Hope through Small Fish!

St. John’s Smiths Falls, Rev. Brian A. Burrows. 

Text: John 21:13, “Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.” 

Theme: Hope through Small Fish! 

Intro:- We are familiar with the Last Supper, but forget that after his resurrection from the dead, Jesus also fed seven disciples with bread and Small Fish. Peter says, “I am going fishing.” At first, nothing was caught and then Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not recognize him at first. Then after following Jesus’ directions, the disciples dragged in the net full of large fish. Jesus, according to the account written afterwards, fed the disciples with bread and significantly, ‘small fish.’ 

        There is  a saying about being a small fish in a big pond! Usually we understand that to mean someone scarcely noticed or unimportant! I then thought about the early Christians. 

1. Christians – like Small Fish! 

      From small beginnings Christianity and the message of Jesus being resurrected from the dead. Spread throughout the known world. Somehow it’s appeal overcame the idols of Rome, Egypt, Nordic gods and the like. 

         To me, Jesus himself was like a little fish in the Israel of his day. He was a carpenter’s son from Nazareth, called at times, a Rabbi, not a priest or Temple official, not a powerful Pharisee  or a secular Sadducee. He was a teacher, a healer, who gathered together ordinary people, fishermen, a tax collector, women, children and the like. Jesus was, as it were,a small fish in the real world, but inspired and sent by God to redeem the world and save his people. 

1. Our Church – as a small fish! 

When we look at our own individual church there can be a comparison to little fish!  The church is not a grand Cathedral or a dominant force in the  community or province, yet it supplies the needs of many local people. It stands as a witness to the belief in life after death. It follows the teaching of the risen Lord, who still calls us to live holy lives, to pray for the sick, to welcome strangers, to make room for children, to comfort those who mourn and so on. 

      In one sense, our church may not be a big player, or a driving force in the world,  yet, most importantly, it exists to feed the needs of ordinary people. 

3.   Ourselves – small fish in a large pond!

              We believe in Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, which is our hope for the present life and for life after death. We may not make the headlines, be interviewed on TV or be the subject of a book. We are indeed the small fish of this world, yet we are blessed with the treasures of heaven. Jesus can be and is always present in our personal lives. He feeds and sustains us just as he fed with bread and small fish the seven disciples St. John wrote about so long ago. 

      Do not say you are unimportant or not a great celebrity, rather take comfort in being a little fish in God’s pond – the Kingdom – loved, cherished and blessed by Jesus Christ, our Saviour , Lord and source of hope for the future.