John 21
Notes
Transcript
Loving Restoration
Loving Restoration
I. Fishing for Purpose
I. Fishing for Purpose
II. Fishing for Peter
II. Fishing for Peter
III. Fishing for People
III. Fishing for People
I. Fishing for Purpose
I. Fishing for Purpose
1a After these things...
After what things? The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
And…after Peter had denied the Lord 3 times…and I’ll bet you almost anything, Peter was getting hit with condemnation!
1b Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias {aka Sea of Galilee}, 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. {there were 7 of them} 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.
In the Greek language, when Peter says he’s going fishing (v. 3), it’s in the aorist tense which speaks of a whole or completed action, and it basically means, he’s leaving the ministry and going back to the fishing business.
As a matter of fact, Kenneth Wuest the Greek scholar, translates it like this, “Simon Peter says to them, I am going off to my former fishing business, breaking my connections.”
Peter was disconnecting, condemned, confused, and definitely at a crossroads in life.
Peter was also a natural leader, so in the process he led 6 other Apostles away, fishing that day, and maybe for the rest of their days.
Thank God they caught nothing that night. Bummer, huh? imagine fishing all night…and catching nothing. 7 experienced fishermen!
But we’re about to see, that disappointments are God’s appointments.
Maybe the reason things aren’t going all the well in whatever boat you’re in, in whatever you’re currently doing, is because God has ministry for you to do.
There will always be a rival. Were you made to make money? Were you fashioned only to have fun? Go fishing? Or were you saved to serve?
What’s your purpose?
Watch what happens...
4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5a Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”
Other translations reveal that Jesus knew they weren’t doing too well. “You don’t have any fish do you?”
5b 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. {imagine that!} 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. {he started swimming} 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), {100 yards} 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.
What’s going on here? The disciples are drifting away…floating downstream, and Jesus is going fishing. He did the same with the 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24). He’s not only a fisherman, He’s a Shepherd, the Good Shepherd (Luke 15:1-7) and goes after those sheep who stray.
The enemy is all about condemnation, but Jesus is all about restoration.
In this epilogue of John, that epic morning. Jesus shows up. At first they don’t know it’s Jesus, perhaps they think it’s someone interested in buying some fish from their new business. At first He asks, but then He advises; maybe they thought He could see the fish in the sea, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”
They cast the net, and wow! There were so many fish they couldn’t get the net in the boat.
John, who was the most spiritually sensitive among them, immediately knew it was the Lord he...tells Peter, “It’s the Lord.”
Peter doesn’t need any further proof, he dives in and swims a 100 yards to shore - forgetting the fish as well as the fellas - as far as he’s concerned, the boat might take too long, he longs for the Lord.
I’ll bet almost anything he recalled how Christ had called him in the very beginning!
So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
All this is rolling through Peter’s mind.
He had left his nets, but now he’s getting caught up in the old life.
Part of it may have been fun of fishing, or maybe it was the financial part of fishing, but I’ll bet it was more than just the fun and finances, I’ll bet another part of it was his failure. He had denied the Lord 3 times, how can he possibly be in ministry?
Now, I don’t want to add to the Bible or read into the text, but since Peter beat the boat back to shore…you wonder, was it awkward For Peter? Did he and Jesus embrace?
The Lord had already appeared to the Apostles twice together, and He’d appeared to Peter alone, which is significant.
We read in:
saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”
and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.
The Bible doesn’t give us any more information on that incident, what that personal appearance to Peter consisted of. No doubt Jesus had spoken with Peter - words that would be sufficient.
We even read in John 20:22 that he’d been sent, just as the Father sent the Son…commissioned by Christ!
And yet here‘s Peter willing to leave His calling from Christ, and go fishing for good.
Thank God Jesus didn’t give up on Peter! Thank God he’s not only the God of the second chance, but the third chance, the fourth, the fifth chance, the fat chance, when no one else would have given him another chance, Jesus appears with breakfast by the sea.
He has some fish on the coals; He asks the guys to bring the fish they just caught.
We discover how strong Peter is, there in v. 21, Peter goes and singlehandedly drags the net close, which must have weighed a ton, with 153 “large” fish (these weren’t sardines).
Just as a quick side-note, it’s interesting that the number of fish was given - 153 (Barclay)
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.
He invited them to come and eat.
It must have been the best breakfast ever - the resurrected Lord.
What a difference Jesus makes! They were just about to row in with nothing - a wasted night may very have led to a wasted life.
But now they’re having breakfast by the sea, with Jesus (a time in Israel)
He cooked for them, and He served them. (Supper of the Lamb)
(The third time - at the testimony of 2 or 3 witnesses)
Matthew 18:16 (NKJV) “But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’”
(Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15)
I. Fishing for Purpose
I. Fishing for Purpose
II. Fishing for Peter
II. Fishing for Peter
15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
Even though Jesus loves all the disciples equally, He needs to deal with Peter personally.
