Sermon Tone Analysis

Peter Synopsis video.

Show saddleback kids video - but stop at the point they decide to go fishing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ppb9bKX1r7k

The disciples had gone to Jerusalem and had experienced a tumultuous series of events: the Triumphal Entry, the expectation of a new kingdom, a betrayal by a trusted friend, near arrest, denial of Jesus by their leader Peter, the agonizing crucifixion of Jesus, the Resurrection, and the manifestations of the risen Lord.

Understandably they were confused and unsure of the future.

Three times Peter said he did not even know the Lord (18:17, 25, 27); now three times he said he loved the Lord (21:15–17).

No matter how great a person is, he may fall (cf. 1 Cor.

10:12).

But God’s grace and forgiveness will restore the repentant.

This provision of grace would be important, for the church would soon face great persecution and even church leaders would waver in their commitments.

People revert to type when they don’t know what to do.

John 21

It is well known fact that people revert to type or to habit when they don’t know what to do.

I remember when I worked for LCC there was a senior manager who when the pressure was on and decisions needed to be made would hide under piles of paperwork, procedure and bureaucracy.

I work with someone now that when things are getting serious needs rather than figuring our the main problem he will busy himself with every small task possible, he focuses on support calls rather than face the issue lead his team through it.

He is a whirlwind when he does I sometimes think about inventing a big issue when I need the support queues shrinking.

Peter was the same he had gone through a lot of disappointment, fear and probably anger at himself through the course of the last few weeks.

Now he was left with a few others (lots of believers had scattered) waiting.

Sure they had seen Jesus a few times, but they had no idea what to do.

They were told to wait.

There was no plan, no action.

So what did Peter do he - he went fishing.

He returned to what was familiar to him.

Reverting to type can be comforting.

I can bring us the security that we crave in times of change but it can also prevent us stepping into our destiny.

God often puts a promise on our lives, a prophesy may be spoken to us and we often have to wait.

That waiting period can be hard, we can lose focus on what we are called to do and settle into doing the things that we have already done.

we can miss the time to act in our new callings.

We can end up going through the motions but not reaping the rewards.

Richard Rohr - Religion is one of the safest places to hide from God.

Catching Nothing - even though they were experts

Peter and the others were skilled fisherman.

They had gone out probably before daybreak.

They knew the times of the day, the seasons the location and the sea states that we bound to deliver a catch.

They were experts in this.

They had repeated this exercise day in day out since they were boys.

But this time was different.

Everything went well, the nets were perfect except for one thing - No fish.

As individuals we can listen to preachers, we can read books, we can go to the most professional worship services.

We can get trapped into religious practices.

We can try to copy the ways of people we see and hear but if we are not following the path that God has called us to we will not see the results.

You can’t live someone else’s life with Jesus.

Simply following the motions, attending the services, having the books on your bookshelf being a ‘church goer’ may make you an expert in the practices but does not give results.

Even

Peter and the others were experts at this, they would have been on the boat wondering what was going wrong.

When Jesus appeared on the shore.

Experts and amateurs shine when God steps in

Calling to them “Friends, haven’t you got any fish”.

This one sentence reveals a lot about the heart of God and how he approaches us when we are walking outside of his will, even though what we are doing may be well intentioned.

The word friends here is not one that means acquaintances or people I know and get along with but that is the end of it.

The word is paidia, which means refers to children.

We could interpret this as Jesus calling out to his disciples as Hey Lads, a very familiar, I know you, were close friends and in some ways that would be a good translation as it conveys something closer than mere friends.

The word also speaks of concern and caring and a wish for good.

It precedes a question that we have to assume that Jesus already knew the answer to - ‘haven’t you any fish?’

Through my years I have often found that the way God challenges me to stop doing something or start doing something is to ask me a question that is blindingly obvious, one that if was totally honest I already know the answer to, one that God certainly knows the answer to.

When I stop and answer honestly, that is when I find God through the Holy Spirit, or through others helps me to move forwards.

As Peter and the others aligned themselves with the reality that despite being experts, despite doing everything right they had no fish - Jesus called to them,

“Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some”

The story tells us that they did and their nets were full.

When God instructs and we align with that instruction - Experts and Amateurs shine.

It was at this point the John recognises Jesus and Peter the ‘hot head’ grabs his clothes, Jumps out of the boat and leaves the others to bring the fish.

Just a bunch of fishermen

There are a few things I find intriguing about this part of the passage.

Firstly the accuracy of the number of fish.

You will undertsand that some numbers in the bible are symbolic and convey meaning.

12 - representing completeness - as in the 12 tribes or 40 representing a considerable length of time.

40 years in the wilderness or 40 days fasting but do you know what 153 represents?

I means that they are fisherman.

Fisherman remember things like that, they would have been used to counting the fish so they could divide them up between them.

I love this little addition to the story.

This along with the way it is John that recognises Jesus - just as he had at the tomb, the way Peter is still such a hot head and jumps out of the boat gives the bible such authenticity - it is not just a well prepared, document setting out to give a set of instructions - it contains ‘the stuff of life’ the little details that say these are real people, like you and me, with their personalities, their doubts and disappointments.

If Jesus loved them, if He wanted to spend time with them, if He could use them, then the same is true of you and me.

God’s provision always outstrips mans

The other thing that intrigues me is that Jesus already has fish.

The fire is lit, the bread and fish are cooking.

The disciples had this huge haul of fish, Jesus had told them how to get them and yet here Jesus was providing food for the disciples.

When God calls us to do things it is for us and for others, God does not need us to do things for Him.

We become an expression of his love.

His provision for us always outstrips anything we can provide.

I get the feeling that the key sometimes with God is not that he will tell me what to do to get the results, he guides me what to do to get a result but it is that obedience that seems to be what brings the result in a way that we can never have imagined.

I think of the time that we had the mission here, how we fasted and prayed, put on events, really pushed through.

How many people came to the church from that out reach Zero.

How many came to know more of God - probably lots, what I do know is that shortly after that the church grew.

The growth was not a result of what we did but I get the feel that when we step out as God desires he joins us in some form of unequal partnership.

One where we may get a bunch of slimy fish but where God turns it into a meal, bringing - nourishment, fellowship and love.

We have a habit of blowing situations out off all proportion when we over estimate the significance of us not doing something or not doing something well.

God has this habit of taking our actions that may even be failures in our eyes and blowing the results out of all proportion in how our obedience lets His Kingdom reign.

Peter restored.

Sitting over that fire Jesus looked at Peter and asked “Do you truly love me more than these?”

Earlier Peter had denied Jesus beside a fire, now beside another fire the Jesus started a public restoration of Peter.

It seems a strange thing for Jesus to ask, do you love me more than the other disicples?

Jesus wasn’t setting up a competition - the disciples were good enough at doing that for themselves.

Three times Peter said he did not even know the Lord (18:17, 25, 27); now three times he said he loved the Lord (21:15–17).

No matter how great a person is, he may fall (cf.

).

But God’s grace and forgiveness will restore the repentant.

This provision of grace would be important, for the church would soon face great persecution and even church leaders would waver in their commitments.

Jesus was reminding Peter of the big proud promises Peter had made about not abandoning Jesus, not failing his friend even if others would.

Big promised about not abandoning Jesus, not failing his friend even if others would.

Jesus’ question do you love me more than these was not setting up a competition between the disciples.

They were quite good at making their own comparison.

Jesus was reminding Peter of the proud statement that Peter had made in

Matt.