Amen. So the final chapter of the Gospel of John, I've really enjoyed going
through this, I've enjoyed studying it, I've enjoyed preaching it, I hope you guys
have got something out of it as well and enjoyed it as well. Yeah for me anyway it
is my favourite gospel, one of the reasons that I wanted to go through it,
but yeah it's so many great truths from it as well and you know you can read
chapters, books of the Bible over and over again and it's kind of only when
you slow down and break it down that you really see so many things in there that
you might not when you read over it and that's why we do a Bible study, that's
why we're going to continue doing a Bible study. Like I said before that will
with the new building that is going to move to a midweek, we'll do a Wednesday
evening Bible study and I'm not sure, maybe we'll do something similar on
a Sunday, I'm not sure yet, we'll have a little think about that, but we're going
to continue studying books of the Bible because I really enjoy going through it
like that, going through verse by verse like we have been doing and we're on,
like I said, we're on the final chapter of John, John 21, let's get going starting
in verse 1 where it reads, after these things Jesus showed himself again to the
disciples at the Sea of Tiberius and on this wise showed he himself. Let's go to
the Lord in the word of prayer, Father I thank you for this great gospel, thank
you, that we've been able to meet here and go through it every week now for the
last 20 something weeks and I pray now that you just help me to preach this
last chapter, you know, accurately and just fill me with your spirit, fill me
with boldness and help me to just preach what you want me to preach, help us to
all, everyone here to have attentive ears, attentive hearts to your word and just
help us to apply it to our lives as well going forward and in Jesus' name we pray
this, Amen. Okay so after these things he said in verse 1 and these things being
the appearances to the disciples in the previous chapter, so I turn back to John
chapter 19 and Mary had seen Jesus at the sepulcher and in John 19 41 it says
now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden in the garden in
New Sepulchre wherein was never man yet laid, just making the point here that
the sepulcher is clearly right by where he was crucified, okay, it was which
was Golgotha right outside the walls of Jerusalem, so it's right next to
basically on the outskirts of the actual inner city of Jerusalem and John 20
here if we go forward to John 20 and verse 18 says so Mary seen him and it
says Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and
that he had spoken these things unto her, then the same day evening being the
first day of the week when the doors were shut where the disciples were
assembled for fear of the Jews came Jesus stood in the midst and saith unto
them peace be unto you, so for me they're clearly assembled together in Jerusalem
yeah okay so clearly that the sepulcher was right right you know like I said just
outside the walls of Jerusalem there then Mary seen him then come straight to
them they're clearly in Jerusalem in Luke 24 33 you don't have to turn there
but talking of the two disciples who saw him on the road to Emmaus it says and they
rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem and found the eleven gathered
together and them that were with them okay that's talking about that same
event there so they're in Jerusalem Jesus comes again to them eight days
later so John chapter 20 verse 26 says that after eight days again his
disciples were within and Thomas with them then came Jesus the doors being
shut and stood in the midst and said peace be unto you so he comes again to
the after eight days again his disciples were within so for me that's clearly in
Jerusalem still he's already told them hasn't he that he's sending them to
preach the gospel in Luke 24 47 he tells them and that repentance and
remission of sins should be preached his name among all nations beginning at
Jerusalem so Jesus clearly sent them forth to preach the gospel he's told
them where to start at Jerusalem so jump forward to John 21 where we've just
started in verse 1 where it says that the disciples are at the Sea of Tiberius
now Tiberius if you're wondering where's well where's Tiberius it's basically a
town on the on on the coast of the Sea of Galilee and if you've ever looked at
a map of that area basically it's 60 miles from Jerusalem so the disciples
have gone through Samaria you've got Jerusalem here you've got this Samaria
and then you've got Galilee up here and and they've basically gone through
Samaria to Galilee 60 miles and bear in mind they seem to be walking everywhere
you know an average speed of four miles an hour you're talking about a 15-hour
journey so they basically gone on a two-day minimum trek all the way up to
Galilee having been told to do what to preach in Jerusalem now I know look
Matthew's and Mark's Gospels you see that that he originally tells them that
he will see them in Galilee but they then choose to hide out in Jerusalem so
they're told I'll see you in Galilee they then hide out in Jerusalem then he
comes to Jerusalem and says to him right you need to start preaching the gospel
starting at Jerusalem so then they leg it up to Galilee okay and like I said
it's a long journey it's not they've just kind of gone and it's just the
local you know lake or whatever you want to call it the sea there well no they've
they've gone off on a two-day minimum trek if not longer that's if you're
