John 21 and the Challenge of Jesus (Part 1 of 3)

Shortly before Christmas I was in conversation with a friend, and they mentioned a portion of John 21 where Jesus makes breakfast for His disciples. Over the past few weeks, I have returned to that text and sat with it. I found it to be both a source of great encouragement and a challenge to my faith.

I want to spend the first three Fridays in 2023 slowly walking through this text with you and let the richness of these Scriptures guide us as we follow Jesus into the new year.

For today let's hone in on the first eleven verses:

Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. Simon Peter said, "I'm going fishing." "We'll come, too," they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn't see who he was. He called out, "Fellows, have you caught any fish?" "No," they replied. Then he said, "Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you'll get some!" So they did, and they couldn't haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, "It's the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread. "Bring some of the fish you've just caught," Jesus said. So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn't torn. - John 21:1–11

What parts of this narrative stood out to you?

What elements seemed strange?

Is there anything that caught you off guard or surprised you?

I would answer yes to all of the above - but for just another minute, let's consider the opening verse. The word translated in the NLT and NIV as 'appeared' could be, and is, translated a few different ways. In the NASB it is 'manifested,' in the ESV and NET it's 'revealed,' and in the KJV it is 'shewed.'

No matter how you translate that one Greek word, ephanerōsen, the meaning remains concrete. Jesus makes Himself visible to His followers and invites them to a meal. He wants them to see, hear, and interact with Him personally.

One thing that has stood out to me as I have wrestled with and through this text, is that language of - appeared, manifested, and revealed.

Jesus wasn't hiding but inviting. He wasn't distant but near. Ultimately He was going to have a heartfelt and difficult discussion with Peter (and we will get to that in part 3), but for now, we are listening to Jesus' simple invitation to His disciples to be with Him and share a meal.

Here is where I have been reflecting and, ultimately, where my encouragement for us this weekend begins -

Where is Jesus showing Himself? Where is He inviting us? Where is He asking us to join Him? Where is He manifesting His presence and appearing in our lives?

Those questions are all predicated on the reality that we believe Jesus is still present and active in our lives, while not in the exact way He was with His disciples that day on the shore, but nonetheless, present with us more intimately.

Let me turn now to a teaching of Jesus to solidify this reality and to bring our brief study to a conclusion:

If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them. - John 14:15–21

Did you notice any familiar language in Jesus teaching?

Notice His emphasis on the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and that same language of revealing? If you were wondering if the same word Jesus used in John 14 and John 21 were the same - you would be right. It's the same root word!

Now, let's draw out more one connection. What does Jesus say will precede His revelation? Let me draw you into the last two sentences of that section in John 14, "Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them."

Accept - Obey - Love - Reveal

This is not some magical formula or a series of buttons to push to get God to reveal Himself. But it is an invitation. An invitation to follow, believe, and to trust in a God who is ready and willing to reveal Himself to us.

So a simple prayer to aid our weekend - Lord Jesus, in your kindness and compassion, please show the areas of my life where you are calling me to believe and obey your teachings - help me to love you and others more fully and sacrificially - in your timing and in your will reveal to me where you are working and how I can partner with you - Amen.

Have a great weekend, and may the peace of Jesus fill your hearts. See you on Sunday!

-Bradley