From Helen
I am not sure about you but I like from time to time to think of who my ideal dinner guests would be in the whole of history. I like to think about what I would ask, what I would expect of these guests, and what I would say. Maybe you would pick prime ministers, maybe you would pick famous authors, scientists, the list is endless. But would you choose Jesus ? If you did what would you expect ?
I am not sure about you but I like from time to time to think of who my ideal dinner guests would be in the whole of history. I like to think about what I would ask, what I would expect of these guests, and what I would say. Maybe you would pick prime ministers, maybe you would pick famous authors, scientists, the list is endless. But would you choose Jesus ? If you did what would you expect ?
This morning in the gospel reading (John 21:1-19) we have heard of this type of game being a reality as Jesus said to the disciples “come and have breakfast.”
I love this passage, I have been to the place where it happened. It is my favourite place in the holy land, because I love the fact that the disciples were still reeling in shock from the news that Jesus was alive. Not only this but as they sat trying to deal with what they had heard about Jesus they were not sure how to react. It is amazing that into all this Jesus came and said something very important as He said,’come and have breakfast.’
I wonder what it would be like to sit and have breakfast with Jesus, how would we react? What would we say? What would we expect?
Maybe we would expect a miracle, certainly in the gospel reading we heard of the disciples having witnessed a miracle that reminded them that God would provide more than they could have asked for. God always provides us with what we need, and He is there in the thick of situations. The disciples were concerned, they had not received the catch of fish that they needed, but Jesus stepped into the situation and helped them, not just providing for their need but giving them so much more.
Maybe we would expect forgiveness. After the miracle Jesus invited the disciples to breakfast, showing us that in every situation in life from the miraculous to the mundane God is with us, but even in this He does the unexpected. At breakfast Jesus offered Peter forgiveness. Jesus asked Peter three times if He loved Him which mirrors the three times that Peter had denied Jesus. By asking Peter if He loved Him Jesus was reminding Peter that with Him the slate is wiped clean and we can start all over again.
Maybe we would expect a new job and power to do that job. Peter was commissioned to start a new and very important job. For Peter from maybe feeling a bit out of things, unsure of what Jesus really thought of him, to be forgiven would have been quite incredible. However, to be commissioned to build the Church of Jesus must have been even more unexpected. Jesus had faith in Peter and knew that with His strength Peter could do amazing things.
Maybe we would expect transformation. Jesus was back, but things weren’t like they were before. In the post resurrection appearances the disciples didn’t recognise Jesus straight away, and the reason for this is that everything was new. Jesus was back, He had proved Himself and He had something new for the disciples to do. They were to share the joy of the resurrection with others, they were to be part of the community of people who love Jesus, whose lives had been changed by an encounter with Him.
It seems strange that the disciples didn’t recognise Jesus but when you aren’t really expecting to see someone, or perhaps don’t dare to hope, then it makes sense. Regardless of this, the point is that Jesus stepped into the situation and was with the people.
Breakfast with Jesus would be like any time with Jesus I think. We could and should expect the miraculous, the unexpected to happen reminding us that God can and does do amazing things, more than we can imagine. We could and should remember that God doesn’t just forgive us, He also has faith in us giving us strength to do His work.
With Jesus things are new, God transforms us, as we heard in the story of the conversion of Paul (Acts 9:1-6), God can do what seems to be impossible. God can change someone’s life, He can break the power of death by rising from the dead and so giving us the hope of life eternal. God can do anything.
He can do anything for you, and He offers us strength and love even when it seems impossible.
So - if you could have breakfast with Jesus, what would you ask, what would you expect, how would you react? Knowing that God is with us always, we can make a dream a reality by talking to Him and expecting the unexpected. AMEN
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