Sink or Swim?

John 21:1-14

After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”

They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and [a]immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. 4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”

They answered Him, “No.”

6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.

7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. 9 Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”

11 Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.

14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.

I swam my first competitive race at the age of 4 years old. The race was the 25 meters backstroke, one length of the pool. The problem was there was no lane lines to keep me on the straight and narrow. I faintly remember the sound of the race starters gun or loud whistle (who happened to be my dad). I pushed off the wall and began to swing my arms like propellers both above and below the water while vigorously kicking. As the cool overly chlorinated water (our hair turned green over each summer) coursed over my body and face I looked into the cloudless blue sky as I anticipated finishing the race. I don’t recall trying to win but simply finish. I recall nobody that I was racing against, in my memory it was just me and the water on a bright sunshiny Saturday in Pueblo, Colorado. Eventually, I collided with my elbow and head into a wall and the pool gutter, but unfortunately it was the ‘side’ of the pool not the finish wall. I grabbed the gutter and pushed again diagonally toward the finish line and the middle of the pool. My memory stops at that point because I don’t remember finishing, maybe I suffered a swimming concussion.

As the years rolled one into another like waves pounding the seashore, swimming was front and center through my first year of college. My identity at the age of 16 was forged as a “swimmer”. The San Francisco Bay Area was a one of the primary regions that produced Olympians in both swimming and water polo. This swimmer identity became a primary metaphor through which the God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ began to graciously reveal to me His ways. He Himself wanted to rescue me from a sure death by drowning in my sins and trespasses.

As a Sophomore in high school, I had a very specific dream which was given by the Spirit of God to reveal my need for salvation in Jesus Christ. A couple of years later, I realized this was a portion of His grace to draw me to a place of repentance and faith toward God. In the dream I was swimming in an underground water tunnel against a very strong current in pitch blackness. I was like a fish swimming upstream to spawn but in total darkness. Behind me was nothing but a downward spiraling cavern of a watery grave. As I was swimming with all my might I realized I was gaining no distance just holding my own. I lifted my head so I could look at what was up ahead, I saw a door at the top of the incline of rushing water. The water was cascading from beneath the bottom of the door. There was a bar of Light that stretched along the bottom of the door. I became transfixed on the light. The door had no handle to open it. I gazed intently at the light thinking if I can just get to the light I might be fine. But then I realized there was no handle to open the door so despair and fatigue hit my body like a piano being dropped from the heavens on top of me. However, as this despair hit me I was translated to the other side of the door to a mountain lake as placid as piece a glass. I was safe, I was saved from the black river corridor of abysmal death. Later as a follower of Jesus, I realized this dream was the Holy Spirit showing me my need to be “delivered from the domain of darkness, and transferred into the Kingdom of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).

In December of 1980, I was studying to be a dentist with pre-medical courses at a local college. I was also a member of a very high level water polo and swim team in college. I was really beginning to peak as an elite swimmer and was very excited about opportunities that lay ahead. Only a few weeks earlier I had decided to follow Jesus. I remember sitting in my Chemistry class lecture around 11:00 am. Our teacher had just proclaimed, “and God said, “E=MC2”, at that very moment the Holy Spirit said to me, “Jeff you need to clean out your locker and quit swimming and follow me.” Immediately, I walked 1/2 a mile from the top of the campus down stairs to the bottom of the campus where the olympic swim pool center was located. I cleaned out my locker and told my coach I was no longer going to swim but follow Jesus. From that very moment of obedience, a life of true authentic spirituality began in Jesus and has continued to unfold for the past 40 years.

I was baptized in water and then in the Holy Spirit. A month later I heard a call to prepare for ministry, though I hardly knew what that meant. I had no church background, only a hunger to pray, study God’s word and fellowship with other Christians and tell others about the love of God. At the age of 20, I met my wife while attending a private small bible college in the Santa Cruz mountains. We were like a monk and nun meeting and falling in love! We married in 1984 and have been swimming with Christ in all kinds of different waters ever since. Troubled waters, smooth waters, rip-tides, doldrums, cold water, warm water, shark-infested waters, still waters and shallow waters are just some of the waters that would describe our life experiences in the depths of the Jesus Christ.

What I have learned is NO MATTER WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU you can swim to Jesus. The real truth is Jesus is following you and will never lose sight of you. The world record for the 100 yard freestyle is held by Caleb Dressel at 39.90 seconds. Dressel has begun to break the records of the legendary Michael Phelps.

The Gospel of John 21:1-17 records the most epic 100 yard swim ever recorded in human history. The swimmer was the despondent fishermen Peter who had just recently denied the Lord Jesus three times during the epic night of betrayal by Judas of Iscariot. Peter decided to return to what he knew best which was fishing, in order to process the events that surrounded the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, and of course, his own devastating denial of Jesus. Jesus shows up in the morning on the seashore with a prepared breakfast, knowing the disciples had caught nothing all night. He calls to His children like a father who wants to know how the fishing was going. Jesus knew they had been skunked. He challenges them to cast their net on the other side of the boat for a catch. The catch was 153 fish, so great they could not get it into the boat. Peter, with John’s insight, realizes it was the Lord Jesus, puts on his outer garment and dives into the water and swims 100 yards to the shore and the feet of Jesus. Jesus had already caught some fish Himself and was cooking them over a fire. Jesus tells Peter to bring some of the fish he caught, so Peter rushes back to the shore and single-handed pulls the untorn net to the beach and brings his fish to the breakfast table.

Peter may have not set any records that morning swimming to shore but he was moving in the right direction. I am convinced that though it was only 100 yards that separated Peter and Jesus, it was the longest swim of Peters life. In that single act of faith, he was saying “I want Jesus” more than anything or anyone. I don’t need success, I don’t need my friends right now, I NEED JESUS, I WANT JESUS!

Friends, as you follow my blog I pray you will be encouraged to jump out of your boat and swim to Jesus. He has prepared a meal for you to discuss your future and heal your broken heart and commission you with His love to do His work of helping others to follow Him. You don’t need to walk on water, you just need to learn how to swim in His grace. You don’t need lane lanes, you just need the blue sky of His unconditional love over you. You will surely hit the ‘side walls’ several times but just keep moving toward Him because He is moving toward you! Don’t lose heart, take courage and finish strong!