Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Beach (07/04/05)
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TITLE: Jesus at the Beach | Previous Challenge Entry
By Glenda Race
07/10/05 -
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How easy it is to forget God’s promise. Christ had told them at the beginning of his ministry that He would make them fishers of men. They had seen him die and witnessed the sight of the empty tomb and His resurrected body. Yet after all these life-changing events, Peter and his friends wanted to return to the comfort zone of normalcy: his original vocation of fishing for fish.
Yet in his pursuit, Peter and the disciples caught nothing. How futile are attempts to accomplish tasks without the Lord! In addition, Peter and his friends did not recognize who was standing on the shore. John finally recognized him as Jesus. At the mention of His name, Peter jumped off the boat and swam to meet his Savior.
Jesus asked if Peter had any food, which he did not. Jesus told those in the boat to put the net on the right side. Miraculously, there were so many fish that the net could not be drawn in. The Lord asked Peter and the disciples to dine with Him on the beach, and He provided for their need.
As the disciples dined with Jesus, they enjoyed being in the presence of their beloved Savior. But Jesus wanted to test Peter to see how he loved him. Peter was willing to come and dine with the Lord, but would he declare his love as deeply as God loves? When Jesus asked him this, Peter replied that Jesus was his friend. Jesus asked Peter to demonstrate that love my feeding his lambs.
When Jesus asked a second and third time, he was searching for a declaration of love as deep as God’s love. Peter could only respond “Lord you know all things,” hoping that answer would suffice. Jesus repeated his request to “feed my sheep.”
God had shown His love to Peter by providing for him both in fish and bread. The fish were provided by a miracle. Jesus asked Peter if he loved the product of the miracle more than the miracle maker. His challenge to Peter is a challenge to people to love the Creator and Sustainer of all life and Giver of all good and perfect gifts. This love is to be demonstrated with fellowship with God and man, the declaration of love one has for God, and obedience to “Feed the sheep” of the Lord.
As we go through life, we make the decision: to follow our own whims, or go to meet Jesus, who is standing at the beach, waiting for us to “Come and dine.” We have the decision to go on our own way, fishing for fish and catching nothing, or to meet Jesus at the beach, declare that we love Him, and care for people, who are the fish and sheep we are to catch and feed.
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