FOLLOW ME (part one)

But as our hike got longer the burden of walking in the snow got a little harder- I looked back and Linden was still off exploring his own path but Hadley realized that if she followed in my footsteps that the walk was much easier. And so our three paths became two.

As we continued to hike through the snow and the path got a little harder I noticed that there was no longer two tracks but only one. Linden and Hadley were both carefully walking right where I stepped.

They realized that the easiest path to take was to follow in steps of their dad.

Transition to text:

13 times in the gospels Jesus said to his disciples “Follow Me” He doesn’t say make sure you find your way to where I am going He says follow in my footsteps.

This morning as we look at our text in the final chapter of the gospel ofJohn, Jesus gives us a clear picture of what a disciple’s life will look like when they fully commit to following Jesus.”

And the question we will each need to ask ourselves in light of this passage of scripture is “Am I truly Follow Jesus with my Life.”

Before Jesus returns to heaven he wants to teach his disciples Four truths about following Him.

The first lesson Jesus teaches is that as followers of Jesus

Our confidence will not be in our own strength but in the Sovereignty of Christ

Does anyone here like to fish? I LOVE FISHING and

Here in in John 21 we see one of the most epic fishing stories of all time. But in order for us to see the whole story we need to go back to the beginning.

in Matthew chapter 4 Jesus calls 12 men to follow Him and be his disciples.

in verse 19

Matthew 4:19 (ESV)

And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

and then in verse 20 it tells us

Matthew 4:20 (ESV)

Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

The first 4 men Jesus called to follow him where all fisherman. But these guys were not just a group of buddies that were out fishing on the dock after work- this was their life.

These men were professional fishermen, The one thing they would have been really good at was catching fish.

Do you know what these fishermen’s names were? Peter, Andrew, James and John.

When Jesus told these men to follow Him they left what they were confident in doing, to follow after Jesus.

think about your own life- What is the one thing you know you can do and do it well?

for some of you its fixing cars- your good it, you know what it takes to make money doing it .

For some off you it may be accounting its what you know, the numbers just make sense and you are confident that you can always find a job as an accountant because you know your stuff,

That’s where these men were as fisherman, it was their life, and they had great confidents in their ability to make a living catching fish.

But for 3 years these fishermen along with 8 other men left the comfort of their nets and walked and learned from Jesus.

they went where Jesus went, they served the people Jesus served, they saw first hand the miracles he performed, and they sat at that the feet of Jesus and learned all the he taught them.

They followed Jesus all they way up to the point of his death, But when Jesus was arrested and put on trial these men fled and went back to what they knew best.

They went back to what they were confident they could do.

And this brings us to our text in John 21

I encourage you to follow along in your Bible as I read our text today in John 21:2-3

John 21:2–3 (ESV)

Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 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.

While jesus was right there with them life was good they understood what it meant to follow Jesus .

But After Jesus died these professional fisherman where lost and didn’t know what to do so they went back to what they were confident in doing.

They went fishing.

But what happened that night? They didn’t even catch a single fish.

They failed at the one they they knew they were capable of doing.

Can you imagine the frustration these men must have been going through on that boat?

MAYBE SKIP Illustration: I love fishing and Im pretty good at it.

and I can tell you there isn’t a whole lot of things worse than going fishing and not catching a single fish.

growing up my dad would take me and my 2 brothers up to the boundary waters to canoe and fish for a week during the summers.

Our entire purpose of going on that trip was to catch a lot of fish, and because we always caught a lot of fish a big part of our meal plan for the week was eating a lot of fish.

We were all great fisherman so we always had plenty to eat.

But one particular week a cold front came in the day we arrived, and the fish just would not bite. We tried every last lure in our tackle boxes but nothing seemed to ever work. and after a couple of days we were getting very frustrated, not only were we casting and not catching which was the point of our trip, but were were not eating any fish which made us tired & frustrated with one another.

These professional fishermen went out in the boat because they were confident in their own ability to catch fish, but even after working all night long in their own strength, their nets still came up empty.

and if they were anything like me when i dont catch fish all night, they were tired and a little cranky.

But something is about to change. Jesus is about to step into their story

look with me again at our text in John 21: 4-12

John 21:4–12 (ESV)

Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on 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 of the quantity of fish.

That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. 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.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord

As the sun starts to rise and the darkness of night begins to fade away- these fishermen hear a voice from the shore 300 yards away call out with a jabbing Question “ You dont have any fish do you?”

