The Secret to Success
Notes
Transcript
Human Effort v. Divine Power
Human Effort v. Divine Power
What is the formula for success? Have you ever wondered that?
I asked google this week. As you would guess, plenty of opinions popped up when I hit enter.
Here is the advice from people like Elon Musk, Steve Martin, Pablo Escobar, Mike Bloomberg, and T.S. Elliot.
Consistent practice — commitment to greatness — whatever gives you the most personal fulfillment — master your people skills — earn how to read people’s expressions — learn how to fail — find a mentor to hold you accountable — don’t be great… just be consistently good — ask for forgiveness and not for permission — and just believe you will be successful and you will be . Kind of that name it, claim it concept.
Not all of those are bad. Some of those thoughts offer decent advice.
But, they all have one thing in common. At their core, they are all centered around one thing. Me! They are mostly all approaches that are designed to help man get better.... and believe that I am better or worth it… and ultimately find success in myself and under my own strength. — Not necessarily a biblical concept.
Don’t get me wrong. I think that Christians can and should be successful, but Christ-like success is achieved through a formula that is quite different.
As we open our Bibles to the last chapter in the Gospel of John, chapter 21, John will present to us God’s secret to success. So, as you open your bibles, let’s continue to prepare our hearts to receive the truth that God has given to us in His Word.
(Let’s Pray)
John began his gospel with a prologue (1:1-18), explaining who Jesus is and why he came. Then throughout the next 19 and a half chapters, John presents the evidence of who Jesus is and why he came in great detail. Why? So that you might believe! He is not shying away from his purpose. He tells us plainly in John 20:31...
John wants us to believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah… the very Son of God… and that through true faith filled belief in Jesus… you may have life.
By the time John finished chapter 20 in his gospel account, he has pretty much made his point. But, then we see that there is a 21st chapter. Why did he include this?
As we come to the last chapter, we should approach it as an epilogue to his entire gospel. While this epilogue records a few events that take place after Jesus’ resurrection, John is urging his readers to take what they have heard and see it in action.
To do this, in the first half of his epilogue (ch. 21), John tells a real-time parable of an all-night apostolic fishing trip. — John’s purpose/ point in sharing this real life parable is to help us to understand how the risen Lord relates to his servants as they toil/ minister in this world.
Notice that John frames this living-parable by placing it between two bookends (vs. 1 & 14).
After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way.
This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
When we see things like this in Scripture it helps us to know that the author intends for us to read, study, and understand the verses in between those bookends as one unit.
John sets the context for us in verses 1 & 2.
From verse 1, we know that the disciples are by the Sea of Tiberias (better known as the sea of Galilee, but also called Sea of Chinnereth (Num. 34:11; Josh. 13:27) and the Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1)).
By the time of John’s writing the sea of Galilee had become known as the Sea of Tiberias, named after the city of Tiberias (named in honor of Emperor Tiberius (Luke 3:12) that sat on its western shore.
In verse 2, John tells us who is involved in this real-time parable. Peter is listed first, indicating that he was the leader of the group. Then we have Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee (James/ John) and then there were 2 other disciples. Base on other lists of apostles, these two unnamed people could have very well been Andrew and Philip.
The disciples had witnessed Jesus’ passion week. They had mourned at his crucifixion and rejoiced at his resurrection. Now that they had seen the victory of Christ’s resurrection they were filled with new hope.
Now, the disciples have left Jerusalem and have returned to Galilee. Why Galilee?
After Jesus’ resurrection, according to Matthew 28: 10, Jesus had told his disciples to go to Galilee and wait for him there. Matthew 28:16 actually tells us that Jesus even told them the specific place (mountain) on which they were to wait. So chapter 21 starts off by telling us that the Apostles seem to be trying to be obedient to the Lord’s instructions and were in Galilee.
Now, let’s look at the text together and see what happens next.
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.
As we look at this living illustration that John presents in our text today, He is presenting us with the Secrets to Success. The secret that John wants us to learn is a lesson that involves our understanding of how Christ cares for those who serve him and how He uses our weakness to display His power to advance His Kingdom for God’s glory.
As John presents us with this lesson from his epilogue, he presents his readers with two perspectives on being successful. The first perspective demonstrates the limitations of self help. Then he follows that truth by showing his readers the Success of Divine Power.
Let’s consider the illustration lived out in verses 3-5 as we look at the limitations of self-help.