walking all day every day and these guys obviously can walk but look they've gone
off and for me they're just clearly just disobeying what God's telling them
to do we're gonna see that in a minute as well and they've legged it to Galilee
and look you can apply that to yourself we're often told many things that God
wants us to do and we don't do them do we okay and a lot of the time we do the
opposite and they seem to be doing the opposite here but verse 2 there were
together Simon Peter and Thomas called Didymus and Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee
and the sons of Zebedee and two other of his disciples now James and John are
the sons of Zebedee verse 3 Simon Peter saith unto them I go of fishing they
say unto him we also go with thee they went forth and entered into a ship
immediately and that night they caught nothing so not only are they now 60
miles from where they were told to preach but they're going back to their
old lives aren't they so it looks like they're they're back to their old life
they're back to back to the fishing where which they clearly they were taken
from that weren't they and they could went into full-time ministry for you
know over three years and now they're back to fishing having been told to go
and preach the gospel clearly by Jesus so what's going on there well they're
doing what sadly a lot of Christians do can do and everyone here is capable of
doing and really they're backsliding aren't they they're backsliding they're going
back to their old life they're going back to our ways they're disobeying God
they're just saying I don't really care what you've commanded me to do they've
almost done it done a you know Jonah and legged it as far away as they can in the
other direction they've gone back to their old life and another thing with
that as well who is it you saying to them I go of fishing Peter says unto
them I go of fishing they say unto him we also go with thee notice Peter's influence
Peter is telling them he's going back to to the fishing and they go with him and
look when you backslide Christian it's not just you it affects when you
backslide when you when you pull away from the things of God when you decide
to go in the opposite direction of what God wants you to do you're going to
probably take people with you there's going to be other people if it's not
your family for those of you that have families it might be other Christians it
might be it might be when you backslide and you decide that you're just you're
not doing the things of God anymore you just quit on church it might be that
other people see that and start to just start to get that idea as well maybe I'm
going to stop going to church and that's that's what we see here Peter says I go
of fishing they say unto him we also go with thee because people are easily
influenced aren't they and the flesh doesn't want to be doing the things of
God the flesh doesn't want to be in church the flesh doesn't want to be so
when the flesh doesn't want to be out you're reading your Bible daily flesh
doesn't want to pray all those things we talked about this morning those main
areas the flesh doesn't want to do those things and all it takes a little
influence and look when you're in when you're in a church when you're when
you're when you're outspoken as a Christian when you're when you're
clearly saved and you're telling other people you're saved you you're going to
influence people okay and you got to make sure that that's a positive
influence Simon Peter here is not a positive influence is he okay he says I
go fishing they sound Tim we go also go with thee they went forth and entered
into a ship immediately so it wasn't oh well we're not sure they just go
straight away and it could be quick like that Connie those decisions can be quick
and and the results are quick and that night they caught nothing that night
they caught nothing they didn't catch a few and that's pretty I know these guys
were were experienced fishermen and they caught nothing that's a pretty bad night
for me it sounds like night fishing and you don't get it any catch at all they
just catch a few they didn't oh well we didn't have the best catch we've got a
few dodgy things and they you know and a couple of bits of plastic and everything
else in the net they caught nothing and for me that that's the result when you
backslide isn't it okay look it's not it's not the same and look even with it
look before you were saved all this stuff is meaningless anyway but but when
you're saved when you're trying to live for God when went to whom much is given
much to be required yeah when you when you are being told by God what do you
know what you're meant to be doing and you choose to go the other way it's not
just it's not going to be that great it's going to be the opposite yeah
you're going to end up just just in there in the pit somewhere you're going
to end up catching nothing you're going to end up that old job that you've
decided quit on church to go back to is not going to be a success for you you're
not going to go back our lives gonna be better now I was going to be back to how
I thought it was and we always trick ourselves you con yourself that life was
better before you were saved before you're going through the trials of
tribulations that you go through as a Christian but it wasn't and when you go
back to that life you it's not going to get blessed it's going to be the
opposite and it's going to be a curse and you're going to go back and and
things aren't going to work out things going to go downhill you you you know
