“Come have breakfast”
SERMON Title: Come have Breakfast
SCRIPTURE: John 21:1-14 (ESV)
Introduction:
The ministry of Jesus often revolved around food. Jesus’ desire for those He loved was to feed them.
Jesus’ first miracle was the turning of water into wine. (John 2:1-11)
Jesus’ miracle of feeding the five thousand with bread and fish is mentioned in all four of the Gospels. (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14)
Jesus’ last remembrance was through The Last Supper had with His disciples on the eve before His death. (Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-25; Luke 22:7-20; John 13:1-30).
In today’s passage, John writes about the important breakfast made by Jesus Himself. Jesus’ provision through this meal is filled with grace and love.
Overview:
In today’s passage, we read about a post-resurrection story.
Though death has been conquered, grace has been given and forgiveness is available, it was a confusing time for Jesus’ disciples.
Jesus’ disciples struggle with knowing when they would encounter Jesus again.
In the past, every time the disciples searched for Jesus, they could find Him. Either at the temple or praying by Himself at a remote place nearby.
After the resurrection, the disciples never knew where Jesus would be. But Jesus consistently found them.
In today’s passage and in our daily lives, Jesus finds His disciples and us in the most ordinary of places. This is contrary to popular expectation of Jesus showing up and making a dramatic impression after the Resurrection.
Jesus seeks us in the most ordinary of circumstances.
God shows up in the big places but also in the little things. God loves us so simply that His divine presence is revealed even in the workings of daily life (Kathleen Norris).
Jesus is alive and He is a risen Lord who can encounter us anywhere and everywhere.
Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” (John 21:12)
1. Jesus offers a breakfast filled with generous forgiveness and love.
Jesus chooses to serve those who just a few days ago, abandoned Him when He needed them the most.
Jesus chooses to serve those who arrested, crucified, and denied Him.
Jesus chooses to serve them through a breakfast to remind them of His teachings over the past 3 years: nothing, not even death, can separate you from the love of God. God’s love is relentless. He pursues you no matter what we've done; and our deepest identities are rooted in the truth that we are loved by God!
1.1 We need to choose to embrace this truth as our deepest identity.
We tend to be more skeptical of God’s goodness for us and actively anticipate His judgmental wrath.
This mentality is deeply embedded in our culture and our thoughts. But it is not the way of the Gospel. The way of the Gospel is that no matter how much we mess up, God’s blessings and love are still for us.
We walk away with the understanding that we receive more than we deserve or expect, yet generous forgiveness and love is not all we receive from God.
2. Jesus offers us gracious friendship.
Fellowshipping over a meal was a sign of friendship. Jesus desired to restore the relationship with His disciples again. This is His desire for each one of us too.
Our God is a God who delights to be with us. Not One who merely tolerates or puts up with us, but longs to have genuine friendship and deep communion with each one of us.
Our God is our Friend, in addition to being the Alpha and the Omega, the God and Father of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the creator and sustainer of the entire universe and everything in it! This is the same God who is searching for us and extends an invitation to us to enter into a loving relationship with Him.
Application:
1. Your failures can never separate you from the love of God.
Not your failures, your past, your addictions, your struggles.
2. Jesus’ breakfast (His forgiveness, His love, His friendship) is always ready to you.
In this week to come, to view your meals as meeting Jesus.
Deep down, we long for the forgiveness, the love, and the friendship only Jesus can give us.
We are designed to long for this loving communion with God.
Sermon reflection questions:
Have you seen God show up in your life this past week? Have you noticed how He has been seeking or reaching out to you? Share this with others.
What do you see in your life today that is separating you from the love of God?
Pray that you may believe in the depths of your heart the forgiveness, the love, and the friendship God desires for you to receive. Reflect on the thoughts and emotions you have in this moment of seeking this understanding.
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15)
