THE MIRACLE OF FOREGIVENESS

JOHN 21:1-19

INTRODUCTION ... Robotic Bees

I read the other day that scientists have discovered the language of bees. They have observed bees and concluded how they communicate. Scientists have constructed a small robotic bee that is able to communicate with other bees. Their first attempts were failures, but they succeeded in having the robotic bee communicate with real bees. It can tell them which fields need to be pollenated and where to build hives. It is truly amazing. Science can explain amazing things to us these days... but science cannot explain everything. Some things must be taken on faith.

This morning we turn to someone who stands outside our contemporary scene and is definitely someone we cannot test or measure. We will look at a miracle of Jesus Christ. This is a Person that has done countless miracles… and miracles are certainly something that go against the laws of science and reason. Miracles are part of the realm of belief, faith and the Divine. Let’s look at Jesus this morning in John 21.

THE MIRACLE OF FOREGIVENESS

In case you need a little help in placing John 21, John 21 takes place after the death of Jesus on the cross (John 19) and after Jesus rose from the dead three days later (John 20). John 21 takes place sometime between Jesus’ resurrection and His ascension back into Heaven (Acts 1). John 20 records for us the second visit of Jesus with His disciples in which Thomas sees the wounds on Jesus’ hands and His side. Jesus spends time with His disciples after His resurrection and this text that we will read this morning details the third time that Jesus met with His disciples (John 21:14). Let’s read through John 21 this morning, make some observations, and then talk about the Truth God has for us.

READ JOHN 21:1-6(KJV)

John 21:1-6: After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. 2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. 4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. 6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

Verse 1 begins by telling us that the disciples, at least a few of them, were hanging out by the Sea of Galilee. I can imagine the disciples still in sort of a daze. They have seen Jesus, He is alive, but He is different. He has visited with them and everything seems to be in limbo. Thomas has certainly seen Jesus and is blessed for his exclamation of faith (John 20:28-29). In this daze and limbo, Peter decides to go fishing. This is something familiar. It is comforting. It is something he is an expert and can give him some direction. The other disciples who are with Peter decide to go with him… and the text tells us they caught nothing. *

Jesus arrives on the scene and something miraculous happens. Actually, it is similar to another miracle that we have already seen. The disciples have caught nothing and Jesus tells them to do something odd (putting the net on the other side of the boat) and they catch tons of fish. Déjà vu should have set in on these fellas. This has happened before!

READ JOHN 21:7-14

John 21:7-14: 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. 8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. 9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. 10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. 11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. 12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. 14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

The men caught a lot of fish. I have often wondered if John was the one who counted the fish given that he records they caught 153. That is such a random number… it must be the amount of fish they caught. Jesus instructs the men how to fish and they bring in a great catch. John says to Peter that he recognizes the person on the shore speaking with them. He tells him it is Jesus and we see Peter’s personality come out of him as never before. Peter did not wait for the boat to get to shore. He was too excited. He jumped in, dragged the net ashore himself, and got to Jesus.

Jesus had been busy and a fire was waiting to cook the men some breakfast. Let’s just assume that Jesus is a good cook and the men were hungry. The men were sharing a meal together. They talked. They fellowshipped and spent time with their Lord.

READ JOHN 21:15-19

John 21:15-19: 15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. 19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

Now I think there came a point in the meal where Jesus looked at Peter and the whole point of their time together became clear. The men knew it was Jesus, but they did not know why He had come to see them on this day. The reason was now clear as Jesus looked at Peter. Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him. It makes sense. Peter had denied Jesus three times (John 18). Peter answers that he does indeed love Him. Peter says that Jesus knows all things and that He should know the devotion Peter has… and Jesus does know. Jesus cryptically speaks to Peter about the kind of death he will have and it will be because of the Gospel. Jesus says to Peter, “Follow me!” I believe that Jesus was making the relationship between them whole again and extending to Peter forgiveness. I do not know what Peter felt before his breakfast with Jesus, but I know what he should have felt after… he should have felt forgiven.

I have a question when it comes to this text: where is the miracle that should grab our attention? Is the miracle…

… that Jesus appeared to the disciples? (no)

… that the men had caught nothing, and Jesus helped them with the catch? (maybe)

… the interaction of Peter with Jesus? (I think so)

I see in John 21 a great miracle in the restoration and forgiveness of Peter. We have already seen Jesus instruct the disciples about fishing and seen a miracle similar to the catch of the 153 fish. It was a miracle and one that only God could do… but so is the restoration of Peter. You see, it is because of Jesus that Peter’s sins are forgiven, and it is because of Jesus that our sins are forgiven as well. *

Romans 3:22-25: “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”

Romans 3 tells us that all of us sin and are in need of help to reach God

Romans 3 tells us that redemption and justification come by way of Jesus Christ who is the atonement

Redemption means we are bought back from Satan and death

Justification means we are declared not guilty

Atonement means that Jesus’ blood covers our sins and pays for them

Romans 3 tells us that we must come to God in faith to access this righteousness from God

[Have congregation close their eyes]

Describe them walking along a beach

Describe coming upon a small campfire with fish cooking on the beach

Describe them coming and sitting down with Jesus

Jesus asks them, “Do you love me?”

What do you say?

Do you say yes for the first time?

Do you say yes again and recommit yourself to Him?

CONCLUSION

Jesus did all that he did that day at the fish fry just to forgive and restore Peter. For some of us it takes a miracle for us to forgive someone that has wronged us. *