1. Intro a. What we are doing b....

1.    Intro

a.       What we are doing

b.      Where we are at

2.    The Form and Structure of the Gospel as a whole and our specific text for the day

a.       Read 20:31-31 (End There?)

                                                              i.      John’s later addition

                                                            ii.      John’s disciples added it in later

1.      Problems with the latter option because it calls into question the integrity of the text

2.      Neither option is actually necessary or favorable if you understand chapter 21 as an epilogue

b.      What’s an Epilogue, you ask.

                                                              i.      Def-  a short addition or concluding section at the end of a literary work, often dealing with the future of the characters

                                                            ii.      Illustrate on the board how the structure works together

c.       Why does it matter?

                                                              i.      Given the fact that we are now moving into a portion of the narrative which is an epilogue, we may—at times—need to interpret certain events slightly different than we would have interpreted them in the other portions of the book. This is precisely what we will be doing shortly… After all, Jesus has already risen from the dead and there are no longer questions as there were as to whether he is the messiah.

1. Offer Roadmap for where we are going today
1. The Event, The Response, The Significance
2. The Event------READ THE TEXT

a.       Just as any good investigator or journalist, we should be asking some basic questions: who, what where, when, how, and why

b.      John opens by answering the what question: Jesus appeared to the disciples and performed a miracle

                                                              i.      States his thesis at the beginning of his section- this is a good practice when writing

c.       John opens the text by answering the when question (After these things)

                                                              i.      Indefinite period—after the resurrection and probably before Pentecost bc of the radical change that took place after Pentecost. They just don’t seem to be in that mindset.

                                                            ii.      Snapshot of the period between the resurrection and Pentecost. We know from the Bible that there was a 40 day interlude between the resurrection and the ascension

                                                          iii.      More Specifically, verse 4 tells us this account took place just as the day was breaking

d.      Now, of course the who question- verse 2

e.       So, Peter tells his buddies that he is going fishing and, of course, they want to go. After all, who wouldn’t want to go fishing with Peter? He has been a fisherman for a long time and probably knows where the fishing holes are. Nonetheless, the fish the entire night—which was the normal practice on the sea of Tiberius (aka Galilee)—and they caught nothing… a familiar experience for us all, Im sure.

                                                              i.      WHY THE LAID BACK ATTITUDE?

1.      Some propose that they had all given up on preaching the kingdom

2.      SOLUTION___That a one-time fisherman should tell his friends one evening, “I’m going fishing,” does not imply, “I’m finished with preaching the kingdom of God, and I’m going back to my old job.” Even though Jesus be crucified and risen from the dead, the disciples must still eat!  (Beasley-Murray, The Gospel of John)

f.       So, they fished through the night and caught nothing. In the early morning, Jesus appeared on the shore and asked them if they had caught anything-to which they truthfully replied “no.” A lot of folks wonder why they didn’t recognize the Lord, but let us not forget that this is in the early morning as verse 4 says and approximately 100 yards away according to verse 8. The Lord then told them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat—to which they did—and they caught an entire net full of fish. We will soon find out that there were 153 fish total, and the net did not break (v. 11) READ verse 11

                                                              i.      153—has been focused on through the history of this passages interpretation much more than anything else.

1.      Silly interpretations

2.      Better alternative—Eyewitness account

g.      So in sum, the event is the Lord’s post-resurrection appearance (the third one to the disciples be exact) at which time the Lord then performs a miracle

5.    The Response

a.       Look in verses 7 and 8.

                                                              i.      John immediately recognizes this to be the Lord

1.      Not that the others were still unable to recognize, but John was first

                                                            ii.      Peter put his outer garment on (verse 7 said he was stripped for work) and jumped into the water to swim to the Lord. Peter has a natural affinity with the water- he is known as the disciple who gets out of the boat. He was probably part fish anyway, being the big fisherman.

                                                          iii.      The rest of the disciples hauled the net in shortly after

                                                          iv.      When they all get to shore, they have a fish breakfast with the Lord who had already put some fish on the coals.

                                                            v.      Comments---many commentators have quickly distinguished between the two reactions to this miracle and appearing of the Lord. John exercises spiritual discernment and Peter exercises great zeal.

1. The Significance
1. This is where we ask the question, what does it mean.
2. TO properly answer this question we must first ask the question what did it mean when John wrote it because it cannot mean anything today which it never meant back then
3. A helpful way to answer this question is to ask why John included this account in the epilogue. What did he want to convey to his readers?

                                                              i.      On a very basic level, we have an appearance and a miracle. Miracles often convey a deeper point to help us better understand something.

1.      Example----1 kings 17:2-6 In this passage, God feeds Elijah by sending ravens. This is a miracle that teaches us something about the Lord. He will protect and provide for his people. Remember, it was a drought and famine. Many were starving to death. God was faithful and took care of Elijah.

                                                            ii.      The miracle, though, is not like the other miracles. Jesus has already shown himself to be the Messiah, the Son of God. This miracle does not have the same apologetic flavor of the previous miracles. MENTION two texts 5:36 and 10:37-39- testify

1.      This miracle is not to convince the disciples that Jesus was sent from God. The Lord had already made that abundantly clear.

2.      Instead, it teaches us something about the Lord himself.

3.      That something is that the Lord provides and nourishes his people.

4.      Compare fishing and eating back then to today

5.      After all, they came on shore and had a meal with the Lord.

6.      This would have been a comforting message for the concluding chapter of the Gospel. The mission which the disciples were about to embark on, would not be lacking in the necessary resources.

                                                          iii.      Jesus Christ provides for his people whether through a boy and his lunch, a net full of fish, or perhaps a paycheck…

If there is one thing you remember from this lesson, it is this: the Risen Lord provides for His people. He has the resources to do so, and he does by his own volition. It is not through our cunning ability that we have food and nourishment and neither was it through the lucrative fishing industry of the disciples. It is because of Gods provision.

This passage was really leading up to several important themes, as was mentioned earlier. WE cant get to those themes and events today, but we should remember that the lessons which follow are in the context of Jesus Christ provision for his followers.

DISCLAIMER FOR ALTERNATE INTERPRETATION……………………..

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