20 - Jesus at the Beach

Intro: Jesus wants to be where you are. The disciples are at the beach; they’ve been fishing all night without success. At daybreak, a mysterious man calls out to them from the shore: “Children, you haven’t caught any fish, have you?” In response, they acknowledge their poverty, their lack of shalom. They’ve been working hard all night. They were doing what they were skilled at, and yet their skills could not help them. God is teaching them another way: the way of Christ’s resurrection. Soon they discover that the mysterious man is Jesus––Jesus that had just risen from the dead. They grew familiar with following Jesus in the flesh, but it was time for them to learn how to follow him even if they did not see him. Jesus comes into our world of sight and sound so that he can draw us out of our world and into his world, the world of the Kingdom. Life in the Kingdom is one of shalom (wholeness, completeness and soundness), but only if you walk in a higher way.

1) “I am going fishing” (John 21:3).

These are Peter’s words and when he says them, all the other six disciples, join him.

“We will also come with you.”

What comes of their fishing expedition?

They catch nothing.

To put on the boots of the Gospel of Peace, you need to sit before you walk (Eph. 6:14).

All of our problems stem from walking before sitting.

What do I mean by that?

The book of Ephesians shows us this pattern, which Watchman Nee wrote a book on: sit, walk, stand.

“To walk with Jesus is to walk with a slow, unhurried pace. Hurry is the death of prayer and only impedes and spoils our work. It never advances it” –– Walter Adams (friend of CS Lewis).

“If the devil can’t make you sin, he’ll make you busy” –– Corrie ten Boom

Busyness usually has the same effect as sin: it leaves you disconnected to God.

Yesterday, I went to Chermside. As I was sitting at a cafe reading, I ask the Lord to be with me. I wanted communion with him in the busyness of the marketplace.

And as I looked around, I saw that everyone was fishing.

Everybody was fishing for something.

Women fishing for men; men fishing for women. People fishing for one another.

Human beings looking for the best catch of food, experiences and products.

Again, everybody is fishing for something. A new house, a new job, a new girl or guy, a new experience, a new church.

We think these things are going to give us happiness, that these things are going to feed our soul. But they never do.

2) “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” (John 21:4).

This is the first of Jesus four ‘words’ (sentences) during his breakfast at the beach with his disciples.

Interestingly, there’s only seven disciples there––only seven during one of Jesus’ greatest revelations of himself.

Jesus questions them to show them the futility––the worthlessness––of doing things there own way.

They have nothing.

It’s easy for us to fall back into old patterns: things that Jesus himself has called us out of.

For Peter and the disciples it was fishing.

There’s nothing wrong with fishing, but Jesus had called them to something higher.

Jesus asks questions to draw you closer to him.

This whole account is about Jesus restoring shalom––his peace and purpose––back to his disciples.

The disciples were totally disoriented after the crucifixion and resurrection––they didn’t know what to do.

They were used to following Jesus in the flesh.

Now, Jesus was calling them to follow him in a higher and new way.

I know that COVID-19 and the pandemic has disoriented Jesus’ disciples. I wish it wasn’t so––but it has.

Often new things and changes disorient us.

But let me be clear, that the calling of Jesus has not changed.

His purpose for your life has not changed.

You don’t need to seek him for new direction.

Instead, you need to go back to your original blueprint, his original calling.

For most of us, Jesus already has revealed what he wants us to do.

It’s about remembering.

And you have to realise that your endeavours will be fruitless unless he leads.

Jesus comes into our world to pull us out of our world into his world.

That’s the Kingdom.

*Listen to Jesus’ original blueprint: LUKE 5:1-11.

*We must hear the ‘NO’ to our own ways and plans (John 21:5).

We must hear the ‘NO’ to our self-life.

Who am I? It’s a question we’ve been asking at Bible School.

Paul knew who he was: “I am crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:20).

Have you allowed the cross to be applied to your self-life, to your fishing?

Jesus said, “Children...” Have you come to a place of being a child before the Father?

3) “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch” (John 21:6).

What is the lesson in these words?

Jesus said, “I am the vine and you are the branches. Without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

The catch Jesus is ultimately about is the catch of disciples (Matt. 4:19; Mark 1:117; Luke 5:1-11).

There is no fruit––no harvest and no catch––apart from Jesus’ words.

The secret to fruitfulness is listening to Jesus.

And not just hearing with our ears, but doing.

This year is all about us hearing and doing God’s Word.

That’s what the March Challenge has been about.

Since Christ has risen from the dead, he can speak to each and every believer personally.

You’ll find true fruitfulness in your life when you stop, sit down and listen to Jesus’ voice.

And then out of his shalom (peace), do what he says.

Hurry, haste and rush are the blights that are destroying the human soul.

4) “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught” (John 21:10).

Whatever you receive from Jesus, you need to bring to Jesus.

The whole purpose of God’s blessing is to bring us to Jesus.

We do this through thanks and praise.

As Jesus disciples, we do not take and catch and run away from Jesus.

It’s all about drawing near to him.

Psalm 127“Unless the Lord builds the house…”

You will catch disciples if you listen to Jesus.

The Bible is also like the sea of Galilee.

It’s by fishing in the fresh water sea of Scripture that you find authentic food to feed your soul.

5) “Come and have breakfast” (John 21:12).

This is the secret to being a disciple: daily breakfast with Jesus.

Morning by morning, Jesus wants to feed you.

This feeding happens as you listen to his voice and draw near to him.

Conclusion: Jesus said four things: 1) Children, 2) Cast, 3) Bring and 4) Come. These words teach us how to follow the resurrected Christ.

Related Media

Related Sermons