mySundaySermons

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 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. Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to 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 there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 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.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt 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. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this, he said to him, “Follow me.” [NRSV]

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Conventional wisdom tells us that the first meal of the day sets the tone for your energy level and kick starts our metabolism. Like all things we are taught as children, some current research that suggests that ‘truism’ depends on what you eat, if you are trying to lose weight or the portion sizes. The one thing that has not changed is if you are going to skip a meal, Breakfast is the least helpful meal to skip. So let’s focus on ‘skippers.’

At what point do you stop to refuel your vehicle. When the red needle on the fuel indicator begins to move:

• If you have time
• If you are late
• If you have money
• If you need to get more money
• If you are looking for a better price
• If you are waiting for a favorite location
• If you participate in a rewards program for coffee and your car fuel is not your priority.
• What does all that matter if you run out of fuel before you arrive at work, school, the store or your intended location?

Instead of skipping, waiting or throwing the dice..

• What if you made the priority have the fuel you needed for the day
• What if you made the time and allocated the resources to start the day fueled.
• as that relates to your car, your body and your Spirit?
• If these three: Which most reflects our life as a Christian?
• We have responsibilities to transport ourselves and others
• We have a programmed desire to stay alive and feed our bodies

We have the most freedom and flexibility about being responsible to our God relationship and our spiritual selves.

As People of the Ressurection we have something to learn from Jesus’s breakfast buffet.

Typically we join the disciples in the boat or at the shore as they haul in after they fish on-the-other-side of the boat.

First Disciples Instruction: Work and live as if you were living on the “other side.”

• Live like you know the resurrection of Jesus applies to your life.
• Live like you would live if God’s will were done on earth as it is in heaven.
• Live, now, like you would live if you were walking with Jesus by the sea of Tiberius.
• Live as “other sided” people.

Second Disciples Instruction: Bring the fruit of our Spiritual labors to God.

• How many fish did they catch without Jesus’s help? 0
• How many fish did they catch working all through the night? 0
• How many fish did they catch looking where their skills and intuition lead them? 0
• How many fish did they catch with all their combined years of experiences and talent? 0
• How many fish did they catch at Jesus’s direction? 153, 8 plus 12 fish for 12 disciples.

What if they skipped Jesus’s Suggestion?

Jesus third instruction is to eat breakfast with him.

Bring some of the fish, let us prepare and share breakfast.

I have always wondered why the United Methodist Men are the only group that typically gathers for breakfast. Why is it that breakfast with Jesus on the beach has not become one of the rituals and practices of the church.

Maybe it’s the menu: Fish for Breakfast!

4. The Fourth instruction to disciples is to answer: Do you love me most?

Do you love me more than your car, your job, your school, your friends, your family, your body, your everything?

• your car,
• your job,
• your school,
• your friends,
• your family,
• your body,
• your money,
• your skills,
• your everything?
• your school, your friends, your family, your body, your everything?

Jesus gathers with disciples, empowers them with the power of the Holy Spirit and their gifts for ministry, they share a meal and experience the power of the Ressurection to start their lives.

This is our model of daily life as People of the Ressurection now!

Start every day in Jesus

• and we renew the power of the risen lord every day.

Start every day with Jesus

• and we set the bar for what God will do through us.

Start every day listening to Jesus

• and we set our attention in the Ressurection life we live now.

Let Jesus be our first meal of the day,

• for if we skip that we are more likely to hunger, fail and loose our way.

HOW TO:

Prayer: Jesus Let me Follow you today. Fill me with your Spirit. Feed me with your Word. Trust me with your work. Keep me in your heart and your heart in me. Amen.