Well, if you're a visitor this morning, we have been working through the Gospel of John for quite some time, and we come to the last chapter, chapter 21, I invite you to open your Bibles and to come to John chapter 21, down on page 1078, and we will read the first 14 verses of this last chapter in our study of the Gospel of John. Let's give our attention to the word of the Lord. I'm going to back up and read it verse 30 of chapter 20, actually. Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in his name. After this, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. And he revealed himself in this way. Simon, Peter, Thomas, called the twin, Nathanael of Cana and Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, I'm going fishing. They said to him, we will go with you. They went out and got into a boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore, yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, children, do you have any fish? They answered him, no. He said to them, cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some. So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because of the quantity of the fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, it is the Lord. When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, about a hundred yards off. When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place with fish laid out on it and bread. Jesus said to them, bring some of the fish that you have just caught. So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore full of large fish. a hundred and fifty-three of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, come and have breakfast. Now none of the disciples dared ask him, who are you? They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. And we'll stop the reading of God's word there. The final chapter of John, chapter 21, is all about restoration and recommission. Restoration and recommission. It's really a moving chapter. I find some of the most exciting sections in the Bible, helpful sections in the Bible, come post-resurrection as Jesus deals and helps his disciples before he is ascended to the throne to be seated. It is a wonderful section to study to understand priorities and to understand what Jesus is really all about now, now that the resurrection has happened and that he is leaving his church in the world. We usually focus on the fact that these were simply opportunities to tell us that people saw him after the resurrection, that they were, there were witnesses to the resurrection. And that is very important. John is also focused on what has been the heart of the book the entire time as we have studied this gospel. Remember in that last section of the previous chapter in verse 30, he said, everything that's been written in this book has been written for you, it has a purpose so that you would believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and believing that you would have life in his name. So that was the thesis, that was the purpose of the Gospel of John. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have life, eternal life, everlasting life. John has said, that's what this is all about. That's what I've written. I've aimed to accomplish so that you would believe and that you would have real life in this. Now, that's been a huge theme in the Gospel of John. This is not a dead life. There's real life given to you. You've passed from death to life, John 5. We're not just pew warmers, even though we receive the word. There's real life in us. John's been telling us that. Now, it's as if John moves now to this postscript after he got to the thesis, which is an interesting postscript. It's an interesting chapter that you might feel was not really necessary. We could have ended right at the end of 20 and been done with John. He could have finished on that note, but he had something important to tell us. This obviously means a lot to the Lord to give us a window as to what happened to the disciples before they went out and asked to the ends of the earth with the gospel. Remember the truth that was said last time. Remember what Jesus said his purpose was for them last time. As the father sent you, sent me, so I'm sending you, he said. You're going. You have a mission. And that tied to the great commission when we looked at last time the forgiveness of sins. But the greatest encouragement now is given to us in chapter 21 because before us, what God shows us is something remarkable. Who did God send? Fishermen. Don't you like to watch The Deadliest Catch? I like that show. These are tough guys. They're stubborn guys. I mean, these are the kind of guys that can fall off the ship and be done and you don't even see him again. Fishing's tough business. But these guys are also weak. It's interesting God chose people who you would never think he would choose. Weak, needy, difficult. You guys know how pastors can be. They're difficult. God chose the weak things of the world. God chose people you would never think. You see, God could have chose angels to come and preach to you. Did you know that? God could have put a flaming, beautiful angel on fire in front of you today who in great power and his voice was so, so powerful. You would all sit here, and by the way, you might, I would think You might listen to him better than me. But he didn't do that. You would be awestruck by the angel. You would worship the angel. No, God chose really weak people. God chose struggling sinners and put them up in pulpits all throughout time to preach the gospel to you so that you would know that the excellency of the power when somebody is saved is not from Chris, Gordon, or any pastor, but that it's from God. Now that's the heart of this today. Jesus has to deal with these really weak, frail men that he's about to send out to the ends of the earth. And I think this whole section is meant to encourage you today so that you would identify this way and that you would not lose heart in the struggle and in the failure and in all the difficulties and in your own weakness. I'm sure this passage is meant to really help somebody here today who's facing this. And if we're honest, it's really the whole church. It's Jesus's continual ministry to his servant. And it's Jesus's forgiveness to his sheep. It's Jesus' forgiveness first and foremost to his own disciples that has to drive them in the ministry. That's why we always say you have to first preach these messages to you for there to be any real effectiveness. For if you're not preaching to you, if you're not first preaching to number one, you're not really going to be effective in preaching to everyone else. We have to repent. We have to receive grace. We have to receive help. And that's really what's in front of us today, the recognition of failure on the part of the disciples, the revelation of deliverance that Jesus comes and provides, and then the restoration that he gives them in his love. It's really beautiful. Recognition, revelation, and restoration. You could break it down that way. That's what we're looking at briefly this morning. And let's begin then with this recognition of failure that is here on the part of the disciples and Peter. Look down at verse 14. This is now the third time that Jesus is going to appear to his disciples here at the Sea of Tiberias. He had come to them twice in that upper room. But I think the point of John is to say, even though he had appeared to them twice, there still was something wrong. There still was something not right. The problem comes out in verse 3. The problem comes out in verse 3, Simon Peter said to them, I'm going fishing. Literally, I'm off to fish. I think it sounded just like that. I'm done with this. I'm off to fish. Next thing you read, that disciple said, well, we'll go with you. This was Peter's fishing boat. He'd been docked up for a while, obviously. Peter now is ready to fish. Peter is ready to go back. Most commentators don't make much of this. I don't think they make the right connections with this. Some even say they needed to eat. I don't think that's at all the emphasis that John is giving us by the Spirit to help us understand something that's going on in the minds of the disciples, the hearts of the disciples at this point. You know how committed they were to Jesus? No, they really believed. They really followed. they had walked away from everything. I mean, it is really something. They gave up the fishing business. They gave up everything to follow Jesus. Jesus foretold numerous times as we studied at the end of John that these guys were going to have a major fall. These guys were really going to stumble when the cross event happened. And lo and behold, John seems to really grab and focus on Peter for a specific purpose here. You remember what Christ said to the disciples? You remember what Jesus said? Listen, tonight all of you will be made to stumble because of me. And Peter boasts up. He stands up and says, no way. No way. Even if all are made to stumble, I won't. I will not deny you. Oh, yes, you will. Matter of fact, you're going to do it three times. Nope. Not going to do that. I'll die for you. What a moment of real, to study this and say, the battle between, you know, the will and the mind and the actions, desire. Look at the fight. It was no little failure. As Jesus was being mocked before the whole Sanhedrin, Peter stands out in the courtyard over a coals of fire and he warms himself with the very ones who had arrested and punched Jesus in the face. What a hypocrite. I mean, seriously, would you put somebody like this in ministry? That weak? Couldn't hold his own for a minute? As Jesus was ridiculed and mocked and beaten and hauled off as a lamb to the slaughter, as this is happening, he walks right by Peter. And he turns around and he looks at Peter. And then the rooster crows. And Peter went off crying. The Gospels really make clear that all of them denied Jesus. It was really an awful fall. It was a bad fall. Ever thought about why the Lord would put this in front of us here? Peter knows Christ is risen. He's seen Christ. I'm going back fishing. Talk about a failure. And he knows it. I think that's what this indicates. For Peter, it was blatant denial. How could I still get up? And how now could I go and testify? I mean, it's one of those things that we fear. If I was put to the test to say, you know, you can live and go on with your family if you deny Jesus. If not, you go to the gallows. You are going to be hung. Or you're going to die. Think about that scenario. This is what happened. They had committed themselves to him. They had heard Christ's teachings. They had heard him say, listen, if anyone wants to follow me, let him take up his cross and deny himself. If you don't hate your own life also, you cannot be my disciple. Conclusion, I'm not. I failed. Peter said, I'll lay down my life for you with the greatest desire of his heart to follow and to believe and to trust and to willing to fight to the death. This is the guy who pulled out the sword and chopped off an ear for Jesus. And as soon as the going got tough, he didn't hate his life at all. Now you understand what they're going through. I mean, this is massive discouragement. Massive discouragement, you know. I think you could say, you know, it's interesting what circumstances of life do and what they expose. I think one thing that has been really shocking about COVID-19 is how much it's exposed so much in people. It has been a giant time of exposure of the human heart. Some, it has revealed that they're completely checked out of their faith. They've been checked out a long time. That's what it's exposed. It's given opportunity to check out more. Some, it's revealed a lot of fear. And some, it's revealed a lot of misplaced priorities. But anyone who's sensitive to sin, anyone who has a tender conscience, it's revealed a whole lot of weakness in us. It really has. It doesn't take much to throw everyone off track, does it? It doesn't take