Sunday, July 19, 1998
Sunday, July 19, 1998
That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" (John 21:7
NRSV)
A man showed up at church with his ears painfully blistered. After the service, his concerned
pastor asked "What in the world happened to you?"
The man replied, "I was lying on the couch yesterday afternoon watching a ball game on TV and
my wife was ironing nearby. I was totally engrossed in the game when she left the room, leaving
the iron near the phone. The phone rang and keeping my eyes glued to the television, I grabbed
the hot iron and put it to my ear."
"So how did the other ear get burned?" the pastor asked.
"Well, I had no more than hung up and the guy called again."
Now there is a man who was focused. He was so caught up in watching the game, he didn't know
what he was doing.
In our lesson for today the disciples of Jesus have lost their focus. They are confused and weary.
They needed a break. They have been through so much. They had seen their Master crucified on a
cruel cross. It was the lowest point in their lives. They had invested everything they had into
following him--including three years of their lives. When they saw him nailed between two
thieves, it was as if everything they had worked for was futile and without meaning. No one could
know their pain and disillusionment. Then the women had gone to the tomb on the first day of
the week and found the stone rolled away and the body gone. It was then they discovered that
their Master was alive. Now each of them had seen him with their own eyes. Still, it was a bit too
much for them to deal with mentally and emotionally. They wanted to believe, but it was like they
were in a dream. It was too much, too soon.
The disciples were still trying to sort all of this out when Simon Peter said, "Let's go fishing."
They fished all night, but without any luck.
Just as the day was breaking and they were ready to call it a night, they saw a stranger on the
beach. "Having any luck?" he called out to them. "Afraid not," they called back. "Cast the net on
the other side of the boat," the stranger replied, "and you will find some." And they did, and this
time their net was teeming with fish. And the disciple John turned to Simon Peter and said, "It is
the Lord." Who else could it be? Who else has dominion over both land and sea? Of course, it is
the Lord.
Will we be focused today, so that we will see the Lord?
Prayer: Loving God, may I not get distracted today from seeing you. Amen.
Ronald Newhouse, Texas, USA