Day 121: John 21- Charcoal redemption

After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.”6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Jesus and Peter
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Jesus and the Beloved Apostle
20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”
24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

25 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.


Meditation
Jesus turns our failure into a redemption story. Jesus “reveals Himself” (21:1, 14) showing our sin and failure is never the end of the story but an initiating event leading to rising redemptive action climaxing in the glory of Jesus Christ. 

The disciples were fruitlessly fishing as day was breaking. After an extraordinary catch of fish John recognized Jesus and told Peter who “threw himself into the sea” to swim to meet Jesus. The compassion of Jesus leads Him to pursue sheep that have wondered off. The grace displayed by Jesus leads to ridiculous hustle to get into the presence of our resurrected Redeemer.

The “charcoal fire” (21:9) where Jesus prepared the feast of grace is the same description of Peter’s place of failure (18:18), the charcoal fire of his denial of Christ.  The forgiveness of Jesus leads Him to meet His disciples in their exact place of failure to offer a fourth, fifth, sixth… chance to those He loves. The grace of Jesus restores and re-purposes people who fail and return to their old ways.

Peter failed. Jesus forgives. Peter denied Jesus. Jesus deployed grace. Peter returned to his old ways. Jesus redeemed Peter with the blood of His cross and repurposed Peter as a shepherd, to feed and tend the flock of God.

Jesus wants to reveal Himself to you in your place of failure? Jesus wants to redeem, restore, and repurpose your life through His grace. Jesus is waiting on the shore to meet with you. Will you throw yourself into the sea with anticipation and swim to Him?

Richly Dwelling
-Where is your greatest sin and failure? Do you believe Jesus wants to meet you in that exact place to feed you grace and, through the point of pain, deploy you to feed others?

-What would it look like if you feasted on grace in the very place of your greatest sin and failure? Can God redeem, restore, and repurpose?

-How can breakfast with Jesus lead to rising redemptive action from your life that will climax in the glory of Jesus Christ through your life?

Key Verse
9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread.