Jesus' Third Appearance

Welcome

Good morning everyone and welcome once again! Today feels like a pretty important day to me, simply because we are at the end of the Gospel of John! We started to look at the Gospel of John all the way back in January of 2020. That’s a long time ago and a lot of things have happened since then. Does anyone think they know how many sermons we had throughout the gospel of John? We will have spent 44 sermons on the Gospel of John in total. On average then, there have been roughly 20 hours of sermons based solely on the Gospel of John. Just for fun I compiled all of my sermons on John into a single document and with really really small font, it totals pretty close to 230 pages.

We’ve spent a considerable amount of time in John, but I want to stress again that we did not cover everything perfectly. Don’t neglect John because we went through it together, in fact now might be a good time for you to read through it on your own.

So, just like the other 43 times we have done this, let’s pause for a moment and ask God to be our teacher this morning.

Prayer

Engage

Our passage today has to deal a lot with the topic of failure. Nobody likes to think about failure because all of us have failed at something in life and chances are it doesn’t prompt a very warm feeling within you. But with failure, just like many other things in life, we have multiple choices we can make on how to handle that failure. If we fail extremely bad we can just run away from whatever we failed at and never acknowledge it again. We can learn from that failure and use it to get better. Or we can just ignore our failure and pretend it never happened and continue on with how we were doing things.

John 21 talks about failure in a few ways, but mainly it shows us how to respond to failure. So first, we are going to read about how the disciples failed at fishing and what we can learn from that. And second, we will see how Jesus works through Peter’s failure to reinstate him.

John 21:1–14 NIV

1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. 6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Out of the disciples, 7 of them decide to go fishing one night. Well, really it was Peter who wanted to go fish and the other 6 said they would go along with. This group goes out and spends the evening fishing but are unable to catch anything. Early in the morning Jesus shows up on the shore and asks them if they have any fish. They say no and he gives them instruction to try the other side of the boat.

Remember, the disciples aren’t new to fishing. Fishing isn’t just a hobby for them, for some of them this was their livelihood and they knew the ins and outs of how to fish. I don’t know about you, but if I was in their shoes I doubt I would even listen to this random person telling me to try to the other side of the boat. But they do and they catch an incredible amount of fish. If this sounds familiar, then that it is good, because this is how Jesus interacts with the disciples at the start of Luke.

Luke 5:1–10 NIV

1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”

So we have these two parallel acounts of Jesus allowing them to catch a significant amount of fish after a night of failure. Now, John doesn’t tell us for sure, but after they haul in this load of fish in John, something clicks and he realizes that the man on shore is Jesus. Probably because the last time this happened it was because Jesus was with them. And so Peter puts some of his clothes back on and dives into the water to get to Jesus. When they arrive on shore Jesus tells them to come and have breakfast around this charcoal fire. Remember that little bit because it is important for us as we look at Peter later on.

But in this fishing story, I think we see a truth about what it means to be a fisher of men. Jesus had told the disciples when he called them that instead of being fishermen, he would make them fish for people. If this is the illustration then to prove that, then I want to point out that Jesus is the one who really caught the fish. The only reason the disciples caught fish that morning was because Jesus told them where to fish. The disciples can’t brag about their fishing skills in this story because they really didn’t do a whole lot. They listened to Jesus and participated, but really it was Jesus who caught the fish.

When we think about sharing the good news of Jesus, about being fishers of men ourselves, sometimes we can think to highly of ourselves. We like to think that because of our great bible knowledge, length of time being a follower of Jesus, that we have won many people to Christ. In fact I have had people ask me before, “How many people have you won for Christ?” I think asking that question would be similar to asking how many fish the disciples caught that night of fishing. They didn’t actually catch anything on their own, just like we don’t “win people” for Christ on our own. This is a good thing though! It’s good because God is going to work through you and to people in whatever way he sees fit. God’s will is not determined by how much Bible you know or how great you are at explaining the gospel. God is truly the one who calls people to himself, we just get to be active participants in that work.

As an illustration, I think about one time I went fishing with a friend. This was long ago, I was in grade school and didn’t have a lot of experience fishing at the time. I went with a friend, his name was Noah, and his family to a lake to fish. I remember saying something about how I don’t catch a lot of fish or something in that regard, but my friends dad was like, “Well we’re gonna fix that today!” He took my hook and loaded it up, took me to a certain part of the dock and told me where to cast. He watched the bobber and told me when to pull and when to reel in a fish. Essentially, my friends dad was the one fishing, I just got to participate. I got to experience the catch with him.

While Jesus is the one who does the work, we get to participate and be a part of it. Like the disciples, it is important for us to listen to Jesus though, and to do what he tells us to do. That takes the pressure off of us and really allows us to see God’s hand at work at calling people to himself.

Participate in Jesus work by listening to Jesus and following him.

After the breakfast, Jesus turns his attention to Peter, specifically Peter’s failure when it came to denying Jesus three times.

John 21:15–25 NIV

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” 20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

Let’s go back to the setting that this conversation is taking place in. John is specific in telling us that this conversations is happening around a charcoal fire. What makes this interesting is that the only other place in John that mentions a fire like this is when Peter denies Jesus around a fire. Here Peter is, around a fire similar to that night not that long ago, sitting with the man whom he denied knowing three times. I want us to really focus on how Jesus handles this interaction with Peter. Often when we fail someone we’re asked all kinds of questions. When I played baseball in jr high I remember our coach had an insane amount of signals for us. One time I thought he signaled that I should steal a base so I attempted it. I got thrown out and I remember him asking, why on earth did you run? Why did you try to steal? Did you see my sign to steal? Why weren’t you paying attention?

And I think, that is how we are used to people responding to us if we fail. We expect them to ask questions of us that don’t work to build us up, in fact they make us want to go crawl under something and hide. And we would think that if there was a time for Jesus to do that, it would be here with Peter. Peter, why did you deny me? I counted on you, you promised me, why did you fall away? But Jesus doesn’t do that. What Jesus is most concerned about, is simply if Peter loves Jesus. Perhaps this is why Peter later writes in 1 Peter 4:8 “8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

Peter himself experienced this. Peter’s love covered his denial. Did he still make a mistake? Absolutely. But that mistake did not prevent him from loving Jesus. Jesus is more concerned about Peter’s love than his mistakes.

The same is true for all of us. Are you going to be perfect this week? No. Are you going to fail Jesus somehow this week. Probably yes. But what ultimately matters, is your love for Jesus. And when you have that love, like Peter we are called to take care of Jesus’ sheep. We are called to love our neighbor. We are called to show the love of Jesus, as much as we have experienced it, to those that we meet. Service to Jesus doesn’t prompt him to love us. Instead Jesus’ love for us prompts us to live lives of service to others around us.

Action

So how do we summarize the gospel of John? Well John did that for us himself in the last chapter.

John 20:30–31 NIV

30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

This is the purpose of John’s gospel. That we would see who Jesus is, believe in him, and have life in his name. Because as I just said, when we do that, when we recognize the love Jesus has for us it prompts us to live our lives for him and in service to others. When we started John you might (probably not) remember that I wanted us to look at it because I wanted us to go through the book of James. James deals a lot with how to live out your life as a follower of Jesus, but in order to do that you have to see who Jesus is. So as we get ready to go through James later this year, my prayer is that all of us would have an encounter with Jesus. That we would read these things in John and believe that he is the savior, the one who took our sin and rose from the dead. And that when we do that we would have true life.

Prayer

Communion