Fishing With Peter - A Sermon for the Third Sunday of Easter May the 4th, 2025

GOSPEL: John 21:1-19

The gospel is announced.

The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the 21st chapter.

Glory to you, O Lord.

The risen Christ appears again to his disciples by the sea where they were first called. After echoes of the fishing and feeding miracles, he gives a final reminder of the cost of a disciple’s love and obedience.

1 After [he appeared to his followers in Jerusalem,] Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he showed himself in this way. 2 Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
  4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he had taken it off, and jumped into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.
  9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them, and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

  15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” 19 (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

(Peter starts fishing…)

I really thought it was all over for me.

I was ready that night for battle.

We told Jesus we had two swords,

he said it is enough.

But then when it was time to fight,

I cut that man’s ear right off,

but Jesus just said “enough of this.”

He touched the man’s ear,

and he was healed.

Okay, I thought, we will battle another day,

I don’t know what we were waiting for,

but then Jesus was arrested.

I don’t even have to say it,

you know it,

I can’t believe it,

I denied Jesus,

not once, not twice,

but three times.

And Jesus called it,

he warned me.

It’s almost like I blacked out, and

Next thing you know,

the cock crowed.

Never have I felt such shame and guilt.

Have you ever told a lie,

and you don’t know why you’re lying,

but you go through with it anyway?

It was like that.

It was just self-preservation,

but I also just couldn’t help it.

The words just came out of me,

I do not know that man.

I was thinking,

maybe I could just keep an eye on Jesus,

blend in with the crowd.

(Fish)

Fine. I was scared, okay? Happy now?

No way was I going to get myself arrested that night.

I thought it was the right thing to do,

keep a low profile.

But word got around,

and … I thought it was all over for me.

There’s no coming back from denying a king.

(Fish)

Ah, so you’ve heard the story,

about Jesus making us breakfast on the beach.

Yeah, let me clear up a couple things.

Yes, I was upset.

Jesus had asked me,

not once, not twice,

but three times if I love him.

I shouldn’t have been upset,

but I was.

I deserved it.

Here’s why it bugged me.

First, Jesus asked me if I love him more than my friends,

more than the other disciples.

And he used the word Agape,

like God’s kind of love.

I said I do.

then, he asked if I at least love him,

and he used the word Agape again,

for God’s kind of love.

I said I do.

But, I don't know if I can love with God’s kind of love,

I said “Lord, you know I love you”

but I used the word Philo -

it means brotherly love. fondness.

And the third time,

this is why I got upset,

It’s like he said,

well, you don’t agape love me,

are you at least fond of me?

do you at least Philo love me?

I just said to him twice I Philo love you.

I said I love you, Jesus.

that’s why I got upset.

But its fair - three times I said no,

so three times, I was invited to say Yes.

I’ve been able to think about it,

I don’t think Jesus was rubbing it in.

He was welcoming me back in.

Three times I denied him.

Three times he said

“Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep”

He just put me in charge.

I didn’t even apologize.

I didn’t even say sorry.

I was just filled with shame.

But there was forgiveness for me.

I was down in that pit of despair,

down in trouble,

and Jesus lifted me out of it.

But that’s who Jesus is,

even Judas,

Jesus knew he would betray him,

but Jesus still washed his feet,

Jesus still fed him the Passover.

And he served me breakfast.

There is no sin so bad that Jesus wont forgive.

(Fish)

Hmmm. If he didn’t welcome me back in,

I don’t know what I would do.

I’d probably give up fishing,

I mean, I only seem to catch fish when Jesus is around

and tells me to try the other side of the boat.

I’m not that good at fishing.

But now that’s all I’m gonna do.

Fish.

I still need to fish for fish,

a man’s gotta eat,

but now that I’m back in - I’m going fishing for people.

How? I don’t know.

But Jesus is with me.

Okay, he’s not siting right here,

but Jesus is going to show up.

He always does.

That morning on the beach,

it was a full circle moment.

I remembered when Jesus first called me,

I was fishing,

so were James and John.

“have you tried the other side of the boat?”

I mean, come on,

like that’s going to matter,

its a tiny little boat.

but I tell you,

good things happen

when you just do what Jesus tells you to do.

And now that Jesus died,

and is risen,

again he taught me how to fish,

not just for fish,

but for people.

It’s about welcoming people back in,

forgiveness,

love,

Jesus accepted me with all of my faults,

how can I not keep that going?

(Fish)

What’s next for me?

I talked to the brothers,

we’re going back to Jerusalem for the festival.

Yes, that’s right,

back to Jerusalem.

back into the lions den.

But, no, I’m not scared anymore.

I saw what they did to Jesus,

and Jesus is alive,

so what are they going to do to me?

They gonna kill me?

If Jesus rose,

I’m gonna rise, too.

That’s what Jesus does,

when down in the pit,

surrounded by death,

surrounded by threats,

Jesus lifts us up.

It’s like that day out on the lake last year,

and that nasty storm hit,

we were tossed out to sea on the boat,

and still Jesus showed up,

He was walking on the water,

and he cheered me on,

he told me to go for it,

and I did it.

I walked on water,

until I doubted myself,

until I doubted Jesus,

the problem was I took my eyes off Jesus.

But he still lifted me up.

This time around,

I’m not taking my eyes off Jesus.

I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen at the festival,

but it’s Pentecost,

people are coming from all over the land,

I’m ready to go fishing there,

God’s up to something there.

Well, I see my brothers coming up the bend,

I’d better wrap this up,

one last try?

(fish)

Nothin.

Well, I didn’t catch anything today,

Oh, but the catch is gonna be great

when Jesus shows up.

I can’t wait.

See you in Jerusalem…