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Everyone deserves a second chance. This is a saying I’ve heard since I was a little boy. Actually as a little boy, I thought I had invented this saying, I employed it so frequently. I’m not sure everyone deserves a second chance, but we all want one.

When it was determined to move Easter back to the church this year, after 10 years at Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater, we knew we wanted a theme. We decided on Easter 2006: A Second Chance based on the scripture for today, which we shall hear shortly. However, misapplications of this theme have multiplied over the past few weeks. One of our Easter Steering Committee members went so far as to say, “Kip, this is your second chance to deliver an Easter sermon.” That is not what this theme is about, but I have looked forward to this second chance. Everyone wants a second chance.

Emily Gibbs wanted a second chance in Thornton Wilder’s play, “Our Town”. Emily had died in childbirth and restlessly took her place in the cemetery of Grover ’s Corners, New Hampshire . In a moment of silence it came to her that one could go back and experience a second time a day of her choice. She chose her twelfth birthday. The problem is she can only watch life being lived with all of its misplaced priorities. She protests to her mother who can’t hear her, “Mama, just for a moment we’re happy. Let’s look at each other.” Remorse sets in as Emily announces, “I didn’t realize. All that was going on in life and we never noticed.” It was Wilder’s plea for the audience to accept a second chance.

Everyone may not deserve a second chance or even want a second chance, but I firmly believe everyone needs a second chance. Have I got good news for you. Today is Easter and Easter is a day for second chances. Listen to how many second chances take place in the first nineteen verses of John 21, found on page 115 of your New Testament. Hear now the word of the Lord.

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberius ; and he showed himself in this way. 2 Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, * Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 3 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.

4  Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, ‘Children, you have no fish, have you?’ They answered him, ‘No.’ 6 He said to them, ‘Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the lake. 8 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards * off.

9   When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.’ 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

15   When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ 16 A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ 17 He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.’ 19 (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’

The word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God.

In this passage John recorded for his readers the resurrection restoration of a reluctant disciple.

This passage is full of second chances for Simon Peter, the apostles, and as we look at it closely for us on this Easter Sunday. Everyone needs a second chance.

Easter offers a second chance at excitement.

The story begins with a less than exciting way: seven guys sitting around with apparently nothing to do. When one of them says, “I’m going fishing.” The others tag along. No excitement yet. They fished all night and caught nothing. Not very exciting, I can assure you. Then to make matters worse a spectator shows up on the shoreline, apparently well rested and fresh, a stark contrast to their sleep deprived, grumpy state. “Hey guys, you haven’t caught anything, have you?”

The question expects a negative response and it gets one. “No.” They said without elaboration or excitement.

The bystander apparently sees something they do not, “Cast your net on the right side. You’ll catch something.”

Excitement!! The net pulls and jerks in every direction. 153 fish! All keepers! Now it would be good to note that n ever in the gospels do the disciple catch fish without Jesus. Now remember when Jesus first met the disciples there was a miraculous catch, so that the net tore, but this was a second chance. The net held. John whispered to Peter, “It’s the Lord!”

Excitement!! Peter jumped in the water and swam to Jesus. The first time they met Peter said, “Get away from me, for I’m a sinful man!” But this is a second chance; he got there as fast as he could.

When was the last time you were excited? Chelsea and Zachary, my children, went to a concert at Reed Arena Wednesday night. They wanted to stand on the floor to experience fully the music. The only problem was the music was way up there, on stage, and they were way back there, in the back. The band convinced everyone on the floor to make a human whirlpool. You remember doing that in a pool, don’t you? Everyone runs around in a big circle as fast as you can and a whirlpool is formed. Well, it was kind of like that – without the water. They said it was exciting, though their mother listened in terror. Of course, it did not last long and everyone fell, but when my children stood up, they found that they had been swept to the front of the stage only a few feet from the musicians. Excitement!

When was the last time you were “Jump up and down, scream your lungs out, tearing up” excited? Everyone needs a second chance at that. Easter offers a second chance at excitement as we get swept up in the miracle and find ourselves whispering, shouting, and crying with excitement. “It’s the Lord!”

Easter also offers a second chance at Exchange, A Fireside Chat.

