Breakfast at the Beach

This was a sermon I gave on April 10, 2016 at Silverton Friends Church, Silverton, OR. 

Let us take a moment to calm our hearts and center ourselves this morning. This morning, I will read our text from John 21 1:1-14 and then I want us to have a moment to center our thoughts and hearts. 

[Pause]

John 21:1-14

21 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Let us pray…

Back in 1996, Sue and I were serving in our first ministry as a married couple in Oviedo, Florida.  Oviedo was just outside of Orlando, Florida (the vacation capitol of the world).  We were about the same distance to the Atlantic Coast as we are to the Pacific coast right now.  I was the Director of Christian Education Intern at St Luke Lutheran Church, a Slovakian Lutheran Church (it had just discontinued the Slovakian spoken service just before we arrived).  I had about 75-80 youth to work with in high school and it was a larger church probably about 2500 members.  One of the youth traditions each year was to have worship at the beach. 

That was a bit controversial for the denomination I was part of – because worship was to happen in a church – and worship needed to be led by an ordained pastor.  I was just a Director of Christian Education Intern.  Well, I began to plan the time at the beach and our pastor gave permission for me to lead the service.  We were going to have a couple van loads of kids, some chaperons, and snack food – no lots of snacks.  Since this event would take place on Sunday, we thought we would get there early and start with worship on the beach. 

So after we arrived that sunny morning at Jetty Park just south of Cape Canaveral, we unloaded the youth, the food, and staked out our territory.  The youth wanted to get in the water – so I let them for a while as I prepared for worship. 

The text that day was our text for this morning from John 21:1-14 – Jesus making breakfast on the beach.  I was planning to read the text and then talk about its application to the youth.  I wanted to give them the full effect as we would be gathering for a meal on the beach that day.  Part of the experience was a time of prayer – where each student had the opportunity to ask God to help their unbelief and the times they had missed the point of what Jesus was saying to them. I gave some examples of this – when God seemed clear about something – but like the disciples after the resurrection – they went back to their old ways and missed the bigger picture.

[I don’t know about you, but I find myself face-palming myself way too often wondering how I missed the signs, missed what God was doing, maybe even missing what the scriptures were saying.]

Well, we started to pray. I had the youth create, out of the sand, a sacred space – set apart for this experience.  In the sand they formed a large heart and cross and brought rocks, shells and some seaweed in to make it look beautiful. We sat in a circle around this as a center piece. If this was today, we would have thousands of pictures of the event - but this was before cell phones and Facebook (I am getting old – that was 20 years ago!). When it came to the special prayer time, the youth took it very seriously.  Actually, they had their eyes closed and spoke from the depths of their hearts. And this time went on for quite some time.  It was beautiful. 

But in the middle of the prayer time, I heard something very weird.  It sounded like a muffled turbine or engine.  I opened one eye and looked around.  No one else noticed it.  Actually, the youth were completely given to the practice of sharing and prayer. Just then out of nowhere – about 300-400 feet out from the shore I saw something that I couldn’t believe.  It looked like the largest whale I had ever seen – and I had never seen a whale except in captivity at Sea World.  I wanted to say something – I was completely distracted.  Out of the water came a nuclear submarine.  It breached just like the whales I had seen on Animal Kingdom. It was breath taking.  The sub went a short distance and then descended back under water.  

The entire rest of the time, I was distracted by what I saw.  The youth had not seen it.  I started to wonder if anyone would believe me. Maybe another adult or someone would have peeked during prayer and seen this site.  But after the prayer was over – I tried to explain what I saw.  A couple of the adults and maybe Sue believed me, but many of the youth questioned it.  As a visual learner this was amazing.  Yet it made me think - why? 

• Why didn’t everyone see it?  
• Why didn’t everyone have that same experience?  
•   Why did it happen in the middle of this beautiful experience? 
•  Why couldn’t it have happened when everyone could see and believe me?

Well, the irony of this true story is that these questions that ran through my mind then run through my mind this morning as we ponder our text.  

Why didn’t the disciples and followers of Jesus see it?

Jesus said he was going to rise, but they went back to the very work he called them from approximately 3 years prior.

• Why didn’t people respond like the thief on the cross, or the centurion? 
•  Why did some flee and fear?  
•  Why did some give up and go on?  
•  Why did some just assume that the one who had done miraculous things – even raising a friend from death in front of them -- not see it? 

Why didn’t they all have the same experience?

Thomas wasn’t there and even is recorded for eternity as a doubter. Peter didn’t believe either and was confused as to where the body had gone.  Mary met Jesus but she thought he was a gardener.  Many simply cowered in fear in an upper room away from the scene.

Why did it happen in the middle of this beautiful experience? 