much to throw everyone off track. discouragement, failure, the sins of the flesh that we run to in times of stress and anxiety and discouragement, what we so easily give into, what we bow to, what we do, you know, we really, if we're honest and we see things, unless we're hardened in our hearts, we're not much different. Especially when we find ourselves doing the things we don't want to do. What are they? What are they? For those who have the sincere and contrite and broken heart, they hate it when that worst sort of moment comes upon them and the pain and the conviction of it all. What do people do in life like this? They give up. This is one of the biggest moments, I think, in Scripture where you see people giving up. I'm done. I'm done with this. doesn't work. I mean, this is exactly what's happening in Christianity right now. A lot of people, in light of the hardship, don't feel the power, and they're giving up. Look at what's happening. When you're under pressure, and you feel like God is never happy with you, and you feel like the failures have disqualified, and that you're never good enough, and that you can never do enough and that you can never really please him. Really, how in the world is that going to make you useful in his kingdom? And you slide away. I believe the Lord's teaching us something through this circumstance that's important. And initially you could say, take your eyes off yourself. That sounds strong? You're way too inner-focused. There's something much bigger going on that you're a part of with somebody who's much bigger than all that and somebody who has a much bigger plan that he has made you a part of. I think you're going to see that come out here because John moves now to the revelation of their deliverance. In verse 3, you'll notice that it says, They went out and immediately got in the boat. And that night, lo and behold, they caught nothing. Well, that's not a surprise. They went out the best time to fish. These guys know how to catch fish. The whole thing that night was nothing but a struggle. The text makes clear. They didn't just catch a few fish. They caught absolutely nothing. Which shows, look at God's providence and control of even the fish that they're supposed to catch. And the imagery here is they're going the wrong way. It was not what the Lord had called them to do. This is not what his calling had placed on them. This is not where he had them. And lo and behold, the whole thing was a failure. You know, you do have to stop sometimes and say, we have to stop and ask when everything, this isn't always the case, I'm not making a too broad of a generalization here, but when everything's going wrong and nothing is going well. Why is that? Jonah knew. Because Jonah went the wrong way. Jonah fled and ended up at the bottom of the ocean. Maybe we're going the wrong way. Think about it. Christ had just said to them, he had just said to them in the previous section, I'm sending you. As the Father sent me, here's what's happening. I'm sending you, but they thought we're useless, we're failures. You know, it's really true. Calvin commenting on this really strikes at the heart of this when he says, no man will steadily persevere in the discharge of his office. Listen to this. So no man will ever really steadily persevere in the calling that God has put on their life unless the love of Christ reigns in his heart. In such a matter that forgetful of himself and devoting himself entirely to Jesus, he overcomes every obstacle. That's the heart of this. The Christian will never be driven. You'll never be driven in the calling that Christ has until Christ's love has completely turned you around away from yourself and you are now walking in his purpose and not your own. That's what Jesus is going to say to Peter at the end of this. Right at the end of the John, he's going to say, you did enough of your lifetime doing where you and went where you want to go. That's it. You're going to go where you don't want to go. And that was to death. See, now Christ is dealing with this. And he's calling them to believe that. Everything in the Christian life is by faith. He's already called them friends, knowing all this would happen. He's already told them that the Father loves them and that they're going to know that. He's prayed for them that their faith would not fail. Satan has asked to sift you as wheat, but I pray that your faith will not fail. He's already decided to send them and announce Christ's forgiveness to others. But the joy and assurance of their own forgiveness must drive them. He wanted them to see that they would continue to minister that comfort in their very weakness. He prayed all along that we would have joy and that it would be fulfilled. Now he's showing the reasons for which he does this. In verse 4, we read that when morning had come, day was breaking. Jesus stood on the shore, yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, children, do you have any fish? It was like this. How did it go all night for you guys out there? Go well? catch any fish fishing is is really it's really something you know that's why they call it fishing and not catching it's it's a long tedious boring process dad how much longer are we gonna have to sit here you just wait you have to be really patient son you have to be patient dad this is boring fishing's tough how was your night all night toiling for fish they didn't sit there with a line they dropped down nets working hard to catch fish isn't it interesting that Jesus of all things chose fishermen have any food make any catches this is a loaded question because it's playing off of something that Jesus had already taught them throughout the Gospels. And this is where it all comes together. That's why I love the postscript. It puts together the whole ministry of Jesus to them. Remember when back in chapter 4, Jesus asked specifically here, do you have any food? Back in John chapter 4, they came to Jesus and said, Rabbi, eat. We have food for