God’s Story, Our Story, Isn’t Finished Yet:
Reflections on John 21.1-19
RCL Easter 3C
5 May 2019
Holy Trinity Cathedral
New Westminster BC
Click here to listen to the Sermon as preached at the 10.00 Eucharist on the 5th.
Click here to listen to the Sermon as preached at the 10.00 Eucharist on the 5th.
John 21.1-19
21.1After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. 2Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 3Simon 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.
4Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” 6He said to them, “Cast the net to 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 there were so many fish. 7That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. 8But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.
9When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
15When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” 19(He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”
As long as Paula and I have been married, we’ve stayed after every movie to watch the credits. We each look for different things. Paula tends to look for the music credits and I tend, if the movie has some great cinematography, to look for where the film was shot. Our perseverance in waiting until the film is truly over has been rewarded in recent years by film makers who include either deleted scenes or teaser scenes during the credits.
More often than not these scenes tend to point to the next film if the one we’re watching is part of a series. Sometimes the scenes contain so-called ‘blooper reel’ moments when one or more of the actors makes a spectacular mistake or flubs their lines. In many ways these scenes are a reminder that the story isn’t really over. It’s as if the story has a life of its own and continues to unwind even when we’re not around to watch it.
Many scholars think that today’s reading from the Gospel according to John is, from a biblical point of view, just such an added scene. Last week we heard the story of Thomas and his encounter with the risen Jesus, a passage that ends with these words: “20.30Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.” It wouldn’t be that difficult to read these words as the credits. But either John the Evangelist or a later editor can’t let go of the story. ‘Just one more episode’, I can almost hear the author say, ‘because you’ve got to hear this great resurrection story.’
It is a great story because it begins with an implicit admission of failure. Simon Peter and his colleagues are back home in Galilee. They’ve left Jerusalem behind and there is no sense of an excited crowd of Jesus’ disciples filling the highways and byways with the proclamation that Jesus has been raised from the dead. There’s no need to hide because the revolution hasn’t caught on. So Simon Peter and the others go back to what they know best --- fishing. Even then they’re not having much luck.
A stranger who isn’t really a stranger appears on the shore. He gives them advice as to where to cast their nets. They all know who it is and they’re afraid to admit it. If they admit to themselves that it is Jesus, then they also have to acknowledge that their failure isn’t the end of the story. What God has done in Jesus of Nazareth is a never-ending story, a story that keeps adding chapters even when we may think that there is nothing more to be said or done. Failure isn’t an option because God’s love made known to us and to the world in Jesus will not let us go. ‘Come on,’ Jesus says, ‘I know that fishing on the left hasn’t worked. Try the right. You’ll be surprised by the results.’
However we first came into contact with Jesus of Nazareth, whenever we met God in this mysterious figure, whomever God used as the agent of our encounter, you and I have been well and truly caught. Just like fish caught in a net will struggle to free themselves and some will even succeed, so we’ve been caught in a net woven by God’s love, cast into the sea of this world by the guidance of the Spirit and brought on board to share in God’s mission begun in creation, continued in Jesus and directed to the future.
Our ministry is to bring others into a life-giving, life-affirming, life-renewing relationship with God. We bring others into such a relationship not by threats or intimidation but by our obedient imitation of Christ’s love and care for others. It is a persuasive ministry where our actions do speak far more effectively than our words. It is a life-long ministry that often leads us in directions we never thought we would go. It is a risky ministry that brings us face to face with answering the same question that Jesus asked Simon Peter three times: “Do you love me?”
My friends, this is not an easy time to be a disciple of Jesus, especially if we belong to a tradition such as ours, rich in history, rich in spiritual treasures, rich in commitment to the needs and concerns of the world but feeling that our nets keep coming up empty. It is tempting to give in to discouragement from time to time. Some of us may even feel like we’re watching the credits at the end of a film. And then along comes Jesus, surprising us as we’re getting our coats ready to leave and trying to find a trash can for our popcorn container. ‘Come,’ he says, ‘come and follow me. Let’s try something new and fish on the other side of the boat.’
Let’s dare to share our faith with someone else and not worry about what they might think of us. Let’s dare to imagine where we as a Parish are going to be in one year’s time, two years’ time, three years’ time and be hopeful. Let’s remember that God has called us ‘ . . . to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths yet untrodden, through perils unknown . . . [and to go out in faith and good courage] not knowing where we go, but only that [God’s] hand is leading us and [Christ’s] love [is supporting us].’ [1] After all, the story isn’t over and there are many more sequels to come.
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