Have you ever felt that your faith didn’t match up to someone else’s or that you were stuck in your faith and demanding more of God? Ever felt confused as to how to live out your faith and in figuring out what God wanted you do? Or have you ever felt ashamed because your faith has let God down—much to your own surprise? What should you do? What can you do?
As we looked together at the passage John 20:24 — 21:19 the answer became as obvious as a Kindergarten Sunday School class. The answer is Jesus. Jesus takes the initiative to restore his disciple to faith in three separate instance within this passage. Leading into the first instance the disciples had heard the witness about the risen Christ from Mary and perhaps also of John and Peter probably causing them a mix of hope and confusion. The only thing John mentions is their fear.
Despite locked doors Jesus appears to them in their midst but Thomas wasn’t there and despite their testimony Thomas refuse to believe Jesus is alive. He just can’t believe as they can and feels he needs more, he needs physical proof. Jesus appears and invites Thomas to touch his scars and his side. Thomas’ faith leapfrogs over the others as he falls on his knees and proclaims Jesus to be his Lord and his God. His personal encounter with Jesus results in a restored and now a deep and personalized faith.
Some time passes and the disciples find themselves waiting on the Lord. Not being sure what to do they resort to what they know best as Peter takes them back to fishing for fish. It’s hard to wait on the Lord. We remember Saul’s struggle and the dire consequences of impatience. It’s what most of us would do but Jesus was patient and forgiving. He still had a plan for them to go fishing, but fishing for men not fish. By providing the huge catch he reminded them of when he first called them using the same demonstration of power and provision. They are further reminded that he is their leader, source and provider as he feeds them, reminding them of how fed the masses with bread and fish. It’s as if he is saying I know what I’m calling you to do and will provide what you will need as he says “Come and eat.”
It is hard to imagine Peter’s shame and embarrassment as he is called out by Jesus. He has been living with his prideful boast of being better that the others only to deny Jesus three times. Jesus lovingly and gently confronts Peter to decide where his true love and devotion reside. Is it in these fish, his life’s work? These friends? Does he truly love Jesus more than his friends do? Peter is humbled and restored at the same time in front of the disciples Jesus has called him to lead from this time forward.
We discussed what things cause us to plateau and even get stuck in our faith when we are continually being called to grow in our faith and love for God. What things cause us to default back to old habits and patterns rather than going deeper in prayer when it seems we are not getting clear direction from God? Why we tend to depend on ourselves when doubt creeps in rather than wait on God and trust in his provision. Why our pride gets in our way in thinking more highly of ourselves and then driving us to shame when our own thoughts and actions expose our faults and real fears. There is so much to think about here but the focus needs to remain on Jesus as he meets each disciple at his point of need and restores him back to a faith in Him that will sustain him in the days to come as they fulfill his charge to go and make disciples in the face of opposition, persecution, and martyrdom. Where are we in our faith? Where are we looking to Jesus to restore us to a living faith in Him?