any of you here that have even I don't know if you know if people have
backslidden again we're not going to do a raise your hands for that but people
that have maybe not backslidden but just chosen to willfully going into some
sin they've done before it's not the same it's never the same it's not you
don't it's not always that pleasure of sinful season all Satan's apples have
worms don't they and look it's always gonna it's always going to end in tears
really in some way or another isn't it okay backsliding is not the the rosy
thing that that we're led to believe it will be in here again of course they
they caught nothing that night they caught nothing verse 4 but when the
morning was now come Jesus stood on the shore but the disciples knew not that it
was Jesus even when we run though when we hide when we go back to the old life
and I hope no one here does but when it does happen when Christians do that
and I'm not trying to encourage you because you're still you're gonna catch
nothing and it's gonna be wet and you will get chastisement and your life will
will be ruined but even so Jesus is still waiting for us to come back he's
waiting on the shore he's waiting for you you've even got the opposite way he
still wait he still wants you to come back he still wants you back he still
wants you back so you know have anyone here however far you might feel you've
gone from God and you might even be from God right now you might only be here by
hanging by a thread coming to church Jesus will still welcome you back he
will welcome you back he's still there he still wants you back but we don't
always recognize him do we when we're when people are behaving like that when
people are backsliding when people are out of the will of God when people are
in the sin they don't even necessarily believe that he could still be waiting
for them sometimes you can feel pretty lousy about yourself and you're thinking
Jesus would he really does he really want you know I've failed I'm good for
nothing but look Jesus is still waiting for you he still wants you to come out
he wants you to live for me wants you to work for him wants you to serve him like
we talked about this morning then Jesus saith unto them children have ye any
meat they answered him no and look yeah he's you know he asked he knows but he's
asking them and I think here he's emphasizing the failure without him
isn't he he's emphasizing it did you you had any success away from me running the
other direction going back to your old life and but even here often we don't
even recognize when he's speaking to us because I'd imagine they're people that
are backslidden and the Lord is is trying you know they're they're hearing
something hearing preaching they're hearing things and they don't even
recognize it and here they're not even recognizing it's he's talking to them I
want to make sure when we're listening to preaching when we're when we're
reading our Bibles we want to make sure that we're that we are listening we're
not just hard-hearted closing our ears not wanting to hear it because it
doesn't fit with us here they're not they're not recognizing it's in verse 6
and he said unto them cast the net on the right side of the ship and ye shall
find they cast therefore and now they were not able to draw it for the
multitude of fishes and that's the difference when you do things God's way
isn't it when you do things God's way that's the multitude of fishes that
that's the success that's when things are blessed that's when things go well
and you might think well I wish that God would tell me you know exactly where to
I wish he would make it as clear as that but he tells us exactly how how to do
many things in life doesn't he doesn't he tell us clearly I mean if we can't
listen to how he tells us to do many things well why do we think we're gonna
listen when it's even more specific because there are many parts of our life
where God tells us how to do things God tells how to live and we choose not to
don't we we do the opposite we choose to our way we want to do it the world's way
we want to do it what we consider to be the easier way and look there are many
many things but that when we do it God's way they work out don't they they work
out for example I don't know church when we do it God's way yeah when you look
when when we set up a churches we think God wants it done we preach the Bible we
preach the whole truth we preach through the Word of God we don't skirt things we
don't avoid things we preach it when we as a church we you know people come to
church and serve like we feel like God wants to the church thrives doesn't it
and I for me I see a church thriving here I reckon a lot of people didn't
think this would last a year right I mean look there are people around around
this country that claim to be Baptists that claim to just be waiting for a good
church still don't even manage to visit the church okay sadly there are and I
think a lot of those people in this church started thought no chance no
chance they're gonna be they're gonna be nicked they're gonna be whatever else
it's gonna fail no chance but and it's not mean everyone here we all trying to
do things God's way aren't we okay we do things God's way look we're a year down
the line and we're preaching the whole Bible and we're preaching we're out so
winning through kovat as well who thought that would that would last
through kovat three people you know thinking that we're through through
attempts by the authorities and everything else but look God's protect
