Knowing Christ & the Power of His Resurrection

I invite you to turn in the Scriptures this morning to John, John chapter 21, John chapter 21, and we will read together the first 19 verses of John 21. On your pew Bible, that is found on page 1154, 1154. beginning at verse 1 of John chapter 21. 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 in 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 the 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 a 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 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 and 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 153 of them and although there were so many the net was not torn jesus said to them come and have breakfast and 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 when they had finished breakfast jesus said to simon peter simon son of john do you love me more than these he said to him yes lord you know that i love you he said to him feed my lambs he said to him a second time simon son of john do you love me he said to him yes lord you know that i love you he said to him tend my sheep he said to him the third time simon son of john do you love me peter was grieved because he said to him the third time do you love me he said to him lord you know everything you know that i love you jesus said to him feed my sheep truly truly i say to you when you were young you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted but when you are old you will stretch out your hands and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go this he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify god and after saying this he said to him follow me and there ends the reading of god's word this morning well on this day of worship this morning we are coming to think together about the resurrection of the lord and savior jesus christ and what he did to accomplish full and complete salvation for us the resurrection of course uh is is our hope for without it we all know as the scriptures teach we would still remain in our sins our very justification before god as we have considered is rooted in the truth of the resurrection it's the uh it's the receipt that everything was done and accomplished for us in fact i was um thinking this morning of and meditating a bit on the words of the heidelberg catechism in this particular lord's day lord's day 17 on the benefits of the resurrection and think of these glorious benefits that we take so much for granted that first, by His resurrection, He has overcome death for us so that He might make us share in the righteousness He's won for us by His death. Second, by His power, and I'm going to emphasize that this morning in the message, we too are already now resurrected to a new life. And then third, Christ's resurrection is a guarantee of our glorious resurrection. I mean, this is just wonderful when we think of the benefits of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's essentially His life that sustains us. His life. And apart from Him, apart from the power of His resurrection, His resurrection power, apart from Him, we can do nothing in this life. We really can't. Jesus said that, without me you can do nothing. The apostle had so looked at the truth of the resurrection that in Romans 6, he rehearsed that everything that happened to Christ is true for us by virtue of our union with him, that when he died, we died. When he was buried, we were buried. When he was raised, we are raised with him so that now we should walk in the newness of life. I can't help but see these benefits and these blessings and the power put on display here in John chapter 1 in light of now the resurrection. This morning, what is in front of us is the revealing of Jesus to his disciples to reassure them in light of their great struggle of what his resurrection has accomplished for them. What his resurrection now means for them. And maybe we struggle with that a little bit. Maybe we struggle to understand that. What does the resurrection of Christ really, really benefit and mean for us now? We've looked at the Heidelberg, But to see this now work its way out in the life of the disciples is immensely helpful. We learn so much from this familiar passage, especially in the way that Jesus here, and you'll notice the focus turns to Peter and how it is his intention to restore Peter. I want to look at this morning from this passage the way in which Jesus helps the disciples. And we can see this in light of the resurrection by the great discouragement that they are facing, the encouragement that he gives them, and then the restoration that then follows for the mission that he has for them. All with the goal of what Paul said in Philippians 3, that we all would know Christ and the power of his resurrection. The very power that he would pray and talk about in chapter 1 and 2 of Ephesians. that that power that raised christ from the dead now reigns in us it's just a beautiful remarkable amazing truth the scene before us in the scene jesus is revealing himself again out at the sea of tiberias or galilee as we know it this should have some kind of meaning uh if you're a visitor together we've been working through uh mark's gospel and we have seen a lot happened out on the sea in Mark's gospel think of all that has happened on the sea and what Jesus had done where he had silenced the storm remember the demoniac on the other side of the sea had come running down and there on the shore