Jesus. I don't know about you, but uh like verse 9 says, they saw a charcoal fire in place. And then it says, with fish laid on it and bread. What's he doing? Jesus is feeding weary disciples here. He's giving them presents before purpose. He is doing something so mightily, vitally important. Because later in this chapter, Jesus is going to use similar language. He's going to say, Feed my sheep, Peter. But before Jesus actually tells Peter to feed sheep, Jesus feeds Peter. Mmm, that'll preach. That's what Trevor did when we were prepping together. Like he's like, that'll preach right alone, right? Like, because here's what's true. We live in a culture where usefulness becomes identity, productivity becomes vitality, zeal becomes spirituality. Or zeal becomes worth. But Jesus slows us all down, slows the disciples down, and what does he do? He says, Come and have breakfast. Notice another important detail. Really look at the text. Jesus already has fish on the fire when they arrive, before they bring anything to him. Verse 10 says this it says, Bring some of the fish that you have just caught. Jesus already has the fish. He does not need their fish to provide the meal, but he still invites them to participate. I hope you see that this is actually a very beautiful, intentional picture of the gospel. Pride says, Jesus needs my fish. Despair says, I don't have any fish, so Jesus won't want me. But the gospel says, Jesus already prepared the table. He provides what you could never provide. And yet he still delights to involve you. Like he dignifies their participation. Think about with this too, just like even the way Jesus provides the fish for them. Like he doesn't just be like, boom, and then like cargo of fish or like boxes of fish boxed and ready to go to the market, does he? No, he actually enters their everyday, ordinary means. He doesn't just hand them it, he fills their nets and then allows them to haul it in with labor and clean them and take them to the market, meaning your work still matters. Your labor has dignity. Your obedience matters. But their fruitfulness is ultimately tied to him. And pastorally, I want you to see that this is probably the this is probably the deepest comfort in the whole passage right here. Okay? Jesus does not just want to use you, he enjoys you. Let me say that again. Jesus does not just want to use you, he enjoys you. Some of you are like uncomfortable in that. You're like, that doesn't go with the nursery. I'm like, Jesus loves me. That's a beautiful song. You know that functionally, instinctively. That's gloriously true. But sometimes we all we hear that phrase and it almost feels abstract. Like we know Jesus loves us, but we still quietly wonder like, does he like me? Does he enjoy me? Or does he tolerate me? Does he forgive me, endure me, or put up with me? But this passage reminds us that Jesus' love isn't like cold or distant or dutiful. Jesus delights in his disciples. He wants to share a meal with them. He wants to linger with them and chop it up with them and have fellowship with them. The risen Christ eats breakfast with disoriented, weary disciples. And truth, I just wonder how that sits with you. Because some of you you're deeply insecure. Like you're uncertain, you're ashamed and disoriented. And maybe what's hardest for you to believe is not merely that Jesus forgives you, that like Jesus actually enjoys you. That he likes you, that he delights in you as his son or daughter. Guys, this is a functional part of the gospel that we often forget. Like you are his beloved and redeemed. He sings over you, he delights in you. By faith in Christ, you are united to him, you are attached to him. So when the Father in heaven literally looks on you, despite what you did last night, last year, last decade, or what you will do next year or next decade, he enjoys you. Every single night when I leave my daughter's room, you know what I say? I say, Emma, Eva, I lamia, colon Korah. There's a boy in there, okay? I love you. I deeply love you. Do I love you any more because of what you did today? No. Do I love you any less because of what you did today? No. Do I love you because you're beautiful? No, even though you're gorgeous. Do I love you because you're brilliant? No. They are so smart. Do I love you because you like took new hills and learned how to climb a bounce house today? No. I love you because you're mine. Harbor, that's my prayer for you. Jesus enjoys you. He delights in you. He loves you because you're his. Jesus enjoys you. And so I just wonder what that what does that do to your shame? To your striving, to your insecurity. Like my challenge to you is like, maybe in this moment, but maybe later today, maybe you're alone, maybe you're uh laying your head on a pillow for a Sunday afternoon nap, or maybe you're in a stressful work situation this week. My prayer is that you'd sit and you just let that hit your chest, hit your soul. Jesus enjoys his people. I love this in verse 12. Jesus says, none of the disciples dared to ask him, Who are you? They knew it was the Lord. This is why I love God's word. There's still this like subtle, kind of like nervous trembling in them. Even though they know it's Jesus, they there's this little level of like uncertainty, still awe, still weakness. And what does Jesus do? Verse 13. Jesus came and he took bread and he gave it to them. And so with the fish. He reassures them, he welcomes them. Even in their lingering uncertainty, it doesn't push Jesus away. It actually moves him closer. There's something powerful about meals, isn't there? Like even in our culture today, think about it. Meals slow you down. Meals create belonging. They deepen and sink in relationship. Like we know this instinctively. Like there's a difference between like just Sunday morning seeing somebody briefly at church and actually like sitting around a dinner table for a few hours together. Something changes. And what you need to see is like, actually, in the ancient times, this is a more powerful moment than even today. Like sharing