The Lesson of the Fish Fry

Subtitle: Breakfast on the Beach

John 21:1-14

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2021%3A1-14&version=NIV;NLT

 

Easter is when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. Normally, it’s a busy week with services on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and two on Easter Sunday; a sunrise service and a special Easter day service. Following this, we normally go home for time with family to celebrate Easter.

 

For over a decade, my wife and I have celebrated Easter Sunday with our daughter, her husband and our grandchildren; as well as my brother and his wife. Together we have enjoyed our annual Easter egg hunt, opened Easter baskets filled with goodies and shared an Easter dinner with traditional ham and cheesy potatoes.

 

Because of the stay at home order, Easter will be significantly different this year. However, in an effort to still “eat together”, we are going to celebrate our Easter dinner with our daughter and her family… virtually.

 

The menu and food preparation has been divided. An exchange will be made, at the appropriate social distance, on Saturday. Then, using Face Time, we will enjoy our Easter dinner together… just in different homes. We’ll see how it works.

 

In John 21, we read about Jesus and some of his disciples having a fish fry on the beach. Not exactly an Easter celebration, but a time of fellowship, discipleship and teaching.

 

You may have experienced déjà vu all over again as you read this story, because previously, in Luke 5, there’s a similar story with the same results. Only the first time when Simon Peter caught a boatload of fish, Jesus told him that from now on, he would fish for people. “So they pulled their boats on shore, left everything and followed him.”

 

So why does Jesus host a second fish fry on the beach? Could it be, that he is reminding his disciples of this earlier lesson? Could he be trying to get them to refocus on their mission? Could he be calling them once again, “to follow me”?

 

During your celebration of Easter this year, I hope you are able to enjoy some of your traditional activities.

But also, remember the lesson of the fish fry. We, like the disciples, have been called to catch fish; to share the Good News of Easter; to follow Jesus wherever he leads.

 

May you have a wonderful Easter; the best day of the year.