Respond To The Risen Savior Series

Respond to the Risen Savior

The Gospel of John

John 21:1-14

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church - August 22, 2018

(Revised July 31, 2020)

BACKGROUND:

*Tonight in John 21, we will take another look at one of the Lord's appearances after He rose again from the dead. In this Scripture Peter had decided to go fishing in the Sea of Galilee, and six more of the disciples decided to go with him. It was a frustrating trip, because they fished all night and didn't catch a thing. But the Risen Savior appeared on the shore the next morning, and that changed everything!

*The disciples' response will show us how to respond to Jesus, so please think about your response as we read vs. 1-14.

MESSAGE:

*I hope you believe that Jesus is alive, because the Lord Jesus Christ is surely alive today. Jesus was dead, because He died on the cross for our sins. But now He is alive forevermore, because 3 days later Jesus rose again from the dead!

*A lot of people saw Jesus alive after His death. In 1 Corinthians 15, the Bible reports that Jesus appeared to hundreds of people during the 40 days after his resurrection. In John 20, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene. In Luke 24, He appeared to two men walking to the village of Emmaus.

*He also appeared to the 11 Disciples (who couldn't believe their eyes at first.) That's why in Luke 24:39 Jesus said, "Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don't have bodies, as you see that I do."

*The resurrection of Jesus Christ wasn't the delusion of broken-hearted disciples. The fact is that large numbers of people saw Jesus alive, at different times, in different places, and in different circumstances over a 40-day period.

*Lee Strobel noted that if every eyewitness to Jesus' resurrection were called to the witness stand, it would take over 128 hours to hear their testimony at only 15 minutes a person. In other words, it would take from breakfast on Monday until dinner time on Friday, listening around the clock to hear the testimony of those witnesses!

*Jesus Christ rose again from the dead, and He is alive forevermore! Sir Lionel Luckhoo from Great Britain surely believed this truth. He was one of the most successful defense attorneys of all time.

*Lionel was in the 1985 Guinness Book of Records for being the most successful lawyer in the world. He successfully defended his clients in 245 murder trials. He won 245 murder trials in a row, either before a jury or on appeal!

*Lionel was twice knighted by Queen Elizabeth, and served as a distinguished diplomat. He also served as a justice on his country's highest court. Certainly, he was a world-class expert on evidence.

*What did Lionel Luckhoo think about the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ? After a careful examination Lionel boldly stated: "I say unequivocally that the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt." (1)

*Jesus is alive! So, how should we respond to the Risen Savior?

1. FIRST: WE MUST RECOGNIZE WHO JESUS IS.

*One of the most important things we can ever do in life is recognize Jesus Christ, recognize that He is the only begotten Son of God, Lord of Lords and the only Savior of the world.

*We must recognize Jesus, and it's interesting that He was not always recognized by His followers after He rose again. (2)

*Here in John 21 it may have been a matter of distance, because the disciples were 300 feet away from shore. Verse 4-7 tell us that:

4. . . when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

5. Then Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any food?'' They answered Him, "No.''

6. And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.'' So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.

7. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!''. . .

*Twice before, the Lord's followers had not been able to recognize the risen Savior. Both times were on the first Easter Sunday. That morning at the tomb, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, and John 20:11-16 tells us that:

11. . . Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.

12. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.