Sermon Tone Analysis
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I think we all have those times where we simply need a break or to reset.
Pressures of work, family needs, exciting times, and even failures all can seem to pile on
the disciples weren’t much different
today we come to the final chapter in John’s gospel.
In the timeline of history and perceiving what can be gleaned from the text, the disciples have had a whirlwind couple of weeks
Joy:
Triumphal entry
Intimate final evening - foot washing, teaching, meal
Despair:
Betrayal/Arrest
Trial
Crucifixion/Death
Exhilaration:
resurrection
Confirmation:
Appearance on Sunday night
Appearance a week later
now what - what’s next.
Jesus had sent them (John 21:21) - but how, where, when, who would lead
Mark’s Gospel tells us that that John asked them to go to Galilee (Mark.
16:7).
In John 21, is a sort of epilogue to the entire book.
The climax of the resurrection has happened.
The two appearances of Jesus assuage any doubters and John has once again called his readers/listeners to belief (John 20:31).
This epilogue does several things to wrap up the gospel, but primarily there are three principles I want to focus on today:
The blessing of working Jesus way
The beauty of restoration
The individuality of ministry assignments.
So let’s begin by considering the first principle...
The Blessing of Working Jesus’ Way (1-14)
So, we find the disciples in Galilee.
Peter decides to go fishing and 6 others follow.
Some people want to give them a hard time about going fishing.
It may have been that they were early or had a bit of down time before they knew they were going to meet Jesus.
It could be they were returning to what they knew.
It could be that a guy like Peter, who had a family to care for (he is the only one that we know is married), needed to provide for his family - which is an honorable, noble, and responsible task.
And yet, they experienced a few years earlier - their night of fishing was fruitless.
Imagine for a moment being where they are.
The emotional “rollercoaster” of the previous two weeks.
The last three years of ministry on the road.
The unknowns of the future - after all, Jesus has hinted that he is going back to the father.
Everything is in turmoil.
So you go back for a few minutes to the one thing you knew so well - fishing.
Maybe for you it’s
hunting,
a video game,
a book ,
a movie,
a craft or hobby, or even
losing yourself in work.
We may feel like we need space to catch our breath - and we do - I think that’s ideally what a Sabbath is for.
As we go back to the “familiar” we may, like the disciples, find that it’s fruitless -
the deer are nowhere to be found,
the game is mired in useless ads and you can’t get past that level no matter how hard you try,
the book and movie feel tired and repetitive
the craft project is not coming together the way you hoped it would, and
work just doesn’t have the same fulfillment it did before.
None of our attempts produce the outcome we hoped for or expected.
The emotional satisfaction or the rejuvenation that we desired is absent and the spiritual perspective we longed for is more foggy than ever.
John continues...
They quickly learn that this catch is abundant, producing 153 large fish (v.
11) and realize that this shore-bound fishing consultant was none other than Jesus.
Once they make it ashore, Jesus invites them to bring some of their catch and join him for breakfast.
But I want us to think about this principle or idea for a moment.
Peter and the disciples were not looking for solutions.
It seems they weren’t seeking God’s guidance - Jesus simply broke through and interrupted their fruitless work.
Once Jesus got their attention, they obeyed, and everything changed.
I wonder, though, how often are we like that?
How often do we toil and worry our way - never really giving God the time of day or a whisper of a prayer.
And then God interrupts our efforts.
He might interrupt using a tragedy, or sickness, or accident.
He might even simply interrupt us by getting our attention - by less drastic means.
It may be that still small voice of the Spirit.
It may be something said by a friend.
The point is - when he interrupts - how will we respond?
Will we obey his word like the disciples did or will ignore him - thinking we know best.
I wish I could tell you exactly what to do.
Your situation is different than mine.
Our circumstances are different than the disciples.
What is the same is our God who is working for our good.
He is working for our flourishing.
Obedience may be as simple as casting a net on the other side.
It may be more challenging or complicated.
In the very least, obedience looks like fellowship.
John 21:12 (ESV)
Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”
Oh that we would spend time with Jesus in His word.
Oh that we would feast with Him in prayer and worship.
Friend, if you are far from Jesus, if you’re just checking him out - come and fellowship with him.
Join him in sweet communion.
John has been calling you to believe.
Belief/faith is the table upon which this meal with Jesus is set.
Religious activity is as fruitless as the disciples’ fishing expedition.
Enter in by faith, obey his call to repent and believe.
So, we can learn from the disciples encounter here that there is blessing in working Jesus’ way.
The second thing we can learn from this encounter is...
The Beauty of Restoration (15-17)
If you remember, just a couple of weeks earlier, on the night that Jesus was arrested, Peter was warming himself around a fire in the courtyard of the high priest.
Peter ended up denying Jesus - not once, not twice, but three times.
It must have been a cold night, because John brings up Peter “warming himself” again as he reveals Peter’s second and third denials of Jesus.
So here, a couple of weeks later, on the shore of Galilee, we find another charcoal fire (John 21:9).
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