After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. (John 21:1-4).
This is one of my favourite post Easter songs. The Apostle John recounts how more than a week after Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples are still floundering. Rather than living in the power of the Resurrection, they go back to their comfort zone: fishing. And Jesus comes, standing unrecognised on the shore, to gently confront them and call them back to following Him.
The reality for me, and maybe for you as well, is that we’ve mourned his death on Friday, we’ve experienced the power of his Resurrection on Sunday, but Monday is just another Monday, and Tuesday is worse. But Jesus comes to gently confront us, to forgive us, as he did Peter.
LYRICS | Stranger on the Shore – Michael Card
In the early morning mist
They saw a Stranger on the sea shore
He somehow seemed familiar
Asking what the night had brought
With taught anticipation then
They listen to His order
And pulling in the net
Found more than they had ever caught
The one He loved first recognized
The stranger there was Jesus
And he alone remembered
This had happened once before
The one who had denied Him
Who had once walked on the water
Jumped in and swam to Him
To be confronted on the shore
You need to be confronted
By the Stranger on the shore
You need to have Him search your soul
You need to hear the call
You need to learn exactly
What it means for you to follow
You need to realize that He’s
asking for your all
The meal He had prepared for them
Was waiting on the fire
The smell of bread
The sizzle of the fish upon the coals
The laughter and the joy
That once more being all together
They didn’t realize that He was
searching all their souls
Then came the painful questions
That would pierce the soul of Simon
A three fold chance to reaffirm
the love he had denied
The gentle eyes that saw his heart
And waited for an answer
Had seen the look upon his face
The moment he had lied
Now realize that you must
Face and answer all His questions
As you stand before the Stranger
On the shore inside your heart