a meal was not just casual hospitality, it was actually like ongoing relational commitment. Like, hey, you want to come over for dinner on Tuesday? It was kind of saying, like, keep Tuesdays open. It's an ongoing fellowship. And this is one reason I really believe that Jesus built most of his ministry around meals. Eugene Peterson actually argues that like most of Jesus' ministry is around a table. Bread, fish, ordinary discipleship, like shared meals. Why? Because meals slow us down to linger, to be honest. Like letting people watch you eat wings, that's intimate. You know what I mean? Right? Because meals force people to slow down, to linger, to receive. There's only a few of you that have seen me eat wings, that's why. All right. But think about it, like, you can't microwave charcoal fish over a fire. Charcoal takes time. And before Jesus sends the disciples back out into the mission, he just simply sits with them, he feeds them, he enjoys them. When you walk out of this school, this church, the air you are instantly gonna breathe is productivity. Even in ministry, even in relationships, even in discipleship. But Jesus is not in a hurry here. The risen Christ makes breakfast. And honestly, many of you already embody this so beautifully. Like it's such a joy for me to be your pastor. Like so many of you have welcomed my family, even all eight of us, into your home, and even just others into uh your homes. Like you've shared meals, you've lingered around tables, you've made people actually feel seen, known, loved, and cared for. And that's why part of Harbor, like meals matter to us. Could groups be a lot easier without meals every single week? Absolutely. Like cheaper, cleaner, less chaotic. Trust me, I have six kids. I know chaos. Like, like I understand that. But there is something deeply human, something deeply Christian about slowing down long enough to actually just eat together. Because one of the most powerful things people can actually experience is not merely information, it's tangible grace, it's shared experience. And that's exactly what Jesus is giving Peter here. That Peter is being restored, not merely through a lecture, but through fellowship. Jesus is redeeming his story. He's rehumanizing him, he's dignifying him, he's welcoming him. And at Harbor, like my prayer is that like every single one of you, even if you're new, my prayer is that you would become this type of person, whether you're at Harbor forever or not. That like a people who feast together, who laugh together, who are honest together, who slow down together and enjoy one another. I pray a few things every single week, and one of them is that like we wouldn't be an efficient church, that we'd be an effective church, that we wouldn't be a consuming church, that we'd be a contributing church, never polished, but just present. Sure, intentional, but relationally beautiful. And guys, I hope you just see this. Because the one who actually served bread and fish on the shore is the same Jesus that just days and moments earlier gave his body and blood for these sinners at the cross. Like, he can welcome aimless disciples because he died for aimless disciples. He can welcome weary disciples because he carried our weariness. He can feed empty-handed disciples because he became empty for us. See, the gospel is not bringing enough fish to Jesus. The gospel is that Jesus already prepared the meal for you. And the resurrection means that, like, sin and shame and failure, they no longer get the final word over your life. Like he's alive, he's still pursuing, he's still providing, he's still preparing a meal for you, he's still restoring you. And that means your fallbacks, your failures, your fickleness, they're not final either. The risen Christ says, come and eat. Not because you've figured everything out, not because your nets are full, not because your life is cleaned up, but because Christ has already provided what you never could. Christianity is not good advice merely from a dead teacher. Christianity is an invitation from a living Savior. The resurrected Jesus still welcomes these weary and disoriented disciples today, empty handed people today. So where are you? Tired, uncertain, anxious, maybe just drifting into familiar patterns. What you need to hear this morning is that before Before the disciples had clarity, before they figured things out, before they recognized Jesus, Jesus was already on the shore, already pursuing them, already providing for them, and already preparing a meal for them. Harbor, when you do not know what to do next, Jesus is already headed towards you. Let's pray. Father, we are in awe of the fact that you would welcome us to your table. We don't deserve relationship with you. We don't deserve anything from you except separation. But God, you pursue us. I'm thankful for stories, not of perfection, but of uh reality for us. So I pray that even as we read the Bible that and study the Bible, we'd not be impressed with the disciples or ourselves, but we'd actually just be impressed with you. Not just impressed, but in worship and in awe and in love and in affection. The fact that you delight in us, you enjoy us, not because of what we've done or will do, but because of what Jesus has done for us on our behalf. Father, would you soak that into us? Uh let us be a people who, man, really believe this, no matter what we give ourselves to this week. Would we be a people who know that you're already moving towards us? So, Father, even in this meal, we pray that you would move towards us. Father, we're all in different places. You're a hospitable, all-knowing, all-sufficient God. Would you meet each soul where they're at? Some of us in the room need to repent this morning. Some of us need to be renewed, some of us need to be restored, some of us need to encourage the person next to us. Help us to be a people who are obedient to you. Not when we feel like it, but when we know we need it. Mark us with this type of relational beauty and this type of obedience. We love you. In Jesus' name. Amen.