us through it all hasn't he and when you do it God's way and we're trying to run
a church God's way because I see all these other churches are on it's still
got their doors shut and it's still doing online with maybe one person now
tuning in and the rest are probably getting on with something else while
it's on and look again it's not us it's just doing things God's way isn't it
trying to do it God's way trying to preach the way we think God wants us to
preach trying to trying to run a church where we think God wants us to run it
what about soul winning when you do it God's way how many naff churches have
we been to where they just post flyers through the door and they just can't
work out why no one's getting saved how many churches have we all been to where
they just are trying to invite people in oh if we get them in the church somehow
then they'll get saved we'll just preach the gospel week in week out something
will stick but no when you do it God's way when you go forth to preach the
gospel when you go you into all the world and preach the gospel then then
people get saved aren't they when we do it God's way do it God's way what about
what about child rearing what about child rearing when you raise children
our God wants you to raise them and look you're gonna go through hard times
you're gonna have hard time look it's not all a bed of roses is it you'll have
struggles and you'll have battle sometimes you have times where where you
seem like you bang your head against the wall but you you stick to you do it
God's way and and you see kids kids getting raised and we we see it with
people we know and hopefully we're all seeing it with our kids kids you know
growing up loving the things of garden and kids growing up that aren't going
into all the wickedness that the rest of the world is because it is wicked isn't
it and seeing our kids not you know getting into all this stuff from a young
age is it's great I'm not gonna start going through it all right now but look
again doing it God's way but what's God's way of child rearing God's way is
not the world's way the world's way is all you know psycho analysis and you
know how how the this child well they suffer from this and they suffer from
that and and all the latest jargon and and and you know ways to to punish
without punishing but what does the Bible say spare not the rod yeah the
Bible says to trust oh the Bible says also though to also bring them up in a
nurture and admonition of the Lord because it's not all just giving him a
thrashing is it and when you do when you put it all together you do it God's way
and you teach in the Word of God and you and you talk about the Word of God with
them then hopefully we're seeing children grow up out of this church who
are growing up and into the sorts of children that God wants them to be yeah
what about what about marriage as well when we do things God's way and marriage
should work out shouldn't it when we do things God's way and we'd again we can
all call we can all just decide want to do it our way we all like to point
fingers when it comes to our marriages and we can all do that but what's God's
way and God's way it just comes down to two you know pretty simple instructions
which people miss don't they number one wives submit unto your own husbands as
unto the Lord and look again we as men can can jump on this too much but wives
submit unto your husbands it's pretty simple isn't it submit submit unto your
own husband you married him submit unto him but husbands love your wives love
your wives when they go hand in hand you there can be some great happy marriages
you know and I see some happy marriages here and you know praise God when you do
it his way there are happy marriages but but so often we like to try and do it
our way don't we well if he doesn't do this bit I'm not doing my bit or she
doesn't do that bit I'm not doing much as look men love your wives doesn't
matter men love your wives yeah it's simple love her love her give her honor
love her yeah and and your your marriage will you be amazed how much it will
improve how happy you'll be those of you that aren't married how happy you'll
eventually have a marriage if you just love your wives no matter what yeah no
condition but wives submitting to your husbands yeah it's simple you can't have
two bosses that doesn't work okay it doesn't work in any in any area of life
there has to be a hierarchy there has to be a final authority submit unto your
own husbands okay the world's way is nonsense the world's way ends in divorce
the world's way ends in in all sorts of problems and issues and adulteries and
and terrible marriages just just do it God's way and when we do it God's way
things work out don't they things work out and it's a way you can say for
singles as well do it God's way that doesn't mean going and testing a lot of
men that means that means trying to find someone that you think is a godly man
that means men trying to find someone that you think is a godly woman okay and
and that's what as you kids go out that's what you should be looking for
not the world's way not not the guy he's just so smooth and oh but he's just you
know he looks like a model and he's so cool and his skinny jeans that look so
good on him that's not that's not God's way is it I find a man of God yeah and
men find a godly lady not some sort of you know slut look-alike or even worse
that's not what we should be looking for we should be looking for people that
that are going to help us to live a godly life okay and when we do it God's
way we do it God's way things work out don't they things work out and here when
