John 21:1-14 brings us to the quaintest of gospel narratives and what was clearly for John a deeply personal and precious recollection of time spent with Jesus. This was the risen Jesus – coming as it did at some point between the rising of Jesus from the grave on Easter Sunday and the ascension of Jesus back up to heaven’s throne some forty days later.
No longer were the disciples spending time with their Lord twenty-four/seven as they had done for much of the past three years. Jesus’ appearances to various of His followers after His resurrection were spontaneous, sporadic and unexpected.
Thomas, having missed out on the first appearing of Jesus to His disciples, is now found close by the side of Peter and John, along with Nathanael and two unnamed disciples. While they now waited for whatever was to happen next, probably feeling a little bit lost, and driven by their need for sustenance, they decided to spend the night fishing. Not for the first time (but just as when Peter, James and John were first called to follow after Jesus) not a single fish was caught.
As the early morning was just arriving, from almost one hundred metres away on the shoreline, a stranger called out to them, asking them to try casting their nets on the opposite of the boat. In so doing, and as they saw when the nets were drawn in, they had caught a great multitude of fish which filled their nets completely. Immediately now, the disciples recognised their beloved Lord.
The Lord Jesus had already prepared a breakfast for His weary followers. This breakfast, and the fellowship they enjoyed throughout with Jesus, was surely amongst the most precious of all the times these disciples spent with their beloved Lord. For Peter, what with the loving restoration he was to receive from the Lord Jesus (following his thrice repeated denial of his Lord) that came immediately after this shared breakfast, this time would have been all the more precious again.
The grace of Jesus displayed
If we first turn our attentions now to Thomas, we are able to see the exceedingly gracious nature of this time of precious fellowship. It would only have been a week or two previous that Thomas had doubted Jesus’ rising from the dead. Even though the Lord Jesus had dealt with Thomas and his doubting by this point, Thomas potentially still could have found himself excluded from this breakfast and time with Jesus, as an aid to help him remember not to doubt Jesus again.
During the time I spent meditating on this passage, the memory came back into my mind of when I had once used a word that ought not to have been said at my church youth group (something which I must stress that I very rarely ever have done, even when away from all church influence!). Although my indiscretion was called out, dealt with, and apologised for, I still found myself banned from the bowling trip the following week…
But Thomas found himself as welcome into the presence of Jesus and to this time of precious fellowship every bit as much as any of these disciples were.
Then we can, of course, consider Peter. Peter had denied the Lord Jesus those three times during Jesus’ arrest and trial – even after swearing he would be prepared to die with Jesus. Those denials hadn’t yet been dealt with by Jesus, as Thomas’ doubting had – that was to immediately follow this breakfast. Peter could have found himself excluded from this breakfast for that very reason, and, perhaps, once his restoration was officially complete, then he could have found himself welcome at the next breakfast…
But Peter was as welcome into the presence of Jesus and to this precious time of fellowship every bit as much as any of these disciples were.
It is worth pointing out that the significant failings of both Thomas and Peter had, or yet would, be dealt with by the Lord Jesus, and both were (ever so kindly and lovingly, it has to be said) brought to a point of true repentance. It is also worth pointing out that Jesus dealt with the proud and arrogant religious teachers in a quite different manner, and in a way that suitably fitted their lack of repentance and haughty opposition to the Son of God. It is also necessary to add that the sins of His people had been dealt with ultimately by the Lord Jesus Christ upon Calvary’s Cross.
What can be clearly seen from this ‘breakfast by the sea’ is the sheer graciousness in how the Lord Jesus welcomes His people into His presence for precious times of communion and fellowship. Every single time, as Christ’s people, we humble ourselves before His Word or approach Christ’s throne of grace with our prayers we are graciously and lovingly received – to the point of even being able to come before the throne of grace with boldness each and every time we approach (Heb. 4:16).
What else is it that allows for such boldness in coming before the holy, holy, holy Lord of hosts, whose glory fills the whole earth, except for the abounding grace and mercy of God in Jesus Christ our Lord?!
Every single time we gather corporately for worship as Christ’s people we are welcomed again into His presence. Doesn’t it amaze you that although we, in gathering to worship our God, are doing no more than what it is our duty to do, and for what our God is owed from us, yet the Lord uses these times for the blessing of His people – abundantly imbuing us with spiritual nourishment and refreshment?
What about when you have sinned particularly badly – are you excluded from these gatherings? Only upon a repeated outright refusal to repent should the matter be such as requiring church discipline! Otherwise, you are free to gather and receive from the outpourings of blessing from the hands of our Lord Jesus every bit as much as were Peter, Thomas, John and Nathaneal, et al. Oftentimes, it is our own guilt and shame that holds us back from seeking such communion with the Lord, not from the Lord Himself.
Yes, there must needs be a confession of sin and genuine repentance, and yes, these ought to lead to (if they are not caused by) the breaking of our hearts. A broken and contrite heart will never be despised by our God, (Psa. 51:17), and as we are further told in Psalm 34:18, “the Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as has a contrite spirit”!
Just as we are able to gain a sense of the broken-heartedness of both Thomas and Peter during their moments of restoration, we are also able to see the loving, gentle and gracious way in which the Lord Jesus deals with both.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is truly amazing – and is something we can never truly fully grasp or comprehend; for even in glory we will still be finite gazing upon the Infinite – yet what excuse do we have for not consciously reminding ourselves of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, every single time we seek fellowship with Him?
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