Apr. 03, 2024

Dear Friends,

I pray that your Easter was a blessed one! Tonight we will look at Jesus' post-Resurrection appearance to —and extended visit with—his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias (aka the Sea of Galilee). It is a wonderful account; in fact, there is really nothing else quite like it in the New Testament. I hope you can join us. Notes are attached.

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LIVING THE CHRISTLIFE

WAYNE BARRETT

HILLTOP LAKES CHAPEL

APRIL 3, 2024

John 21:1-19

After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in

this way. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee,

and two others of his disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am 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.

4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 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 fish. 7 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. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging

the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus

said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 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. 12 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. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with

the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from

the dead.

15 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.” 16 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.” 17 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?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to

him, “Feed my sheep. 18 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.” 19 (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.”

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more lit.

After these things, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. Now he

revealed himself in this way: They were together— Simon Peter, and Thomas (called the Twin),

and Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples.

Simon Peter says to them, “I am going to fish.” They say to him, “We will also come with you.”

They went out and got into the boat, and in that night, they caught nothing.

Now morning already having come, Jesus stood on the shore.

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vv 1-3 – “After this …”

Jesus chose the time and place

He was continuing to care for his disciples and to teach them

Who was there? –

Simon Peter

Thomas (called the Twin)

Nathanael of Cana in Galilee [aka Bartholomew]

the sons of Zebedee [James and John]

two others of his disciples [One may have been Andrew, Peter’s brother]

“they caught nothing”

To fish all night and catch absolutely nothing, one would think, was uncommon

This was to be a lessons about self-effort

vv 4-8 – “Just as day was breaking…”

lit. “now morning had already come”

The emphasis here was that they had fished well through the night, done all they could do, and

were empty handed

There is also the message from Jesus that at the end of our nights of struggle, he comes to us in

the morning’s light

“Children, do you have any fish?”

“Children” – Jesus’ term of endearment for his disciples

This was a “teacher’s question.” Jesus knew the answer.

“Cast the net on the right side of the boat…”

These men, some of them, were professional fishermen.

They had fished all night.

But they needed the Lord’s instruction.

Self-effort is fruitless

“now they were not able to haul it in”

The contrast is stark.

It was meant to be.

This is a particular message about the disciples’ work (and ours) as “fishers of men.”

“it is the Lord!”

Now they recognized Jesus for sure.

In a way, this “felt like old times.”

“When Simon Peter heard…”

Simon Peter, in a way, back to his “old self”—ever impetuous

“was stripped for work,” lit. “he was naked” (gymnos)

Also in pretty good physical condition, as the boat was about 100 yards from shore!

vv 9-14 – “When they got out on land…”

Jesus had prepared a meal—or a partial one—for them—which already included some fish and

bread

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Jesus takes joy in serving, in being a host, in taking care of others

Jesus leads by example

No doubt the fish reminded the disciples of Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000, and Jesus, breaking the

break, not only brought back many similar occasions btu also the Last Supper, and the bread

representing the body of Jesus himself.

“Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.”

Yes, Jesus himself had supplied some fish, but some of the fish the disciples had caught (under

his instruction) were also needed for the meal

Jesus has his part—which is the greater—but he gives us our part to fulfill

“So Simon Peter went aboard…”

Peter again springs into action

The reading is the he (!) hauled the net ashore

“full of large fish, 153 of them”

Such details! And sounds just like a fisherman.

Reinforcing, the catch was unexpected and overwhelming

“although there were so many, the net was not torn.”

Here is another message that, in doing his work, God sustains his people and their resources—

beyond what we would expect

vv 15-18 – “When they had finished breakfast…”

Jesus took Peter for a walk…

Three-part question:

pt.1 – “Simon, son of John”… not “Cephas” or “Peter”

Going back to the beginning of their relationship

“[Andrew] brought [Simon] to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon

the son of John. You shall be called Cephas’” (which means Peter).—John 1:42

pt.2 – Do you agape me?

What would the follow-up question be?...

pt. 3 – More than these?

Peter had, perhaps, been guilty of having too high an opinion of himself compared to

others.

Three-part answer:

pt.1 – “Yes, Lord”—but his answer is shamefaced and reserved

Not the old Peter any more

pt. 2 – “you know” – edió – see with the mind, perceive—"you can see”

pt. 3 – “that I phileó you”… no good English equivalent

you are a dear friend to me

He was not downgrading his love for Christ, he was downgrading his opinion of

himself and his willingness to be boastful

Jesus’ response—"Feed my lambs”

Absolutely not what Peter was expecting

Jesus asked again, but scaled back: Simon, son of John, do you agape me?” (leaving off “more

than these”)

Peter’s answer is exactly the same: “Yes, Lord, you can see that you are a dear friend to me.”

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Jesus response—“Tend [Shepherd] my sheep.”

Jesus asked the third time, again scaled back: “Simon, son of John, do you phileó me?”, “Simon,

son of John, am I a dear friend to you?”

It is no coincidence that Jesus asked Peter this question three times….

Peter “was grieved” –not only, perhaps, because Jesus asked him a question three times, but also

because the third time the question had been changed from “agape” to “phileó”

Peter’s answer was emotional: “Lord, you can see all things. You know that you are a dear friend

to me!”

He still could not bring himself to say “I agape you”

Jesus’ response—“Feed my sheep.”

Jesus’ three injunctions to Peter, and which all relate to the Great Commission:

Feed my lambs – perhaps referring to new Christians

Shepherd my sheep – give pastoral care and guidance to Christians

Feed my sheep – continue to teach those who are mature in Chriist