Let's Go Fishing!
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Please turn to John 21 as we look at a message titled Let’s Go Fishing!
I would like to begin this message a little differently than I usually do. Being Father’s Day and all, I would like to talk a bit about my dad. This is not a brand new sermon. I pulled this one out of my files from April of 2016. Knowing that my dad’s days on earth were numbered, he had terminal cancer, I guess the text I was preaching on caused me to think about my dad. What I didn’t know was that about the same time that I finished preaching the sermon for the first time, my dad took his final breath in this life. Though this sermon was actually part of the wrap up of my Easter series that year, preaching through the Passion of John, when I began to think about Father’s Day this year it seemed appropriate to use this same basic sermon (with a ton of edits and changes).
My grandparents, Carl M. DeVaney and Ada Bell (Moore) DeVaney were both born and raised in Rockwood, TN. My grandfather’s first wife died in childbirth while delivering my Uncle Clarence DeVaney into this world. In 1929, after a mine collapse in the coal mine in which he had been working, my grandfather moved his family to Pontiac, Michigan where he began working as a welder for Pontiac Motors. And in 1930, my dad, Carl Franklin (Frank) Devaney was born.
In 1948 my dad was the first member of the DeVaney clan to ever graduate from high school — he graduated from Clarkston High. Rather than go to college to study business, as his dad wanted him to do, my dad got a job working at Pontiac Motors with the desire to make enough money to buy a farm. My dad was a farmer at heart. In 1949 my dad, along with his father, pooled their money together to buy a 120 acre farm in Lapeer, Michigan. This farm had several hilly fields, a few wooded acres, and a lake named Wheelock Lake. This lake was about ten to twenty acres in size, and it had a lot of fish. Sunfish, Perch, Bluegill, Crappie, Bullhead Catfish, Large Mouth Bass, and Northern Pike.
Some of my fondest memories as a kid was when my dad would say to me: “Let’s go fishing!” One of my earliest memories is of my dad taking my brother Darryl (who is with us today), my mom and me out in that little 12 foot John Boat on grandma’s lake. They all had fishing rods to us, but with me being the youngest, I had a three foot long stick that dad had put a fishing line on along with a hook and a bobber.
Dad was a very patient man trying to teach his sons how to fish. My brother and I, probably in consecutive years, each managed to a 5’9” giant as we fished. I remember those trips to the ER to have the hooks removed from my dad’s cheek, and lip. But he still kept taking us fishing anyway.
One of my favorite fishing stories dates back to around 1979 or so. On Memorial Day my dad invited my Uncles – Everett, Ed, Tom, and Bob – along with my cousin Lee – to join us for a day of fishing on my Grandma’s lake. As we were putting our many row boats into the water, a lady who was fishing from shore asked us if we would retrieve her bobber for her. A fish had broken her line, and the bobber was just sitting there off shore a little ways. As we approached the bobber it began to swim away. Then it ducked under the water. I think that we had about three boats on the lake that day, and we chased that bobber around the lake several times. Finally my Uncle Ed was able to the net the bobber along the 24 inch long northern pike that was hanging around with it. By the time we got the fish to shore, the lady had already left. I’m not sure if she ever did recover her lost bobber.
Many of the men who became disciples of Jesus Christ were fishermen. They were not recreational fishermen. They probably didn’t use a hook and line, for the most part at least. The used nets to catch schools of fish. In our narrative of John 21 we see that after Christ had already appeared to the eleven two times, Peter decided to return to fishing, and several others went with him as he did so. Rather than catching a school of fish, these men got schooled by Jesus Christ.
As we go through this passage, we will look at the futility of doing things apart from Christ, the provision of Christ for the work He has called us to, and the revelation of Christ to His own.
Let’s read the passage together.
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.
Let’s begin by looking at
MAN’S FUTILITY
MAN’S FUTILITY
Note that,
It is Futile for us to try and Accomplish Spiritual Work in our Own Strength
The setting for this narrative is given in verse 2.
Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.
Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James, John and two unnamed apostles were gathered together somewhere in Galilee, most likely Capernaum. Before these men began to follow Jesus full time they were fishermen. When we harmonize the synoptic Gospels with the Gospel of John we get the idea that, in the early days of Jesus’ public ministry, Peter, Andrew, James, and John went back and forth between following Jesus and working in their fishing business. Eventually Jesus called them to leave their nets behind and to follow Him, with the promise that He would make them fishers of men.
In verse 3 of our text Peter announces that he is going fishing. The other disciples agree to go with him as well. Why did Peter decide to go fishing? Perhaps after three plus years of constant ministry he found waiting around on the Lord tedious. We know from the various accounts that Peter was an impetuous man. Having been a teacher for many years in the public school system I have often wondered if perhaps he would have been diagnosed as ADHD because he seems to have a hard time with focus. Perhaps finances were tight now that Jesus was no longer their constant, physical companion, and so Peter rationalized that they needed to earn a little money while they awaited further instruction from Christ. Whatever the reason may have been for Peter and the gang to return to fishing, I believe that Jesus chose to use this experience to teach them a valuable lesson. I believe He was teaching them about the futility of trying to do things apart from Him.
Notice the last sentence of verse 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.
I don’t think that it was by accident that they did not catch any fish all night. I believe that Jesus somehow miraculously steered the fish away from their nets so that He could use it as an object lesson in order to reinforce what He had previously taught them during the Upper Room Discourse. Previously He had stated that:
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.
As I meditated on this passage it reminded of a conversation I had with my dad during one of our last fishing trips together. As a child as well as a teen my dad and I would fish just about every week during the summer months. My dad usually fished for the Blue Gill because they were the best eating. I preferred to catch Bass and Pike. One time, as a young adult (probably shortly before Gail & I were married) I mentioned to dad that it seems like I used to be a lot better at catching fish when I was a kid. My dad then told me that maybe this was the Lord’s way of telling me that from now on I should be focused fishing for men, rather than catching fish!
As believers in Jesus Christ we have all been set apart as Christ’s special possession. We are His to use in whatever way He so chooses. And He has chosen to commit to us, among other things, the ministry of reconciliation. But if we try to go about this ministry in our own strength we will be fruitless. Paul wrote:
Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—
each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.
If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
It is fruitless for us to try to do anything apart from Christ. When we yield to the empowering of the Holy Spirit who proceeds from Christ we will be able to accomplish the tasks that He has given us to do.
Let’s turn our attention away from that which is futile, and consider
CHRIST’S PROVISION
CHRIST’S PROVISION
Let’s turn our attention now to the provision of Christ. Notice that Christ provided for these men in multiple ways.
Look at verses 4-6.
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.
Here we see that Jesus provided fish for them to catch. Whether Jesus, in His omniscience new that there was now a school of fish on the right hand side of the boat, or He miraculously caused the fish to be there is not the point (although it is debated by some). The point is that Jesus provided fish for them in such an abundance that they had difficulty hauling in their nets.
This episode must have seemed like Déjà vu for the apostles. Look at
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,
and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.
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.
And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”
And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.
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.
But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken,
and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”
And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
The disciples began their ministry with Jesus hauling in a miraculous catch of fish. And now they seem to have come full circle with another miraculous catch of fish.
Back to John 21. Look at verse 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.
The apostles were not able to recognize that it was Jesus when he called to them from shore (vs. 4-6). At the time that He called to them it was early morning and they were still about a hundred yards out from shore.
In verse 7 we see John once again playing detective and based on the evidence of the miraculous catch he realized that it was Jesus who had directed them to the fish. Once John figured out that it was Jesus, he informed Peter. Peter quickly put on his outer garment, jumped in the water, and swam to Jesus. It would appear that he was anxious to be with Christ.
Note that,
Christ Provides both Temporal & Eternal Blessings for His Own
I love the way that David speaks of Christ’s provision for His own in
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Back to our text. Look at verse 9.
John 21:9 (ESV)
When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread.
