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Content type: Sermon Poem / Prayer Service / Tribute Incomplete Biography
Body: **Epilogue: Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples** **21**Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee.[a] This is how it happened. **2**Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin),[b] Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. **3**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. **4**At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. **5**He called out, “Fellows,[c] have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied. **6**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. **7**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. **8**The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards[d] from shore. **9**When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread. **10**“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. **11**So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn. **12**“Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. **13**Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. **14**This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead. **15**After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?[e]” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. **16**Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. **17**A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep. **18**“I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others[f] will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” **19**Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.” Easter Sunday, a day we all look forward to. A day when, under normal circumstances, attendance is up, special music is played, celebrations after meeting (FOOD), and gathering with family and friends for a day of relaxing and/or chasing children. This year was especially special to me because the majority of my immediate family was in attendance. Then arrives Monday morning. You say to yourself, “Okay, now what do I do?” The third Sunday of Easter is a bit like that moment. Two weeks ago was the big service with special music and family. Last Sunday things died down just a little bit, but we had part two of Cheryl’s message to look forward to. It was still the after-party with Jesus appearing to the disciples and then to Thomas. But today, while resurrection is still heavy on our minds, we are left wondering now what? John’s gospel tells us about the disciples who were in the same boat… literally. The disciples to whom Jesus has appeared to twice in the span of a week and empowered them for the ministry of the kingdom. They decide that fishing is the obvious next step. Peter, to be precise decides that now after following Jesus around for 3 years, witnessing miracles and teachings, the triumphal entry, the crucifixion, and the empty tomb that going back to what he knows is best. And few of the others agree, James and John sons of Zebedee, along with Thomas and Nathanael. On the other hand, in Acts we hear about Saul on the road to Damascus. He is not two weeks removed from the resurrection, but about 10 years. Yet, the events of Easter have inspired him to zealously and murderously persecute Christians. And Ananias, the fearful follower of the way is hiding in fear. Hiding from people like Saul. All of these disciples, or soon-to-be followers of Jesus, have been affected by the events of Easter differently. They all make different choices in how to react to the resurrection, but they also share a similar experience. They are struggling to make sense of what the Risen Christ means for them and for their world. They have heard the Easter stories, they have lived them in fact, but they are as lost as anyone in how to move on from that world changing moment. This odd collection of followers of the way of Jesus, are just like any group of people who gather to become the church. They are just like us. Perhaps we are like Peter, bold to risk it all in one moment, and then timidly back to business as usual in the next. Perhaps we are like Paul, concerned that everyone around keep the rules just as we do. Perhaps we are like Ananias, faithful yet fearful of showing that faith. Perhaps we are like James and John, Thomas and Nathanael, interested and engaged, but easily influenced to try the next thing that comes along. Yet the resurrection is not just a part of our Christian faith it is the essence of what we believe and preach. No resurrection=No faith, no purpose, no gospel, no hope, no salvation Time and time again Jesus taught his followers that he would rise again from the dead. Mar 14:28 “But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." John 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, “destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” John 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? J0hn 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body. The resurrection is so important to our faith because if it did not happen then everything about Jesus written in scripture is false and he was not the messiah the son of God. Not only that but it would discount everything written by the prophets and we would have no faith left. 1 Corinthians 15:17-20 New Living Translation **17**And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. **18**In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! **19**And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. **20**But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. That is why when someone makes a confession of faith it's not just that I believe in the bible, or believe in Jesus but look at what the Bible says in Romans 10-9. **9**If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Like these disciples, often the only thing that binds us all together as followers of Christ, as the body of Christ gathered here, is our common belief in the Christ and the resurrection. Follow by our shared struggled with just what to do with this good news. The early church called themselves followers