They yelled back “ NO” and then the voice responded “ cast your nets on the other side of the boat and you will find some fish!”

Now I dont really like other people trying to give me advice on my fishing, because I know I’m good at it and I’m confident in my ability to catch fish but for some reason,

These men decided to take the advice from the voice on the shore, Probably because everything else they had done didn't seem to work up to this point.

So they throw their nets on the other side of the boat and as they begin to pull it back in the weight of the net is heavier than one man can handle, and they pull in 153 fish- so many fish that John in that moment realizes that the voice they heard from the shore could only be Jesus.

Because this miraculous catch could only have come from Him.

What a picture Jesus was teaching this men and us today. TO be a follower of jesus means you realize that you cant do what God has called you to do on your own.

Regardless of your own strength, abilities, and experience you are unable to follow Jesus apart from his sovereign work in our lives.

Remember what Jesus said In John 15:5

John 15:5 (ESV)

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Any effort to follow after Jesus in our own strength will be as effective as the disciples fishing that day on the boat.

If we try to serve Christ in our own strength we will fail like a fisherman fishing in a spot without any fish.

Author Josh Wredberg said it this way in his book on John

“You can become an expert in selfish living on your own. If you make instant gratification your ultimate goal, you can succeed in your own strength. No one can stop you from earning a gold medal in self-promotion. On the other hand, if you want to give up your personal comfort for someone else’s eternal good, your effort is not enough. If you want to be a godly wife and a contented mother, you will fail in your own strength. If you desire victory over that area of sin that constantly plagues you, your best intentions will always fall short. All the good you do will be empty and short-lived apart from the effective power of Jesus Christ working in and through you.”

The point is this, our Confidence to follow Christ does not rely on our own strength, but on Christ sovereignty.

The sovereignty of Christ means that Jesus will provide exactly what we need exactly when we need it.

When we follow Christ- We can find pur confidence not in our own ability but in Christ sovereign control over all things.

The second truth Jesus teaches the disciples about following Jesus is that...

Our comfort will not be in our own goodness but in the Grace of Christ

In verse vs 15-17 we will read about an interaction between Peter and Jesus but before we look at this interaction where Jesus offers Peter Grace and Mercy, We need to jump back in our story again.

When it comes to Peter,You never knew quit exactly what he was going to do. Ive always said that out of all the men in the Bible I am most like Peter.

He was always the first one to jump up and tell Jesus how faithful He was going to be. He had no lack of self confidence,

When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water in the middle of a storm the other disciples held on for dear life, but Peter jumped out of the boat to walk to Jesus, When Jesus was arrested the other discipels remained silent but Peter quickly drew his sword and cut the ear off of one of the men who came to arrest Jesus.

Peter was a man who when He put his mind to something he knew he could do it, and there was nothing that could stop him.. and He took great pride in his own Morality.

He was very confident in his ability to follow Jesus.

Church family, the reality is that

Peter was just like many people today- He was banking on his own ability to be good enough to follow Jesus

On the night that Jesus was arrested, In the upper room, Peter told Jesus that he would be loyal to the end, even to the point of death.

and remember what Jesus said to him? Jesus responded by telling Peter that his loyalty wouldn’t even last through the night, but that he would betray Jesus 3 times before the rooster crows in the morning.

I got to believe that when Peter heard jesus tell him that he was going to fail, Peter still believed that he had the power in his own morality to not deny his friend Jesus.

Look with me at Luke’s account of what Peter did the night Jesus was arrested.

Luke 22:54–62 (ESV)

Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Peter in that moment when jesus turned and looked directly at Him He realized that he was not good enough to follow Jesus,.

His reliance on his own morality had been shattered, He failed at what He promised Jesus he would do.

The Bible tells us that there is no one who is good enough to follow Jesus on their own.

Peter needed to be broken of his own morality, Peter needed to realize that even his best effort to follow Jesus still left him short.

but he also needed to be restored.

and its this restoration that Jesus brings to Peter in John 21.

follow along in your Bible as I read the conversion between Peter and jesus in

John 21:9–17 (ESV)

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.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

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.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, 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 everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Did you notice where Jesus invited Peter to Come? Jesus invites Peter back to a charcoal fire.

I think its important for us to note that the only other mention of a coal fire in the gospel is the one Peter stood by when he denied Jesus in that courtyard 3 times. and the last memory Peter has by that charcoal fire- is the look in Jesus’s eyes when that rooster crowed and He realized that he was not good enough to follow Jesus.

