Adult Sunday School Lesson from the Uniform Series for April 8, 2018

             The Risen Lord Appears

Adult Sunday School Lesson for April 8, 2018

Purpose

To encounter Jesus in shared experiences

Bible Lesson

John 21:1-14 (CEB)

1Later, Jesus himself appeared again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. This is how it happened: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two other disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter told them,“I’m going fishing.”

They said, “We’ll go with you.” They set out in a boat, but throughout the night they caught nothing. 4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples didn’t realize it was Jesus.

5 Jesus called to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”

They answered him, “No.”

6 He said, “Cast your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”

So they did, and there were so many fish that they couldn’t haul in the net. 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard it was the Lord, he wrapped his coat around himself (for he was naked) and jumped into the water.

8 The other disciples followed in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they weren’t far from shore, only about one hundred yards.

9 When they landed, they saw a fire there, with fish on it, and some bread.10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you’ve just caught.” 11 Simon Peter got up and pulled the net to shore. It was full of large fish, one hundred fifty-three of them. Yet the net hadn’t torn, even with so many fish. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples could bring themselves to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. 14This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Key Verse

Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples could bring themselves to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. (John 21:12)

Some Thoughts

The Gospel of John records four of Jesus’ Resurrection appearances: first, to Mary Magdalene as she stood crying “outside near the tomb” (John 20:11) and then three more appearances to the disciples.

The first appearance to the disciples was on the evening of the day of the Resurrection. Jesus “breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’ ” (John 20:19-23).

Thomas was not with the disciples at that time, but he was present eight days later when the risen Jesus appeared a third time. Thomas then confessed his belief, saying, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus responded by saying, “Do you believe because you see me? Happy are those who don’t see and yet believe” (John 20:24-29). The third Resurrection appearance to the disciples in the Gospel of John is recorded in John 21

John is the only Gospel writer who uses the name Tiberias for the Sea of Galilee (John 6:1). Two early non biblical writers, Josephus, who lived in the first century, and Pausanias, who lived in the second century, also used this name.

We have noted that in John’s Gospel, Jesus’ first two appearances to the disciples took place in Jerusalem, the second appearance eight days after the first. The text does not indicate how much time passed before Jesus’ third appearance. Several of the disciples had apparently left Jerusalem and were now in the area of the Sea of Galilee, perhaps in Peter’s hometown of Bethsaida, northeast of the sea.

In Verse 5. Jesus was still unrecognized as he asked a question frequently asked of fishermen. In his words of farewell to his disciples before the Crucifixion, Jesus called them “little children” (John 13:33).

Who was the disciple whom Jesus loved? In John 21:20, 24, the author of the Gospel identifies himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” In verse 2, he may be one of the two other disciples. It is also possible that he named the other disciples who were in attendance, and he was then the eighth person in the group of fishermen.

A leading bible commentator wrote that Peter was not actually completely naked. “He was wearing a loincloth as the fisher always was when he plied his trade. Now it was the Jewish law that to offer greeting was a religious act, and to carry out a religious act a man must be clothed; so Peter, before he set out to come to Jesus, put on his fisherman’s tunic, for he wished to be the first to greet his Lord.”

The whole setting we see in our text is about worshipping together, with diner on the ground and fellowshipping while we worship. Knowing without a doubt that we serve a Risen Saviour, .which brings me to my Hymn of the week “He Lives.”

P.S. I am adding a note received from a high school classmate about this passage.
"Just to interject an interesting fact which the Greek Orthodox Church has taken from this passage.

At the meal after a funeral (the makaria - ma ka REE a) fish is served because of this passage. Christ was living, after having been crucified, and the meal shared was fish and bread." Thanks Eleanor