Deep Water Discipleship

August 24, 2025

FBC Baxley

am service

Justin Orvin’s mother Barbara Orvin yawn passed, Sandy Brobston, sanutti family…____________________________

Vision Statement: FBC Exists to Live & Share the Love of Jesus Christ, through worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry & Evangelism.

** I want you to know, GOD LOVES YOU!

*It’s ok however you’ve entered, we are all here seeking God’s will, way and plan.

Some rescued, redeemed, Some Saved….Some Not..

All Loved…

*Acts 4:12 (repeat)

*John 3:16

Sermon Title: Deep Water Discipleship

Scripture Passage: John 21:1-14

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.

-Pray

Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight,

O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Three Points:

1. The Frustration of Failure (v.3)

2. The Faithfulness of the Lord (vv.4–6)

3. The Fire of Fellowship (vv.9–12)

Main Idea: Even when we fail, Jesus calls us again to feed His sheep and reach the lost.

Introduction – A Story of Failure and Restoration

On April 10, 1912, the Titanic left Southampton, England, hailed as the “unsinkable ship.”

Four days later, on April 14, it struck an iceberg and went down in the icy Atlantic.

Over 1,500 lives were lost. It was one of history’s greatest maritime failures.

Yet out of that disaster came major reforms—lifeboat requirements, 24-hour radio watch systems, and stricter safety codes.

The failure was real, but it did not have the final word.

Peter, in John 21, was living his own Titanic moment.

He had promised Jesus he would never deny Him, even if all others fell away.

Yet in the courtyard, around a charcoal fire, Peter denied Christ three times.

Failure was fresh(in his mind). Shame was suffocating(choking him).

Perhaps that’s why he says in verse 3, “I’m going fishing.”

He goes back to the only thing he knows.

But on that shoreline, Jesus shows up—not to scold, but to restore and recommission.

I. The Frustration of Failure (v.3)

“That night they caught nothing.”

Peter’s declaration, “I am going fishing” (Greek: hupagō halieuein), carries more weight than it sounds.

Hupagō means to “depart” or “withdraw.”

Peter isn’t going on a casual fishing trip; he’s retreating.

He’s running back to the old life.

The other disciples follow, and together they spend the entire night fishing.

Yet John records simply: “That night they caught nothing.”

What a picture of uselessness! Human effort apart from God’s power leads to emptiness.

Jesus had told them in John 15:5, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Here it is illustrated: toil without triumph, labor without a catch.

Illustration:

In 1986, two brothers discovered an ancient boat buried in the mud on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Archeologists dated it to the time of Jesus. It was 27 feet long, 7 feet wide, built for the hard work of fishing.

Picture men casting nets from such a boat hour after hour—pulling them in heavy and wet, but empty.

That’s exactly how many Christians feel when they attempt ministry in their own strength—exhausted but empty-handed.

Application:

Some of us today are rowing hard, but our nets are empty.

We are busy, but not fruitful.

That’s the frustration of failure when we try to serve Christ apart from Christ.

Transition:

But where we see failure, Jesus sees an opportunity.

Into the frustration of failure steps the faithfulness of the Lord.

II. The Faithfulness of the Lord (vv.4–6)

“Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”

As dawn breaks, a figure stands on the shore.

They don’t recognize Him yet, but it’s Jesus.

He calls, “Children, do you have any food?”

The word “children” (paidia) is tender—like saying “lads” or “boys.”

They admit the truth: “No.” Then comes the command: “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”

The verb ballō (“cast”) is in the imperative—it’s not a suggestion but a command.

And notice, they obey without arguing.

The result? A net so full of fish—153 of them—they can hardly haul it in.

Principle: Jesus meets us in our failure and brings abundance when we follow His word.

He does not wait until we succeed to show up—He comes right into our empty night.

Illustration:

In 1949, Billy Graham held a tent revival in Los Angeles.

The early nights were sparse, and Graham considered it a failure.

Then media great William Randolph Hearst sent a telegram to his editors with two simple words: “Puff Graham.”

Overnight, newspapers covered the crusade.

Crowds swelled, the campaign ran eight weeks, and thousands were saved.

Graham later said, “It was God’s intervention.” Just like the disciples’ nets, what seemed empty was suddenly overflowing.

Application:

Friend, when you obey His word, you’ll find His abundance.

Human wisdom says, “Stay where you are,” but Jesus says, “Cast again.”

And where His word is obeyed, nets are filled.

Transition:

But Jesus doesn’t just give fish.

He gives Himself. The story moves from nets full of fish to a fire full of fellowship.

III. The Fire of Fellowship (vv.9–12)

“Come and eat breakfast.”

When the disciples arrive at shore, they see a charcoal fire.

That word anthrakia is used only twice in John’s Gospel—once in John 18:18, when Peter warmed himself around the fire as he denied Jesus, and again here in John 21:9, where Jesus restores him.

The place of failure becomes the place of fellowship.

On that fire, Jesus has already prepared fish and bread. He didn’t need their fish to cook breakfast—He had His own. What He wanted was not their catch but their company. Then He invites them: “Come and eat breakfast.”

Principle:

Restoration always leads to renewed relationship.

The Savior who could have condemned instead cooked them breakfast.

The One who could have rebuked instead restored.

Illustration:

After World War II, Japan was a defeated, devastated nation.

Many thought America should crush them further. But under General Douglas MacArthur’s leadership, America chose a path of restoration—sending food aid, medical help, and educational reforms.

That restoration transformed a broken nation into an ally. In a far greater way, Jesus restores the broken disciple—not crushing him but recommissioning him.

Application:

Around the fire of fellowship, Jesus invites us not just to work for Him but to walk with Him.

He doesn’t just fill our nets—He feeds our souls.

Closing Series Challenge

So let me ask you: Are you fishing or just surfing/floating?

I thought last week…

What if at judgement…we have prepared for a hearing/test on our surfing, but the hearing/test is on fishing?

And we know from the bible, fishing is what we will be judged on…

It’s like an open book test, we already know the answers.

**Jesus is calling us from the frustration of failure into the faithfulness of His abundance, and into the fire of His fellowship.

Three Life Applications:

Return to Christ daily – Bring your empty nets to Him. Don’t hide failure—He already knows.

Rely on Christ fully – Obedience to His word brings abundance. Stop trusting your wisdom; listen for His voice.

Reach for Christ boldly – Jesus restored Peter so he could reach others. This week, pray for the lost by name, share your testimony, and live as one sent.

-Pray

-Invitation

(hand out the “Fishing License” cards):

“Commissioned by Christ to be a fisher of men – Matthew 4:19.”

And as you hold it, remember this truth:

Even when you fail, Jesus calls you again to feed His sheep and reach the lost.