they did it God's way when when Jesus Christ told them where to cast that net
suddenly they've got an abundant catch haven't they and things work out but
it's not necessarily easy is it so doing it God's way doesn't mean well it's easy
I talked about this this morning didn't I it's not oh well everything easy is it
equals happiness no it's not always easy but you know what when you do it
God's way sometimes it could be it could be a hard hard road of it sometimes you
got to go through some battles and challenges sometimes you've got to dig
deep at times but it always works out and here it was an easy verse 8 says
here they were dragging the net with fishes weren't they and and I'm sure
those 153 fishes were probably quite heavy dragging them to shore but God's
blessed them it's an abundant catch and they're happier for doing it God's way
God's way is the only way okay you're Christians God's way is the only way
yeah you might see some people in the world that seem to be okay they seem to
be happy they seem to be alright but they're gonna be burning in hell for
eternity they're gonna be burning in hell for eternity unless they get saved
you're saved you're saved but that doesn't mean you're gonna have an easy
life but hey you're gonna have an easy eternity though you have an easy
eternity work while you're here do it God's way and you'll be blessed as well
in this life verse 7 therefore that disciple in Jesus loved saith under
Peter it is the Lord now when Jesus sorry now when Simon Peter heard that it
was the Lord he girt his fishes coat unto him for he was naked and it cast
himself into the sea okay let's get under that in a second but obviously John
here John remember we've talked about this throughout this gospel he had that
close relationship didn't he and even at this point it's him who recognizes Jesus
first isn't it John who was a closest one to Jesus Christ he recognizes him
first he's the one who says it is the Lord but what is Simon Peter playing out
here what is he playing out and you know I was looking at this I was thinking a
few kind of possible explanations maybe he's traumatized by the events of the
past few weeks he's kind of tipped him over the edge and you know it's been
some some pretty traumatic events and obviously he's in the middle of backs of
backslide you call it here wouldn't you maybe maybe he's having a wash after a
night of work here I'll try to look on a positive here he's just in the middle of
washing when Jesus turned up and I don't know maybe he's just a bit of a weird
exhibitionist type yeah I mean maybe is he did say to Jesus didn't he look like
depart from me I'm a sinful man maybe this is what he's talking about he just
loves getting his kit off and just on that look just a reminder okay look
everyone here is sinful to some degree and I hope we haven't got any
exhibitionists here who would you know go on a naked fishing trip but just
because someone does some weird stuff that you don't do it doesn't mean they're
a reprobate okay and look the flesh is sinful and we can all do some some funny
sins I'm sure everyone's capable of some bad sins everyone's capable of bad sins
it doesn't mean that there's some sort of wicked rep rate or wicked pervert and
I hope he's not but like I said maybe maybe is some weird stuff he's done
there but look there are obvious clear signs of reprobation and doing weird and
having like you know doing weird stuff and having some weird kind of you know
battles with the flesh doesn't mean that you're some sort of vile reprobate okay
and remember as well when you start suggesting or thinking people are that's
him that's a big deal okay that's a big deal you start thinking that as someone
and here obviously he's not this is Simon P he's obviously not a rep rate as
we know and Simon but he did he was on a naked fishing trip and that is weird
okay that is weird but he knows it's wrong doesn't he he does know it's wrong
because as soon as he says it's the Lord he girt his fisher's coat unto him okay
so he does cover himself up and look isn't God always watching though so
whether or not Jesus Christ on the seashore there God's always watching us
isn't he so whatever sin it is that you think that well maybe well as long as I
don't do it at church as long as I don't act like that around either Chris God's
watching you God's watching you every minute and look it doesn't matter you
whatever you're doing whatever you're you know the sins that you battle with
are that bear that in mind that God is watching you every minute of every day
okay his eyes are everywhere beholding the evil and the good and look it's not
just at church because obviously we have our church persona and then there
are those sadly that will go away and be someone completely the opposite and and
I hope we're not like that and just remember it's God that it's important
isn't it it's not just who you're in front of here it's not just only God
that's watching when you're in church it's watching him the whole time and here
he obviously he says that it's the Lord he girt his fisher's coat unto him and
did cast himself into the sea and that's why for me I want to go with that I
think he's just gone a bit mad here okay he's gone a bit crazy he's had a
bad time of it he's denied Jesus Christ three times he wept bitterly didn't he
he's obviously had a hard time of it he's been told twice to go out soul
winning and he's instead just decided to go off on a 60 mile trek and then
encourage everyone to go back to his old life and I think he's having a pretty
