Breakfast by the Lake

[Ninety-Three in a series of posts on Bible Stories]

Encore Post:

In New Testament times, rabbis were not full-time teachers or ministers. Because God is a God who works, rabbis worked at a profession one-third of the time and studied and taught two-thirds of the time. The difference between these teachers and everyday people is that work was just a means to buy food and clothing. Jesus likely worked at His trade as a carpenter (more of a contractor than simply a woodworker) sometimes. St. Paul continued his trade as a tentmaker.

After Jesus rose from the dead, Peter, James, John, and others moved back to Galilee. They picked up their nets again to earn a living. They caught nothing all night. Jesus called to them from the shore and told them to cast their nets over the right side of the boat. They saw a net full of fish. Jesus did this once before for them, at the beginning of His ministry. John instantly recognized it was Jesus.

When they reached shore, the disciples saw Jesus had made a breakfast of fish and bread, just as He had fed five thousand people not long before. By preparing breakfast for His disciples, Jesus showed that He blesses the everyday work God has given us. He helps His disciples do their jobs and gives them a hot meal to go with their catch.

After breakfast, Jesus turned His attention to Peter. Only days before, Peter had denied three times that he knew the Lord. Now Jesus asked him three times, “Do you love me?” Each time Peter answered yes. In this way, the Lord gently restored His fallen disciple. Each time Jesus then gave Peter a task: “Feed my lambs,” “Tend my sheep,” and “Feed my sheep.” The Good Shepherd was entrusting His flock to the care of undershepherds.

That is what Peter and the other apostles did.

Today, Jesus calls pastors, teachers, deaconesses, and many other Christians to care for His people. Pastors teach His Word, proclaim the Gospel of the forgiveness of sins in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. They forgive sins in His name, baptize, and feed Christ’s sheep with His own body and blood, together with bread and wine. Teachers help train children and adults in the faith. Deaconesses care for those in need and help the Church carry out works of mercy. Countless other Christians serve God’s people through acts of love and compassion in their daily vocations. In their various callings, they follow in the footsteps of Jesus, His apostles, and the generations of Christians who have carried the Gospel to every corner of the world, making disciples of every nation, language, tribe, and people.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

©2021-2026 Robert E. Smith. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy, share and display freely for non-commercial purposes. Direct all other permission inquiries to cosmithb@msn.com.