Sunday 25-Apr-10
Easter 4 (but using Easter 3 readings) St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Brodhagen
Text: Luke 5: 1-11 & John 21:1-19
Theme: Do you recognise Jesus in our abundance? This story from the last chapter of the Gospel of John
is one of my favourite stories.
The idea of meeting Jesus on the beach
and he is cooking breakfast really appeals to
my need to be loved and cared for. A few years ago I got to go fishing with my brother-in-law
and one morning I actually caught a fish and we ate it.
It was a scrawny little thing – just big enough to keep –
and we eat it for breakfast –
pan fried in butter and some garlic powder and served on pita bread.
It was one of the best breakfast I’ve ever tasted.
My fishing work was rewarded.
Now I must tell you – I am not much of a fisherman.
I buy a licence every other year it seems when I’m invited to
go camping and fishing in Algonquin.
Each time I go I have to relearn how to knot the line onto
the wee catch thingy that the lure connects to….
See what I mean … I am not much of a fisherman.
But I like it going and I do like fishing.
But you know, I think I might be as good a fisherman as those disciples were –
and I might be even better than them.
“How can this be?” I hear you say …
“weren’t they profession fisherman who owned their own
boats and nets and were part of the family business?”
Well that is true,
but I challenge you to find a story in the bible
were those fisherman disciples actually caught anything
on their own with Jesus showing up and performing a miracle. Just look at the gospel of John in our story this morning.
How many fish had they caught all through the night …
Nothing, nada, zip, naught, zero, zilch!
At least I caught my fish all on my own – no miracle –
just me, a canoe, a fishing pole and a lure.
But with the disciples, Jesus shows up and wammy!
Now they have 153 of them – and big ones one too!
A net full – too many to haul the nets on board.
Now I don’t think that I’ll ever catch 153 fish – and big ones too –
and I’m thinking of my life time goal here –
not even in one fishing trip
let all one single haul!
But it’s true. Those professional fisher men never catch any fish
in our bible stories – unless Jesus shows up.
Last week at the Brodhagen Community Centre we heard about the farmer
who was scattering seed in all sorts of unlikely places.
So I’m getting the feeling that our good book
may not be the best place to look farming and fishing advice.
You don’t believe me? Well we heard Emily read the story in Luke 5
this morning when Jesus first called the disciples.
Simon Peter and his buddies had been out fishing and
caught nothing all night long.
Jesus asks Simon to take him out so he can talk the crowd from the boat.
When he’s done, he asks Simon to put out in the deep – and capow!
They caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break.
At the end of that story those first disciple
had been called by Jesus and they left everything and followed him.
That was the beginning of Jesus ministry on earth. So here we go again with the story from the end of the Gospel of John.
The story is back on the same lake – the Sea of Galilee,
also know as Lake of Gennesaret, Lake Kinneret
or the Sea of Tiberias.
That lake is near the Golan Heights and the largest freshwater lake in Israel.
At 209 metres below sea level, it is the lowest freshwater lake on the earth.
Today fishing story has moved away from Jerusalem,
the crucifixion and resurrection site.
Here we are the lake shore were the story
started at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.
What has changed –
In the Lukan story Simon-Peter calls out to Jesus right after the miraculous catch,
“Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”.
In the post resurrection story,
Simon Peter was naked
and then puts on clothes before jumping into the sea
and swimming to shore to see Jesus.
I was wondering if that is a reflection back to Genesis
when Adam sinned and realised he was naked
and he hid from God. Here – in our post resurrection story –
Jesus has paid the price for all our sins –
the naked Peter doesn’t hide or shout “Go away from me, Lord”.
Yes he covers up - he covers up his sin –
but then he goes to Jesus –
in whom we all find forgiveness.
This post resurrection story allows the
sinful naked man to come to Jesus
not only to be forgiven, but also to be fed.
The other difference between the fishing story in Luke
and the story from John is the outcome.
In Luke, Simon-Peter leaves everything and follows Jesus –
a journey that ends up in Jerusalem.
In the story in John, Peter recognises Jesus – the risen Lord –
A story that end up in the truth of the resurrection. But that too is our journey –
Jesus has paid the price for Peter’s sin, Adam’s and our sin –
we are covered up not out of shame –
but we too can come to Jesus.
Our sin has been covered up
and Jesus is on the beach shore waiting to feed us too.
But our question will also be – do we recognise Jesus?
Do we in our abundance of blessing?
Do we see our 153 fish catch?
Do we recognise Jesus? There are many theories are the why 153 fish. - 153 – sum of the number 1 to 17
- 153 - Cube each number 1, 5, 3 and add them together – 153
- 153 – a triangle number
- 153 – the number of known fish species in the world at that time
or the number known nations back then
- 153 – (now this one really complicated)
is a really big number for a fish catch
I’m
going to go with the last theory for today – 153 is a really big
number.
The idea is that when Jesus shows up – we might catch 153 fish.
Last week I think we saw that.
Last week we raised not 153 – but 753 dollars for Shelter Link – then
if we add the $500 from FaithLife and guess what – it sure sounds like
Jesus showed up and we caught on the right hand side of the boat $1253.
That is a big number.
Jesus is with us in our work in Brodhagen, Seaforth, Mitchell and
Stratford. And that is how it all works – Jesus comes to us – and in
the abundance of blessing around us – can you see Jesus too? Amen
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7
You can read more about the 153 fish at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~bobseller1/id89.html
http://www.scripturessay.com/article.php?cat=&id=516
|
