Message
John 21:1-14
Post Resurrection Lull
Have you ever had post-exciting-event-syndrome?
It is the syndrome which happens when you have been planning an event for a long time … a wedding, a special party, a holiday, a house move
You have been putting your energy and time and commitment into this event.
Maybe you have been talking about it incessantly.
And showing everyone all the different plans and decorations.
You have been excitedly watching the Face Book Event to see who is coming.
Then you have this great time.
… then when the event is all over you sit around and wonder, “Now what?”.
Do you know what I am talking about?
Well I think that the disciples went through post-exciting-event-syndrome.
We read about it in John 21:1-14
The setting is the Sea of Tiberias.
Which is the name the Romans use for the Sea of Galilee.
The map helps to get an idea of where we are (Google a map of first century Sea of Galilee)
Jesus comes from Nazareth. Peter from Capernaum.
You can see Magdala – that is where Mary Magdalene comes from.
Cana is where Jesus did his first miracle – the very un-Baptist action of changing water to wine!
From the map it has become obvious what has happened.
The disciples have gone back to that which is familiar. This is where Jesus first met most of them … and where He first called most of the them.
Here we find a group of seven disciples.
Simon Peter – who we know well.
Thomas … not the doubter … but Didymus.
Nathanael from Cana. He was the disciple who was convinced nothing good could come from Nazareth.
The sons of Zebedee – who we know as James and John.
John is also called “the disciple whom Jesus loved”.
Two other disciples. We are not told who, and it is no use trying to guess.
So what we have is a gathering of disciples … seven out of the eleven.
Why are they in Galilee?
Some people say it is because they have given up.
They know Jesus is alive but they really haven’t become convinced of the calling He has for them, or a full understanding of the task at hand.
So they are acting in a disobedient way because they have not gone out and taken up the mission work Jesus had called them to do.
I think those people who give the disciples a hard time are wrong.
Here is why.
Firstly they are doing exactly what Jesus told them to do.
Jesus says this before His death
32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.
Matthew 26:32
The angels at the tomb say this to Mary.
7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: “He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.” Now I have told you.
Matthew 28:7
Jesus says, “Go to Galilee” so they go back to the place where we started and wait.
Secondly they have not been given their commission yet
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’
Matthew 28:18-20
The fact that they are in Galilee is not a sign of rebellion, or cowardice, or cold-feet.
What has happened is that they have found themselves in a bit of limbo.
What do men do when they are in limbo?
They get hungry – since most of them are fishermen a good way to stop being hungry is to go and fish.
Now here is an interesting fact.
Every time the New Testament mentions fishing, nothing is caught until Jesus gets involved.
They applies to literal fish.
It also applies to us being “fishers of not-yet-believers”.
The same message keeps coming – Jesus is a handy person to have around when you want to catch fish.
So this theme continues in our text. The disciples fish all night … nothing.
They are still fishing when the sun come up.
Someone is standing on the shore – we know it is Jesus but they don’t.
Remember they are about 90 meters from the shore.
And it is early morning so the light isn’t strong yet.
When Jesus calls them he is using a very general name.
“Hey guys! Have you caught anything?”.
No-one knows it is Jesus.
Try the other side of the boat.
What? What difference would that make?
But they do it … and all of the sudden we have such a load of fish that it can’t be dragged onto the boat.
It was déjà vu. This is why they knew it was Jesus.
Luke 5:4-7
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 signalled to 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.
So a large catch of fish was involved in the beginning of their friendship with Jesus.
And now we have a large catch of fish near the end of their time together.
It is not a coincidence.
It is kind of like Jesus is pushing a reset button.
After the first catch of fish there was a great journey together.
Now we have just caught a whole heap of fish … and there is another great journey with Jesus ahead.
It is here that some of the most powerful lessons of this text can be found.
When you journey with Jesus you need to learn to be obedient.
Who was this man on the shore?
A professional fisherman? A knowledgeable local?
They really don’t have an idea who He is.
And what He is saying really doesn’t make a lot of sense.
What difference does it make if the net is on the left or the right?
