Fishing is Great

Fishing with Jesus

We enter the last chapter of John’s Gospel

Chapter 20 concludes with John’s account of Jesus, the confession of Thomas

and the Purpose of the Book.

John 20:30–31 (ESV)

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;

31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Chapter 21 has an interesting narrative nature.

John has finished his account of Jesus and states the closing purpose

It serves as an Epilogue to everything that occured and was revealed in ch 1-20

Our final three weeks of our study of John

is to finish our study on the final work

of Jesus while He was present on earth

Today we look at a Jesus Process

and His Hearts Desire to Restore Us to Him

Purpose of Jesus

Have you ever heard the VOICE?

at least twice in my life

I can remember hearing a voice

Once in a time of extreme pride that persisted for years --- I heard “ I want more from You”

and in a time of extreme anguish I heard “ have I ever left you down”

These times were very strange to me, but were so impactful in my life

If you have heard that voice then you will understand,

IF NOT then please know it can and likely will happen.

Comes To Us

Commands Us

Communes with Us

If you hear it you

have GOD’S FULL ATTENTION

Things are going to change

Romans 8:28 (ESV)

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

Here in these verses

jesus is appearing again to his loved disciples

This time they are out fishing ----- it appears they returned to their old life

JESUS CALLS OUT AND THEY HEAR HIS VOICE

they returned to what they know.

Lets face it we expected them in some way to GO AND PREACH THE GOOD NEWS, right

Would that not be logical ---

three years of intense experience and training

A impactful night at the Last Supper,

the trial, the Cross, the realization of Jesus Rising

Yet they return to fishing

___________________

Here is another example of Jesus

knowing us and meeting us where we are.

Jesus knows and understands each and every one of US

We have all have that emotion need for support

or resolution

and when it comes

we are blessed by it

--- but we sometimes forget the lesson

Now in all honesty they very likely thought

that they were obeying

and were simply waiting on Jesus

I so often read these verses with “how did they go back to fishing”

it is a commonality is all of US

WE LEAVE Church all READY TO GO

and then go to what we already are comfortable with

Fisher of Men

It takes a little deeper study to see that in Matthew and Mark there was a direction given

Matthew 28:7 (ESV)

7 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.”

Mark 16:7 (ESV)

7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”

So no matter their hearts and mind direction

Jesus is appearing

Our Scripture tells us that some of the disciples are out fishing

as the day light starts to appear on the horizon

They see a man on the shore with a campfire,

and these man, Jesus, asks them if they catch anything

They reply NO

Jesus COMMANDS them

John 21:6 (ESV)

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.

They obey and they miraculously catch so many fish that they can not haul it in

Now let me ask you a question

Is there a HUGE lesson here for us?

Jesus gives us the power for effective missions

We go out fishing on our own strength and power we likely catch nothing

We fish with the DIRECTION of JESUS and we catch more than we ever expected

I want deeply to live my life with this in mind

____________________________________

jesus will -----------

Come, Command and Commune

Is it Jesus simply rewarding His Disciples with fish to eat and fish to sell, to bless them

or is it Symbolic

Could it be more

I am with you

I will direct you

I will provide

Maybe even a LITTLE OF THE MEMORY OF FEEDING THE 5000

If you follow me, you will help yield a Harvest of people beyond your understanding or believe

Is it Symbolic of making them FISHERS of MEN

It truly is the answer to effective MINISTRY

I love the fact that the WORD calls out the exact number of Fish

I believe it shows the command of Jesus over nature — 153 fish

It displays the diversity and goal of the Disciples coming mission

It is said that there where 153 species of fish in the sea

and it is likely that there was one of each — Display of control and power of Jesus

I think it says that Fisher of MEN will be ALL nationalities of MEN

Jesus wants ALL TO COME

John 3:16 (ESV)

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Jesus called out the Goal when He first called them,

and reminds them that the mission has not changed.

They are ready to be ORDAINED TO BE FISHERS OF MEN

Matthew 4:19 (ESV)

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

Or how about the beginning of the 3 years with Jesus,

How about when Jesus calls to Peter and Simon --- back when they first met Jesus

Mark 1:14–20 (ESV)

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,

15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

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

18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.

20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

I love the fact that Jesus works many things in Circular Fashion

JESUS — came to many of his disciples from the shore- in a boat — fishing — 3 years PRIOR

Shows them obedience and peace in a boat in a storm

and at the end RETURNS to the shore, a boat, and fishing

But there is a deeper meaning

Jesus is saying LOVE ME< OBEY ME< and the results will be amazing and miraculous

Beyond your understanding

Jesus is teaching us another lesson in our Scripture today

HE WANTS US TO BE RESTORED

Restoration of Peter

So the Disciples come a shore,

They realize that it is Jesus and they communion with HIM

they have FISH and BREAD

If they caught 153 fish in that net --- they would have chosen the BEST, right

But the BEST PART OF THIS STORY is This

Jesus likely walks with Peter so to talk to him privately

it is a BEAUTIFUL CONVERSATION

that can be a little confusing.

Jesus has Come to Peter,

and he is going to Command Peter

starting with Communion with Peter

Jesus is such a personal LORD

Knowing and Caring for each of HIS loved ones.

John 21:15–19 ESV

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.”

Friends,

can you picture this scene in your mind

Peter walking and talking with Jesus

jesus in His soft voice

asking

DO YOU LOVE ME?

I have heard many a sermon on this

theory of different meaning of the word love

the first time Jesus asks him — Peter responds YES

the word for love here implies a love that meant love, but yet not total commitment

Look i truly believe that Peter

is in an emotional state of guilt and humility.

it is his state of mind that he failed the Lord and feels not worthy

THIS SHOULD BE FAMILIAR TO US - HAVEN’T WE ALL FELT THIS WAY?

Sort of like --- sad and broken --- you KNOW I LOVE YOU

Peter humbles and quietly responds you KNOW I LOVE YOU

but he answer with a YES, but i failed

The Second time JESUS asks, and Peter responds again YES

Peter answers was deeper like the love you have for your closest friend or your spouse

Peter answers again YES --- There is a sense that his sorrow is growing

Sadly YES YES i love you

Peter is struggling with making the same BOLD confession

of his devotion that he made prior

and failed

YET Jesus asks a Third time

Why because our LOVE FOR JESUS,

cannot be a love of a friend, or a love of our spouse

those tend to be CONDITIONAL IN OUR SINNERS MIND

Jesus demands — our LOVE of Him above all else

Jesus needs and COMMANDS — TOTAL AND COMPLETE LOVE

one that is TRULY ----unconditional

so today ask yourself that same question

DO YOU LOVE JESUS?

and what is that DEPTH?

is it truly unconditional?

Honestly we should all be struggling like Peter

We say we love, but struggle

Friends

Jesus knows YOU, he displays that same love of Peter to YOU

TOTALLY COMMITTED TO JESUS IS OUR BATTLE CRY

The last two Words of the conversation is our LAST WORDS TODAY

FOLLOW JESUS

Lets Pray

= Jesus thank you for fully understanding our nature

Jesus thank you for the restoration process

and your soft voice in our times of grief, our times of sorrow

and our times of NOT feeling worthy of your LOVE

JESUS

Come To Us

Command Us

Commune with Us

AMEN