It’s hard to find a pulse on exactly why—but something feels a little off with the disciples. There are only seven of the eleven, and those seven board a boat and sail onto the Sea of Galilee to do some fishing. Some suggest that they feel uncertain as to what their next role in life will be. Others suggest that these are active men and they need something to do as they await Jesus’ instructions. In any case, we’ve seen this before, haven’t we? These seven disciples resume life as they knew it before Jesus ever entered the picture. They try to fish that big lake, and they catch nothing during the night.

A mysterious man crosses paths with them. Even though they’ve fished all night and haven’t caught anything, the man tells them to do one… simple… task… Toss the net on the other side of the boat. That’s it.

There was a time when Jesus told Peter to let the net down for a catch. That time, Peter protested that they had just fished all night and caught nothing. Even so, he was willing to comply with the Lord’s instruction and let the net down for a catch.

This time, although they don’t recognize the man, there is no protest from Peter or anyone else. They immediately toss the net to the other side… and the net becomes so full of fish… so heavy… that the men can’t even bring it into the boat. They must drag it to shore.

Jesus guides them where to find the fish because He has known all along.

John immediately recognizes what’s going an and announces that it’s the risen Lord. It still kind of seems too good to be true. Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Peter (known for speaking and acting rashly) secures his outer coat around his waist and dives into the water. These men don’t see Jesus as much these days, and Peter is excited to greet the Lord. In his excitement he accidently leaves the rest of the disciples to do the work of hauling the fish.

The disciples find quite a setup when they reach shore. There’s a bonfire with grilled fish on it and some bread. Ever the gracious host, the Lord invites the men to join Him for breakfast. Playing the role of servant, Jesus takes the bread and gives it to them. He takes the fish and gives it to them. Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is the driving point of today’s Gospel reading. Jesus is the host who has come as one who serves. He emphasized this aspect of His mission repeatedly throughout His ministry.

But the Lord doesn’t serve alone. He had told the disciples to bring some of the fish that they had caught. The disciples are privileged to participate with the risen Lord’s service.

This miraculous catch of fish parallels the catch of fish when Peter, James, and John were first called to be Jesus’ disciples. The Lord had told Peter, “From now on you will be catching men.”

This post-resurrection event is a reminder to these disciples that the Lord’s commission to be fishers of men hasn’t changed in the least. The Lord spends forty days between His resurrection and ascension preparing them to be proclaimers of His Word—preachers of the Gospel. They will proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name.

How can sinners participate in the call to repentance and forgiveness? They must receive what they proclaim to others. Peter has been troubled by his sin against the Lord. The man had rashly declared his allegiance to Jesus, and then arrogantly threw his fellow disciples under the bus, saying that even if the rest of them fell away he never would. And yet, he had stubbornly denied knowing Jesus at all three times. Now, guilt and shame assaults Peter’s conscience (as it can all sinners). Jesus had already announced peace to the disciples—and that peace means pardon (forgiveness). But Jesus knows that Peter needs to hear it personally.

Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me more than these?” After Peter says, “yes,” Jesus tells him to “feed my lambs.” Just as Jesus had served the disciples a meal, so the followers of Jesus are to feed the lambs of Jesus. “Lambs” could mean children. “Lambs” could mean new Christians. Either way Jesus says to feed them the food of His Word and Sacraments. Pastors and laity play such crucial roles in feeding the Word to children and new believers.

Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?” After Peter says, “yes,” Jesus tells him to “tend my sheep.” Followers of Jesus are to tend to the flock of Christ. Pastors play a vital role in this… but the other members of the Church also play a vital role in caring for one another. Scripture says that we bear one another’s burdens. Scripture says that when one member suffers all suffer together, and when one member rejoices all rejoice together. Scripture says that we, as the Church, love one another as Christ has loved us and laid down His life for us and our salvation.

Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?” This grieves Peter. His conscience has been assaulting him because of what he did to Jesus. When Jesus asks the third time—do you love me?—Peter knows exactly why. He had vehemently denied Jesus three times. Now Jesus asks three times if Peter actually, truly loves his Lord who died on the cross to save him from his sins.

After Peter emphasizes that he does love his Lord, Jesus tells him, “Feed my sheep.” This is the charge given to all Christians—pastors among the congregations and the congregations among one another. To the best of our ability, as the Lord gives opportunity, we feed the Word and Sacraments to the faithful so that they may receive forgiveness, increase in faith, hope, and love, and be built up as the body of Christ. Pastors are called to preach, teach, and administer the Sacraments in the congregations. Laity are called to share the Word with one another, pray for each other, visit each other, and so on… Together (laity and pastors) feed and tend Christ’s sheep even as we are all part of His flock.

Thus, Jesus has personally restored Peter. Whereas Peter had previously denied the Lord three times, now Jesus draws out of him three confessions of devotion to His beloved Lord. Sinners may participate in the activity of calling other sinners to repentance only through receiving the same forgiveness, life, and salvation that they proclaim to others.

Jesus prepares Peter for the future. Up to this point, Peter has been able to go where he wants, dress himself, and live in relative freedom. Jesus prophesies that a time will come when Peter will lose those freedoms. He will be imprisoned and executed for his devotion to Christ. Church tradition holds that Peter was executed in AD 68 under Roman Emperor Nero by means of crucifixion. It is said that Peter didn’t consider himself worthy to be crucified in the same manner as the Lord, so he requested to be crucified upside down. While all Christians are called to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Jesus, Peter did so literally, thus bringing glory to God. Though Peter had struggles in his faithfulness to Christ Jesus, when it came down to it, he willingly suffered and died rather than fall away from his devotion to Jesus.

That’s the future. For now, the Lord encourages Peter, telling him, “Follow me. Whatever comes in life, follow me. I will lead you where you go. Just follow me in service. Feed my lambs and tend my sheep.” 

What about you? Are you prepared to follow Jesus throughout the rest of your life and even into death should that occasion arise? Through Christ’s Word and Sacraments, you are prepared. You are prepared to participate in His service. The task is the Lord’s. He calls sinners to repentance and faith. He brings you with Him into His service, just as He had the disciples bring some of their fish that He directed them to find to be with the fish He already had prepared.

I came across a great quote from Luther about today’s Gospel reading: “God could rule the Church through the Holy Spirit without the ministry, but He does not want to do so directly. Therefore He says to Peter: ‘Feed my sheep. Go preach, baptize, absolve.’ Therefore Paul calls the apostles ‘fellow workmen with God.’ To be sure He alone works. But He does so through us.” It’s always the work of God, and He blesses us by allowing us to participate with Him in His work as He accomplishes it.

You are God’s children. As small children may follow mom or dad around trying to “help” them in their tasks, so the Lord brings you along in His mission to seek and save the lost. “You are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works… that you may walk in them.”

LIKE THE DISCIPLES, AS FOLLOWERS OF JESUS YOU GET TO PARTICIPATE IN HIS SERVICE TO OTHERS