Catch Anything?
The problem of Drift - no shortage of big ideas and vision
But we take our eyes off the prize, we get distracted, follow rabbit trails
Big Idea: The disciples were thinking about going off mission, Jesus reissues the call.
Do you Know your purpose/ mission? Show Video John 21:1-14
John 21:1-14 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. (Galilee, Genesseret) 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.
Notes on today's passage: 20:31 ended John. Editors added chapt. 21 later - tho many centuries earlier than the story of the woman taken in adultery (8th century)
This chapter has Jesus turning up in Galilee - back HOME
Appears not to all the apostles, but to 7 disciples
Begins with Peter declaring "I'm going out to fish"
"We'll go with you" - sounded like a good idea at the time
This is what Peter knows, supposedly.
But after a whole night of fishing, they all come up empty handed.
As dawn begins to rise, Jesus appears on the shore.
They couldn't recognize him - too far away? - 100 yards
Light too dim? Not even His voice tipped them off.
Jesus is asking for fish - like a possible buyer?
But maybe there's more here - not just to rub in their uneventful night, but to toss out the idea, maybe they weren't really meant to be fisherman after all!
Why is Jesus asking for fish? (Especially when he had fish frying on the griddle) So he could take them back. Throw your net on the right side of the boat
Jesus revisits a scene from the past.
LK 5:1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2 he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." 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 catch men." 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Two fishing excursions - both a flop - until Jesus shows.
Peter's response in Luke - get away from me - I stink!
Now look at the difference - jumps out of the boat!
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. 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.
Peter and "Beloved disciple" (at table he rested his head on Jesus, at the tomb, he ran faster, but went inside second) here he recognized Jesus 1st but Peter swam in
When they got to shore - they saw an amazing sight!
He made them breakfast! BBQ fish & some bread
Jesus surprises the disciples with breakfast - what happened to fishing for men?
What is the meaning of 153 fish
St. Jerome says it represents 153 kinds of fish -
Some say it refers to 153 nations known at that time
Add the numbers 1 through 17 together = 153
1, 5, 3 Add the cubes of each of those digits = 153
vesica piscis - Ratio of the Fish 265:153 (closest fraction to the square root of 3
My guess - the writer was a fisherman, fishermen like to tell about the big catch - this was a big catch!
The story takes place at a critical time in their lives, they could have gone off mission and the church dissolved then and there. This was the third time they saw Jesus, imagine going from seeing Him everyday to occasionally, what is the point? Jesus weans them from His presence - but they have a mission. He shows up this early morning to bring them back to their calling.
Just before passion week Jesus went to back to the place and moment of His calling
I do the same thing - is there a similar place in your life, have you experienced God speaking to you - calling you forward?
Jesus takes Peter back to the moment of his calling "I'll make you a fisher of men" follow me,
There's nothing like a man consumed by the fire of God - people will come and watch him burn.
William Wilberforce - at age 28 set the goal of ending slavery in Great Britain - it took all his life
Newton told him - don't leave politics to go into the ministry until you know where God has called you to go.
Once the mission Christ has for you is clear, going off-mission is going to be very frustrating,
Serving him doesn't mean it will be trouble free either.
Answer the call - be what you could never be on your own
Next Step - catch anything? Is it working for you?
Not the First time Jesus does the miracle of the fish, or the first time Peter gets out of the boat
The fish could have kept Peter off mission,
What represents the fish in your life, is it a career, a thing, your own plans, sin
You know what the fish are by listening to yourself say yes but...
Remember Destroy my Idols!
Do you know your mission - have you answered your calling?
A calling makes you feel like "why wouldn't everyone want to do what I want to do?"
