R sbc
Date: February 13th 2005
Sunday morning
Series: “Christ the Sum & The Substance of The Bible”
Text: John 21-1-25
Intro: This is the last of the sermons on this series through John’s gospel, we will move on to another part of the NT as the LORD leads. Last Sunday we spoke of the presence of Christ in his church, and now once again we see his presence with his disciples and there is a number of things that occurred that is worth looking into and worth preaching about.
I.. “THE DESPONDENT FISHERMEN”..VS 3
There is no way to know what was going on in these men’s lives at this time after spending three and half years with Christ and then he had appeared unto them twice since his resurrection and yet they go back to the old way of life. “I go fishing” They were not fishing for pleasure but for their occupation...
Whenever decisions are made by the flesh a number of things happen:
(1.) Their fruitless efforts: “They caught nothing”...vs 3
No matter how we dress it up, excuse it, there are some things about the flesh we must remember and be reminded of about the flesh.
A. That it is our lot to have a thorn of some kind or another and we must live with it:
2 Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
B. Even though we live in the flesh we don’t have to live by ourselves:
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
C. There is a price to pay for yielding to the flesh:
Galatians 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
D. That the flesh profits nothing:
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
II... “THE BENEFIT OF FOLLOWING CHRIST’S WORD”..VS 4–6
One of the things that you notice quickly is they knew not who it was that ask them this question... this could have been that they were not close enough to see him and did not recognize his voice.
John recognizes him in verse 7 “ Peter it is the LORD” There is so many benefits in following Christ and I must mention a few of them before we move on.
1st. There is immediate blessings...vs 6
No we not talking about material things, in fact when I look around in this church I see that in spite of our disobedience Christ hath blessed us greatly. I am talking about what happens in our hearts when we obey Christ and his word.
Mark says it like this of Peter:
Luke 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
2nd. We should expect the Lord to do what he says when we follow his word:
Elijah said:
1 Kings 18:36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.
No I am not saying demand the LORD to do something, but by faith expect him to act on his word not as we understand it, but as he said it. Cry unto him day and night as a child would his parents...and the LORD JESUS SAID shall not our Lord avenge his own elect that cry unto him day and night.
David said: Psalms 119:162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
Spoil is the gain that one receives from the Lord.
III... “ FELLOWSHIP AND PROVISION MEET”...VS 12-14
Not one of us here this morning can make it without that wonderful blessing of fellowship Not what the bible says about this.
1st. That we are called to it:
1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
2nd. That it is a real fellowship:
1 John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
There are so many benefits to fellowshiping, peace, assurance, discipline, encouragement,
knowledge, faith, hope, love.
3rd. Fellowship is by walking in the light of his word: 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
IV... “THE GREAT LESSON CHRIST TEACHES PETER AND THE REST OF THEM AS WELL AS US”..VS 15-25
All that Christ taught had both a spiritual lesson to them. He never taught anything just to be teaching or preaching. He never ask questions just to be asking questions. So as we look at this place yourself where Peter and the rest were.
1st. The not so normal question: “ lovest thou me more than these”
If an individual loves Christ it is because he first loved us. He said “ Greater love hath no man than this, a man lay down his life for his friends” That he did and did it with love in his heart for us...
1 Corinthians 16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema (this word means to set up in order to be cursed) Maranatha ( Our Lord cometh or will come.)
2nd. Loving Christ comes with a duty to him: “feed my lambs, feed my sheep”
Lambs has to do with the little ones. I would think that it has to do with those who are babes in Christ. The sheep were the full grown ones. Some need milk and some need strong food.
A. In order to feed them with the words of Christ he must know them:
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
A preacher or teacher of God’s word is to be approved of GOD first and not man it is our duty to please the LORD.
B. In order to feed the flocks of GOD we must pray and watch:
Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
The Lord share with Peter that he is going to die and how he was going to die. Look at verse 18-19
V... “ THE PRE-OCCUPATION OF PETER WITH WHAT OTHERS WILL DO”..VS 20-22
It is so easy to shirk our duties and wonder what others are doing or going to do. This why it doesn’t matter what others do, but it does matter what we do as individuals and as a church body.
As long as we are alive, on this earth, we have a work to do. Works identify us as the people of GOD. Works establishes our relationship with Christ...
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Paul again said:
Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Our good works allow us to shine as lights in this dark world and it gives light and glory to the Father in heaven...Philippians 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Would you agree this morning that we all need our lights to shine brighter for the cause of Christ?
The way this is done is for the LORD to shine his face upon us: Numbers 6:25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: