Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Third Sunday of Easter. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "As we are Gathered, Jesus is Here"
Today's Gospel
John 21:1-19 Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish
After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. 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. 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.
Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, ‘Children, you have no fish, have you?’ They answered him, ‘No.’ 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. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the lake. 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.
When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.’ So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 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. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.
This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Jesus and Peter
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.’ 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.’ 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. 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.’ (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’
Reflection
When we look at today’s gospel from John, we can see a wonderful example of the healing and restoring power of Jesus and how He restores faith and belief back to Peter and the other disciples with him.
Disciples, who - after all they’d been through, had had their confidence and faith shaken to the core and had decided to return home and go back to their former lives.
In this passage, it is the third time Jesus has appeared to them since His resurrection. On this occasion, it’s by the Sea of Galilee where he first called some of them to be His followers.
John’s account carefully mirrors that first encounter [Luke 5], where after a fruitless night of fishing, Jesus encourages them to cast their nets again, and just like before they are filled with fish. He is replaying their story of becoming the first disciples.
Slowly but surely, Jesus is setting about to heal and restore them.
Jesus is also sending a message that He forgives them.
Yes they did all run away when He was arrested, Yes, Peter did deny Him 3 times – just as Jesus had predicted. Yes, their faith had been tested and found wanting. They had failed in so many ways but Jesus was showing them that He still loves them.
He is saying, it’s OK – I know you all messed up after the crucifixion - but I forgive you. But let’s press the reset button and go back to how it was before when I first called you here in Galilee.
Slowly, but surely, Jesus is continuing to heal and restore them!
Then he invites them to share a meal with Him on the beach. An act of mutual sharing, friendship and hospitality – Just like at the last supper – Jesus is serving them and looking after their needs. Caring and loving them.
He invites them to share their catch with Him. He is showing them how much He values them and what they have to offer – He is affirming them.
He wants to rebuild them and show that relationships with Him and between one another can be mended.
Slowly, but surely, Jesus is continuing to heal and restore them!
Then Jesus focusses on Peter. The one who denied Him 3 times around a fire similar to the one they were stood near now.
Jesus asks Simon Peter, ‘Do you love me?’
Again, just as on that first occasion when Jesus first called him, Jesus uses his full name – Simon Peter and also calls him Simon – ‘Son of John’.
Jesus is treating him exactly the same as He did before – He wants to show him that in His eyes, despite all that has happened, Peter is the same as when they first met.
Slowly, but surely, Jesus is continuing to heal and restore them!
Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him.
He is giving him the three opportunities to confirm his love for Jesus. A love which, despite his denials, he has never lost.
It would be hard to believe that there isn’t a link with the number of times Peter denied Jesus the number of times Jesus asks him to affirm his love. Jesus is giving Peter the opportunity to put things behind him and move on.
Jesus is showing Peter that his denials were not the end of his discipleship. Like Paul he is offering Peter a new beginning and an expansion or deepening of his call.
Like Paul, Jesus has plans for him, and Peter will indeed become the rock on which his church will be built.
Slowly, but surely Jesus is healing and restoring Peter.
At the end of this passage, Jesus asks them once again to follow Him. They are back where they started on the beach in Galilee.
He is telling them, I believe in you just as much as you believe in me. He is completing the reconciliation process and he wants them to be in no doubt that they are forgiven.
Slowly, but surely, Jesus is healing and restoring them.
Now they are ready to resume their mission of discipleship.
Despite the ups and downs that have happened to them and despite the ongoing risk of persecution and even death, they are ready to follow Him again.
Jesus has rebuilt their faith and restored them.
Like Paul and Peter, we too know that there are times when we are less than perfect.
We all fall short of expectations in the eyes of God.
When despite our best intentions and what we know in our hearts is right, we are still tempted to do what is best for us, even if it’s at the expense of others.
We know that despite our good intentions to help others - we still let ourselves be distracted and don’t always do it.
We know we promised to set more time aside to pray and talk with God, but we didn’t get around to it as often as we should have.
We know that we haven’t always shown compassion for others as we should.
But, when we feel bad about letting ourselves and others down, we need to remember that Jesus doesn’t want to see us in that space.
We just need to tell Him that we know our best is not always good enough, and we are sorry and will to try give Him the best we can offer.
And like Jesus’s response to Peter, He will look at us with love and compassion and say to us – ‘You are forgiven’. The best you have to offer is good enough for me.
Jesus still says to us - Follow me.
And he wants us to know,
…… that He will heal and restore us.Paul
Our Prayers
Almighty and loving Father,
We thank you that through your Son Jesus,
we are all offered new beginnings.
We pray that we will always try to do our best
to love one another
and to show compassion to everyone.
Like Paul and Peter,
show us what you want us to do,
and give us the will and determination to do it.
Amen
Our final hymn this morning is "Father God, I Wonder"
