Our Lord…is so wonderful. He has called us by name. He has chosen you, and waits with anticipation for each of us to understand and receive His love. He desires a relationship with us. He doesn’t want servants; He wants a bride, a pure and spotless bride.
And our marvelous Lord doesn’t ask us to do anything that He has not done Himself.
He was tempted, but without sin:
“This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.” Hebrews 4:15
He lived by His Father’s commands:
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” John 15:10
He was the picture of humility:
“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slaveand was born as a human being.” Philippians 2:5-7a NLT
Our Lord and King came as a man so He could restore our relationship with Him. He desires to know you.
John 21:1-17
New Living Translation (NLT)
Epilogue: Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples
1 Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. 2 Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.
3 Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.
4 At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. 5 He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?”
“No,” they replied.
6 Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.
7 Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. 8 The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. 9 When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.
10 “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.
12 “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. 14 This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.
15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”
“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.”
Let’s look a little closer at how relational our Lord is.
So not only does our Lord wash the disciples feet, but on His third appearance to them after the resurrection, He makes them breakfast by the Sea.
It is also interesting to realize fishing was most of the disciples’ livelihood; so Jesus was also providing for their needs when after their unsuccessful fishing excursion the night before, He filled their nets with 153 large fish.
Then after He has fed them breakfast He begins ministering to them, giving them direction and purpose. Telling them no less to show their love for Him by feeding His sheep…
This is our Lord; He is interested in the one. He will look for the one lost sheep, and leave the 99 while He looks. He is all about the one. Sure He ministered to the masses, but He regularly made time for the one, for the disciples, and for friends like Mary, Martha, and Lazareth. He is about a relationship.
What is important to Him in a relationship?
What is not?
So what should we be about?
Let’s recap the highlights:
1. Breakfast by the Sea with my Lord
2. He provides for my needs: physically, monetarily, emotionally, spiritually, gives direction, and purpose.
3. What an example of a servant…my Lord…
Remember that His desire is to know you. The least we can do is share the beautiful message of the gospel with the world. “…Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” John 13:34b
Let’s be like our Lord, and stop for the one; let’s be relational.
