John 21:12

April 30, 2000 am

The dandelion is my favorite flower. In fact, when I die I want dandelions at my funeral. They are the most rejected flower in the world. Many of us have tried so hard to rid ourselves of that pesky plant. We eat them, put them in wine, and even try to spray round-up on them but they keep coming back.

Someone once said that the dandelion is just simply a misplaced flower. A flower that doesn’t know that it isn’t supposed to be in the grass. We have hacked at that poor plant but like a bad penny it just keeps turning up. A misplaced flower that no one wants; a misplaced flower that we can’t seem to get rid of.

I want them at my funeral. I want everyone to know that like the dandelion my life is a misplaced flower. I don’t belong, I don’t quite fit in, and there have been those who have hacked at my life. But that’s alright, as Christians we have this all-surpassing power in these jars of clay. And as a dandelion Christian we have beauty and purpose.

Last week we celebrated a risen Savior. We celebrated, not a crucified Lord, but a risen Lord. I have been to church on many Easter Sundays. I wonder, how many Easter Sundays have you been in church? Got them figured out?

I have been to church for over 22 years. You might figure that I have been to 22 Easter Sundays. Not quite right. I did attend church as a child so we will say 25 years of church attendance. So you could say that I have been to 25 Easter Sunday celebrations.

Not quite right. You see, I figure that I have been to over 1250 Easter Sunday celebrations. You see, in the early Christian tradition, Christians met on the first day of the week, some may have even had to work out details with their boss, maybe skip work in order to be to someone’s house to celebrate the risen Savior. Every Sunday is Easter Sunday. Every Sunday is a celebration of Christ’s resurrection.

In fact, there are some scholars who consider Easter Sunday as the eighth day of creation.

Today we celebrate the risen Lord. Today Christ is alive. And today He wants to be alive in you.

Here were the disciples toiling in their fishing boats. Back to doing what they only knew how to do. Sure Christ was risen from the dead but within their spirits they were disheartened.

Perhaps today you are disheartened. Maybe the past week has been a disappointing week. Problems, circumstances, and situations have gotten you down. Family issues have beaten you up.

Jesus says to come and dine.

Maybe you are disillusioned. You want to believe that Christ is risen. You want to know for sure that God is real. But the world’s philosophy has confused you.

Jesus says to “Come and dine.”

Maybe today you are disappointed. Disappointed in others or society or maybe disappointed in yourself.

Jesus says to you “Come and dine.”

There is something special about the way that Jesus apporaches us. He comes to the disciples in such an unassuming way. Here they are, out there struggling to do their work and Jesus tells them to cast their nets on the other side. They arrive to shore and here he is cooking bread and fish for them.

Jesus is the servant of servants. and he wants to serve them

And he wants to serve you.

Our lives get so filled with clutter. We do the right things but yet there is so much thrown at us. Our mind pails get filled but we never seem to ever be able to empty them.

A few weeks ago I forgot to set out the trash. Every Friday is pick-up day and I forgot. What can I say.

I got to thinking: What’s so bad about our trash? There is nothing innately wrong with my garbage. That tuna fish can was perfectly functional as it sat on our pantry shelf. That milk jug had no problems sitting in the fridge full of milk. The coffee filter was okay as were the coffee grounds.

But something happened. They got used. And their usefulness ceased.

There is nothing wrong with “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” Nothing wrong with watching a hockey game. Nothing wrong with the day to day work or activities that we do. But what happens is our minds become cluttered and our spiritual vision becomes cloudy.

That is why I like retreats and campmeeting. These are opportunities of not just meeting with other Christian friends but a time when we can cleanse ourselves of the clutter that develops in our lives.

Jesus took time off to get away so that his mind could clear. Every family needs to take time for one another regularly. But more so, families need to take breaks from the hum-drum of life.

And as Christians, we need to take a break and get away and cleanse our minds with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus says to us this morning, come and dine.

“Come to me all you who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest.”

We busy ourselves getting to this ball game or that recital. We run ourselves silly and what Christ wants to do for us is give us rest.

Jesus calls to us today: “Come and dine.”