Feed my Sheep

Testify of the Truth

My Story of Doubt: I didn’t understand suffering at that time and how it can be a good thing. It should me I had doubts about God

Need: we need not doubt ourselves, The Lord, or His sovereignty as we serve Him.

“God doesn’t use suffering just so He can be seen as our rescuer, sometimes He uses suffering to reveal our need for being rescued.”

Main Idea: We can trust the sovereignty of God as we serve Him in both times of mercy and times of suffering.

John 21:1–25 ESV

After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. 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. 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. 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. 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.” (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.” Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true. Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

What did it mean to them?

Jesus had made a few appearances to them at this point.

The apostle John includes the witnesses’s disbelief or doubt.

(1) Mary Madeline and the other Mary in Matthew are fearful to report what they saw to the disciples.

Matthew 28:1–8 ESV

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

(2) When Mary tells the disciples they doubted her

Mark 16:9–11 ESV

Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

(Have you ever told Jesus I told you so?)

(3) The Road to Emmaus with Peter and Cleopas (Mary’s Husband 19:25)

Luke 24:13–18 ESV

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

Luke 24:21 ESV

But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.

Luke 24:25 ESV

And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!

Luke 24:26–27 ESV

Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Luke 24:29–31 ESV

but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.

Peter has had a rough week. He refused to let Jesus wash His feet and was rebuked.

He assaulted a guy for Jesus honor and was rebuked.

He was standing at Jesus’s trial warming Himself by a charcoal fire when He denied knowing Jesus 3 times when just hours before that he was boasting how He loved Jesus so much he’d die in His place.

Now, Peter just spent hours with Christ unknowingly, when He sees Him as He is Jesus up and disappears.

(What do you think Peter thought Jesus's opinion of him was?)

Spineless, no good deserter. All bark and no bite, not dependable.

Peter had his moment to say his peace yet he didn't get closure.

(4) As Peter is telling the other Disciples Jesus appears again

Luke 24:36–43 ESV

As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.

Peter hadn't learned that this is “Jesus’ new thing” where he drops in unannounced and leaves without warning.

Here there is yet another rebuke from Jesus.

Being rebuked by God is hard, but necessary, and beneficial.

Proverbs 3:11–12 NLT

My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.

Peter needed these life lessons to be the best disciple he could be.

Like Peter, in that moment,

we can doubt ourselves,

our calling,

our loyalty,

our faithfulness,

our self worth

and only hear that God is rejecting you.

Doubt is not uncommon.

(5) Thomas doubted Jesus could have been raised from the dead.

John 20:24–25 ESV

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

Thomas is more objective than abstract.

More concrete and less capable of believing without seeing.

Illustration: The solution to overcome type of doubt is to dive in.

Most people who hold to ridged, empirical evidence, aren’t unwilling to believe. They just need evidence to believe.

Luckily for Thomas Christ had not ascended for good yet.

We have His Word to put our hands in and see its truths.

So when we get to our text it is clear that many had doubts.

Peter is burdened by all kinds of doubt self worth, inadequacies, rejection and insecurities.

And what is His response?

I’m going fishing.

Hebrews 11:1 NLT

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.