you. Really? I have a food to eat that you don't know. What in the world? therefore his disciples said to one another has anyone brought him anything to eat jesus said to them my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work the father gave me a command that food is to give eternal life to as many as he's given me that's my food you have any food keep in mind they're on the shore the lord has over here prepared a meal for them and i'll come back to that in a minute verse six they answer no no no no no he said to them he responded oh go ahead cast your net on the right side of the boat and you'll find some so you read that they cast their net and they were not able to haul it in because of the quantity of the fish. You know, again, you have to stop and say, do you realize who we're dealing with here? This is the God of heaven and earth who has every single fish under his control. The whole net is absolutely full, and even the net did not break, which in any other case it would have broken. It was so full. Don't miss this. No one recognizes him at this moment. No one yet sees him at this moment. They are totally blind to who this is. And so you'll notice here, John, looking back over his life, must have been completely touched by this event. It was an event that he never could stop meditating upon and thinking about because as soon as this happens, what's the first thing he blurts out? Therefore, that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It's the Lord! What opened his eyes? What did he see? He saw the catch. You know what that is. You not know it was that very command at the beginning of the ministry when Jesus called them to himself. That's how John's eyes were initially opened. Listen to this earlier in the ministry. So it was, as the multitude pressed him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake Gennesaret. That is the same lake here, as I understand, Tiberias. We're in the same boat. It's Peter. Multitudes have gathered to hear Jesus preach. And the multitudes are all around the boat. Remember, he's standing on the boat. It's his pulpit. And the multitudes are all gathered around the side. and he's preaching, and he saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put it out a little bit from the land, and he sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. Jesus is in the boat. He's pulling in. Notice this. The boat is there. He's pulling in all these people. All these people are coming as he's giving the word. Notice the connection between the word and fishing. Then he said this. When he had stopped speaking, he said to Simon, launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. But Simon said to him, Master, we've toiled all night and caught nothing. See what I'm saying? This has already happened. Nevertheless, at your word, at your word, I will let down the net. And when he had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them and they came and filled the boats so that they began to sink. That's how many fish they caught. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees saying, Depart from me, for I'm a sinful man, O Lord. For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken. And so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, here it is, do not be afraid. From now on, you will catch men. They never forgot the moment. Do you see what's happened here at the end? He's recreated that moment for them. You're done. I called you way back. Now listen to this point. I called you way back and told you you're done with the fishing business. I've got a different food for you. I'm sending you with my nets. I'm sending you with the word and you will net men. You will net people with the word. And look at the sovereignty of this. Look at the numbers so big. I mean, this is meant to be a huge encouragement to us. that was all before their failure. This is now after. I would imagine the morning fog blinded them. They cast their nets. It's full. Right then and there, when John saw that, he says, this is the Lord. This is the Lord. Peter runs to get out of the boat, quick as he can. He loved the Lord, plunges himself right into the sea, And I love the scene because the very place where Christ originally called them, same lake, same boat, same net, same full net, restores them. And what he's saying to them is this, my calling for you has not changed. My calling for you has not changed. This is such a crucial point, I believe, of the text today. Jesus recreates the very scene of their original call with the very words they heard when they first believed. And notice the restoration in love. They drag the nets to the shore. Peter gets there. He looks up in verse 9. They see something. As soon as they came to the land, what do they see? A little coal of fire. And a fish laid on it and a bread. Peter must have stopped and said, this is really strange. The only other time a coal of fire is mentioned in the Gospel of John is when he was warming himself with the betrayers. And Jesus has recreated it. See what just happened? Christ has recreated the original scene of the calling. Now in the place of denial, he's recreated the scene of the denial and he's restoring them in love. I think this issue in this section that Jesus is about to raise, we'll look at next time is Peter's love for Christ. If you study carefully, there's a tug of war going on over the word love. It's a fun section to preach. It really gets into the heart. But the truth is, before we even get there, I think John looked at this and said, yeah, it's not that we ever first loved him. It's that he first loved us and gave himself for us. That is vital for the Christian life. we're weak. You know, I read in Psalm 103, he knows our frame. He remembers that we're dust. That is God's way of saying there's nothing about you that surprises him. He knows all your propensities. He knows all your weaknesses. He knows the things you run to. And while you were an enemy, he was giving his life for