Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:
[Intro]
Last week’s Gospel text seemed to be the perfect ending. Jesus appeared to His apostles – first without, then with, Thomas. Through Him saying, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19, 21, 26), Jesus gave all of them the peace of forgiveness of sins.
And Christ’s apostles needed the peace of forgiveness. You see, immediately after Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and taken into custody where He would eventually suffer and die, what happened? Each apostle ran away in fear. They all scattered like sheep without a shepherd. Peter, who was the de facto leader of the Twelve, when asked if he was a disciple of Jesus on three separate occasions on that Maundy Thursday evening, said: “I am not” (John 18:17) as he stood warming himself over a charcoal fire. Upon that third time, “at once a rooster crowed” (John 18:27). Then Peter remembered Jesus’ saying: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times” (Matthew 26:75). At once, Peter wept bitterly.
But what about the other apostles? Well, they, too feared the Jewish authorities. They – with Peter – believed that they would be next to be arrested and later face death. They were scared for their lives. They truly believed that Jesus was more than a miracle worker. They believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. But now, Jesus is dead. All was lost. They believed that the last three years following Jesus was just a big mistake.
Yes, Peter and John saw the empty tomb on that Easter morning, but they still didn’t understand the Scripture “that He must rise from the dead” (John 20:9) as they were slow to believe.
But Mary Magdalene remained at the empty tomb as she wept believing that someone had stolen the body of Jesus. But as she wept, Jesus appears to her. Then in resurrection joy, Mary announces to the apostles, “I have seen the Lord” (John 20:18) and that He will soon see His apostles in Galilee (Matthew 28:10).
But even as they were slow to believe, that evening despite the doors being locked, Jesus stood among to His apostles – with the exception of Thomas – and before any of them could say a word, Jesus spoke, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19). He immediately showed them His hands and His side. For a second time, Jesus says: “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you” (John 20:21). Here, again, Jesus forgives them of their sins and He renews their commissioning as His apostles.
A week later, after first scoffing at the idea that Jesus is risen from the dead and with the doors being locked, Jesus again stands again among His apostles and immediately says, “Peace be with you” (John 20:26). Just like the week earlier, Thomas does not get a chance to speak, as Jesus forgives Thomas, and forgives the other apostles a third time.
Thomas believed as saw and felt Jesus’ wounds as he confessed: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).
What a great way to end the Gospel! The apostles have all seen Jesus! Jesus is alive! Christ is risen! [He is risen indeed! Alleluia!] This is the perfect ending: “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30-31).
But that wasn’t the end. Curiously enough, there is one more chapter in John’s Gospel, which is our text for today, the Third Sunday of Easter.
[Jesus Appears to the Seven]
Remember the word from the women announcing to the apostles that Jesus would meet them in Galilee? Well, after Jesus left the locked room, the apostles made their way to Galilee. Why seven of the eleven apostles were present, we do not know, but surely these seven would tell the others of what would happen this day along the Sea of Tiberias, also known as the Sea of Galilee.
But before anything would happen this day. These seven apostles would wait. It may have been hours or days, since Jesus did not reveal the exact time He would make His appearance.
For Peter, this was hard. He was not the type of man to just sit and wait. He was a man of action! So, Peter says, “I am going fishing” (John 21:3) and the others reply, “We will go with you.” It was only natural for them to turn to fishing, since they were fishermen by trade. Afterall, it was against Peter’s nature just to sit. He wants to do something.
But what happens? “They caught nothing” (John 21:3). We’ve all been there. Sitting in the boat all day and not a single bite. But the apostles were not amateur fishermen. They knew what they were doing. They knew the tricks of the trade.
But early in the morning, a voice calls out to them, saying, “Children, do you have any fish?” (John 21:5). They answer, “No!” Then the voice says, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some” (John 21:6). At once the net was filled with a large number of fish, so many that they were tugging and pulling at the net with all their might as they couldn’t haul it into the boat. Something miraculous had just happened.
This sounds familiar. Didn’t this happen before? Remember when Jesus enabled His disciples to catch a net full of fish after they had fished all night and caught nothing? Last time, Peter certainly acted differently. On this day, John said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” (John 21:7) Immediately, Peter puts on his outer garment and throw himself into the sea. The other apostles followed in the boat, pulling and tugging the large catch of fish to the shore. But what did Peter do the last time Jesus enabled them to make a great catch? He fell down at Jesus’ knees, and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). Now, that was the natural reaction of a man who had not yet seen the cross. You see, without the forgiveness of sins, we would never be in God’s presence. In fact, we wouldn’t want to be. By nature, we are enemies of God.
But how different it is this time! Peter jumps into the water. He can’t wait to be near Jesus! Now, this is the natural reaction of those who have believed in the cross and the resurrection! By this time, the Resurrection has happened. Christ is risen! [He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!] You see, believing in the crucified and risen Christ creates a completely new nature. The new person knows and believes that he has the certainty of eternal life, so he is eager to do something for Christ.
