Articles
Campfire Breakfast
The Bible records in John 21:1-14 an interesting short study into the humanity and Godhood
of Jesus. John starts out with such a good-hearted normal introduction. Peter decides he is going
fishing. "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So
they went out and got into the boat, (John 21:3). A bunch of guys hanging out in a house near
the lake with a boat nearby, how are they not going to go fishing? Like most of my fishing trips
over the last few years, they spend all night without catching any fish.
The next morning Jesus is on the shore and He calls out and asks the disciples if they have
caught anything. Jesus suggests that they try the other side of the boat, and they cast their nets
once again. Why did the disciples even listen to him? At this point they did not even know that it
was Jesus. “Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that
it was Jesus” (John 21:4). But the disciples do listen. Jesus shows his power and faith in God
with His simple statement "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some"
(John 21:6). The disciples immediately catch a net full of fish. I think it is both the human thing
to do and it shows us the power of God that John records that the disciples catch 153 large fish
and that the nets did not break. I mean, who would not want to brag about that? We also find out
that Jesus can cook. Peter is still impulsive and can swim, even with all his clothes on. So many
normal human things right along with miraculous wonders in so few verses.
Jesus makes a simple human statement, “Come and have breakfast” (John 21:12-13). He
served bread and fish to the disciples. Breakfast by the campfire with Jesus. This is the third time
that Jesus appears to the disciples after His resurrection and for me it is a sweet, very human
story that also displays God’s power and might through the resurrected Jesus. ~Brad Tolbert
