Look, it's Jesus!
I’m sitting, drinking a coffee, thinking about my talk for Sunday, and just had my eyes opened to a beautiful moment in John 21.
I love it when that happens.
Particularly when it’s something in a familiar passage that you’d never spotted before.
It’s a reminder that God’s Word never gets old…there’s always something new to discover.
Anyway, the context is this.
Peter and the other disciples are fishing on the Sea of Galilee. They’ve returned there, partly because Jesus had said he would appear to them there. But partly, I think, because they’re not sure what’s going on…the resurrection has left them bewildered…and they have returned to Galilee because things seem a bit more ‘normal’ there.
And Peter…well, Peter is broken and grieving.
Broken over his betrayal of Jesus.
Disappointed in himself.
Nursing unresolved guilt and shame.
Grieving his sin.
Unsure of what the future holds.
Uncertain of what Jesus thinks of him.
Yes, he’s seen the resurrected Jesus. But he hasn’t had that one-on-one conversation with him that he so desperately needs.
So more than the others, Peter is in deep, deep need of time with Jesus.
They’ve decided to go fishing.
And as John records it for us, they have had another unsuccessful night – they’ve caught nothing.
That morning, Jesus is on the beach. They don’t recognise him.
He shouts to them: “Have you caught anything?”
“No!” they shout back, still none the wiser as to the identity of the man on the beach.
“Cast your nets on the other side,” shouts back Jesus.
They do. And they catch lots.
It is at that moment, where this beautiful thing happens.
It’s there in v7.
John….himself in the boat…recognises Jesus.
And he speaks…
…to Peter.
“It is the Lord!”.
Now, get this – John doesn’t shout it at the top of his lungs to all who can hear. He doesn’t even shout it to the others in the boat.
He simply tells Peter.
Why Peter?
I think it’s because John knows what Peter needs.
John knows what Peter is going through.
John knows what Peter is wrestling with.
John senses Peter’s despair and pain.
John knows that what Peter wants…needs…more than anything, is time with Jesus.
I’d never spotted that before.
I’d just assumed John had shouted it out to everyone.
But no, he spoke to Peter.
As I was pondering this, the thought struck me: What a great friend John was! He knew his friend. He knew what he needed. And he was looking out for him.
Oh, how we need friends like that.
Who know what we’re going through.
Yes, who will listen and come alongside.
But more than anything, friends who will point us to Jesus –
…to Jesus as the only One who can meet our needs.
Who can comfort us in our pain.
Who can restore and renew.
Who can breathe new life into weary hearts.
Who can set free hearts shackled by shame and guilt.
“Look, it’s Jesus”, John said to Peter, as he prodded him in the ribs.
And Peter jumped out the boat and waded ashore.
I can imagine John in the boat, with a satisfied smile on his face, watching his friend do what he needs to do to make himself right with Jesus.
What a beautiful moment!
As you reflect, who in your life can you come alongside of and simply say: “Look, it’s Jesus”?