had met him as he got out of the boat and that that that demoniac had bowed the knee and confessed him as the son of God notice here in John 21 they had no more doubt this is the son of god in the power of the resurrection they were struggling with that they don't know but a lot of time has been spent here we think of all the the fishing lessons he had given throughout the course of of the ministry teaching them certain spiritual truths from fishing which is amazing that that could be the lord had revealed himself to them on the sea as the son of god but now we have an interesting moment here post and now thinking after the resurrection the lord had spelled out for them in this previous chapter of john 20 that what their mission would be he said to them in one of the first revelations after the resurrection as the father has sent me i am sending you you're going but i want you to go on ahead he had told them and i want you to wait for me at galilee i believe as we open up chapter 21 a certain problem comes out in verse 3 where simon peter said to them you'll notice there in verse 3 i am going fishing they said to him we will go with you they went out and they got in the boat this most likely was peter's fishing boat there's a lot of history in this boat they went out and there's been a lot of ink spilled on the motives here of peter why is he going fishing why does he want to go fishing and while it's true that when the bible doesn't give us a direct answer to these kind of questions, it may be a fool's errand to speculate. But I do believe when you look at the flow of John chapter 21 and you see that this thing turns to Peter and how Jesus deals with Peter, you can discern the problem that's going on in Peter's heart. It's not unfair to say that at this particular moment, there is great discouragement in the life of the disciples. Why? We think of all that had happened in the course of their walking with Christ and how much they had committed themselves to Christ. They had walked away from everything. They had left their former occupations as tax collectors and fishermen. And then Jesus, throughout the course of the ministry, kept foretelling this great fall that would happen in the life of the disciples. And lo and behold, in the course of all of this prediction and plain teaching of Jesus about what would go on, it was always Peter who was stepping out to the forefront. It was always Peter who was challenging things. It was always Peter who was struggling to understand these things. You can't help but think in this connection that when Peter, when Jesus had made these predictions and Jesus had said, all of you will be made to stumble because of me this night, Peter said so confidently and without any measure of doubt, Lord, even if all are made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble. Even if I have to die. I will not deny you. That's a remarkable thing. And there's a little statement that often gets overlooked after that. It wasn't just Peter who said that. so said all the disciples. We won't deny you. Now that's no little failure. Jesus was being mocked on trial before the Sanhedrin. Peter stands out in the courtyard over a coals of fire, warming himself with the very ones who were striking and punching Jesus in the face, with the very soldiers who were hauling him off. As Jesus was being ridiculed, as Jesus was being mocked, As Jesus is being beaten, scourged, hauled off as the lamb to the slaughter, what is happening? He walks right by Peter in the yard, who's warming himself with the very men who had struck him in the face, and Jesus turns around and looks at Peter when the rooster crowed three times. They made eye contact. The Gospels make it really clear. They denied him. It was denial. It's an awful fall. Here's the scene. Peter knows Christ is risen. He's seen Christ. He has seen what he has done. And he says, I'm going back fishing. Let me give you some kind of perspective here. You see what ISIS is doing, right? You see what ISIS is doing to people. Imagine if you're standing there. And they say, if you don't deny Jesus, you die. What would you do? Imagine the denial then. How do you think you would feel after? You had denied Jesus. And then after, coming back to church, you think you would feel real confident in doing some works for the Lord? You think you'd feel confident in serving the Lord? You think you'd feel real confident in His kingdom after a denial like that? I mean, this is no little denial. Give it some kind of perspective and something to root it in that we see commonly happening today. It really does have to do with failure, doesn't it? Any sensitive heart goes through this anytime you sin. A hard heart doesn't care, but a sensitive heart does. A sensitive heart to the Lord that is genuine and sincere. A sensitive heart that loves the Lord, which we see here that Peter so beautifully lunges himself into the water when he sees his Lord. He says, I love you. a sensitive heart is appalled and absolutely troubled not even understanding how he could do not even understanding and perceiving his own will how in the world could i have no control over my will when i'm so intent to do something and i can't even stop myself this is romans 7 And I believe this holds many people back today in the kingdom. Sitting here right now who have a history and who struggle with a lot of things that they have done. Am I really a servant of the Lord? I can't just totally walk away