hard time of it might even be cracking up a bit and again that doesn't mean
because he's having a bad time he's going a bit bit mad it doesn't mean that
he's possessed because we love to go with that don't we are there must be
possessed what it doesn't mean that does it okay look at the mind look you can
have some hard times with your mind can't you okay it doesn't mean that he's
unsaved does it okay this guy's naked then he's casting himself into the sea
where he could easily just gone back in the boat like everyone else he's
obviously going through some stuff right now but he's still saved isn't he he's
still a man of God he is isn't he but I think he's got a I think he's having
a bad time here he's having a bad moment throws himself into the sea first say
and the other disciples came in a little ship for they were not far from land but
as it were 200 cubits dragging the net with fishes as soon then as they were
come to land they saw a fire of coals there and fish laid there on and bread
so no he's already got some fish there anyway he's cooking for them Jesus is
cooking for them the fish are already there Jesus saith unto them bring of the
fish which ye have now called some Peter went up and drew to drew the net to land
full of great fishes and hundred and fifty and three and for all there were
so many yet was not the net broken and now this is where we count the blessings
of Jesus anyone seen this stuff or the cubic roots of the individual numbers of
153 a lot of quick Google on this see what's out there and wow I mean they've
got every other way of getting to 153 it's actually it's how many blessings
Jesus actually did and then they're kind of adding in a couple if you add in this
little bit which is a kind of blessing and you know everyone you know you ever
watch any of this kind of seen anyone trying to decipher number codes in the
Bible before it's always really dodgy isn't it and it generally is just people
making stuff up and trying to find something you know if you I remember an
old I was talking about some sort of number thing once with a with an old
pastor and look thinking back now he kind of said something it she just said
to me look if you play around with numbers enough yeah you can always find
some kid some kind to it yeah and I'm a bit leery of that and he had a fair
point to be honest he didn't have a good point about most other things we did
have a good point about that and look with this I don't know maybe there is a
maybe there is a reason for that and we'll find out in heaven why it was
153 but you know what I do know what it is that it's just another precise
detail isn't it it's another precise detail in the Gospels a precise detail
which John has recorded here and and look being being a fisherman or maybe
Simon Peter counted them they're probably likely to want to count what
they've got aren't they and and it's a precise detail that there were that many
fish and the net didn't break and it says here full of great fishes so
there's some big fish in there and and the net still didn't break and look as
well as comparing fishing or doing things with or with and without Jesus
which you can from this passage there is of the obvious picture of soul winning
too isn't there okay and fishing is obviously a picture of soul winning turn
in Luke chapter 5 in Matthew 4 19 Jesus speaking and he saith unto them follow
me and I will make you fishers of men so that's that comparison with fishing and
soul winning and in Luke 5 and verse 1 we see a really similar story here and
it came to pass that as the people pressed upon him to hear the Word of God
he stood by the lake of Gennesaret and saw two ships standing by the lake but
the fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their nets and he entered
into one of the ships which was Simon's and prayed him that he would thrust out
a little from the land and he sat down and talked the people out of the ship
now when he had left speaking he said unto Simon launch out into the deep and
let down your nets for a draft 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 and when they had this done they enclosed a great multitude of
fishes and their net break and they beckoned unto their partners which were
in the other ship they should come and help them and they came and filled both
the ships that they began to sink when Simon Peter saw it he fell down at Jesus
knees saying depart for me for I am a sinful man Oh Lord for he was astonished
and all that were with him at the draft of the fishes which they had taken and
so was also James and John the sons of Zebedee which were partners with Simon
and Jesus said unto Simon fear not from henceforth thou shalt catch men and when
they brought their ships down they forsook all who followed him so there's
that comparison obviously between fishing and soul winning and obviously
again about having to do it his way yeah doing it his way in the success coming
from doing it his way he tells them where to cast it but also here notice
that Jesus is is basically calling them in the full-time ministry there isn't he
says fear not from henceforth thou shalt catch men so from now forward you're
catching men and I would say really not fish and what they're doing they're back
fishing they're back fishing and it's an interesting story because then in John
it you know when you compare this a lot of similarities it's almost like he's
reminding them isn't he he's kind of like the same things happen where he
then tells me what to do it's like what are you doing are you doing going back
