Untitled Sermon

Introduction

Funny Story about being a follower

13 times in the gospels Jesus said to his disciples “Follow Me”

He called them out from their way of life into a new relationship with him.

and each of these men that Jesus called to follow him left what they were doing and followed after Jesus.

Jesus says the same thing to each of us as his disciples today- he simply says if you are my disciple “ Follow ME”

“leave your old way of doing things and follow after me”

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 willing to Follow Jesus with my Life.” Am I willing to follow Jesus with my Actions and not just my words.

The first mark of a follower of Jesus is that

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

The first 4 men Jesus called to follow him where all fisherman

Story about being a master fisherman-

in Matthew 4 Jesus is speaking to a group of Fishermen and he said

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.

These fishermen’s names were Peter, Andrew, James and John.

When Jesus told these men to follow Him they left what they Knew and were good to follow after Jesus

These men along with the other 8 disciples, left everything to follow after Jesus. And for 3 years that is all they did.

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 he was no longer walking right beside them they all went back to what they knew best.

Look with me at 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.

These men were not hobby fishermen, They were professionals. Before they followed Jesus they all made their living catching fish. The point is this these men knew how to catch fish.

and after Jesus is gone - Peter says to the other fisherman - Im going back to what I know how to do- I’m going fishing.

So these men jump in a boat and go out to one of their fishing spots, but they cant even catch a single fish, the one thing that they are the best at doing.

Can you imagine the frustration these men must have been going through.

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

growing up my dad would take me and my 2 brothers up to the boundary waters to canoe and fish for a week. Our entire purpose of going on that trip was to catch a lot of fish. and because we catch a lot of fish a big part of our meal plan was eating a lot of fish.

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

But one particular week we couldn’t seem to get any fish to bite. We tried every last lure in our tackle boxes but nothing seemed to ever work out. 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.

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 they were tired and a little cranky.

But something is about to change.

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- they 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!”

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 the 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. We cant do what God has called us to do on our own. Regardless of our own strength, abilities, and experience We 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.

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

Exalting Jesus in John (Our Confidence Will Not Be in Our Own Strength but in the Sovereignty of Christ)

“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 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, When we follow Christ we dont need to rely on our own strength, because Jesus will provide exactly what we need exactly when we need it.

The second thing we can see about a follower of Jesus from this text is that

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

In verse vs 15-17 we read about an interaction between Peter and Jesus

John 21:15–17 ESV

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.

This is one of the greatest stories that illustrate God’s Grace towards mankind.

Peter 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 they saw Jesus walking on the water He jumped out of the boat to walk to Jesus, and when Jesus was arrested he quickly struck the servant with a sword cutting off his ear,.

Peter was a man who when He put his mind to something he knew he could do it, and He took great pride in his own Morality.

In his mind he believed that he was good enough to follow after Jesus, He believed that he had enough strength in himself to do what Jesus had asked him to do.

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

He believed that he was good enough to not fail at following Jesus on his own.

On the night that Jesus was arrested, 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.

But we know the story....

Look with me at Lukes 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 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 he would do.

Peter needed to be broken of his own morality, 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 our text

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 coal 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. and the last memory Peter has by that charcoal fire- is the look in Jesus’s eyes when that rooster crowd.

I am sure that The smell of that charcoal burning would have been a reminder to Peter of His greatest failure in following 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?”

Jesus full of Mercy and full of Grace, invites Peter into restoration.

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

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 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!”

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

Up to this point Peter believed that he was strong enough to follow Jesus on His own.

He found his comfort in his own ability to follow Jesus because he compared his love for Jesus to other peoples love for jesus.

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

But When he denied Jesus 3 times in that one night , 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.” you couldn’t do it your not good enough.

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

In mercy Jesus lifted Peter up and healed his broken heart. No longer was Peter the one doing something to follow Jesus. No longer was Peters ability to follow based on his own goodness.

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. His debt was paid for him by Jesus.

The only thing Peter did to receive the Mercy 7 Grace from Jesus was to respond to Jesus calling Him to come.

Jesus used Peter’s greatest failure because he wanted him to understand that The Path Jesus calls His followers to walk is not one of their own goodness but a path of His Grace.

Christ’s mercy is our comfort. When we fail—and we will fail—his mercy will restore us.

Christ’s Grace is our comfort. When we fail- and we will fail- his Grace will still use us for His glory

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.

It also means that when we go through the deepest darkest trials, God is still sovereignly in control and He is doing it for our good.

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

In His mercy, God does not give us punishment we deserve, namely hell; while in His grace, God gives us the gift we do not deserve, namely heaven.