Beachside Breakfast

John 21

John chooses to wrap his Gospel story up on the beach.  It is one final intimate interaction between Jesus, the Savior of the world, and His most beloved friends.  One last opportunity to pour into the lives of His disciples and Jesus does this around a campfire by the ocean!

The main thing John shares is the reconciling of Peter.  Peter, the mouthy fellow that said he would never leave Jesus’ side, had denied knowing Him three times.  I cannot imagine the guilt Peter would have been carrying.  How do you apologize for something like that?  Completely abandoning your friend and mentor to save yourself.  

Jesus knew the weight and disappointment Peter was holding onto, so He takes the time to have one last conversation with him.  In this conversation, Jesus asks Peter three times “if he loves Him”. (21:15-17)  This seems to symbolically undo the three denials by Peter and allow Peter to emphasize his love and commitment to Jesus.  

The last two chapters of John’s Gospel really go together nicely and pull everything John was trying to share together.  Jesus' resurrection takes people like us and turns us into new creations.  Like Mary, we announce that the tomb is empty to people who have not yet heard it.  Like the disciples, we are filled with God’s Spirit to announce the forgiveness of sins.  Like Peter, we are commissioned to lead in our circles of influence to glorify God in both life and death.

John’s final words remind us that Jesus did so many wonderful things that no book could hold them all.  Perhaps for us today we could say the internet could never hold all the signs and wonders performed by Jesus. (21:25)  The crux of John’s writing was so you and I would believe. (20:30-31)  Think about the signs performed and the statements made by Jesus - all for you!  All so you would know and believe how much He truly loves you!  (3:15-17)