from this thing, but I struggle with my usefulness. Think of Peter in the moment when he had been asked to pray in the garden. He sleeps. do your personal devotions and fall asleep? How about when Jesus asked you in the heart of his afflictions to pray? Put this in perspective this morning. Imagine the guilt. Imagine the guilt. What a thing to deny him at the moment of his death. How in the world am I useful? Maybe the questions were going something through their minds it must have been all it must be all over what will we ever will we ever see him again is he going to walk with us again what does this mean for us now what is our connection and relationship with him now and the imagery we have here is they've gone back to what they know how to do they were all fishermen the majority of them and they say let's go back to uh fishing let's let's go out and fish. And this is where I believe we really begin to understand in this particular connection, the power of the resurrection in the course of their life and how then this shows forth itself in ours. John wants us to see and experience and feel the discouragement. And that in this particular passage, discouragement adds to discouragement. What do I mean? Well, we read in first three that they went out and they immediately got in the boat and that night this little brief statement they caught nothing this is what they knew how to do they're fishermen they went out at the best time to fish the whole thing is night and it's nothing but struggle the text makes clear they didn't just catch a few fish they caught absolutely nothing and as they make their way back in from a long night there in the morning john begins to rehearse how jesus revealed himself after the resurrection and we read there in john 21 just as day was breaking verse 4 jesus stood on the shore yet his disciples did not know that it was jesus jesus said to them children do you have any fish listen that's the worst question you ask a fisherman after all night being out there and you have caught absolutely nothing any fish no it's exactly how it reads no find any fish how was that night of toiling all night how did it go for you out there fishing and it's a loaded question now keep in mind here the lord has prepared a meal for them on the shore i'll come back to that the text makes it really clear no one knew that it was jesus and it's very fascinating because after the resurrection we see this we see that nobody could easily recognize him some have wanted to speak of a change in the resurrected body and him being able to go through doors and they've taken that way too far but clearly the scriptures tie this to the issue to that of faith faith think of the two on the road to Emmaus where when he was resurrected and he passed and he came right up to them and these men are utterly distressed they're utterly panicked that they're confused and remember their eyes were restrained so that they could not see him and the way that he opened his eyes was that letting them wrestle through their problem and explain their problem to him in a panicked, confused state. He then said to them, O slow of heart to believe. All that the prophets have spoken ought not the Christ to have died and suffered and entered into his glory. They could not see him because of unbelief. This is somewhat different. than on the road to Emmaus. It's a moral struggle. What of our purpose and usefulness now when we so intimately walked with him and failed this bat? They can't see him. So something particularly happens that should stand out to you that Jesus said to them, you'll notice Jesus said to them, cast, verse 6, the net on the right side of the boat and you'll find some. And we read that they did it and they were not able to haul it in because it was full of so many fish. In fact, John records that it was 153 fish. More ink has been spilled over that. Maybe I've heard things like maybe that represents the Trinity somehow. Maybe that's symbolic of the nations. I've heard that teaching. I'm going to give you the answer this morning. And this is the answer. I know exactly what that number is. You know what it is? It's 153 fish. What do fishermen do when they catch fish? It's the moment of glory. Let me tell you. we've even got picture-taking down. When I go out with certain people from this congregation, I'm thinking of a certain man, I won't mention his name, but he has taught me that when you take the picture of the big fish you caught, you never keep it close to your body, you hold it out. Because when you hold it out, it looks that much bigger and he gets down on his knee and he takes the fish and then you post it up everywhere for everyone to see this massive fish that you caught. And then the greatest moment is when you come back into the shore and all your buddies are there and hey, how did you do it at all? We just, we hit it out of the park. Come look. You bring them to the shore. You count out 153 fish. Why did John do that? I believe John wanted to, he was so taken by the 153 fish, he wanted to write it in the book and the Spirit said, go ahead. If I had caught 153 fish, I'd take 153 pictures and put it on Facebook. Well, the meaning here, their hearts are downcast. and the Lord has really encouraged them now he has them where they can hear him and where they can see him think of how discouragement works you know how discouragement works you know how discouragement works when downcast depressed hearts because of sin