Breakfast on the Beach

Dawn on the lake. Grey water, empty nets, tired arms. And on the shore, a small fire glowing, and someone standing beside it, calling out across the water.

Jesus has risen, and his friends have seen him. But now they are back in Galilee, by the lake where it all began, and they are not sure what happens next. One evening Peter says, “I’m going fishing.” And six of the others say, “We’ll come with you.” Thomas is there, and Nathanael, and James and John, and two more. They push the boat out. They fish all night. And they catch nothing.

Just as the sun is coming up, a man stands on the beach. They don’t realise it is Jesus. “Friends, haven’t you caught anything?” “No,” they call back. “Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they do. And suddenly the net is so heavy with fish they can’t haul it in. The disciple whom Jesus loved turns to Peter. “It is the Lord!” Peter doesn’t wait. He wraps his outer garment around himself, jumps into the water, and splashes for the shore. The others follow in the boat, dragging the net behind them.

On the shore there is a charcoal fire, with fish cooking on it, and some bread. “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus says. Peter climbs aboard and drags the net to land. It is full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them, and even so, the net isn’t torn. “Come and have breakfast,” says Jesus. None of them dares to ask, who are you? They know. Jesus takes the bread and gives it to them, and the fish too. The Lord of heaven and earth, cooking breakfast for tired fishermen.

When they have finished eating, Jesus turns to Peter. “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” “Feed my lambs.” A second time. “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” “Take care of my sheep.” And then a third time. “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter is hurt that Jesus asks a third time. Three times. Just as many times as he had said, I don’t know him. “Lord, you know all things. You know that I love you.” And Jesus says, “Feed my sheep.”

Then Jesus tells Peter that one day, when he is old, others will lead him where he does not want to go. John explains that Jesus was showing the kind of death by which Peter would honour God. And then Jesus says the same two words he said when he first called Peter away from his nets beside this lake. “Follow me.” Peter looks round and sees the disciple whom Jesus loved. “Lord, what about him?” “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.” The question isn’t about anyone else. It’s about Peter.

Here’s a detail you might miss. The Greek word for a charcoal fire appears only twice in the whole New Testament. The first time is in John chapter 18, in the high priest’s courtyard, where Peter warmed himself and denied Jesus three times. The second time is here, on this beach. Peter fails beside one charcoal fire, and is restored beside another. And as for the hundred and fifty-three fish, people have offered many explanations, but John never says what the number means.

Breakfast on the Beach. You’ll find it in John chapter 21. Peter had failed Jesus three times. Jesus gave him three chances to say I love you, a job to do, and the same invitation as at the start: follow me. So here’s the question to carry with you. If Jesus asked you today, do you love me, what would you say, and what would you do next?