I bet the disciples were dumbfounded that night when Jesus was taken off bound and headed for jail.  “How could this happen?  For three years things were pretty good…and then this?”  It’s not supposed to happen that way.  Or how about those disciples who were probably saying, I gave my life for three years and then he dies right in the middle of it all.  Now what are we going to do – back to fishing, back to Emmaus, back to fear.  

And the last question….why couldn’t this all have happened when everyone could see and believe? 

I think the disciples had become somewhat used to having Jesus around. Maybe they got a bit too comfortable with him.  Maybe they began relying on him too much.  And they were not getting the fact that he was going to continue his ministry through them.  Jesus knew that not everyone would see and believe – Judas was a prime example.  The religious leaders were as well. 

Yet, if we really think about it, we too spend a lot of time in our world asking these questions:

• Why doesn’t everyone see it like I do?  
• Why didn’t everyone have that same experience like I had?  
•  Why did it happen in the middle of this beautiful experience that I was having? 
• Why couldn’t it have happened when everyone could see and believe me?

What Jesus does in our text today is answer those questions by his actions.

Why doesn’t everyone see like I do? 

…because Jesus understands your uniqueness.  Jesus knows what we are going to do, how we are going to react, and when the time is right.  He provides for us within our own settings and environment. 

He knew these certain disciples could not get the “fishermen” out of their beings.  He knew he would find them doing what came natural.  He also knew the hard work they had put in. He knew what they had gone through over the last few weeks.  He knew their condition.  So he comes prepared to make some breakfast – because he knew they would be hungry. 

Why didn’t they all have the same experiences? 

…because Jesus has unique experiences with each of us.  These fishermen had the very same experience before with Jesus when he had told them to throw the nets out on the other side of the boat after a long night of not catching anything.  I find that often God speaks to me in similar ways throughout my life.  He speaks to me through often the same medium – for me it is art, or nature, or conversation, or certain sacred places.  We don’t all have the same experiences because we are all uniquely wired. 

I may find my connection to God through art or in an art museum – for you fishing on a lake like the disciples.  Or I may find a liturgical service at the Mt. Angel Abbey very moving – and for you it is completely boring - you need lively music and dancing.  We all have different experiences because God likes to work with us in our unique ways.

Why did it happen in the middle of this beautiful experience that I was having? 

I wonder what the disciples thought when Jesus yelled out to them from the shore.  “Who is that wise guy asking us if we have brought in any fish? He has to know that the conditions are horrible – we have been out here all night!”  Thus the quick recorded reply in scripture – “No.” And then to have him suggest trying the other side of the boat – They were saying to themselves, “Really…like we haven’t tried that.” But something in them said, “Well, it can’t hurt.” And in the act of doing this something beautiful happens.  They were mourning and finding therapy in what they loved – but Jesus decides he has more for them.  All of a sudden something they loved just became even better!  “It is the Lord!”  and “Look at all those fish!”

I find this to be so true for me.  I think that one thing is helping me with understanding my relationship with God – and then all of a sudden that becomes simply the vehicle for something greater.  I believe God likes to surprise us – otherwise the things we do can become comfortable or simply comforting – and the lack of risk and adventure becomes stagnate – like fishing on an open lake all night and not catching anything. 

Sometimes God likes to send us nuclear subs – give us experiences with him that are uniquely ours.

And finally, why couldn’t it have happened when everyone could see and believe me? 

God didn’t want to wave a magic wand called “Jesus.”  He could have, but that would have been treating us all as puppets or simply his robots.  Instead Jesus died and we are to have faith in what he did and is continuing to do.  This is what builds the relationship with him.  As I said before, we all do not have the same experiences and that is exactly what should draw us together.  Our diversity should draw us to each other. 

Believing other people’s experiences takes faith as well.  How do I see God’s work in my daily life?...often through the experience of others.  I need each of you – to help me understand and see my faith.  Faith without doing something (what the Bible calls “works”) is dead.  Just maybe because faith without doing something doesn’t help us build each other’s faith.  Not only the experience of the Risen Christ draws us to faith in him – but my experiences with my neighbor can help me to see him and draw me to him.  I need your experiences – I need Chuck’s perspectives and I need Kevin’s perspectives and I need each of your perspectives – all different – yet all helping me to understand and grow my own faith. 

So as you ponder these thoughts this morning. Ponder instead of the questions these statements written from those questions:·    

• I don’t need everyone to see things like I do.   
• I don’t need everyone to have the same experience I do.  
• I need to allow God to interrupt my experiences so I can have more beautiful ones. 
• I need God’s ways to happen uniquely where together we can learn and believe.

When we can say those things we too will be experiencing a breakfast on the beach with our Lord.

Let us pray.