(Simon, son of Jonah…?) (Other than this section, it’s a phrase used only 1 other time - John 1:42 - Is it a coincidence? It seems that Peter is running from his calling, as Jonah was?)
First a though on Identification, and then the core question. “Peter, do you love Me more than these?”
I’ve always told you, “The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.” But we also need to know that the matter of the heart is the matter of love.”
A love for God. Do you really…do I really love God? (1 John 4:19)
That’s the start, and that’s the heart of ministry.
Ministry is a matter of love! Love for Jesus!
Warren Wiersbe, “The most important thing in ministry is loving Christ, for all ministry flows from that.”
Do you love Me more than “these?” What are “these?” (the fish? the fishing? the others? more than the others? - Peter had boasted - Matthew 26:33, 35)
Not sure, but ultimately it means the question eventually needs to be answered, “Do I love Him more than anyone or anything else?”
Pastor Chuck, “Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him supremely. To serve Jesus, we need to love Him more than anything else. We need to ask ourselves if there is anything in our lives more important than our relationship with Jesus.”
Peter said yes to Christ’s question about love; the Bible however has a different Greek word (agape and phileo) Peter lowered the love (he was just being honest) still love, but not the same.
I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
How do we know if we love God? We obey Him.
(John 14:21, 23)
Hence, the commands:
Feed My Lambs
Feed = Bosko (βόσκω, 1006), used of a shepherd and his sheep; to feed, to provide food; it actually comes from a word that means to nourish.
Peter’s job, which is descriptive of a pastor’s job is to feed the flock the Word of God.
(Lamb - young sheep, newbies)
There’s a big difference between refried manna from man, and fresh manna a from heaven. Between the word of God and the word of men - or worse. Between deviled eggs and heavenly hash.
Amos 8:11 (NKJV)
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God, “That I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.”
(Jesus - teaching, preaching, and healing)
Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.
(And they belonged to Jesus - MY sheep)
The most precious commodity on planet earth.
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
Jesus asks again, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” It probably disturbed Peter that He asked again.
Peter responds again; it would be more accurate if it read, “Yes, Lord; You know that I like You.” Just being honest. (Psalm 18:1)
Jesus then responds, differently than He did the first time, He tells Peter to, “Tend My sheep.”
The Lambs would grow to Sheep, the duty of the Shepherd is not only to feed them, but to lead them to green pastures, to lead them to the Lord, to lead them to heaven.
poimaino (ποιμαίνω, 4165), “to act as a shepherd” (from poimen, “a shepherd”), is used (a) literally, Luke 17:7, RV, “keeping sheep,” for KJV, “feeding cattle”; 1 Cor. 9:7, (b) metaphorically, “to tend, to shepherd”; said of Christ Matt. 2:6, RV, “shall be Shepherd of” (for KJV, “shall rule”); of those who act as spiritual shepherds under Him, John 21:16, RV, “tend” (for KJV “feed”), so 1 Pet. 5:2; Acts 20:28, “to feed” (“to tend” would have been a consistent rendering; a shepherd does not only “feed” his flock);
The lesson to be learnt, as Trench points out (Syn. Sec.xxv), is that, in the spiritual care of God’s children, the “feeding” of the flock from the Word of God is the constant and regular necessity; it is to have the foremost place. The tending (which includes this) consists of other acts, of discipline, authority, restoration, material assistance of individuals, but they are incidental in comparison with the “feeding.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
How many times did Peter deny the Lord? 3 times. So Jesus asks Peter 3 times, it wasn’t to rub salt into his wound, it was necessary for complete restoration.
This special nod to Peter hints at his full restoration despite his extraordinary breach of faith. Jesus does not give up on His disciples, no matter how great their failure or how many their faults.
David E. Garland
In the Greek text Jesus comes down to Peter’s level this third time, Peter do you phileo Me?
Peter was grieved, wow, 3 times! The restoration hadn’t yet hit home in his heart, but still he was being honest - and he had actually come to an important realization:
Lord, You know all things; You know that I phileo You.
How does it make you feel, to know the Lord knows the level of love we have for Him - if any? (Something to think about)
Feed My Lambs
Tend My Sheep
Feed My Sheep
18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” 19a This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God.
19 b And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” 20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” 23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”
Start Serving Jesus
Be Ready to Die Like Jesus
Always follow Jesus
I. Fishing for Purpose
I. Fishing for Purpose
II. Fishing for Peter
II. Fishing for Peter
III. Fishing for People
III. Fishing for People
24 This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. 25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
We have a slight advantage because we have God on our side, we have God on the inside, and we have truth in our side.
The Gospel is true!
but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
(Gospel)