John 21.1-19
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Couldn’t. Can’t. Won’t.
Couldn’t. Can’t. Won’t.
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.
Such a simple task. Fishing. Ohio River. Catfish. Carp. Snapping turtles. The Ohio River is home to a variety of native fish species, including channel catfish, smallmouth bass, white bass, sauger, and walleye.
In 2024, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) stocked 46 million fish across Ohio's lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. This stocking effort aims to supplement fish populations and provide fishing opportunities. The stocked fish included various species, with saugeye being the most numerous, followed by walleye
Why go fishing.
Fun. get one on the hook.
Funds. (sell them to the carp guy.)
Failure. (of anything better to do.)
Why had they gone fishing? It’s a puzzle, and I suspect it was a puzzle for them too. Like half the things Peter proposed in the gospel, it was probably a case of the right motivation and the wrong judgment.
He wanted to get on with life. To do the next thing. This was the world they knew. It would feel strange, going back to it, but they had families who needed looking after, who must have been bemused to have them back again after all their adventures, and might well have been suggesting that they should settle down and do something sensible for a change. Like earning some money. Like catching some fish.
Catch Some Fish. They Couldn’t.
Catch Some Fish. They Couldn’t.
But, they couldn’t.
they knew the sea. they knew how to fish. most of them new nothing else before meeting Jesus. But much like an earlier story in Luke 5:4-7, they worked all night and… nothing.
They couldn’t.
They Toiled All Night And Took Nothing. Why? They Couldn’t.
They Toiled All Night And Took Nothing. Why? They Couldn’t.
Look at Luke 5:1-7.
1 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret,
2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.
3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”
6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.
7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
They also knew that if you dont’ make a catch at night, it’s much less likely in the day.
They Couldn’t.
They Couldn’t.
As morning came, there was Jesus on the shore. And they didn’t recognize Him.
They couldn’t.
Remember Mary on the first Easter morning. She didn’t recognize Jesus either.
Look at John 20.
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb.
12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.
13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”
14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
Remember Mary on the first Easter morning. She didn’t recognize Jesus either. Why?
She Couldn’t.
She Couldn’t.
Or the 2 on the Emmaus road- they didn’t recignize Him at first either.
They couldn’t. See Luke 24.13-31.
13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,
14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.
15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them.
16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
17 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.
18 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?”
19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him.
21 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.
22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning,
23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.
24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”
25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther,
29 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.
30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.
Why could they not recognize Him?
They Couldn’t.
They Couldn’t.
Jesus, after all, has given his followers a strange and striking commission in chapter 20. They are to work for him. They are to be filled with God’s breath, and be sent into the world as Jesus had been. But if they try to do it their own way, they will fail. They will toil all night and take nothing. The only way is for them to admit defeat, to listen afresh to Jesus’ voice, and to do what he says. Then there is no knowing what they will achieve.
Recognizing Jesus is so important.
Recognizing Jesus is so important.
Ministry is hard. Real ministry is really hard. I said a few weeks ago that you were a hard church to pastor, and some of you were offended. Listen closely. You are a hard church to pastor. Let me explain.
I’ve served many places. Pleasant Grove, Central, Hammondsville, Midvale, Newport, Bolivar, Roxford, Aldersgate and Westbrook Park. Some were easier than others. You were hard.
Some think I’m talking about a particular incident in 2019. I’m not.
Morristown, Bannock, Lloydsville. Goals.
Pay the electric bill.
Stay open one more year.
To get inside. facilities. toilets. yes, true.
I didn’t go. Said I wouldn’t go. Why?
I couldn’t? No.
I wouldn’t.
Those are easy things.
And I’ve served churches that did easy things.
We’ve sung Christmas and Easter Cantatas (that did not sound like angelic choirs), we’ve played in softball leagues, we’ve made Christmas candy and sold it to pay apportionments, we’ve helped one family one time in a year who had fallen on hard times, we’ve had a food pantry that gave food to families who drove cars nicer than most of us had- and lived in homes twice the size of the ones we lived in....we’ve built new buildings and we’ve paid off old ones. Those were church things, but most of them were easy things.
But few churches decided to say we are going to radically transform our neighborhood- our community.
Few churches decide to run a preschool/childcare for children many of whom their families have no excess funds in their purses… who not only live paycheck to paycheck but last months paycheck to this month’s paycheck.
Few churches decide to run a food pantry to people who at times can be difficult. at times may smell different. and at times are pushing grocery carts and do not say the word thank you. Few churches decide to do it month after month and year after year for 8 years and never ask for money.
Few churches decide to invite people with hurts, habits and hangups. Most would just lock the door and go home. One church I know flung open the door and said welcome home. Bring your hurts habits and hangups and comeon in.
Few churches decide to fling open their doors to people who have no doors- or walls- or refrigerators or washers and dryers- or money- or manners- or whatever.
Few churches decide to help 150+ developmentally challenged individuals by gathering together 350+ volunteers from a church that worships less than 30- for a night to celebrate them— for who they are and for who God made them to be.
And few churches look at their community and decide to help it by transforming that community one life at a time by offering a plan to generational wealth and eradication of generational poverty through community development.
Those are all hard things. You Can’t.
You Can’t
You Can’t
Anymore than 7 fisherman can catch fish on the Sea of Galilee pulling an allnighter without Jesus.
If you are not where you are supposed to be.
You will never find fish if you’re not in the right place. But the Sea of Galilee is loaded with fish? Yes. But you have to know where they are.
Only Jesus knows.
If you think Jesus has called you to a hard place try going where he hasn’t sent you.
If you think Jesus has given you hard things to do try doing what he hasn’t asked you to do.
Ministry Is As Hard As Your Faith Lets It Be
Ministry Is As Hard As Your Faith Lets It Be
Listen to John 15.5
5 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.
What did Jesus say about Himself? Se John 5.19.
19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.
Even the pharisees said if this man were not from God He could do nothing.
See Philippians 4.13.
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
