Come, Have Breakfast – John 21:1-14

I ate fish at St. Peter’s Restaurant at the Sea of Galilee.  Yummy!  What fish did Peter eat?  “According to the Fishing and Agricultural Division of the Ministry of Water and Agriculture of Israel, there are 27 fish species (belonging to 10 families) in the Sea of Galilee of which 19 are native and 8 are introduced. Fishermen of the lake classify the fish into the “musht” (tilapias), sardine (herring-like), biny (carp-like), and catfish….It is the common belief that St. Peter’s fish was one of the tilapias in the lake, most probably the Galilean tilapia or Sarotherodon galilaeus.”  It seems the fish I ate is no longer naturally found in the Sea of Galilee, but imported.  Oh well, Jesus fed it to his disciples.

After these things Jesus showed himself to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, showed himself in this way.  Simon Peter and Thomas, called the Twin, and Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples, were together.  Simon Peter said to them, “I’m going fishing.”  They said, “Let us come with you.”  They  went and left in a boat and by that night had caught nothing.

When early morning arrived Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not recognize it was Jesus.  Jesus said to them, “Children, do you not have any fish?”  They answered, “No.”  He said to them, “Cast your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”  So they cast it and couldn’t pull in the fish because it was such a large catch.  Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”  Simon Peter, hearing that it was the Lord, put on his outer garment (because he was stripped) and jumped into the sea.  The other disciples came in the boat, because they were far from shore, about a hundred yards, dragging the catch of fish.

When they arrived at the shore they saw a charcoal fire in place and fish on it, and bread.  Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”  So Simon got up and pulled the net to shore, full of a large fish, one hundred and fifty three.  And even so the net did not tear.  Jesus told them, “Come have breakfast.”  None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord.  Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.  This is the third time Jesus was revealed to the disciples since rising from the dead.  (John 21:1-14)

The disciples have left Jerusalem for Galilee (the other Gospels tell us Jesus instructed them to do so) and in a time of restlessness (or perhaps need) decide to go fishing only to have Jesus miraculously grant them a catch of fish.  Peter’s eagerness to see Jesus is marked by his plunge into the Sea of Galilee to get to shore faster than the boat can carry him.  Jesus feeds the disciples breakfast.  Would that not have been an amazing breakfast?

Are we as eager to fellowship with Jesus as the disciples were?  Perhaps because we cannot sit down with him at breakfast or see him or touch him or hear him, it does not feel as intimate a relationship for us.  But Jesus told his disciples that if they love and obey him he would come to them, and in the person of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us, He does.  We can have that kind of relationship with Jesus.  We can “listen” to him in his Word and in our hearts and serve him with our lives.  Jesus “feeds” us all the breakfasts we need if we are willing to sit with him.

Discussion Questions

1. What is the best fish dinner you have ever had?  Some of the best dinner company?
2. If you had just recently learned of Jesus’ resurrection as a disciple, what would have prompted you to go fishing?
3. Was a miracle done here?
4. The disciples were no doubt tired and hungry, having fished all night.  Does this explain why Jesus fixed them breakfast?
5. If Jesus had breakfast with you, what would you want to ask him?