I. Limitations of Self-Help (3-5) (human effort)
We read in verse 1 that the apostles are back in Galilee where Jesus told them to wait. Great! Praise the Lord for their obedience. But then when we come to verse 3, something seems a bit off.
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.
Yes they are back in Galilee as directed, but they are not waiting on a mountain like Jesus had specifically told them..... No.... they are down in the sea fishing.
Are the apostles really being obedient? Are they waiting where Jesus specifically told them to wait ? No.
Apparently, Peter got tired of waiting for Jesus to appear so he impulsively said, “I am going fishing”.
What had led Peter to make this statement and what was he really expressing through his words and actions?
Just in the last month, Peter had been through some of the highest spiritual highs and some of the lowest spiritual lows. Peter had been with Christ for 3 years of teaching, healing, and miracle working. Then, he had watched him get arrested, denied him as he was being tried.... and was so crushed by the spectacle of the crucifixion that he couldn’t even bring him self to be present.
Then.... while he was still licking his wounds… still crushed by all that he had done… and all that he had seen done to Christ… Peter was shown the victorious realities of the resurrection.
Peter had seen the empty tomb.... Peter had spoken with the resurrected Christ in his perfect resurrection body.... He had seen Jesus appear and disappear.
Jesus had told Peter and the other disciples to go to Galilee and wait in a specific place. Then, when it was time, Jesus would come to them again.
Where was Jesus during these times? Between Martha and Thomas? Between Thomas and now Peter? Where was Jesus when he would disappear? —> Heaven. He was ascending and descending as it pleased him.
.... in the mean time while Jesus was going back and forth between earth and the throne room of heaven.... Peter the hot headed impulsive man of action becomes bored waiting around. So he decides to go fishing.
Now, on the surface “I’m going fishing” sounds innocent enough, right?
I would like to suggest to you that Peter was not planning on just going to do some recreational fishing to pass the time. No, he was making a declaration, that he was going to return to life pre-Jesus. He was going back… back to life as a fisherman.
Here are 3 reasons to support that suggestion:
1. In John 16:32 Jesus had predicted that the disciples would abandon him.
Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.
— the word “home” in verse 32 has been added by the translators. The Greek reads “scattered, each to his own”. Which would include their home, possessions, affairs, their own business (also used in 1 Thess. 4:11). —> Christ’s prediction was that at some point... they would be scattered and return (or be strongly tempted to return) back to their old lives
2. In verse 3, John tells us that they went and got into “the boat”. John uses the definite article with the noun, which suggests a specific boat. Possibly even one of the boats that belonged to Peter or one of the other disciples. So, Peter didn’t just find a random boat.... he went and got his boat!
3. In verse 15 (which we will look at next week), look at Jesus’ challenge to Peter. “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”.... the word “these” is most likely referring back to the boats. “Peter, do you love me more than these boats.... or these other things related to your fishing business?” — We’ll talk about this verse next week, But the preview is that Jesus was calling Peter to be all in! To turn his back on his former livelihood and be totally committed to serving Him.
The other apostles, following Peter’s lead said, … well “we’ll come with you”. I don’t know if any of us would have done differently. After being with Jesus for so long… having him meet all of their need each and ever day. Now, he’s not with them… what would they do?
I’m sure they felt super inadequate to carry on any kind of spiritual ministry on Jesus’ behalf. When put in an uncomfortable situation for the Kingdom… they decided to turn back to what was comfortable. To what they knew. They knew fishing, so they went back to something to which they knew they would succeed!
So, they went out in the boat. Hopes high that now they’re in their own element… they would regain some of their confidence.
But.... John tells us that, that night they caught nothing.
Man.... talk about kicking a group of guys when they are down.
Later the disciples would reflect back on this unsuccessful night and see that the Lord was teaching them a lesson. That lesson was that true success wouldn’t come from going back to what they thought was comfortable… but would only come from doing exactly what the Lord had called them to do.
These were chosen fishers of men (Matt. 4:19). When Jesus called them, they left their old lives behind and followed Jesus. There was no going back.
That night… when they caught nothing.... the reality that they could not even provide for their own needs was set in. I think that the apostles had been concerned with how their needs would be provided now that Jesus was gone. They worried about how they would ever be able to do what Jesus had told them to do… now that he wasn’t with them. So, they tried with all their might and human effort to help themselves. (.. what they thought was a fool proof self-help option).
As the disciples begin heading back to shore, with their nets empty and they encounter a man, standing on the shore. We are told that this was Jesus, but they did not yet recognize him. As in other post-resurrection events, people were not able or allowed to recognize Jesus after his resurrection unless He reveals Himself to them.
