Weekly Reflection 8/28/23

Fish Stories – “I am going fishing.”

You have not failed so badly that you cannot be restored by God and used by God.

• Here’s what’s happened a few weeks before the account in John 21: Jesus is arrested. And Peter is there. And during Jesus arrest, Peter is confronted and asked three times, “Aren’t you one of His followers?” And three times Peter denies knowing Jesus. (John 18:15-27)
• He was the one who boldly proclaimed his loyalty to Jesus. (Matthew 26:30-35)
• So Peter does exactly what just hours before he boldly announced he would never do, even if it meant death, he would not deny Jesus.
• How do you think Peter is feeling after denying Jesus?  What emotions do you think he is experiencing?
• Is there a time in your life of following Jesus that you have failed, when it feels that you have let Jesus down, you’ve sinned against the One you love?  How did you feel? What emotions did you experience?

John 21:1-14 – “I am going fishing.”

• I have to think Peter is feeling some pretty deep emotions, thinking there’s no way Jesus really wants me around, there’s no way I can still be used by God after what I just did, certainly Jesus can’t still use me to be a fisher of men.  “I am going fishing.”
• So, they went out and got into the boat. They fished all night, and they didn’t catch a thing. 
• I think that is a miracle, Jesus guaranteed that they caught nothing. 
• Jesus than gives them simple instructions. To throw their net on the other side.
• When they pull the nets back in, they’re full of fish. 
• John says to Peter, “It’s the Lord.”
• When Peter hears this he puts his clothes on and throws himself into the sea and heads to shore.
• Why would Peter jump off the side of the boat and run to meet Christ? 
• This is not the first time this miracle has happened. 
• Luke 5:1-11 
• Jesus planned the second miracle to take Peter back to the moment of his calling—so he would remember that moment when Christ was so compellingly real, so totally worthy of everything in his life, that he’d give up his business for Christ.
• Maybe this is a good thing for those of us who are a little discouraged that life is not turning out the way we thought it would. 
• If you’re walking with Christ, go back to the moment of your calling. Remember when Christ was so compelling, so worthy. Remember when you came to the cross and Jesus cleansed you and set you free. Remember when you said, “I’ll give it all for You.” 
• As Peter ran to the shore and the other disciples joined him, the text says, “They found there a charcoal fire.” 
• Why does he say they found a charcoal fire? The word “charcoal” is only used twice in the New Testament—in this text and in the story where Peter warmed himself in the courts and denied the Lord. 
• At this charcoal fire he calls Peter back. 

John 21:15-19 – Peter is restored.

• What is Jesus doing here? He’s actually pressing in on Peter. Jesus is making Peter think about what he’s done. And that’s an important conversation. 
• Notice how intentional Jesus is: Jesus doing the miracle of the fish the same as when He first called Peter. The charcoal fire like the charcoal fire where Peter denied Jesus. And Jesus asking Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Just like Peter was asked three times if he knew Jesus and Peter denied knowing Jesus three times.
• Verse 17 says what, Peter was grieved. He’s hurt. Jesus is really getting Peter to think deeply about this. This is a hard conversation for Peter.

• Last time Peter was asked three questions in a row he was standing by the charcoal fire denying Jesus.
• There’s no doubt Jesus is looking into the eyes of Peter when He asks three times, “Do you love Me?” 
• I don’t believe Jesus is asking Peter because He doesn’t really know if Peter loves Him.  I believe He’s asking three times to help Peter remember who he really is, you’re my disciple who does really love Me.
• Those three statements are reassuring Peter that Jesus is still his people.
• Yes Peter sinned, yes Jesus even brought on shame but He did it in a way that helped develop Christ like character in Peter.
• Peter you’re not acting like who you really are; and than Jesus explains again to Peter who he really is, a fisher of men, a disciple who makes disciples.
• Notice Jesus response to Peter. He says this, Feed my lambs, take care of my sheep and feed my sheep. What’s he talking about? 
• This is Jesus saying, “Peter, not only are you forgiven, but I’m restoring you back in this very moment to ministry, shepherd my people.”
• “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.”” John‬ 21‬:18‬-19‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
• “Peter, there was a time when you went wherever you wanted to go. You wanted to travel somewhere, you went somewhere, wherever you wanted to go, you had the freedom to go. But that’s coming to an end and you’re going to be led to places you don’t want to go.” 
• And what we learn is that Peter ends up in prison where he doesn’t want to go, and Peter ends up on a cross where he doesn’t want to go.
• This is Jesus saying, if you want to follow me, you will have to take up your own cross. 

Jesus is also talking to us.

• Jesus is saying the same thing to us right now.
• Maybe even right now Jesus is coming to you and reminding you of sin in your life, ways you have not been acting like who you really are.
• But hear this, Jesus is not coming to you and exposing sin in your life to shame you and tell you you’re a failure, “I can’t use you anymore, you’re not good enough, you’ll never make it, I’m done with you.”  No, no, no!
• Jesus is coming to you and exposing sin in your life because He desires to restore you, He’s reminding you, “Hey, you’re not living like who you really are in Christ . I died and took the punishment for your sins so I could always stand on the sea shore and call you back and forgive you. I died so you can always be my people. I died so you could always have a purpose, My purpose.”
• But Jesus does not shy away from explaining that the purpose does require a cross, it does require becoming a servant.
• Before you met Jesus, you had the freedom to do what you wanted to do. Before you met Jesus, you had the freedom to go wherever you wanted to go.
• That’s over now. Are you ready to accept it? That is the call to discipleship. 

You have not failed so badly that you cannot be restored by God and used by God.