I'm Going Fishing (Revised)

I’m going fishing!

By

Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.

OPENING: - Let me open with the understatement of the year and say, “Life is hard sometimes”. We are constantly reminded of struggles, hard times, disasters, tragedies, heartaches, the failing economy, the decline of moral principles, lawlessness, family struggles, societal confusion, political pandemonium, religious rhetoric, etc.

There are times in this walk with God that we will become discouraged, disappointed, feel lonely, wonder what is going on, and even question God. The danger of this is when you feel or become tempted to believe that if you just satisfy this desire that is producing this feeling that everything will be alright. During these times you may even begin to doubt the promises of God and question the plans he has for you.

Understand no child of God is exempt from the dark clouds entering into their lives from time to time. Great men of God like David, Job, Jeremiah, Elijah and the Disciples experienced discouragement, disappointment and even questioned in their lives. The way we view and respond to times of disappointments and discouragements will determine how we press on and are able to persevere with joy.

We must learn to see the big picture and be able to be of good cheer, no matter how bad things might appear, we must be assured knowing that God loves us and will be there for us in our time of need. We must learn to rejoice because we have Christ in us the hope of glory.

Today I am speaking on the subject “I’m going fishing”. This is not talking about going down to the river or lake and sitting there enjoying a day with my fishing pole in the water, but dealing with disappointment, discouragement, misconceptions in our Christian journey.

PRAYER: -

SCRIPTURE: - John 21:1-7 & 14 “After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead”.

We find in our text in verse #1 the Bible says, “After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias and on this wise showed he himself.”

Understand this is after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus had already appeared to the disciple once in 20:19-23 the Bible says “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” Jesus appeared to them after His resurrection, Peace was bestowed upon them, Promises were made, and the disciples were glad.

But Thomas was not there with them when Jesus came. Then in verse 26 of the 20th chapter the Bible says, “And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.” The number 8 means a new beginning. After 8 days Jesus appeared before them again or the 2nd time the number 2 represents division, the number 8 represents new beginning. When Jesus appeared the 2nd time on the 8th day it represents dividing the old things from the new things, the Old Testament from the New Testament, the Law from the Promise, Jesus was showing them a new beginning, all the things that they had seen, experienced, gone through and learned up to this point was all part of the process to get them to a new beginning and Thomas was with them and Jesus said unto Thomas “Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side and be not faithless, but believing and Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God and Jesus said unto him Thomas because thou hast seen me thou believed, blessed are they that have not seen and yet believed”. WATCH THIS: - Doubt was soothed, for Jesus’ sooths all our doubts. Jesus performed many signs in the presence of his disciples after he did these things, he manifested himself at the sea of Tiberias, but all the disciples were not there with him at the sea of Tiberias.