of the way rather than Christians. They wanted to emphasize that they followed the way of a living person, which is not always easy or clear. Kind of like following someone in a busy crowd, it easy to get jostled and shoved about, to lose sight of the one we are following. Today, two weeks out from Easter, the reality of the Risen Christ is a confusing struggle. It was all a big party on that Easter morning, but today we are left to sort out just what happens next. And considering pillars of the faith like Peter and Paul, James and John, Ananias, Thomas and Nathanael struggled to sort it out… what chance do we have? Are we supposed to go knock on doors to ask people if they have heard the good news? Should we all find ten friends to bring to church? Do we need to pray in public more often? Being followers of the way is not easy two weeks out from Easter. As Saul marched down the road to Damascus, on his way to enforce the rules he thought were right, Jesus met Saul where he was. Jesus didn’t just meet Saul, but Jesus blindsided him, blinded him literally. Jesus met him on the way and redirected his path. The encounter with Jesus changed the course of Saul’s life. Saul became Paul. As Ananias hid away in fear, Jesus met Ananias where he was and encouraged him to go despite his fears. Jesus called Ananias to be the hands and feet of Christ, to help Saul become Paul, to welcome Paul into the body of Christ. Ananias’s life was changed. As Peter returned to the fishing boat not knowing what to do next after the resurrection, Jesus called to him from the shore. Jesus met Peter where he was. Jesus asked him to feed my sheep. Jesus reminded Peter what it means to tend to the body of Christ, that Peter could not walk away from it all. Peter’s life was now forever tied to the fortunes of the followers of the way. As James and John, Thomas and Nathanael shrugged their shoulders and follow Peter to go fishing, Jesus met them where they were. He showed them that he was still the one to follow, still they knew where to cast their nets for fish, and where to cast their nets in fishing for people. Jesus meets each of his followers as they struggle with how to proceed, with how to make sense of the Risen Christ. Jesus finds them in their Easter confusion, and gives them what they need. He makes them blind, he encourages, he has hard conversations and he shows them abundance. Jesus meets them and points them back to the way. He points them to the way he showed them before Easter and reminds them that they are still followers of the way afterwards. And in the same way Jesus meets us. Jesus meets us as we struggled with how to proceed, Jesus meets us in our diversity of struggles whether we are like Paul, like Peter, like Ananias, like Thomas and Nathanael, like James and John. Whether we are unsure, afraid, bold one moment timid the next, whether we just go along to get along, whether we are confused and struggling. Jesus meets is here. Jesus meets us and any other struggling and confused sisters and brothers in faith that gather here week after week. Jesus meets us in the word of God. In the stories of faith of all those disciples and followers who have struggled before us along the way. In the stories of faith and life that we share with each other, around cups of coffee, at the water cooler at work, with neighbors, at the kitchen table with family and friends. Jesus meets us in the words we share as the body of Christ. Jesus meets us in the forgiveness, life and salvation that we hear every time we confess our sins and receive forgiveness, every time we welcome a new member into the body of Christ, and anywhere God’s people are together, in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus meets us where we are nourished in faith. Jesus meets us wherever, whenever, whomever we are. Jesus is telling the disciples, Peter, Paul and the others. The Good News is simply that Jesus comes to meet us. That Jesus finds us and meets us and shows us the way. That no matter how much we struggle with what comes next, no matter how fearful, or uncertain we are. The Good News is that Jesus is the one coming to us. That we are followers of the way because Jesus shows us the way. QUOTE: William P Barker wrote, "If the last mighty act of God had been the resurrection and ascension, today there would be no church. If the pattern outlined in the first chapter of Acts had continued, the apostles and others would never have left Jerusalem to witness. They would have formed a religious club, perhaps a "Jesus Memorial Society". Like other such groups, it would probably have had meetings, dues, minutes, and the usual club peraphernalia. In spite of valiant endeavors by loyal adherents to "keep the organization going," the band of believers in the Risen Jesus Christ would eventually have dwindled away and in time the memory of Jesus would have become an interesting footnote in the history books of the Middle East" (William P. Barker, "The Stood Boldly", pp. 19-20) “What now disciples of Jesus in the Twenty-First Century?” What about us? What are we doing for Jesus this time? What are our goals? Are all of our DELIGHTS found in Him? Has He given us new DIRECTIONS by which to live ? If so, are we following them? We can only be happy when we are surrendered to Him like the disciples were on that first Easter Sunday. He is alive, alive, alive. He is the answer to the world’s problems. He is the one true Lord. Yes, He was put into a grave and hell went on a binge of gory glorying, but the party stopped three days later when he came forth holding the keys to Death, Hell and the Judgment. “What now, disciples?” Stay the course; fight the fight of good faith; bear the shield of the Lord; dress in His armor; take His name with you where ever you go; and, when it is time for your crossing and you hear in the distant some Voice asking you, “What now my disciple?” Muster up all the vim and vigor you will possess at that time and answer, “I am coming Home.” and going Home will be sweet for you.
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