A “man” on the shore asked… “children, do you have any fish?”
The disciples answer forced them to accept the reality that their reliance on self-help… on human effort had its limitations. At this point, when left to their own human effort, they were not even able to provide a few fish for themselves. — How in the world would they ever be able to do all that Jesus had asked them to do?
The failure the apostles experienced that night helped them to see their inability to do anything in their own strength. It also showed them that no other line of work would truly satisfy… except the service of the Lord.
Main point of this section?
The dependance on self.... on human effort… and reliance on our self-sufficiency will always leave us wanting. We are limited by our humanness… our lack of faith and our sinfulness....
Jesus brings the Apostles face to face with their own inability… but he doesn’t stop there.
He doesn’t leave them in their empty boat… making a b-line to the unemployment office. No, he first shows them the limitations of their self-effort… but then Jesus, in all His sovereignty, demonstrates through a miracle of creation.... that even though their relationship had changed… even though Jesus would not be with them.... Jesus would continue to provide for their needs.
Next, Jesus shows these men in this boat.... and each one of us the successes of His Divine Power.
II. Success of Divine Power (6-13)
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.
Have you ever had deja vu and felt like you’ve lived through an event before? I wonder if the disciples were having one of those moments? This whole event should seem very familiar. They had lived something very much like this before.
Jesus could be orchestrating this event in this exact way so that the apostles will connect the lesson he is teaching them today with the charge that he gave them when he first called them to be disciples.
Both Mark (1:17) and Luke’s (5:4-7) gospel tell us that when Jesus first began calling the disciples, they were fishing. When Jesus calls them… he uses the symbolism of fishing as he calls them and says… “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Mark 1:17). Basically calling them to become like him… and be instrumentally used by God in the process reconciliation and soul transformation.
Let’s look at Luke 5 and remind ourselves of that event.
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.
Now.. as we turn our attention back to John 21, they are finishing again. The scenes in Luke 5 and John 21 take place years apart from each other, they are both very similar.
Both times the men had gone through a frustrating night of fishing with no results.
Both times Jesus was teaching the same overall lesson...
— follow me and you’ll be fishers of men.... you will be set on a mission that will impact the heart and souls of mankind!
— But, you can’t do it if you rely only on your self-effort… No.... in order to do what I’ve asked you to do.... you’ll have to rely on something much greater than yourselves..... you’re going to have to rely on me… even when you can’t see me.
By the time the disciples get to where they are in John 21, I wonder if they hadn’t forgotten the lesson Jesus taught them 3.5 years ago. Now that Jesus won’t be with them every day.... they needed to be taught that Jesus will still provide for those whom he has called… even when we can’t see him.
How does he do this? Jesus tells the men to cast their net into the water… and when they draw it up… they can hardly pull in the catch.
Now remember that at this point, the apostles are not able to recognize Jesus. But as soon as the huge quantity of fish is pulled up.... a light goes on in John’s mind. He connects the dots back to that day 3.5 years ago… and yells. “It is the Lord”!.... It’s Jesus!
Throughout John's gospel, John humbly presents himself as the “disciple that Christ loved”. Christ loved all of the disciples. When John says this, I think he is expressing more about himself than he is about Jesus. Based on what we know of John, his heart was probably closest to the Lords. John was one of the disciples that was always looking for Jesus, always wanting more of Jesus, always needing to be right beside Jesus.
Back at the tomb, John was the first to realize that Jesus was alive. Here John is the first one to recognize Jesus. Why?
Because John was always looking for Jesus.
How many of us call ourselves followers of Christ, but we never really look for him? We never really expect him to show up. We never really spend enough time with him to really know him intimately.
He is a great example for each one of us. John was always looking for Jesus… and John was the one apostle who was actually expecting Jesus to show up.
—> Friends, Jesus’ return is imminent! That means that nothing has to take place before he returns. —> Are we anticipating his return? Are we expecting his return? Are we really looking for Jesus like John did?
If we are honest with ourselves, we would probably say no.
So, let the example of John be an encouragement to you. Jesus is coming! Expect Him! Look for Him! Be ready for Him!
As usual, it was John who was quick to realize what was going on… but then we see that, as usual, it was Peter who was the first to act.
Peter gets his stuff together and jumps into the water, not embarking on a foot race… but this time jumping in the water like an olympic swimmer, finishing up his 100 yard swim in record time.
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.