But they listen to the nudge that He gives them. And it works out!
Sometimes God puts us in situations where it seems like there is no answer. We have tried everything.
We thought we knew what needed to be done.
It worked before, so we think we already know how to do it.
In the middle of that situation maybe Jesus is saying, “Hey, put the net on the other side and see what happens.”
Relationships breakdown because we feel that we have to be defensive. Or we want to be proven right. How is that working out?
Maybe the net needs to be on the other side.
Maybe try … forgiveness … or humility.
What happens then?
Our spiritual life can sometimes feel a bit … cold. We read our Bible and pray but nothing seems to be happening.
Maybe we need something different.
To go to the beach and get on our knees.
To write in a journal and express our feelings.
To go to the mountain-top and talk to God.
Maybe the net needs to be on the other side.
In the journey with Jesus sometimes the things that He says don’t always make the most sense do they.
Put yourself last.
Serve others.
Be the least.
Do not consider others better than yourself.
That is the net-on-the-other-side … isn’t it.
What is Jesus nudging you to do … it might even sound foolish … or counterintuitive.
But that one last cast of the net makes all the difference doesn’t it.
For here is the reality. You are not smarter than God.
And you can’t always rely on your knowledge and training.
Jesus wants us to have a teachable spirit.
Because when we are teachable that is when the journey is most exciting.
Which brings us to the second lesson.
When you journey with Jesus the resources you need are never far away.
They don’t have to go to the other side of the lake to get the fish.
They don’t even have to move the boat.
They just need to move the net.
And they have all that they need.
During His ministry Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28).
In another place Jesus says, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. I have come that they may have life and have it to the full” (Matt 9:12).
We are reminded through Paul that Jesus is the one who comes to us and says, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor 12:9)
Paul again reminds us that, “No temptation as seized us except that which is common to man … and God will always give us a way out” (1 Cor 10:13).
I could keep going but I think you see the point.
Whatever you need from Jesus – he is able to provide.
Do you need love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self-control? It is available.
Do you need assurance, security, hope, encouragement or peace? They are available as well.
What about forgiveness, mercy, reassurance, refuge or faith? All of these are available from Jesus.
You see when you are journeying with Jesus you are not alone … you never are. You just might have your net in the wrong spot and need to move it.
It might feel like we are at the end of our resources … and maybe we are.
But it is good to come to the end of our resources and realize our weakness.
We realize we can’t do anything on our own anyway, so we ask him to completely take over.
We stop trying to make things happen and let him have his way.
And, amazingly, that is when things begin to happen. When we come to the end of us, we come back to the beginning of the journey with Jesus. And then we really see stuff happen.
And that is what the disciples experience isn’t it.
All of the sudden they realise there is a great journey ahead.
John, the disciple who Jesus loved , shows quick insight. “It is the Lord!”.
Peter shows quick action. He grabs all his clothes and jumps in the water.
Then they get to the beach and discover that Jesus already has breakfast ready.
There is a fire … and food.
Everyone knows what is happening, no-one needs to ask or doubt.
And then we get this really strange number.
They pull the net ashore so they can get a few more fish to add to the breakfast.
There are 153 fish.
That is a very specific number isn’t it.
In fact the number is so specific that it has caused much discussion about its meaning.
So, without all the speculative discussion, let me tell you what 153 means.
It means someone can count. And someone remembered the number.
And when the story was written down the number was given to clearly demonstrate that this is an eye-witness account.
Jesus was there.
Fish were caught … 153 in total.
Breakfast was eaten.
This was the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was risen.
The specific number of fish remind us that we can believe all that has been recorded. And we can trust that it is true.
So … it is true that we don’t be afraid to be obedient.
To hear the voice of Jesus and go “that seems a bit strange” but I will do it anyway.
And … it is true to believe that the resources you need are not far away.
Jesus doesn’t call us to obedience without also giving us the resources we need to get through life.
No matter where you have been Jesus is always jump-starting the journey. Going back to the beginning if need be so that you can go forward.
Put the net on the other side of the boat.
Who knows what wonderful journey Jesus has in store for you – just around the corner.
Prayer
