Nothing Without Jesus

Ever been in a dead zone with no cell signal? Life without Jesus is like having no bars – no connection, no communication, and you're left feeling lost!

This is a great picture of our life with Christ. Apart from Christ, there is little we can do. In fact, when it comes to things of the Spirit, we truly cannot do it without Jesus.

The most enduring legacies are the ones rooted in the person of Jesus Christ—where every chapter of our lives, of our relationships, from start to finish, is empowered by His Spirit, written with His wisdom and motivated by His love.

Isaac to read John 21:1-19

John 21:1–19 ESV

1 After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 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 as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 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. 7 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. 8 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. 9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out 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, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 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. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed 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.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 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.” 17 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. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

In this chapter, John talks about events similar to those in Luke 5:1–11 (call of the first disciples), encouraging readers to compare and contrast the two events. Like in Luke 5:5, in John 21:3, the disciples catch nothing after a night of fishing. The early morning's dim light makes it hard for them to recognize Jesus by the shore (v. 4). They are about a hundred meters away from Jesus (v. 8), and the distance and darkness contribute to their uncertainty.

Jesus asks if they caught any fish, and they say no (v. 5). Just like in Luke 5:4, in John 21:6, Jesus instructs them to let down the nets again. Similar to Luke 5:5–6, the nets are filled with so many fish in John 21:6 that they can't be brought into the boat.

The parallels with Luke 5:1–11 may have helped John recognize Jesus in John 21:7. As soon as John tells Peter, Peter quickly puts on his clothes and swims ashore, while the others bring the net to the shore (v. 8).

This story is about Jesus showing his power after coming back to life. He helps his disciples catch a lot of fish by giving them instructions. When they reach the shore, they find that Jesus has already prepared a fire and has fish and bread ready. This reminds them of a past event where Peter had denied knowing Jesus. Jesus invites them to bring some of the fish they caught, and together, they share a meal.

In verses 15-19, Peter, who had said he didn't know Jesus three times before, gets a chance from Jesus to show his love three times. Even though it might have been hard for Peter, it turned out to be good for him. This opportunity helped Peter make up for the mistake he made before and fix things. In this meeting, Jesus wants Peter to understand that loving Him means taking care of everyone who follows Him. Jesus also tells Peter that because of his love, Peter might have to give up his life for Him. Now, Jesus is helping Peter make a fresh promise to love and help Jesus and His followers.

DISCUSSION

Discuss how you balance the demands of everyday life with maintaining a strong connection to your faith in Jesus.

Share an experience when your faith in Jesus helped you navigate a challenging situation.

How do you hope your faith in Jesus will shape the legacy you leave for future generations?

If we genuinely want to do good and leave a positive impact, it's critical to depend on Jesus through His Spirit with us. Without Him, our efforts won’t bear fruit to create a meaningful legacy.

We must identify ourselves to the risen Lord and King, Jesus Christ.

John recounts the events in this chapter, encouraging readers to compare them with a similar story in Luke 5:1–11. By drawing parallels, John likely have recognized Jesus in John 21:7, connecting the two occurrences.

Just as John likely connected the dots of the 2 fruitless fishing events to the person of Jesus, we too must recognise the spiritual principle that only through the person of Jesus.

Galatians 3:27–28 ESV

27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 12:27 ESV

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

We were once enemies of God and now heirs and co-heirs in Christ.

Peter denied but Jesus presents a second chance for Peter to show his love for Him.

In Jesus we are now…

Romans 8:17 ESV

17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Jeremiah 16 talks about The Chaldeans were known for hunting, similar to how the Egyptians were known for fishing. This description emphasizes the Chaldeans' effectiveness in capturing the Jews, like an angler catching fish or a hunter pursuing animals into every hiding place. Interestingly, the same imagery is used positively when talking about the Jews' restoration. It suggests that just as their enemies were used by God for their downfall, the same enemies would play a role in their restoration (referencing Ezekiel 47:9,10). In a spiritual sense, individuals who were once enemies (some of them literal fishermen) were chosen by God to spread the message of salvation, "catching men" for a new life (referencing Matthew 4:19, Luke 5:10, Acts 2:41, 4:4). This reflects a broader theme of God using unlikely sources for both judgment and redemption.

