Glory to our Lord Jesus Christ, because as we read in the scriptures at the Easter Sunday Service yesterday, death could not keep Jesus, and though he endured the crucifixion and descended into hell, he defeated death and resurrected on the third day.
And Jesus is so much more than just a God. Jesus longs for a personal relationship with us. He wants to be our best friend, he wants to hear how we feel, and he wants to be there for us when we’re down. As we see from the scripture today – on this morning after Jesus resurrected, he went back to the Sea of Galilee to find some of his disciples …
Scripture Reading: John 21:1-14
Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.[a] It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus[b]), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No,” they answered.
6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.[c] 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Devotion Questions
- Jesus did not rise from the death and then left his disciples alone. Instead he went back to find them, to prepared breakfast for them and to care for them. That is how loving and caring our almighty Lord is. Is it not amazing? That the God who created heaven and earth would die on the cross for our sin? And not only that, he resurrected, and comes to seek us. He would be by our side, prepared breakfast for us. That is our dearest shepherd, our greatest teacher, our best friend – and our God, Jesus Christ the risen Lord!
- On the night Jesus was betrayed, Peter denied Jesus 3 times, and let Jesus down. Imagine how Peter felt when he saw Jesus not only came to seek him, but met him in the exact same way when Jesus first called Peter to follow him. Can you put yourself in Peter’s shoes and feel how he felt? Have you also felt you let Jesus down sometimes? Why do you think Peter jumped into the sea to run towards Jesus when the rest of the disciples only followed on the boat?
- Over the last 3 weeks, we have devoted on Jesus’s sacrifice for us. We have devoted on Jesus’s journey to the cross, from predicting to his disciples about his death to entering the ancient city of Jerusalem; from the Last supper to the Gethsemane prayer, from the trial to the cross, and from the cross to hell, but from hell to resurrection and the ultimate glory. Did you find out more about Jesus over these 3 weeks? Did you find out more about yourself, and what Jesus’s calling for you? Did you feel Jesus’s love for you? And did Jesus touch your heart? Meditate on this journey, and pray to Jesus our great shepherd!
Brothers and sisters, thanks for joining our devotion over these past 3 weeks! I hope you were inspired by the devotion, as much as we were when we prepared the materials. Let us all be ignited by Jesus’s love, faithfulness, obedience on His journey to the cross, so that we can all pick up our own cross and glorify our Lord! God bless!