you. The calling was never based on your worthiness to begin with. Do you understand that? The calling of God is irrevocable. God doesn't take it back. He doesn't say, oh man, I never knew you'd be this bad of a failure. When he called you, he called you, and it's irrevocable. You need that. You need to know that. John's telling us he wouldn't let him go in a different direction. Don't try it, by the way. If you're here today and you're disconnected from the church and you're wandering and you're a child of God, your life is not going to go well if you're a child. I want you to know that. It's going to be miserable for you and you're going to be a miserable person. Don't try it. There's a much better plan. There's a much better way. He'll get a hold of you. That's what chastisement's all about. You don't want to go through it. If you're a young person today running, don't do it. If you're pursuing a life of things that you shouldn't do, don't do it. He'll come get you. He'll come get you. He'll put his hand on you and he'll pull you right back. And if you're not a son, there's no chastisement. But if you are a son, he'll come get you. So don't do it. Isn't that wonderful? He's declaring through this that the work he began in us, he'll see it to completion. That's Philippians 1. I also think that when I look at this passage, there's something beautiful about remembering the place we were originally called. The place that God opened your eyes to your own sin and your own misery. The place that God saved you. The place that God pulled you out of the darkness. the place that God originally called you, it's good to remember that and to see that. You all should know that, where that is. Remember when you first knew it? Remember when you first saw the light? Remember when you were first pulled out of your deadness and then you were actually given life? Remember when you understood that Christ justified you by his blood and that there is no condemnation? You remember that? Remember the freedom you enjoyed in that? Remember when he called you in love and you knew that love? Consider it. It doesn't change. Even when you stumble along the way. John 21 is telling us he wouldn't let him go. There's a bigger issue here. And the bigger issue is that he has went to the cross to pay for our sins and to forgive us because we are his workmanship. He's made us a new creation. And we will be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. That's not just for pastors, by the way, even though this is focused on the apostles, disciples, apostles. It's not just for pastors. He has given you a holy calling. He has given you a place. He has given you a purpose. COVID has produced in us an isolation mentality. We've got to get back out of it. We've got to get back out. I'm going to work on in the next few weeks. We're going to look at night, the church, and gifts, using your gifts again. As they look up, they see the coal fire, and on there's one fish and one bread. Don't miss that. In the Greek, it's singular. It's important. There's one last miracle he does here. With a single fish and a bread. You know what he did? Starts breaking it and he feeds them. Where did that happen? All the way back in John 6. Where he had fed the multitudes, the 5,000. Must have been on their minds. Jesus says, go get that net. Go get that net and bring it up here so we can look at it. So they go get the net. And as they're eating the food, they could see all of these fish. Large fish. Big fish. And the message couldn't be missed. You are sustained by my life and my forgiveness. And that has not changed for you. They were to look at the multitude of fish they had just brought up by the word, his word. You go get those fish. They bring them up by the word, an exact number. I don't know why it's 153. All I know is it's an exact number. and Jesus had said, every single one that the Father has given me will be saved. Go get them. Go get them. You are fishers of men. That has not changed. It's all the Lord's work. It's all the Lord's work, but he's called you into it. He's given you a place into his kingdom. He's forgiven you. He's loved you. He's helped you. Don't go the other way. His plan is perfect. And to this day, he's still gathering. You know, you tend to think, how in the world are we going to make any progress with all these hard hearts? Remember, it's fishing. The catching belongs to him. It's his work. Be faithful in what he's called you to do. Know his forgiveness and his love. And be about your father's business as he was. It's a good message for us today. Let's thank him. Heavenly Father, thank you for encouraging us in your calling for us, in the purpose for which you have us, in whatever vocation it is. Not all are called to be pastors, but all are called to be your light. All are called to be separate from the world. If there's any today who are checked out who don't really believe this book, Lord, may it bear down heavy in their hearts, These things are written that you may know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and believing that you may have life in his name. Give them life. Maybe it's this day that they are called out of their long darkness, even being raised in the church, and they have seen the light. Wherever that place is that you call us, may we consider it. May we remember that calling is irrevocable. May we remember that you don't change. May we remember that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. May we then take seriously fighting sin, hating sin, repenting of sin, turning to you, but believing in your forgiveness. When we go through dry periods, when we see as COVID has produced in us, we see how easily we can get off track, pull us back in, Renew us, as we talked about today, O Lord, in your promises and in your covenant mercies. And let us know your steadfast love that endures forever. Thank you, O Lord, for so great a text and so great a salvation. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.