John pointed out that a charcoal fire was already burning by the Messiah. John only used this phrase, “a charcoal fire,” twice. Once here on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and one time before in the courtyard of Caiaphas in John 18:18. It was by that earlier fire that Peter denied knowing Jesus – three times. But this was a day for second chances. After a bountiful breakfast of fish and bread (not the first such meal with their master – remember the time Jesus fed 5,000 with a meal of fish and bread); after a bountiful breakfast of fish and bread, Jesus offered Simon Peter a second chance at an exchange, a fireside chat.

“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” At the last supper in John 13, Peter told Jesus, even if all the others abandoned him, he would stand firm. Of course, it was that night that he denied knowing Jesus.

“Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus asked him again, “Do you love me?”

Peter answered again, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Then a third time, even as Peter had been asked three times by the other fire, Jesus asked, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Now some point out that this passage contains two words for love, agape and phileo, but I think John just likes synonyms. I think the point is that Peter had messed up severely and until he could get past that, he wouldn’t be able to do what Jesus needed him to do. Don Francisco captured this beautifully in his song, “He’s Alive.” The story is told from Peter’s perspective. When he was perplexed by the empty tomb he says:  

Oh something strange had happened there / Just what I did not know
John believed a miracle / But I just turned to go
Circumstance and speculation / Couldn't lift me very high
'Cause I'd seen them crucify Him / Then I saw Him die

Back inside the house again / The guilt and anguish came
Everything I'd promised Him / Just added to my shame
When at last it came to choices / I denied I knew His name
And even if He was alive / It wouldn't be the same

Everyone needs a second chance. Sometimes exchanges don’t go as we had hoped and we want a do-over. Let’s try that again. I hollered to Tommy the other day while preparing this sermon, “Honey, can you remember a time when I’ve said something that I wished I had a second chance?”

She laughed and said, “How about the first time you met me?”

“No, I don’t want to tell them about that.”

“How about when you referred to a kid in that one youth group as ‘huge’?”

“No, I don’t want to tell them about that.”

“How about in the middle of last year’s Easter at the Creek when you blew your nose into the microphone, not knowing it was on?”

“Never mind.” I said.

Everyone needs a second chance.Some of us more than others, but we all need a second chance at an exchange so that we might say what we really wanted to say. Easter is a day for second chances. Easter offers a second chance for an exchange. “Do you love Jesus?”

Easter offers a second chance at expectations.

Every time Simon Peter professed his love for the risen Christ, expectations for service were put forth. “Tend my lambs, shepherd my sheep, tend my sheep.” It is obvious that our love for Jesus and our service to others are inextricably linked. One cannot love Jesus without caring for those whom Jesus loves. Peter is given a second chance at living up to the expectations of Jesus and this story ends the same way it began. Jesus’ last words spoken to Peter in the book of John are two – “follow me”. This is his second chance to follow Jesus, but this time he is to follow The Messiah not Peter’s version of his Messiah. From day one people had been trying to change Christ’s course. They knew what the Messiah was supposed to look like and Jesus often violated that image. No, Peter must follow Him as He is. Humble, yet a king; servant, yet a master; crucified, yet risen.

A couple of weeks ago Tammy and I went to a conference sponsored Marriage Renewal Retreat. At the retreat we were shown two clips from one of my favorite movies, “Family Man” with Nicolas Cage and Téa Leoni. The first clip was of the two main characters, fresh out of college at an airport. They are going separate ways to complete their education and pursue their dreams. The woman begs the man not to go. She tells him to forget all those aspirations. “I choose us.” she exclaims.

He does not change his plans and life leads them away from each other – until he gets a second chance to see what might have been. Once he sees a life of love, commitment and priorities properly placed, he pursues the character played by Téa Leoni. Though years have passed since they left for their dreams, he begs her to reconsider life with him. “I choose us.” he says with the resolve a man given a second chance, “I choose us.”

Today is Easter, a day of second chances. Are you ready to choose Jesus, live up to his expectations? Oh it’s not an easy life. Jesus doesn’t’ promise that, but it’s a good life. It’s exciting; it’s filled with meaningful exchanges.

Poor Emily Gibbs, up on Cemetery Hill in Grover’s Corners, aware of missed opportunities, but unable to do anything about it, out of second chances. Oh, but today is Easter, a day for second chances and everyone needs a second chance. Amen.

Amen.