Charcoal, Fish, and Sheep

It's about grace.

Rather, it's a story about running from grace, being nourished by grace, and being sent out to share that grace.

John 21 is a story about grace:  given, unearned, unexpected, transforming, amazing grace.

Read John 21 here:  http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=255257057

The disciples have skipped town.  They have run away from a world that had just gotten too confusing.  In their desperation, they have attempted to go back in time.  They have attempted to wind the clock back to before Jesus came and called them.

It doesn't work.  Jesus won't let them off the hook.  Jesus won't give up on them.

The disciples used to fish.  With the tumult of their last few weeks: the glory of entering Jerusalem, the bitter disappointment of the crowds, the heart-breaking last supper, the anger of the mob, the horror of the crucifixion, and the strange and astounding news of the resurrection, with everything that has happened, who can blame the disciples for wanting to get away from it all?

So, they go fishin'.  They do the nearest thing they can to hiding under a warm blanket.  Life has gotten too complicated for them, and they run off.

The thing is, they are supposed to be doing something else.  They are supposed to be sharing the Good News, the grace of the risen Christ.  Jesus has already called them to "fish for people" (Mark 1:16-20).  They have run away from their calling.

That's when Jesus shows up.

Jesus comes.  He is not angry.  He does not reprimand the disciples for ignoring their calling.  He simply cooks them breakfast.  

Peter, James, and the others have been out all night.  They have not caught a thing.  They are tired and hungry.  They have tried to go back to fishing, but they have failed.  In a very real way, they are lost.

Jesus meets them where they are.  They are tired.  He has a place for them to rest.  They are hungry.  He has food to feed them.

As the disciples drag their boats and their tired bodies back to shore, Jesus meets them with what Paul Galbreath refers to as the "Barbecue on the Beach."*

They all eat.  Jesus meets them in love.

But that's not all.

As Jesus tells Peter - and by extension - all Jesus' disciples, we are nourished that we might go forth and nourish others.  We are fed so that we might feed.

Simon, son of John, do you love me?  Feed my sheep...

Love. Eat. Feed.