Post Resurrection Appearances of Jesus Series
“Breakfast on the Beach”
John 21.1-23
Introduction
Currently we have been looking at a few of the post resurrection appearances of Jesus. Last
week we looked at the Lord’s first appearance to the ten disciples late in the evening on
resurrection Sunday in Jerusalem. (Jn.20.19-24) For some reason Thomas was not with the
other disciples during that first appearance so the Lord appeared to Thomas and the other
disciples eight days later also in Jerusalem. (Jn.20.25-29)
Sometime after Jesus’ appearance to Thomas all the disciples journeyed from Jerusalem to
Galilee as the Lord had instructed them prior to His crucifixion. The Bible tells us that on
the night Jesus was betrayed Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this
night, for it is written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall
be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” (Mt.26.31-32)
And when the Lord appeared to Mary Magdalene early on Resurrection Sunday He said to
her, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they
will see Me.” (Mt.28.10) With such clear instructions it is difficult to understand why the
disciples lingered in Jerusalem for over a week before beginning their journey to Galilee.
Galilee was about seventy-five miles north of Jerusalem. Approximately a three-day walk.
Eventually the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had
designated. (Mt.28.16)
The Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias, is surrounded by mountains and even
though we don’t know the exact location of the mountain designated by Christ, we do know
that disciples were familiar with the area since Galilee was home for many of them and
Galilee had been the home base of Jesus’ ministry and the disciples for the past three years.
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“I Am Going Fishing”
After arriving to the mountain, the disciples waited for Jesus to appear as He told them He
would. But after some time, Peter became impatient and said to others, “I am going fishing.”
Six other disciples join Peter saying, “We will also come with you.” (Jn.21.3a) Peter and the
others were not looking for a little R&R on the lake. Peter was announcing his return to his
previous occupation as a fisherman. He sees no point in preaching. No point in carrying out
Christ’s commission. And the others agree. John identifies this group of renegades as Simon
Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee
James and John, and two others which I presume to be Andrew and Philip. (Jn.21.2) This
entire group except Thomas were all from the region of Galilee and all of them except
Thomas were fishermen prior to leaving everything to follow Jesus. This was the inner core
of disciples, and the Bible tells us they went out and got into the boat; and that night they
caught nothing. (Jn.21.3b)
Why would these seven key disciples leave the mountain top Jesus had designated to meet
them and return to fishing? They had seen the resurrected Christ two times in Jerusalem
and Peter had seen Him three times. Were they depressed? Were they discouraged? Was
their old life as fishermen so attractive that they would abandon their calling?
Now we come to the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised
from the dead. (Jn.21.14) Hear now the Word of God. John chapter twenty-one verses four
through twenty-three.
4 But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know
that it was Jesus. 5 So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They
answered Him, “No.” 6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat
and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the
great number of fish. 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”
So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was
stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little
boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the
net full of fish. 9 So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid and
fish placed on it, and bread.
10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.” 11 Simon Peter went
up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there
were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of
the disciples ventured to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus
came and took the bread and gave it to them, and the fish likewise. 14 This is now the third
time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead.
15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do
you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said
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to him, “Tend My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you
love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My
sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved
because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know
all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to
you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but
when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring
you where you do not wish to go.” 19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he
would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!” 20 Peter, turning
around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back
on His bosom at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 So Peter
seeing him said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If I want him
to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!” 23 Therefore this saying went out
among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he
would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”
Jesus Stood on the Beach
As Jesus stood on the beach about one hundred yards away from the seven stragglers
sitting in their little boat He yelled, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” (Jn.21.15)
Jesus wasn’t asking if they had any fish rather, He was making the point that they had not
caught anything all night. It was kind of like Jesus was saying, “So, you guys want to go back
to fishing huh? How’s that working out for ya.” Notice, Jesus calls them “children” because
they were behaving like immature brats. And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-
hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” (Jn.21.6a) And when they followed this
bizarre instruction from the stranger on the beach the catch of fish was huge, one hundred
and fifty-three large fish to be exact. The catch was so large that it would have weigh over
three hundred pounds which would have made it very difficult to haul it in. Immediately
John says to Peter, “It is the Lord.” (Jn.21.7)
It is the Lord
John’s announcement that the stranger standing on the beach was the Lord wasn’t just
because of the miraculous catch that morning. It was because it brought back the memory
of a similar miracle that had happen three years prior on the same lake. The Bible tells us
that at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry Peter, James, and John were standing on the same
shoreline listening to Jesus teach the Word of God. (Lk.5.1-11) After His teaching Jesus got
into Simon’s boat with James and John and asked Peter to put out a little from the land.
