Sermon Nuggets Tues Jan 6
Theme- The Living Lord
Verses- John 21:3-6 "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" "No," they answered.
He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
The Living Christ Encounters Us
This account is of 7 of the disciples waiting for Jesus after He revealed himself to them on two previous occasions following his resurrection.
Alexander MacLaren writes “ Of all the proofs of the resurrection, I take it that there is none that is harder for an unbeliever to account for in harmony with his hypothesis than the simple fact that Christ’s disciples held together after he was dead and presented a united front to the world.”
Indeed, they were ready to scatter and did at Calvary, but after seeing the resurrected body they were all believers and obedient ones at that. We find in the others Gospel accounts he told them to wait for Him in Galilee. They do so. John’s gospel tells us while they were waiting, Peter convinced the others to go fishing.
The disciples were out fishing all night and caught nothing. I know what that was like. It is not a major loss if I do not catch fish, but if that is your livelihood then it is another thing if you don’t catch fish. They were tired, discouraged and quitting. But as they were coming back they were encountered by a figure of man on the shore yelling out, “Friend, haven’t you any fish? “ Or literally the Greek says, “Children, do you not have anything to eat?” It is a general greeting today for a couple of fishing boats passing, “Any Luck? “No”, they said. And he tells them to throw their nets on the right side of the boat and you will find some.
They are encountered by the Living Lord and don’t know it. They were not seeking Jesus. Yet He sought them. He knew them and knew what they were doing and indeed He even knew the fact they didn’t catch any fish. He asks them a question to reveal their own sense of fatigue and need. Jesus gives them a command. “Cast on the other side the point is not where the work is to be done, or how it is whether it is being done under Christ direction and in obedience to him or by our own wisdom and knowledge and efforts.
John’s record of the appearances of the resurrected body demonstrate that this was not just some vision that people have when they want to see something so badly they might imagine it to happen. Do you ever wonder sometime what happens when groups of people go to some farmers field to follow up some vision of the virgin Mary who is suppose to show at some times. A few people think they saw something but most do not. Psychologists will say there is a phenomenon that can occur called wish fulfillment. Some people see what they want to see if they anticipate it badly enough.
This was not the case with Jesus. They don’t expect him. When they saw him they didn’t know it was him. It wasn’t until the miracle occurred that John realized who it was at a distance. The living Lord encounters them unexpectedly.
I wonder how often Jesus encounters us and we don’t know Him, as He is watching us and realizes our failures, circumstances and discouragement.
Most certainly our Christ encounters come when we knock on His door. We are praying. WE are reading. We are worshiping. We are desirous to be with the Lord. But what about when He knocks on our door? He don’t always see Him as Jesus. He comes, like the old story of visitors to the cobbler’s shop-he comes as a poor person, a child, a lonely soul. "For as you do these things to the least of these you do them unto me." He says.
He can be the one who asks if you caught anything. Jesus is alive around us in our every day experiences, and His work and ways are available more often than we might think. His voice may come from the voice of someone from whom you might lest expect.
Then the eureka moment comes. “It is the Lord”.
He shows Himself. We have been encountered.
Pastor Dale.