I am sure that Peter has been rehearsing that night by the fire over and over again in his mind. “ How could i have denied jesus after I promised him I would be faithful even to the end.” Why didn't I just admit I was His follower when they asked?” I tried so hard to follow Jesus but yet I still failed him. “

Jesus didnt leave Peter in His failure , but He invites him into restoration.

Jesus wants to use Peter’s greatest failure as a way to teach him about his Mercy and Grace .

Jesus’s begins their conversation with a question, He simply says “Simon, son of John,Do you love me more than these other men love me?”

This question is important because before Peter denied Jesus at that fire, this is exactly what Peter had based his ability to follow Jesus on. When He compared himself to others - He knew that he loved jesus more than anyone else, And He responded “I love Jesus more than other people do!”

The point Jesus wanted Peter to see in this question was that “How could someone who denied Jesus three times claim to love Him more than someone else?

Peter’s self-righteous morality had eroded, He believed that he was good enough on his own to follow Jesus anywhere, but yet he still failed , and now he was forced to confront the reality that even he wasn’t good enough.

His love and Passion for jesus was still not good enough for him to stay faithful.

three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved him and All three times Peter responded “yes Lord you know I love you!”

Understand Church that This is the Grace of Jesus at work in Peter’s life.

Peter Failed But Jesus was still offering him something he did not deserve

He believed that His own morality could keep him faithfully following Jesus,

But as the rooster crowed He saw Jesus Turn and look directly at Him, the foundation of his own goodness fell apart.

He could no longer lean on his own self-righteousness because It failed him.

But Jesus didn’t leave Peter in his helpless state.

He didn’t say “Peter You failed! your out! Im moving on to someone who will love me more than you did.” you couldn’t do it your not good enough.”

But instead Jesus offered Peter his mercy and grace

understand church: Jesus had every right as the perfect Son of God to write Peter off and move on, but that is not what Jesus came to Do-

He came to restore Broken People back into a relationship with God

and this is Mercy- Instead of Judgement Jesus forgave and showed Peter compassion.

In mercy Jesus lifted him up and healed his broken heart. No longer was Peter the one doing something to follow Jesus. No longer did Peter have to try and find his comfort in his own ability to follow Jesus .

In Grace Jesus showed Peter unconditional love, He said follow Me not based on who you are but on who I am.

Now Peter’s ability to follow Jesus is based completely on Jesus. Peter didn’t have to do anything to receive Mercy & grace from Jesus . He didn’t do penance. He wasn’t baptized. He wasn’t required to do more good works to outweigh his sin, He did nothing to pay for his failure. why, His debt was paid for him by Jesus on the cross.

The only thing Peter did to receive the Mercy & Grace from Jesus was to respond to Jesus calling Him to come.

Chruch family as followers of Jesus out comfort is not based on our goodness but in Christ’s mercy and Grace.

Christ’s Mercy Means that When we fail—and we will fail—his mercy will restore us.

Christ’s Grace is means that When we fail- and we will fail- his Grace will still use us for His glory. and His grace will still keep our salvation secure in Christ,

This morning we sang the song “His Mercy is more”, Did you hear the words of that Song

What love could remember no wrongs we have done Omniscient, all knowing, He counts not their sum Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore Our sins they are many, His mercy is more.

An Old Puritan Preacher once said “ there is More Mercy in Christ than sin in us”

Our comfort as followers of Jesus is not dependent on our ability to be good enough.

Our comfort rest solely in the TRUTH that there is more Mercy in Jesus than sin in us”and we could never out sin God’s grace and Mercy in our lives.

Bring it Home

To be a follower of Jesus means that we can trust in God’s sovereign plan for our lives.

Romans 8:28 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

God’s plan for his followers is perfect and he does everything for our good,

That means when life is exciting and full of joy, God is doing that for our good.

that means when we lose someone we love it is for our good,

When we find out that we just lost our that God already knew that was going to happen and it was for our good.

And

When We follow Jesus, its not about our own ability to stay faithful, its about Christ in us. He gives us the ability to obey, He gives us the strength to endure, he gives us the desire to do what is right.

if you are here this morning trying to follow Jesus on your own goodness you will fail just like Peter

SALVAZTIN IVITATION>>>>>>>><>

In His mercy, God through Jesus does not give us the punishment we do deserve called hell; and in His grace, God through Jesus freely gives us the gift we do not deserve, called heaven.

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