Sermon Tone Analysis

\\ Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish

 

Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias.a

It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called 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.b 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 Simon Peter climbed aboard 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.

John 21:1-14 (NIV)[1]

When I was growing up, we had two kinds of clothes.

We had */dress/* clothes and */everyday/* clothes.

Dress clothes lasted longer than the others.

That of course was because we didn’t wear them so much – we weren’t allowed to wear them except on special occasions, and it seemed that they were for “less active” times.

Also it seemed to me that the “dressier” they were, the less comfortable they were.

My brother says that if God had intended for a man to wear a tie then he would have given them breathing apparatus somewhere other than their necks.

It’s sort of homespun wisdom that bears a degree of truth.

While we can “dress up” to show respect or to be “appropriate”, we can also dress to hide our true selves.

Generally speaking, if we look right, people assume that we are right and they don’t ask too many questions and that’s the way that we like it.

It’s one of those “techniques” that people can use to make themselves look better than they actually are.

The truth is that we are no more or less what we are and */the way that we “cover” or present ourselves does not alter or change anything /*when it comes to the physical part of our lives.

I would have to say that I always felt more comfortable in my “everyday” clothes.

They were washed more often – they didn’t cost as much money back then at least, nobody peered to find an acceptable tag that made them a measure of the wearer – only superficiality does that – because remember that clothes don’t really change anything.

They tell you nothing – really – about the person inside of them or the person inside the person.

I always felt that everyday clothes were less pretentious.

I felt less conscious of myself when I had my everyday clothes on.

As a matter of fact, I love people who can bring that degree of ease to life.

People who are not intimidated by superficiality or dress or titles.

People who face each day with the same degree of faith and optimism and trust.

I would call them everyday people.

I think that Jesus was just that, an everyday person – */not an ordinary person but an everyday person/*.

There was nothing ordinary about him but he had those everyday qualities.

Some people think that they are God and the very fact that they consider themselves to be so, makes others uncomfortable.

People like this introduce a tension to life that is miserable.

They think that they are irreplaceable or that no one else knows how to function quite right.

They are “taken with themselves” and their accomplishments.

Jesus  was God and the disciples didn’t know it.

There were times that he didn’t act like God.  Times like the foot washing thing in the upper room.

Times like the rage that drove the money changers from the temple.

He was unpretentious, deliberately and everyday guy.

And he was not impressed with pretension.

He saw right through it and refused to acknowledge it.

There’s no point in coming to him hoping that he’ll be impressed with your “good clothes”.

You see he’s looking for everyday people.

He chose everyday people.

Look at the kinds of people that he chooses.

- Moses stuttered.

-- David's armor didn't fit.

--- John Mark was rejected by Paul.

---- Hosea's wife was a prostitute.

----- Amos' only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.

------ Jacob was a liar.

------- David had an affair.

-------- Solomon was too rich.

--------- Abraham was too old.

---------- David was too young.

----------- Timothy had ulcers.

------------ Peter was afraid of death.

------------- Lazarus was dead.

-------------- John was self-righteous.

--------------- Jesus was too poor.

-------------- Naomi was a widow.

------------- Paul was a murderer.

So was Moses.

------------ Jonah ran from God.

 

----------- Miriam was a gossip.

---------- Gideon and Thomas both doubted.

--------- Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal.

-------- Elijah was burned out.

------- John the Baptist was a loudmouth.

------ Martha was a worry-wart.

----- Mary was lazy.

---- Samson had long hair.

--- Noah got drunk.

-- Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse?

 

- So did Peter, Paul - well, lots of folks did.

But God doesn't require a job interview.

He doesn't hire and fire like most bosses,

 

because He's more our Dad than our Boss.

He doesn't look at financial gain or loss.

He's not prejudiced or partial,

 

not judging, grudging, sassy, or brassy,

 

not deaf to our cry,

 

not blind to our need.

As much as we try, God's gifts are free.

We could do wonderful things for wonderful people and still not be. .

.

Wonderful.

Satan says, "You're not worthy."