The Two Fishing Trips

John 21.1-14 Luke 5.1-11 The beginning and the end Jesus revealed Himself to Peter, James and John in a fishing boat at the beginning. This was not a leisurely trip. I heard Pastor David and Steve Evans talking about going fishing last week. I told them, “When you go, I want to join you.” Fishing with my Dad in New Hampshire… for fun. He taught me to fish. That little tug when a fish nibbled at your bait… This was their livelihood. They were net fisherman. The Sea of Galilee teams with fish. I have swam in it. Jesus comes and bids people to follow Him. He upsets careers and lives with a Heavenly call. 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 men.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him. From Nothing to Everything Paul Rees Jesus always gives us an overwhelming experience… overflowing. Abundance whether it is the water being turned into wine over 100 gallons… equaling conservatively 400 bottles of wine! Or feeding thousands, 25,000 with a boy’s lunch, and having 12 basket fulls leftovers, Jesus does more, much more than we can imagine. John 21 was a career change then back to the call. It was answering a call by Jesus. They were called to be His Disciples and would later, in His ministry, be designated apostles. Christ, then His eyewitnesses, the Apostles The Call of Jesus. We believe in a God called ministry. We all have a ministry. Some are called away from a career (for me it was first it was being a vet because my love of animals, and working in a grocery store) Ephesians 4. 11 So Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself upin love, as each part does its work. He didn’t give these office gifts for those in them to amass great wealth, fleece the flock and sit in places of honor. Get advanced degrees. He gave them for spiritual reasons: Equip for works of service Build up the Body Unity in the faith Maturity Measuring up to Christ That should be the goal of everyone of these gifts to His Church Notice there are no numerical goals or financial goals mentioned. Not many of you should presume to be teachers. Those who teach will be judged more strictly James 3.1 John 21 * Jesus Brought Them Back 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. This was a career change. Jesus is going to turn them around with Grace, Power and a Charge (which we will look at next week). God works miracles in the midst of our failures! He directed them to return to Galilee. He knew the temptation would be there. He would call them a second time. No lakes in Jerusalem. The Fish Gate went into the Road to Joppa, on the Mediterranean Sea. Matthew 28.8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them.“Greetings,” He said. They came to Him, clasped His feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see Me.” We know they stayed another week in Jerusalem… for fear of the Jews. We are looking into the 40 day period between the Resurrection and the Ascension. This is the third time Jesus appeared to the Eleven. Two in Jerusalem and now here in Galilee. We are not sure where this fits into the 40 days, from the Resurrection to the Ascension. In the midst of epic events the disciples were struggling! They were back for the Ascension, for 10 days until Pentecost, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He had great purposes in bringing them back to Galilee. Fisherman are drawn to the water. That is where they work. When Olin Bechtel, whose mother was part of that original group in the mid 1940’s that started this church, took me out on his clamming boat, we arrived to a spot in the Great South Bay where he would clam as I fished and crabbed. He turned off the motor. All was quiet. He looked at me and went, “Ah.” Jesus brought them back to where the whole thing started. He was bring them back to His call to them to become fishers of men. He was recharging them. A Charge Have I To Keep 1 A charge to keep I have, a God to glorify, a never-dying soul to save, and fit it for the sky. 2 To serve the present age, my calling to fulfill, O may it all my pow'rs engage to do my Master's will! 3 Arm me with watchful care as in Thy sight to live, and now Thy servant, LORD, prepare a strict account to give! 4 Help me to watch and pray, and still on Thee rely, O let me not my trust betray But press to realms on high * Jesus Speaks in the Moment They were tired and hungry and defeated. They failed Jesus. Now they are failing at their previous occupation. They are in a perfect storm. Jesus fed them and encouraged them. He didn’t say, “You are some followers! You are back where I found you! Didn’t you learn anything from the 3 1/2 years I was with you?!” He did say: Come and have some breakfast. Bring some of the fish you have just caught. Taste and see that the LORD is good Psalm 34.8 What is He saying to you right now Come, follow Me Where? Where He leads me I will follow. We have the Logos, the Word of God/ Jesus Christ We need a rhema Scripture that addresses a believer's current need.  Example, “Your brother will rise again.” They got it several times Galilee, meet you there Jerusalem, don’t leave You may have had a rough week. Maybe you are going through a tough time right. You may be saying to the LORD, “I blew it. I feel terrible. I do not know what to do. I cannot seem to do anything right.” That is where men were in the moment they said, “We have fished all night and caught nothing.” Maybe today your efforts have come up empty. Perhaps you are facing financial reverses, you are wondering how you will make it. God will not fail you. I have been young, and now I’m old I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread. Psalm 37.25 * Jesus Redeems Our Worst Failures It wasn’t just the failure at fishing, Peter had the denial three times of Jesus nail knowing it. Jesus, his questions to Peter was the reinstatement of him as a disciple and apostle. He had failed miserably, and perhaps you feel like there’s no place for you to serve, Jesus says come. Look at what He did to Peter. He gave him his place in the kingdom again. We will talk about this, LORD willing, next week. Reinstatement and Redemption The Reinstatement of Jesus. Charcoal Fire like the night of betrayals Great catch of fish like when they first started The call and the reinstatement The LORD’s Supper