"Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast." (John 21:12)
This intimate scene—both of the family gathered together by a warm campfire on the Oregon coast at beautiful Cannon Beach, and even more so, of the picture painted in scripture of Jesus inviting His own disciples, to "come and eat breakfast", warms my heart through and through.
Some background to Jesus' breakfast invitation to His friends... (John 21:1-14)
“After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the
disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself:
Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of
Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said
to them, “I am going fishing.”
They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went
out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. But
when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did
not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have
you any food?”
They answered Him, “No.”
And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of
the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were
not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It
is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer
garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. But the other
disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about
two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. Then, as soon as they
had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and
bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have
just caught.”
Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of
large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the
net was not broken. Jesus said to them, “Come and eat
breakfast.”Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that
it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them,
and likewise the fish.
This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to
His disciples after He was raised from the dead.”
So much is going on in this poignant scene.
When Jesus first met Peter three and a half years earlier, He told him to launch out into the deep water and let down his nets for a catch. But Peter argued, saying, "Master, we have toiled all night and have caught nothing. Nevertheless, at your word I will let down the net." (Luke 5:4-5)
And the next verse tells us that there were so many fish in the nets that they were breaking! Seeing that the boats were all filled to overflowing, brought Peter to his knees before Jesus, crying out,
"Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O' Lord!"
"Jesus then said to Peter, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him."
I can almost see Peter's expression now three and a half years later, after Jesus had died on a cross, and had risen from the grave on the third day, when an unrecognizable figure calls out to them from shore, after they had fished all night and had caught nothing, to cast their nets on the right side of the boat and they would find fish, and then when they had done so, the catch was so great they could barely even drag in the net, it was so full of big fish.
And so when John said, "It is the Lord!" Peter did not hesitate to plunge into the sea and swim to shore to see his beloved Lord and Master.
Peter and his fellow disciples had seen many miracles performed by Jesus Christ their Lord.
They had witnessed Jesus miraculously feed thousands of people when there wasn't enough on hand to feed even two or three people. They saw Him walk on water and speak to raging winds and waves to be still, and the wind and waves obeyed Him. They saw Him heal sick people and command a dead man to come forth out of the grave, and he did so. They knew by experience and by relationship that Jesus was both Lord and God.
And now the Lord and God of Heaven invites them to "come and eat breakfast."
Their God and Creator had prepared a fire of coals and had fresh, hot bread and grilled fish waiting for them. And God Himself served His own lowly creation breakfast by the sea.
Can you picture this? Can you imagine yourself being there? What it must have felt like?
The bible says that we love God, because He first loved us.
And if this beautiful picture of the God of Heaven, the Almighty, Everlasting Father, Wonderful, Counselor, Prince of Peace, clothed in human form, humbling Himself out of love, to serve and feed His own servants, doesn't melt your heart to tears, and make you love Him, I don't know what will.
I can't possibly add anything to this story today but two love verses from God's own Word, spoken by Jesus Himself...
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." (John 15:13)
When Jesus first met Peter three and a half years earlier, He told him to launch out into the deep water and let down his nets for a catch. But Peter argued, saying, "Master, we have toiled all night and have caught nothing. Nevertheless, at your word I will let down the net." (Luke 5:4-5)
And the next verse tells us that there were so many fish in the nets that they were breaking! Seeing that the boats were all filled to overflowing, brought Peter to his knees before Jesus, crying out,
"Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O' Lord!"
"Jesus then said to Peter, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him."
I can almost see Peter's expression now three and a half years later, after Jesus had died on a cross, and had risen from the grave on the third day, when an unrecognizable figure calls out to them from shore, after they had fished all night and had caught nothing, to cast their nets on the right side of the boat and they would find fish, and then when they had done so, the catch was so great they could barely even drag in the net, it was so full of big fish.
And so when John said, "It is the Lord!" Peter did not hesitate to plunge into the sea and swim to shore to see his beloved Lord and Master.
Peter and his fellow disciples had seen many miracles performed by Jesus Christ their Lord.
They had witnessed Jesus miraculously feed thousands of people when there wasn't enough on hand to feed even two or three people. They saw Him walk on water and speak to raging winds and waves to be still, and the wind and waves obeyed Him. They saw Him heal sick people and command a dead man to come forth out of the grave, and he did so. They knew by experience and by relationship that Jesus was both Lord and God.
And now the Lord and God of Heaven invites them to "come and eat breakfast."
Their God and Creator had prepared a fire of coals and had fresh, hot bread and grilled fish waiting for them. And God Himself served His own lowly creation breakfast by the sea.
Can you picture this? Can you imagine yourself being there? What it must have felt like?
The bible says that we love God, because He first loved us.
And if this beautiful picture of the God of Heaven, the Almighty, Everlasting Father, Wonderful, Counselor, Prince of Peace, clothed in human form, humbling Himself out of love, to serve and feed His own servants, doesn't melt your heart to tears, and make you love Him, I don't know what will.
I can't possibly add anything to this story today but two love verses from God's own Word, spoken by Jesus Himself...
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." (John 15:13)
—God is Love and Love Never Fails.