So, what are Peter and the other apostles going to do? Well, what comes naturally! Remember the last time Jesus enabled them to catch all those fish? What did Jesus say? “From now on you will be catching men” (Luke 5:10).
From now on, they would be fishers of men. Do you suppose the apostles thought back to that previous time? Did you recall that previous catch of fish?
This is likely why the Holy Spirit inspired John to record this particular miracle. This is not just another resurrection appearance of Jesus. It is another intentional reminder of what follows after people have seen the risen Christ, believed in Him, and have received forgiveness of sins.
[Forgiven]
As Christ gives us the urge to do what we naturally want to do by spreading the good news of forgiveness of sins to others, sometimes our past sins and failures make us feel unworthy to serve God. If you have ever felt this way, you are not alone. Remember, when Jesus stood in that locked room with His apostles? What did He say to them? He said, “Peace be with you.” There, He corporately forgave His apostles’ sins. Now, this is what happens each Sunday morning as we begin the Divine Service by confessing our sins. Then we hear these words: “Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” At that moment, your sins of thought, word, and deed are wiped away by God. You are forgiven!
But how often have you thought, “Am I really forgiven?” “I don’t feel forgiven.” “Is what I have done, even forgivable?” Well, if you have thought that – you are not alone.
As soon as that rooster crowed, Peter wept bitterly. Since that night when Peter denied Jesus three times, he was forgiven three times in that locked room. He was indeed reconciled to God. But Peter’s heart remained broken. After his great fall, Peter needed further assurance of his forgiveness. On that Maundy Thursday evening, Peter warmed his hands over a charcoal fire, but on this day, Jesus prepares breakfast over a charcoal fire.
There, on the shore, Jesus has prepared a charcoal fire with fish laid out on it, and bread. The table is ready, and Jesus is the host of the meal. They are fed with bread and fish provided in advance by the Lord. Later, Jesus says, “Bring some of the fish that you have caught” (John 21:10). This was Christ’s miracle. So, when the fish come in, it is the Lord’s doing, even when we carry out His commands. The net may be strained to the breaking point, but when casting out the Gospel net, the apostles are assured of success, no matter what experience or reason may say to the contrary.
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus, as the all-knowing Savior full of compassion, pulled Peter aside and spoke the word of full absolution to him that brought the peace of forgiveness of sins to his troubled heart. Jesus said, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” (John 21:15). Peter replies, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you” (John 21:15). After two more questions, Peter realizes what this is all about. Here, Jesus individually absolves Peter three times to again forgive his denial of Him, so that Peter would be among one of those fishers of men.
Now, all the apostles are ready to do what they were called to do: spread the good news of the gospel – the forgiveness of sins!
[Sent]
We, too, are forgiven, renewed, and sent by Jesus! Through Holy Baptism, our sins are forgiven as the Holy Spirit unites us to Jesus by giving us faith. Baptism is the crucial entry point, and this Sacrament establishes the ongoing connection with Jesus’ death and bodily resurrection, as well as with the Father and the Holy Spirit. But the Triune God doesn’t stop there!
He knows that Satan, the world, and our sinful nature constantly attack us. So, He reminds us of our Baptism as He forgives our sins through corporate and individual confession and absolution – just as He did for Peter and his fellow apostles. Christ says to us: “Peace be with you” … “Follow Me” as our sins are forgiven. Is that the end? No!
Christ continues to forgive and renew us through hearing His saving Word and in receiving the meal of His very Body and Blood where we see, touch, and taste Jesus under the bread and wine for our forgiveness and to strengthen our faith in Him. Just as He did for His apostles on the shore, He does for us here in the Divine Service!
Christ does all of this in order to send us into the mission field as His fishers of men!
From the earliest years of John’s Gospel, there have been questions on why the Holy Spirit inspired John to record the exact number of fish – 153 of them. Why so exact? Well, one idea is that the ancient world believed that there were 153 kinds of fish in the seas. So, could this be John reminding us that we are to go to every tribe and nation with the saving Gospel, to bring all nations into God’s net? Also, the net wasn’t torn. Perhaps this is a reminder that no believer will break from God’s net; none will be lost.
The apostles that day didn’t plan to catch exactly 153 fish. And on their own, they couldn’t catch any! But planning how many fish we are going to catch is not something we need to worry about. We just go about our business – fishing: because we are fishers of men. We share Christ’s love because we can’t be silent as Easter people. We are people who are loved and forgiven by God. We do this because it comes naturally, because Christ is risen! [He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!]
You see, new Christians are not made by brilliant theories or slick programs. New Christians just happen naturally as we seize the opportunities that God provides. We all have friends who are hurting. We do have family and friends we can invite to church. In fact, we daily testify to Christ in how we naturally go about life in our various vocations, such as employee, student, child, brother, sister, father, and mother. Now, we may not consider ourselves to be evangelists, but we all are.
Jesus is the source of the mission, and He continues to feed us through His Word and Sacrament as He fortifies our faith, just as He has fortified Peter and the other apostles as we too are forgiven and sent as His resurrection people! Christ is risen! [He is risen, indeed. Alleluia!] Amen!
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +
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