GOD AIN’T THROUGH WITH YOU YET!
John 21
* We know the story very well.
It is a story of boastful promises followed by great failure.
Exaggerated bravery, extreme cowardice.
Great potential, absolute defeat.
IMAGINE...
Jesus and 12 disciples sitting there with Jesus. Peter is there thinking “This is awesome. I’m with Jesus. It can’t get any better than this!” Then Jesus drops a bomb on them. He tells how one of the 12 will betray Him and that He will be put to death. Then Jesus adds this, “The rest of you will fall away from Me.”
** Peter exclaims, “Maybe the other 11 will, but I will never forsake you, even if I have to die with you.”
Jesus says, “Peter, before the rooster crows, you’ll deny Me 3 times.”
** Peter is thinking, “Never! I’m strong and afraid of no one! I'll never deny you.”
** Later that night Jesus is arrested and Peter is outside the room where they are interrogating and torturing Jesus. Once strong Peter is now filled with doubt and fear. Standing around the fire that night, 3 different times he was accused of being a disciple of Jesus. Twice, he denied it and the 3rd time he cursed and said “I never knew that Man.”
** Suddenly, a rooster crowed.... reminding Peter of his failure.
He went off into the night a beaten and broken man.
All the dreams he had were destroyed in just a few short hours.
His ministry is surely gone.
He let his best friend down and he failed God.
Maybe today you feel just like Peter.
* You were once close to God. In the past you faithfully served Him.
But, something happened along the way and you fell away from Him.
* Maybe drugs/alcohol abuse have taken over your life.
* Maybe sexual immorality has left you with guilt and shame.
* Maybe you Failed in your marriage. Maybe multiple times.
* Maybe you faced some great problems that destroyed your faith.
* Maybe you feel you’ve messed up so bad that God has written you off and wants nothing else to do with you.
** If that describes your feelings for any reason, hold on because I’ve got great news for you.... “God Ain’t through with you yet!”
** Let’s get back to Peter’s story.
John 21:1-4 1 After these things Jesus [a]manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter *said to them, “I am going fishing.” They *said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing. 4 But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.
Peter’s trying to get his life figured out. He decides to go do the one thing he knows how to do.
He goes fishing. Notice that he’s even failing at that. Fished all night. Not a single fish.
* Maybe you’ve been struggling with all your might, but nothing seems to be working out for you?
Sometimes God allows us to struggle thru the dark night seemingly alone in order to get our attention. But in vs 5, we will find that Jesus was never really far from Peter and the others.
And, in your darkest times, He is never far from you. You just need to open your spiritual eyes.
* 1st word of advice “Look for Jesus.” He is with you always, even in your darkest of times.
John 21:5-6 5 So Jesus *said to them, “Children, you do not have [c]any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.” 6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish.
* Notice that Jesus knew their situation.
They had no fish. He knows of their failure...... And He knows every detail of your situation.
* He tells them to drop the net 1 more time on the right side of the boat and they would catch some fish. It would be easy for them to say “no” since they were tired and defeated. But, they obey and the net closes around so many fish that they can’t haul it into the boat and have to drag it in to the shore.
* 2nd Word of advice “Listen to Jesus.”
John 21:7-8 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved *said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about [d]one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish.
As soon as Peter realizes that it is Jesus, he dives into the water and swims to the shore.
Peter loves Jesus.
He is still ashamed of his great failure, but he deeply loves Jesus.
* 3rd Word of advice “Come to Jesus when He calls you.”
John 21:9-13 9 So when they got out on the land, they *saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread. 10 Jesus *said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.” 11 Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus *said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples ventured to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus *came and *took the bread and *gave it to them, and the fish likewise.
They’re tired and sore and hungry. They’ve worked all night with nothing to show for it, yet Jesus, Who didn’t even have a net or a hook, is on the shore cooking fish for their breakfast. They come to Jesus hungry and Jesus ministers to them and meets their needs.
* 4th Word of advice “Allow Jesus to minister to you. Jesus is telling you to come to Him.
Come hungry. Come hurting. Come broken. Just come! Let Him feed you and minister to you.
Next, Jesus has a personal conversation with Peter.
John 21:15-17 15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.” 16 He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you [h]love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17 He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I [l]love You.” Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep.
At the Last Supper, Peter had boasted of his great love for Jesus and how he would even die for Him. Yet, just a few hours later, Peter denied Jesus 3 times and cursed and swore and said that he never knew this man named Jesus.
Now, sitting around a different fire, Jesus asked Peter 3 times if he loved Him.
What was going on here?
(1) Jesus confronted Peter with his sin/failure. Not to hurt him, but to restore him.
See, Peter’s restoration can only come after his repentance. So, Jesus reminds him of his failure to give him the opportunity to repent.
(2) Jesus gives Peter the opportunity to profess his love for Him.
Peter has a penitent heart and confesses his love for Christ.
Jesus gives Peter the opportunity to recommit his life to Him.
(3) After each time that Peter confesses his love, Jesus tells him to shepherd the sheep.
Jesus is restoring Peter. God is in the restoration business and he is telling Peter that He is restoring him to serve Him and His Kingdom.
* 5th Word of Advice “Allow Jesus to restore you.” He loves you and He has great plans for you. You may have messed up, but He is a God of 2nd Chances. What He did for Peter, He can do for you.
What kind of change did Christ make in Peter’s life??
* When Peter preached his first sermon a few weeks later, filled with the Spirit, thousands of people got saved!
* He Anointed him with power. Peter was so filled with the Spirit and the power of God that People lined the streets hoping that Peter’s shadow would fall on them and be healed.
* He traveled the world preaching the gospel and doing the work of God that Christ called him to do.
* And, he bravely faced death as he hung on his own cross when it was his time to be called home to glory. He willingly and humbly died for Jesus just as he had boasted years ago that he would do.
After fishing all night with nothing but heartache and failure to show for it, Jesus had a message for Peter.....
God Ain’t Through With You Yet!!
And He is not through with you yet either.
* You say “I’m such a failure. I’ve destroyed everything good in my life. No one could ever love me.”
God is saying to you “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”
* You say “My sins are so great and I’ve messed up so bad, God could never forgive me.”
God says “If you confess your sins, I am faithful and just to forgive your sins, and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.”
* You say “I’m not strong enough to overcome my problems.”
God says “My grace (My power) is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in your weakness.”
* You say I can’t keep going, The Devil is attacking me so hard!
God is telling you “Greater is He that is in you than he that is attacking you in this world!”
God is telling you “I’m not through with you yet!”
Steve Harvey (the game show host) said....The greatest sign that God ain’t thru with you yet is that you woke up this morning. When He’s done, you won’t wake up anymore. But as long as you’re waking up, that means He still has something for you.
Peter did not know what God had for him and I don’t know what God has for you. What I do know is this, You will never have true joy in this life if you continue to live apart from Christ.
True joy comes from a close relationship with Jesus and serving Him in what He has called you to do.
Why don’t you come back to Jesus today because He’s telling you today,
"I’m not through with you yet!"