The pattern of God doing things for His people on the “3rd day”

Gen 22 3rd day Abraham sees where Isaac is to be sacrificed

Exo 19 God descends upon Mt Sinai

Book of Esther, on the 3rd day Queen Esther appears to the king and pleads for her people.

In the Gospels and 1 Cor 15 , Jesus is raised on the 3rd day.

So in the 3rd appearance of Jesus conveys a “full circle” of His calling in us, when we fall off, God displays His mercy and grace through Jesus.

Shape a fruitful legacy guided by the wisdom of Jesus.

“throw your net on the other side…” v6

It was not a mere command, but rather an invitation to trust the wisdom of Jesus that encompasses even the unknown, beyond our observable world.

This is a daily invitation of God in every one’s lives, be guided, be shaped by His wisdom in our daily dealings in order to bear fruits that matters in the kingdom of God.

James 1:5 ESV

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Proverbs 2:6 ESV

6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

The wisdom of Jesus compels us to change our perspective of how to live in this world and into the kingdom of God that has come.

Mark 10:17–25; Luke 18:18–25) “kingdom of God”

Believe in the power of His Spirit.

There is no evidence that Peter and others went to Galilee “just to fish - pass time”; instead, it's likely they went in anticipation to meet Jesus after resurrection,Peter had already seen the risen Jesus by this time Mark 14:28 . However, the actions and dialogue during the fishing expedition don't seem consistent with a group on a Spirit-empowered mission. The atmosphere lacks the joy, assurance, and sense of mission seen in the early church after receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Just as the disciples “went out fishing” caught nothing all night. Jesus told them to cast the net on the other side of the boat, they caught so much that the net is at tearing point. Just as John likely connected the dots of the 2 fruitless fishing events to the person of Jesus, we too must recognise the spiritual principle that unfruitfulness is transformed to fruitfulness in the presence of Jesus.

We may be following Jesus but ignoring/denying the Holy Spirit’s power, our new lives in Him would be of constant struggles, frustrations and unfruitfulness.

1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Romans 15:13 ESV

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Without Jesus, life leads to meaninglessness.

Without Jesus, our legacies become mere self-glorification or self-satisfaction.

Without Jesus, we are nothing in eternity.

Our lives can feel messed up because of mistakes and wrongdoing, but when you believe in God's forgiveness through Jesus, He gives you life everlasting and life to the full now. This means you can recover and follow God's good plan. Instead of trying to find meaning in things around us, we can be completely satisfied in God, who made us and saved us.

When we're satisfied in Jesus alone, we can start building a legacy empowered by His Spirit, written in His wisdom and motivated by His love as a way of believing and loyalty to Jesus Christ.

this is the 3rd time Jesus showed himself after resurrection which holds significance.

Without the working of the Spirit, people would not see Jesus.

Rom 3 - no one seeks after God, the natural person doesn’t accept the things of God.

John–Acts 21:1–14. The 153 Fish

John does not provide enough information by which we could criticize Peter and the others for going fishing (21:3). There is no indication that by doing so Peter and the others meant to abandon the task Jesus had given them. Since we have not been given an exhaustive account of everything Jesus or the disciples said and did (cf. 20:30), we are not in a position to suggest that their fishing shows that they have lost faith or are neglecting their calling. Waiting for Jesus to send the Spirit in power, they go fishing to provide for themselves and their families until their new responsibilities become clear.

The Gospel according to John A. Jesus Appears to His Disciples by the Sea (21:1–14)

The truth is probably between the two, but a good deal closer to the latter. There is no evidence that Peter and the others had gone to Galilee in order to fish. The most reasonable assumption is that they went in obedience to the Lord’s command (Mk. 14:28; 16:7 par.). Moreover by this time Peter himself had seen the risen Lord (Lk. 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5), a point confirmed by the fact that Peter so quickly threw himself into the water and swam for shore as soon as the identity of the man of the shore was pointed out. This does not read like the action of someone who is running away.

