Scripture Reflections

When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” (John 21:9-10)

I mentioned on Sunday that John 21 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. Verses 9-10 record one of the grace-filled moments that make me love this chapter. The disciples get to shore and see the fire and the breakfast that Jesus has prepared. Everything is ready for them. And yet, in that moment, Jesus invites them to contribute. “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.”

Like all of John 21, there is more here than we expect. There is a picture of how our work in the kingdom interlocks with God’s—the two are not in competition; his comes first and is fully sufficient, yet we truly contribute. We see a picture of sanctification—Jesus is at work on our behalf before we know it; yet he invites us in and expects us to say yes to him. We see a picture of the sacraments—we offer God ordinary food and he transforms them into a meal in the presence of Jesus. Even the doctrine of election is hinted at! But the element of the story that grabbed my heart this week is offering as a movement of worship.

Jesus has no need of the fish, and yet he invites the disciples to bring them. Yet even what they bring they only have because he enabled them to catch them miraculously. Why does he invite them into this process? What does their participation do?

Psalm 50 bluntly says that God does not need our offerings. He is not hungry, and if he were, he already owns all the cattle. In modern terms, his bank account (if he had need of such) is full. Instead of thinking that he needs what we have to offer, we are to both offer him thanksgiving and call upon him to rescue us, both of which acknowledge our dependence on him.

He doesn’t need what we offer; instead, we need what he offers. But he cheerfully says, “Bring some of the fish you caught!” We protest, “But we only caught them because you showed us where to fish; you gave them to us!” He says, “Of course. So bring it in thanksgiving—let it be an act of worship! And then you will see me transform it into something that feeds the world.”

God does not need what we offer him—money, energy, time. He already owns all, even the portion of “all” that is in each of our bank accounts. He doesn’t want us to give it as if we were doing him a favor or he were dependent on us. Instead, the call is to joyfully offer what we have as an act of worship and thanksgiving, expecting that he will transform it into more than we expect.

Steven+