I GO A FISHING
JOHN 21:1-4
21:1 After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.
21:2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples.
21:3 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.
21:4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
“I go a fishing”, That statement that Peter made here in this chapter does not seem like one that should cause any concern. It is a wholesome activity, it’s one that is pleasurable, and many enjoy it. It can be one for profitability both for physical and financially reasons.
I have been fishing, I go every chance I get, I even fish in tournaments. I’m sure you have been fishing. The activity of fishing within itself is not a problem.
But it is the attitude and action of that activity that presents the problem. So, it is in any activity outside the leadership of the Lord.
It is when we have that “self” attitude and act on it, that causes problems in our life and the lives around us.
Let’s look at the problems of the “self-life” and learn to avoid them.
I. THE ATTITUDE OF THE SELF LIFE
Verses 3, “I”
.
1- When the “I” becomes #1 then your attitude is selfish.
2- You took the place of God in your life.
3- The attitude of the self-life is all about #1, “I”, “me”, “my”
II. THE ACTION OF THE SELF LIFE
Verse 3, “I go”
1. Go is an action word
2. You are now acting on your attitude.
3. You are not only desiring, you are doing.
III. THE ATTRACTION OF THE SELF LIFE
Verse 3, “I go a fishing.”
1- This attraction was from the old life.
2- The old life was a self-life, God was not in it.
3- Your self-life is attracted to things that please the flesh.
IV. THE AFFECTS OF THE SELF LIFE
Verse 3, “Thet say unto him, we also go with thee”
1. Your actions affect the actions of others.
2. “I go” …we go also.
3. Your life affects others through you.
a. Words – selfish, sensual, spiritual.
b. Ways – what you are faithful to, fearful of.
c. Wants – fishers of men, or fishers of fish. New life, vs old life.
V. THE AGGRESSIVNESS OF THE SELF LIFE.
Verse 3 – “They went forth and entered into a ship immediately.”
1- The self-life acts on the now.
2- People do not waste time when it comes to self-gratification.
3- We need to be as eager in our spiritual life as in our self-life.
VI. THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE SELF LIFE
Verse 3, “Night”
1- Is your life lived in the cover of darkness?
2- What you're doing is not hid from the Lord
3- We are to be “Children of light.”
VII. THE AIMLESSNESS OF THE SELF LIFE
Verse – 3 “They caught nothing.”
1. If you are living for yourself, you will come up with nothing.
2. The self-life reaps nothing but emptiness
3. The ambitions of your life without the Lord are aimless.
VIII. THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE SELF LIFE
VERSE 4 – “The disciples knew not it was Jesus.”
1- How sad it is when Jesus is so close, and he is not acknowledged.
2- Have you been fishing so long that you do not acknowledge Him?
3- I’m glad Jesus still acknowledged them.
Let me ask you this morning, are you living the “SELF LIFE”?