As a side note, it is interesting that while Peter impulsively jumped into the water and took off for land… leaving the other disciples to haul their catch back to shore minus one man..... according to verse 9, the disciples seem to all get to shore at the same time.
So, when Peter jumped into the water his swimming ability may have been less like Michael Phelps and more like Mike Tyson!
So, all the apostles arrive on land and see a fire going, and fish already cooking.
At this moment Jesus is showing compassion and care for his hungry and tired disciples. He had made breakfast for them. This could have reminded the disciples of Jesus’ words back in Luke 22:27, when he said … “I am among you as the one who serves.”
He had washed their feet (John 13:1-15), He had given them food, and now.... after his miraculous victory over death and sin… now after his resurrection… Jesus would still serve those who faithfully followed him by meeting their needs.
Which, if you remember, the disciples had been unable to provide for themselves.
Jesus had already taught this lesson.... now it was the disciples job to remember and apply.
As Jesus provides for their needs, He wants them to remember how He had lived and what He had taught them.
Jesus had told them in John 14:13-14, “whatever you ask in my name, that I will do...”
- Jesus had said in John 15:7-11, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, as whatever you wish, and it will be done for you...”
- Jesus had taught them in John 15:16 that they had been chosen to bear fruit and whatever they asked of the Father in Jesus’ name, God would give them.
Conclusion/ Application:
When John begins recording this real-time parable… this living illustration in chapter 21, Peter and the apostles are walking in disobedience as they spend time at the lake instead of on the mountain where Jesus had told them to wait for him. Their disobedience leads them to failure as they attempt a self-help expedition, relying merely on human effort.
But then, as the living illustration progresses we see that as the disciples respond in obedience to Christ, they are met with overwhelming success.
As Jesus provides a miraculous catch of over 150 fish and then supplies the hungry and tired disciples with a fireside meal, Jesus is teaching them that He will still meet their needs.... even if they can’t see him.
The main idea John is expressing as he pens this real-time parable is that self-reliance and fear of failure will cause us to backslide to our old ways. But, complete dependance and obedience to the divine power of Jesus leads to overwhelming success!
Reliance on own strength will cause us to fail, but dependence on Christ’s power will carry us to success.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
One author put it well when he said, “The Lord… uses weak and sinful people to advance his kingdom because there are no other kinds of people.” ( John F. MacArthur Jr., John 12–21, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2008), 395.)
How can we apply this truth to our lives?
- We are to work hard at fulfilling our primary obligation: Evangelizing and making disciples.... but our effort alone will not bring success… we have to rely on God’s power and His Spirit to produce any real lasting fruit.
- Our self-effort will lead to failure. But, total reliance on Christ’s power will lead us to success. (2 Cor. 4:7) — (we have to have the grace to admit our failures… and the humility to receive Christ’s instruction and leading)
- Just like the Apostles faithfully obeyed and cast their nets overboard, we are to be faithful at following the Lords direction in our lives and ministry.
- Faith filled obedience always brings blessing! (Gen. 22:18, James 1:25, etc…)
- Our faithfulness will lead to the Church’s reward. Our reward will be to know our Lord and to be with Him! (1 Cor. 13:12) — We will fully know Christ… like He fully knows us! — Our reward is the knowledge of God in the face of Christ.
God uses broken, fallen, and flawed people like us… redeemed and reconciled to Him through Christ… to accomplish His will in the world.
—> Are you being used by the Lord today? Are you being obedient to His call and direction in your life?
Are you witnessing to those that God brings into your path? Are you fishing for men?
You want to know the secret of Success? It’s not found in the Wall Street Journal, Linked In… or in the latest self-help book on Amazon.
True Success is gained when we stop relying on self… and totally depend on the divine power of Jesus.
Our human efforts are so limited. But the divine power of Christ is limitless!
---------
Remember John’s excitement as he realizes it is Jesus.... “It is the Lord!”
As we live our lives modeled after Jesus and totally sold out for Him..... I hope that we’ll share in Johns realization and excitement as we reach out to others… sharing the gospel .... being fishers of men.
Remember, in the darkness.... “it is the Lord… on Him we are to depend.
when you fail.... “it is the Lord”
when people reject you and your message… “it is the Lord.. on Him we are to rely.
When people respond and come to faith in Christ.... “it is the Lord”
In every area of our lives.... it is not us that accomplishes anything.... “it is the Lord”!....
It is the Lord who is teaching us.... and it is in Him we must rest and it is on Him we must depend.