Maybe about a hundred yards? Jesus told Peter to let down the nets, but Simon hesitated
because they had been out all night and hadn’t caught any fish. But when Peter let down his
nets, they caught a great quantity of fish that caused their nets to begin to break. After
arriving back to the beach Jesus called Peter, James, and John to be fishers of men. This was
the beginning of their life with Jesus, and they left everything to followed Him.
Now three years later, Jesus performs a similar miracle to capture their straying hearts and
to get them back on track with the ministry of the gospel. When John said to Peter, “It is the
Lord,” Peter jumped into the water and began swimming back to shore. Brothers and
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sisters, sometimes we need the Lord to shock us back to the truth of who we are.
Sometimes we need a redemptive reality check. Peter jumping into the lake and swimming
back to shore was evidence that he really didn’t want to go back to fishing. Peter throwing
himself into the sea was a splash of surrender.
When they all got back to shore, they see that Jesus had already prepared the charcoal fire
with fried fish and bread. Jesus invites them to bring some of the fish they caught to show
that this whole experience was real and not an illusion. Jesus said to them, “Come and have
breakfast.” Jesus doesn’t say, “shame on you” or “what were you guys thinking?” He had just
demonstrated His deity through the miraculous catch and now He is demonstrating His
humanity by preparing breakfast for His brothers and inviting them to have breakfast on
the beach. Once again, we see His humility in His willingness to serve rather than being
served. (Mt.20.28) As they enjoyed the meal none of the disciples ventured to question Him,
“Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord. (Jn.21.12) This is now the third time that
Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead. (Jn.21.14)
Focus Exclusively on Peter
Just like Jesus had focused exclusively on Thomas’ need in His second appearance here in
His third appearance the Lord focused exclusively on Peter as the others watch and listen.
Peter was suffering from extreme guilt for his denials of Christ on the night that Jesus was
taken into custody and stood before the Jewish authorities. (Jn.18.25-27) On that evening
Peter denied the Lord three times and here on the beach of the Sea of Galilee Jesus gives
Peter the opportunity to be fully restored. Brothers and sisters, Jesus is intimately aware of
our needs, and He comes to us to minister to our hearts and souls. We often behave like
Peter trying to hide our guilt by changing our environment or in Peter’s case our
employment but the Lord desires to restore us to Himself. The Lord desires restoration.
Through a series of questions and statements Jesus brings out of Peter what He wants from
all of us. Jesus wants our lives to be compelled by love for Christ, characterized by our
sacrifice for Christ, and to be content to follow Christ regardless of others might do.
So, when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do
you love Me more than these?” (Jn.21.15a) Jesus always calls Peter by his old name when he
is acting like the old self. Also notice that Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John.” Like
our mother’s would call us by our full name when she wanted our full attention, so Jesus
begins, “Simon, son of John” because He wanted Peter’s full attention.
Then the Lord asks Peter the pointed question, “do you love Me more than these?” Do you
love Me more than your boat, your nets, and fishing? Do you love Me more that your old
life? This is the question every follower of Christ must answer to progress in sanctification.
Do you love the Lord more than __? You fill in the blank.
Compelled By Love for Christ
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Brothers and sisters, love must be at the core of our devotion to Christ. We serve the Lord
because we love Him. We don’t live for Christ to get eternal brownie points. We live for
Christ but because we love Him. We don’t obey the Lord to get a heavenly merit badge. We
obey Him because we love Him. Love for Christ must be our primary motivation. You shall
love the Lord your God with all of your heart, and soul, and mind, and strength. (Mk.12.30)
This is the greatest of all the commandments. Brothers and sisters, no one will steady
persevere in the Christian life unless the love of Christ reigns supreme in their hearts.
What is interesting is the word Jesus uses for love in the first two interactions with Peter is
agapao indicating the highest level of love. The Bible tells us that God is love. God is agape.
(IJn.4.8) But the word that Peter uses in his response to the Lord is phileo which is a type of
love that one has for a friend. Phileo is brotherly love. Like Philadelphia, the city of
brotherly love.
