(1)
Peter
Went Back to Fishing
(21:3)
It seems that Peter had returned to
the fishing business after Jesus’ crucifixion (in a defeated frame of mind).
Why?
First, Jesus’ death
had been such a disappointment for
him, as against all the hope that he had felt over the previous three years. He
had left everything, including the thriving fishing trade, to follow Jesus – and
look how that had turned out in the end. Peter was thus confused and probably
angry as well. This disappointment and confusion had of course developed
because Peter had first misunderstood, then failed to adjust his thinking, to
the whole concept of Jesus’ death. Jesus’ death would be the ultimate response
to bringing people God’s mercy, but Peter couldn’t see things this way. Peter
even resorted to violence at the time of Jesus’ arrest (18:10). Thus this
misaligned thinking also had no space for Jesus’ resurrection, and subsequently
Peter didn’t know how to handle this either.
Secondly,
Peter had an acute sense of failure
following his three-time denial of Jesus. Jesus had befriended Peter in so many
ways, and in return, when he was most needed, Peter denied even knowing Jesus
(18:15-27). What sort of a person would deny knowing their friend (and their
leader)?!? This set Peter up for feelings of both guilt and shame. Guilt –
because he had done the wrong thing. Shame – because he had proven himself to
be a deficient person (in his own mind). When that “cock” crowed, as Jesus said it would (13:38),
Peter was shattered. Peter would have remembered how confident, even cocky, he
had been, when he had previously said that, if necessary, he would lay down his
life for Jesus (13:37).
Peter thus went back to the safety of
what he knew best (head down, tail between his legs). Yet we also see that,
despite his failure, this is not what Jesus had in mind for Peter. This could
not be how things would be left!
(2)
The
Large Catch of Fish
(21:6,11)
When Peter and the others went out
fishing, they had no success … not until Jesus came on the scene anyway.
We could look at this scene and say …
no wonder things didn’t go well back fishing, when Peter (and the others) were
doing other than what they were supposed to be doing. Of course Peter caught
nothing – he wasn’t meant to be a fisher of fish anymore!
Another truth can be seen here: if
these disciples were going to be successful in what they were called to do,
they would have to rely wholly on the resurrected Jesus. Jesus was able to
change a totally hopeless situation (no fish), into a situation of
unprecedented success – more fish than the boat could handle! And this huge
catch of fish occurred when it would seem to any sane fisherman to be
impossible – after daybreak (21:4)!
This ‘huge catch’ symbolises the great
success the disciples would have on mission if they just focussed on Jesus.
Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, would provide the opportunities … they would be
everywhere – there would be well and truly enough people around willing to hear
and respond. These disciples would just have to be prepared to relate to enough
people to find those ones who will respond!
(3)
The
Recommissioning
(21:15-17)
Jesus would have always forgiven Peter
for his denials … this had been a tough situation – how many of us would have
stood up to it?
And Peter was ready for this
encounter, as we read that he jumped out of the boat and swam excitedly to the
shore (21:7). You could imagine Jesus looking at Peter with a face full of
understanding and compassion as he spoke to him. What Jesus had to engage Peter
with however, was whether Peter could move beyond his feelings of
disappointment and failure, accept this forgiveness, and move forward. This was
a matter of whether Peter could be re-focussed!
Jesus would therefore take Peter
through this threefold process which matched Peter’s three-time denial. In this
way Peter could be liberated from each of his specific failures, dealing with
them once-and-for-all. As Peter would express his love three times, this would
cancel, as it were, the negative effects on his spirit that his denials had
imprinted. You would notice that Peter became a little frustrated when asked, “Do
you love me …” for the third time (21:17). Jesus would take Peter to the very
edge of his “hurt” in this effort to rehabilitate him.
I used to think this was about making
Peter take responsibility for his actions (and that may be part of the truth),
but I think this is far more pastoral and forward-thinking than just that. This
is the ultimate repair job! Now, instead of his previous denials defining who
Peter was for the rest of his life, Peter would, through taking up the
God-given opportunity of confessing afresh what was most important to him, have
a clear pathway forwards. Peter would be able to go out into the general
community, not with a heart filled with regret, despair and defeat, but rather
peace, hope and purpose.
Peter might have found it hard to look
Jesus in the eye because of his feelings of shame. But he found it within
himself to be able to do it. This seems to have been made possible by the power and
sincerity of the forgiving love being expressed to him. It was Jesus’ thorough
and unrelenting love of Peter, that allowed for Peter to love Jesus once again.
Despite how Peter had behaved on occasions, the Jesus who knew everything, knew
that, deep in his heart, Peter did love Jesus more than anything else … more
than his friends and more than fishing! This love just had to be accessed
again!!
What a powerful experience for Peter
to take forward into his future ministry … such a personal knowledge of the
transforming effectiveness of God’s forgiveness. As Peter responds three times,
“Yes Lord, you know that I love you”, with growing intensity, his leadership in
the future Christian movement is restored. Peter’s re-stated love of Jesus,
leads into his responsibility of caring for all those Jesus loved. Peter would
express and apply this love relationship with Jesus by tending and feeding the
sheep and the lambs.
What do you make of the “these” in “do
you love me more than these”? “Do you love me more than you love
these”? The other disciples? The tools of the trade of fishing – the boats
and the nets?? We know how attractions to certain ‘others’ – people or things,
can distract us from what God wants us to do. Our love for God should supersede
anything else. OR … “Do you love me more than these others love me”?
Ultimately I think this about not limiting our love (of Jesus) in any way,
but rather allowing our love for Jesus to reach the heights of its
potential! For example, we might look up to a certain person and just be
pleased to emulate their perceived level of love or commitment, when in reality
we could go even further and deeper than this.
(4)
The
Challenge of Following Jesus (21:18-19)
How hard is it to say publicly that we
love Jesus? How hard does a modern bloke find it to even contemplate saying
that they love Jesus?? It takes humility and courage! But following Jesus
starts with a response to God’s love by us confessing that we love Jesus.
Coming to that position where we can state that we love Jesus can put us on the
path to transformation. Loving and following Jesus is the path to peace,
patience, compassion, kindness and being (freshly) teachable.
Peter was informed that following
Jesus would take you places that you wouldn’t necessarily choose for yourself.
A follower of Jesus is no longer a law unto themselves, but rather in a
leader/follower relationship … wherever that might lead. And when it comes to
Jesus’ call to “Follow me”, the sense of the Greek text is continuing action
i.e. “Follow me and keep following me”! This all sounds onerous and costly,
except for the fact that once you’ve discovered this path, any other path would
be completely unfulfilling!
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