Notice that when they got to shore Jesus already had fish cooking on a charcoal fire. He also had bread. Again we see Christ’s provision for His own! Jesus instructs them to bring some of the fish they just caught and add them to the fish He was already cooking. So Peter, it would appear, went by himself to draw in the net. The fact that this one man was able to draw in a net that contain 153 large fish speaks to the physical strength of Peter. Throughout church history there have been some who have tried to spiritualize why John gave such a specific number in his count. But I think it best to leave that one alone.
Jesus then invited the disciples to join Him for breakfast. Personally, the thought of having fish for breakfast is a little repulsive. But considering the fact that these men had worked hard all night long, they were probably famished.
At the risk of over spiritualizing something, I want to point out something to you. Jesus told Satan, when He was being tempted to turn the rocks into bread so could satisfy his hunger, that man cannot live by bread alone, but by every word the proceeds from the mouth of God. Physical food meets physical needs. But life is not merely physical; it is spiritual. Greater than any physical need is man’s need for the word of God; both the written word, and the Living Word.
Look at verse 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.
To me this seems like an odd statement. I believe that John is saying that though they didn’t recognize Christ based on His physical appearance, they did recognized Him because of His miraculous provision for them. In Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances His followers did not recognize Him until He chose to reveal Himself to them.
When Jesus broke the bread and the fish and gave it to them (vs. 13) I would imagine that it caused them to reminisce about when Jesus had fed the 5000 with five loaves of bread and two small fish (John 6). And that memory may have caused them to think about the episode of Jesus walking on the water, which was right after the feeding of the 5000. Perhaps then they remembered His teaching shortly after when He said:
Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”
And then He went on to say:
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
We have looked at the futility of doing things apart from Christ, and the provision of Christ for His own. Now let’s consider
THE REVELALING OF CHRIST
THE REVELALING OF CHRIST
This last point could have also been our first point. Look back with me at verse 1.
After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way.
Three times in these fourteen verses John wrote that Jesus manifested himself to His disciples. Twice in verse 1 and then once again in verse 14.
The Greek term that is translated “manifested” in the NASB, “revealed” in the ESV, “showed” in the KJV & NKJV, and “appeared” in the NIV is φανερόω (phaneroō). The term has the idea of not only appearing to the physical senses, but to spiritual perception. It has the idea of a moral and spiritual effect. The term is used in various places throughout this Gospel account.
This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—
Paul used this same term in his letter to the Romans:
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
Peter also used this same term:
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God ...
Note that,
Jesus Revealed Himself to His Own in Ways that He did not Reveal to Those who did not Belong to His flock
Though His sheep hear His voice and follow, those that do not belong to His flock do not follow. The revelation of Christ is something that is spiritually discerned, and not physically discerned. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
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.
The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
Has Christ revealed Himself to you? Have you been able to spiritually discern who He is? He is the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. He is the Suffering Servant who carried our sins and our sorrows, by whose stripes we are healed. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He is the One who redeems our lives from destruction, and crowns us with loving-kindness and tender mercies. He is the One who spoke the word and the world was created. He is the One who can do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. And those who embrace Jesus for who He is are saved from the wrath to come. If you have not yet embraced Jesus, won’t you do so today?
Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father,
I am so grateful to be able to call You my Father. I’m so glad to have been adopted into Your family, and to be a member of Your flock.
Lord, I am also grateful for the privilege of having been raised by godly parents who trains my brother and I in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Father, I pray for this assembly of people, that You would enable to perceive the futility of doing things apart from Christ. I pray that we would be empowered by Your Holy Spirit to live this life in a pleasing way before You. I pray that we would recognize and acknowledge Your provision for the things which we need, both the physical things we need, and the spiritual things we need. And I thank You for choosing to reveal Your Son to us.
Father, if there are any here to whom You have not yet revealed Christ to, I pray that You would do so this very day.
I pray this in Jesus’ Name. Amen
Closing Song #458
Closing Song #458
Gentle Shepherd, come and lead us,
For we need You to help us find our way.
Gentle Shepherd, come and feed us,
For we need Your strength from day to day.
There’s no other we can turn to
Who can help us face another day;
Gentle Shepherd, come and lead us,
For we need You to help us find our way.
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