But if Peter and his friends have neither apostasized nor sunk into despair, this fishing expedition and the dialogue that ensues do not read like the lives of men on a Spirit-empowered mission. It is impossible to imagine any of this taking place in Acts, after Pentecost. There is a certain eagerness for the risen Jesus, still strangely halting as the reality of Jesus’ resurrection is still sinking in. But most emphatically this is not the portrait of believers who have received the promised Paraclete. There is neither the joy nor the assurance, not to mention the sense of mission and the spirit of unity, that characterize the church when freshly endowed with the promised Spirit. It is this ‘tone’ in the chapter that confirms the exegesis of 20:22, given above, and authenticates the chapter as part of the original Gospel.

“I am going fishing… we will go with you”… Peter may have grown tired or overwhelmed with the recent events (Jesus’ death) and resorted back to what he naturally knew - fishing. This wasn’t a “past time” but a decision to go back to his old life.

Build your relationships around the inheritance we have in Jesus

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (New Testament)

The basic premise of inheritance presented in the Old Testament informs New Testament usage. In the New Testament, God’s eternal kingdom became the promised inheritance of all the redeemed (Heb 9:15).

New Testament writers vary in their identification of the inheritance of the redeemed:

• (Luke 10:25–28) “Eternal life”

• (Mark 10:17–25; Luke 18:18–25) “kingdom of God”

• (Heb 1:14) “Salvation”

• (1 Pet 3:7) “The grace of life”

life in the flesh - doing it on our own, is not a worthwhile legacy devoid of Jesus’ legacy . It’s easy to strategise without consulting God first, it’s our default to make impulsive decisions without concerns for God’s will and power. Apart from God we truly are nothing.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary New Testament

However, the principal view throughout the New Testament is that God, in His grace (Acts 20:32), redeems by “the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5 ESV) poured out in the blood of Jesus Christ (Eph 1:7) and His resurrection from the dead (1 Pet 1:3–4).

Those redeemed by God’s grace—whether Jews, Gentiles, or women (who were a lower class in the time)—become in Christ heirs of God (Eph 3:6; 1 Pet 3:7; Gal 4:4–7). As fellow heirs with Christ, they gain a share in an “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading” inheritance kept in heaven by God (1 Pet 1:4 ESV; Rom 8:17). Conversely, the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9–11; Gal 5:19–21; Eph 5:5). Through the incarnation, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Christians become rightful heirs to a kingdom which is fully realized only in God’s eternal reign (Heb 11:9–10; 1 Pet 1:4–5).

Pause - ask God for dependence.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 16

fishers … hunters—successive invaders of Judea (Am 4:2; Hab 1:14, 15). So “net” (Ez 12:13). As to “hunters,” see Ge 10:9; Mic 7:2. The Chaldees were famous in hunting, as the Egyptians, the other enemy of Judea, were in fishing. “Fishers” expresses the ease of their victory over the Jews as that of the angler over fishes; “hunters,” the keenness of their pursuit of them into every cave and nook. It is remarkable, the same image is used in a good sense of the Jews’ restoration, implying that just as their enemies were employed by God to take them in hand for destruction, so the same shall be employed for their restoration (Ez 47:9, 10). So spiritually, those once enemies by nature (fishermen many of them literally) were employed by God to be heralds of salvation, “catching men” for life (Mt 4:19; Lu 5:10; Ac 2:41; 4:4); compare here Je 16:19, “the Gentiles shall come unto thee” (2 Co 12:16).

Fishers of men allusions from OT in light of Jesus

Jeremiah 16:16 ESV

16 “Behold, I am sending for many fishers, declares the Lord, and they shall catch them. And afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks.

Feed my sheep allusions from OT in light of Jesus

Isaiah 40:11 ESV

11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

Ezekiel 34:23 ESV

23 And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.

Jeremiah 3:15 ESV

15 “ ‘And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Jeremiah 23:4 ESV

4 I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.

Questions

Can you share a time when you felt Jesus helped you or made a difference in your life?

In what practical ways can we integrate our faith into our daily lives, ensuring that our actions align with the values we hold in Jesus Christ?

How do you navigate challenges and setbacks in life while maintaining a strong faith in Jesus Christ and leaving a positive legacy for others?

Discuss examples of individuals from history or present-day whose lives of legacy and faith inspire you. What lessons can we learn from them?

What do you think it means to leave a positive mark on the world? How can we, as children, contribute to that with our faith in Jesus Christ?