they can't see or hear anything except the sorrow and the sin that's in front of them you know this look at what discouragement does to you it builds a wall so that you can't see and and notice what jesus does here he says cast cast it to the right side now right at that moment john eyes are wide open it's jesus it's the lord and no one had recognized him at this moment they had been blinded to who he is john is looking back over his life and and it's clear when john wrote this this moment really must have affected and touched him because as soon as this happened what the thing does he does is blurred out and he says it right to peter peter it's the lord and i think well what what opened their eyes this was all very familiar to them you know what it was this was the very command at the beginning of their calling when jesus first called them out of the fishing business just just listen to luke for a minute so it was as the multitude pressed about to hear him hear the word of God. He stood by the lake, the same lake at Tiberias, same boat, it's Peter's. Multitudes have gathered to hear his word. And there sat two boats standing by the lake. But the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then he got into one of the boats, which was, and he said, you'll see here, he said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some. So we read they cast it and they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. The net so swelled with fish they could hardly drag the thing in. And notice the strong connection between the word and fishing. And so what does he do right after this? Think of the scene right after 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 answered and said to him, Master, we've toiled all night. We've caught nothing. Nevertheless, at your word, I'll let down the net. And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish that their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the boat to come and to help them. And they came and filled both the boats so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter, the boats were sinking. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am 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, Do not be afraid. From now on, you will catch men. Now think about this moment. I'm sending you with my nets. And you're going to go to the ends of the earth with my word. And you're going to net men. You're going to net people. It was a huge moment of their calling. And here they are. They have failed terribly. Mass discouragement. Look at Christ. There he stands on the shore. I would imagine there as he stood there and they pulled in. There's this figure, maybe the morning fog there. I don't know. Any food? Any fish? Cast your nets to the right. And right then and there, John says, it's the Lord. It's the Lord. Peter cannot get out of the boat quick enough. He launches himself into the sea. Look at the love. I love to emphasize this. Look at the love of Peter that he does love his Lord. And it's such a crucial point for us because Jesus has recreated the scene of their original call and their failure. with the very words they heard when they first believed, notice it as they drag their nets to the shore, Peter gets out and he sees something. What does he see? Well, as they come to the shore, what has Jesus done for them? He looks up in verse 9. And when they got on the land, they saw a charcoal fire in place with fish laid on it and bread. Now, that fire of coals or charcoal fire is only mentioned one other time in the Gospels. It's when he had denied him. So here's the calling and the failure put together and Christ has recreated the scenes in the place of Peter's denial. He restores him. Now, it's remarkable because he's saying this after their great fall. now what does that mean well the christian will never be driven in the calling of christ upon him until the love of christ has completely turned you away from yourself to him think of the beauty of this scene jesus had just said it's finished he had just forgiven their sins for denying Him. For denying Him. And then He rises triumphant. And what did that mean? It was the cross as we looked at Friday. The cross was judgment day. The cross was it. It was judgment day for them. And the resurrection declared that He had canceled the record of debt that had stood against them. It was over. The work was entirely His. It had nothing to do with them. It was entirely His. And look at His disposition to them in the resurrection. Look at His disposition. Look at the way He's treating them in the resurrection. This, He loves them. In His love, they are secure. Nothing can separate them from it. And that means their sins, as awful as they were, had been atoned for. He chose them beginning, fully knowing what they were, what they would do and nothing had changed that when He called, He had called them with a holy calling. His calling. Because the resurrection had secured for them forgiveness and victory, the hardest struggle for them was now to think, how will we relate to the risen Christ as sinners? And that's your struggle. Jesus is about to raise the issue here of Peter's love for Him. doesn't he how many times does jesus say it the very amount that peter denied him three times peter do you love me do you love me do you love me and you have this giant tug of war going on you capture it in the original over the word love i'm not quite sure what to make of it all i know is is