There are times in life that the pressures of life make you just want to get away for a bit.
Want to take a vacation .
Wish you could just escape.
I remember a season in my life their was so much pressure, and trouble that for me to go to sleep I would have to find a happy place in my mind, I would lay in bed and begin to take my self far away.
I would go fishing, I would picture myself in a stream of water out in nature fly-fishing, or at a lake with the family putting out trout lines catching big catfish.
If you find yourself in that situation you are not alone.
The disciples found themselves in the same position.
Peter A man that would deny knowing Christ but yet Jesus said upon this rock I shall build my church. Jesus changed his name to Cephas meaning Rock.
Jesus changed his name,
his identity,
took a man that society would call ordinary
not the smartest , strongest, wealthiest
a piece of clay just like you and me.
Probably not the best smelling either
I don’t know if you have ever been around a fisherman but they don’t smell like
Old Spice of Aqua De Gio.
And Jesus built his church and “used” him to change the world.
John 21:3 KJV
Simon Peter saith to them I go a fishing. They saith to him, we also go with the. They went forth , and entered into a ship immediately, and that night they caught nothing.
“Fruitless work"
I used to joke around about going fishing and not even putting a hook or bait just sit there with the line in the water.
John 21:4 KJV
But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
Limited Vision/Christ Unknown
The disciples didn’t know it was Jesus
Maybe they were to far away that they couldn’t see Jesus clearly.
Maybe it was overcast, foggy.
Maybe Jesus was just standing there watching and waiting, to reveal himself the whole time
There is times we lack vision or insight. We cant see what God is doing.
John 21:5 KJV
Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
We often times go to what we have done in the past that worked and this time it just doesn’t work for us.
Im sure after fishing all night they were tired
They were hungry
Discouraged and frustrated
They were once fisherman and now they cant even catch a fish 1single fish
At the boat dock
people there asking did you catch anything?
No
Nothing
No mot even 1 fish not even a bite.
Do you have any meat?
No
John 21:6 KJV
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
Divine Direction
They couldn’t see him but they could hear him.
After they heard him they obeyed him.
We see a super abundance blessing not just a little but a super abundant blessing. So much they needed help
John 21:7 KJV
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.
Bible says Faith comes from hearing and hearing the word of God
The closeness of that one disciple to Jesus brought a revelation that
it is the Lord"
Brought faith, reassurance to jump out of the boat into the sea and go
His past experience brought him to a place to know that this time was different .
It is going to be different.
He didn’t try to walk on the water he just jumped in!
John 21:8 KJV
And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes
Help is on the way.
John 21:9 KJV
As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread
Divine preparation
When they couldn’t see him he was working
getting everything ready
setting it up
prepared and ready for the feast
Meat was ready
the bread was ready
the camp fire was ready
Ready before they got there
John 21:10-11 KJV
Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught
Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken
Effort demanded
Bring your fish
Different thoughts on the significance of 153
153 nations when Christ returns
100 represents the gentiles
50 the year of jubilee
3 the trinity
But in counting there was a separation of the fish that could be eaten from the fish that had to be thrown back the Hardheads
Wheat and the tares
John 21:12
Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord
Almost time to go Home.
You might not be able to see me
you might be down,
tired
discouraged ,
hungry , thirsty
but if you can hear and obey everything is going to be all right
Conclusion:
Maybe this norming
1)Fruitless work
2)Limited Vision
Mary Magdalen looked into the tomb and saw 2 angels
Turned and saw what she thought was the Gardner only to find it was her Lord and savior
God can be standing right next to you and reveal himself or hide himself
How do you see Jesus as your Gardner
Someone to take care of the weeds and cut the grass occasionally
Or as Lord and Savior, Master, Teacher
3)We need divine direction and obedience
Your effort / your work
Reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus and bring in a Harvest.
