They think it’s all over…

Have you ever felt called to do something? Excited and hopeful, you’ve stepped out, left something behind and taken a leap of faith for it only to end in despair. This is where Peter is. Peter had left the security of his net, his way of making a living to follow Jesus. He left it all. Went all in and now he has to return to his home, his work. He was called to a higher way. And now he’s nowhere.

You know that feeling? You gave yourself to something or someone only to have it seemly fail. Sacrificed a way of life, or a job, or security, or money, or time and have it be for ‘nothing’. I sure know that feeling. The feeling that it was all a waste and you’re back to where you started.

Peter was called to follow, given destiny, a glimpse into his Godly identity, even a new name. Spent three years and however many miles following and learning and literally walking on water… and then it’s over. It’s finished. They got him, Jesus is dead.

Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing.’ — John 21.3

Like men throughout the ages, when times got tough, Peter went fishing. This was, however, more than just escapism for him. It was a return to a previous life. A life that, if we read most of the accounts of Peter fishing, he was not very good at! But it was familiar and stable. He returned to his previous condition. The way he did things before an encounter with Jesus. He returned to his nets. Nets are different for each of us. For some it is a job, for some, it is a way of thinking about ourselves. For others, it might be habits or ways of acting and relating to the world. When times get hard, and it seems hopeless, it can be easy for us to return to where we have found temporary comfort in the past. Each of us has returned to our proverbial nets many times.


‘I am in constant negotiation with my previous condition.’ — Russell Brand


After a knock, it’s easy to return to this default. When we experience loss or disappointment we can quickly return to the old ways of doing things. A previous identity. An identity we, at one point, left behind. In my experience, Jesus doesn’t leave us there very long. Like with Peter, he comes back to us, to remind us of who we truly are in Him. Inviting us, once again, to put down our nets — that which is familiar or less than all He has for us — and follow him. It is in this act, through obedience and proximity, we receive a fuller sense of our identity, purpose, and destiny.


‘It is not your hold of Christ that saves you, it is Christ’s hold of you.’ — Spurgeon


What’s left on the agenda? After being caught and executed on behalf of humanity, and being raised from the dead after three days — beating sin and death and generally saving the world — what is it that Jesus does. Surely he’s on a role, he has big plans, much to do and say…

Nope.

Breakfast.

Breakfast with his friends.

This is one of the most remarkable events in the whole of the story to me. I’m fully on board with selfless sacrifice. Saving the world… Brilliant, love it. But breakfast?


‘In the Kingdom of Heaven, weak things become mighty and mighty things often prove to be useless.’ — A.W. Tozer


Like a God descending into the blood, sweat, and tears of humanity and an excitable, proud, slow to think quick to act fisherman changing the course of history… The weak things truly do become mighty. And we, therefore, have no excuse.

The story of Easter is as much about how to live life as it is how God gave us himself. We learn how to grieve. How to expect that there is a time for everything and that includes mourning. That life gets dark sometimes. We learn how to live in the middle. Unsure about what has been and what may come but still find peace. We learn about redemption and victory. We can celebrate how Jesus has changed the end of the story for us. We’re free from keeping score or trying to measure up.


‘Happy are they who know that discipleship simply means the life of grace and that grace simply means discipleship.’ — Dietrich Bonhoeffer


And, we learn about breakfast. We learn about friendship. We learn about trust and bringing healing to those we love. Because what’s the point in changing the world if not to enjoy eating with friends?

So that’s it… Changing the world and eating breakfast. Living life, the Jesus way.

Easter Sunday 2019