it shows the struggle that's going on with Peter. Do you love me? I love you, but I haven't shown it. I know that. Do you love me? I love you, but I haven't shown it. And I think John, looking back over the course of his life when he would think about this and later write, it's not that we ever first loved him. It's that he first loved us. And that is just crucial this morning. I never really loved him to begin with and the reason i stand here today the reason you're here today it was because he was steadfast and loving and dying when we were enemies to begin with and that he continues to love us knowing we're failures and when he called me it was never based upon my worthiness to begin with it was his worthiness he's declaring through this work that he began i'm going to see it to completion and that's not just salvation it's the work the good works that He prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. And you see, that's the beauty of this is that I must go forward in that kind of resurrection power and in faith. I must. There's something beautiful about remembering the place where we were called. There's something beautiful about thinking about where my eyes first were opened. That when I did first believe, I was justified. I was forgiven. i was all my sins were let go remember where that was remember that time you should think about it because he loved you then it doesn't mean ever he'll love you less and you're going to need that because you see the discouragements along the way are massive and john 21 is telling us that he would not let them go a different direction and as they looked down at 153 fish which they all counted out they were again encouraged through the power of his resurrection that he is the lord there was no more doubt this is the lord and i'm sure it dawned on them as he always has set us apart to be fishers of men it's the resurrection now that makes this possible look at the power he holds over all of creation and now we see it. So now the time has come, Peter, for you to go out and gather the nations. Now the time has come. You're a fisher of men. My purposes have not changed. Feed them. Feed my sheep. If you love me, feed my sheep. Do you love me? Feed them. Care for them. Give them my word. That's what he's using. It's the Word as it goes out. Feed them. You say, well, how does God use such messes? I've always been marveled over David and his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah. When he had murdered Uriah, committed adultery with Bathsheba, and then you come to Psalm 51, which is the greatest cry of repentance and display of the guilt that had overcome him in 32 and 51 of that his bones being crushed, the Lord's hand heavy upon him day and night. And then he comes after he had been so assured of the Lord's forgiveness. Did you ever thought about the end of the psalm? You would think such grievous sins would render him unuseful, but he wrote, Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will turn to you. He was most useful. Those who understand what the resurrection has secured in their own lives, those who believe the love of Christ have a message to tell. And as Calvin rightly applied it, no man will steadily persevere in the discharge of his own office unless the love of Christ reigns in his heart. Amen. In such a manner that forgetting of himself, and that's absolutely right, and devoting himself entirely to Christ, he overcomes every obstacle. The same is true for you this morning, dear Christians. No one has the strength to uphold yourself. themselves no one sin is too crushing in your lives discouragements too many but this is why jesus came this is why jesus died this is why he rose again so that believing you may have life in his name and now know his resurrection power in the way that He uses you to advance His witness. That His work would be continued in His people. That the world may know, as John 17, He prayed Him. And so I hope that encourages you today. If you don't believe, you're the greatest tragedy ever to exist. You must believe Him. And it's this kind of belief, look what He's giving us. In faith, which is a gift from God, believing you have everything you need in righteousness and in peace with God and in assurance. Assurance that He loves you and that nothing can separate you from that love. This is what we celebrate today. Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed. And we should praise Him for completing the work for us. Let's thank Him. Heavenly Father, we are grateful, Lord, for Your kindness to us that we don't deserve. you proclaim this to the ends of the earth today. And you show us how real that power is that we might live in the joy and peace of this comfort. We need your help, Lord. Because we're too often shallow and blinded by unbelief. We think of the man in the Gospels who came up and said, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. And that's so real to us. we ask that you would give us believing hearts to trust you today and to know that when you called us that calling was irrevocable does not change you don't take back your gifts you complete the work you started knowing fully what we are and that now that resurrection power you call us to lead a brand new life may it set deeply in the hearts and lives of your people today may we praise you today on this day of resurrection that we live in that power in Jesus Christ through him we can do all things in Jesus name we pray Amen