I believe there are two things going on here with the usage of agapao by the Lord and
phileo by Peter. First, Peter knew that with his past denials and failure, he couldn’t honestly
make claim to agape love. Especially with the other six disciples sitting right there listening
to every word. But Peter using phileo doesn’t mean that Peter’s love for Christ had
diminished. Rather I believe Peter is confessing that even though he had failed the Lord he
still loves the Lord as much as humanly possible. Peter is confessing that as much as a
person can humanly love, he loved the Lord Jesus. “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” I
love You more than earthly possessions and occupations. I love You more than my boat, my
nets, and fishing. Upon hearing Peter’s declaration of love the Lord commissions Peter to
“tend My lambs” and “shepherd My sheep.” Once again, we see the Lord using broken vessels
to minister to His flock.
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because
He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all
things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep. (Jn.21.17) This third
time the Lord uses the same word for love as Peter had been using. “Simon, son of John, do
you phileo Me?” This grieved Peter but he knew that the Lord knows the reality of our
heart. So, Peter responds, You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.
Characterized by Sacrifice for Christ
The Bible uses shepherding as a frequent image for leadership in Christ’s church and caring
for God’s people. Three times the Lord commissioned Peter to “tend My lambs,” “shepherd
My sheep,” and “tend My sheep.” The Lord is not only directly corresponding with grace to
Peter’s three denials but is commissioning Peter for the leadership role he will fulfill in the
early church. But this commissioning is not restricted just to Peter. We all are called to
shepherd the church of God which He purchase with His own blood. (Acts 20.28) Notice the
personal pronoun “My lambs” and “My sheep.” The church is God’s flock and every one of us
are called to care for the youngest and most vulnerable, “lambs,” to the oldest and most
mature, “sheep,” and to everyone in-between.
The main characteristic of a shepherd is sacrifice. The Great Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ
laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (IJn.3.16) But
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too often God’s people today don’t want to sacrifice. Like the reluctant followers in Luke’s
Gospel, many believers today don’t want to be inconvenience in any way. (Lk.9.57-62)
People appeal to prior commitments and busy schedules for why they can’t serve, or
attend, or participate instead of making sacrifices for Christ.
Jesus is telling Peter, the six others, and us, “no more excuses.” In poetic fashion Jesus tells
Peter that a change must take place in his life to glorify God. “Truly, truly, I say to you, when
you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished.” (Jn.21.18a) Jesus
is describing a life characterized by self-motivated choices. Going wherever you want to go
and doing whatever you want to do without any concern for others. Jesus is telling Peter
that his life can no longer be characterized by selfish choices like going fishing whenever he
wants. Peter’s life must be characterized by sacrifice. “But when you grow old, you will
stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish
to go.” (Jn.21.18b) The Lord is making it clear that Peter’s life moving forward would be
characterized by sacrifice and by saying this Jesus was signifying by what kind of death he
would glorify God. (Jn.21.18-19a)
Content to Follow the Lord
And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!” The Lord calls Peter to literally
follow Him down the beach as an act symbolizing his willingness to live a life of love and
sacrifice. As Jesus begins to walk down the beach Peter follows only to turn around to see
John following them. So, Peter seeing him said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?”
Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
(Jn.21.21-22) Because of Jesus’ words a rumor went out among the brethren that John
would not die and would live until the return of Christ. Of course, we know that is not what
Jesus meant. Jesus is telling Peter that his following Christ should not be contingent on
anyone else. Jesus is stressing that Peter must be content to follow the Lord regardless of
anyone else follows. Jesus is telling Peter not to compare what will happen to him to what
will happen to others. Be content to follow Christ. Be content to know that what happens in
the future is up to Christ, not you. Be content to glorify Christ in life and in death. Jesus’
statement reminds me of the old hymn “I have decided to follow Jesus.” The lyrics go like
this: I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back. The world behind me,
the cross before me; no turning back, no turning back. Though none go we me, still I will
follow, no turning back, no turning back. Jesus is calling Peter to follow Him, no turning
back, no turning back.
Closing Thoughts
What can we learn for this third appearance of Christ to the disciples? Brothers and sisters
let’s not allow the things of the world to draw us away from our mountain top experience
with the Lord. Let’s live our lives with love for Christ at the core of who we are, willing to
sacrifice for the cause of Christ, and being content to follow Christ regardless of others
following or not.