and trying to do things your way do things my way and and I think you know
he's probably reminded them of what happened here we're in John 21 verse 11
what we saw it said Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land full of great
fishes in 150 and three and for all there were so many yet was not the net
broken and I think he's just comparing that he's showing them that reminded
them where they started verse 12 Jesus said unto them come and dine and none of
the disciples does ask him who art thou knowing that it was the Lord oh look
like I said if you saved however far you've drifted the invite is always
there isn't it the invites there he wants you back he wants you he wants you
back serving him he wants you back involved with him he wants you back
dining with him Jesus then cometh and taketh bread and giveth them and fish
likewise I bet that fish was cooked perfectly wasn't it
you reckon I reckon that was probably just right nothing worse than when it's
like dry old fish isn't it but I think that was cooked spot-on yeah Jesus has
got to be the best chef out there isn't he as well and that's nice that Jesus
cooking for them eh and okay verse 14 this is now the third time that Jesus
showed himself to his disciples after that he was risen from the dead so the
first two being behind the closed doors in the previous chapter then so when
they had dined Jesus saith to Simon Peter Simon son of Jonas love is sound
me more than these he saith unto him Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee he
saith unto him feed my lambs he saith to him again the second time Simon son of
Jonas love is sound me he saith unto him Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee he saith
unto him feed my sheep he saith unto him the third time Simon son of Jonas love
is sound me Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time love is
sound me and he said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I
love thee Jesus saith unto him feed my sheep and look this is a great dialogue
here a few points I want to make from this um Simon Peter goes on to lead or
pastor doesn't he okay you have to turn in 1st Peter 5 1 Peter says the elders
which are among you I exhort who am also an elder and a witness of the
sufferings of Christ and also a partake of the glory that shall be revealed so
elder is used interchangeably with Bishop he's what we would call a pastor
okay he's asked in verse 15 if he loves Jesus more than his disciples isn't he
he said Simon son of Jonas love is sound me more than these okay that's the only
time he words it like that more than these and Jesus has commanded them all
not long before to love each other hasn't he okay so why is this important
what's the point he's making here because if he's going to lead he has to
put Jesus first doesn't he if if you're going to lead men if you're going to you
know go on a pastor to if you're going to lead a family you don't do anything
like that you have to put Jesus first because he's saying do you love me more
than these and then he says feed my lambs isn't he because it's not a cop
it's not a popularity contest is it because if you're if you if you go on
and especially you know you got people and you see this around all these you
know these liberal churches everywhere these guys they're just trying to buddy
up with everyone they just want to be popular they just want to preach stuff
that's going to make people feel happy and come up and give them hugs off the
service because they've just like reminded them what a great person they
are because they're Christian or just told them how they're going to be so
happy this next week and everything else again that's not loving Jesus more
that's loving them more than Jesus isn't it that's loving the praise of men that's
one of the praise men that's one that popularity more than Jesus Christ and if
you're going to go on and feed his lambs you you have to put Jesus Christ
first don't you okay that's what I believe there now notice how after this
statement it's the only time he says feed my lambs instead of sheep isn't it
so he says feed my lambs and the lambs are the young and and look you could
apply that to both kids and new Christians okay the Bible will call them
you know babes in Christ the new Christians being fed the spiritual milk
of the word and look just on that there's no shame in that is there
because we're going to have a big variety of people come into this church
we don't look down on someone who's newly saved we don't look if you're a
new Christian amen to that great and a lot of the time that could be easier
because sometimes it's hard to come out of if you if you've been saved a long
time but you've been just amongst bad teaching a bad teaching a bad teaching
that could be hard to reset can it to rewind and and and to erase all that
junk and look if you're newly saved great you know great because you got a
chance you're in a church now preaching the Word of God preach the Word of God
and not preaching a lot of false doctrine and everything else and and you
got a chance to live for God and look we we want you Christians there's nothing
wrong with being a new Christian because people can be put off thing oh
I don't really want to come here because there's all these people they go
soul-winning look new Christians could go so winning okay you Christians could
go and be a silent partner but everyone's at different stages a good
church will have people at every stage and we're going to continue hopefully to
have that people at every stage nothing embarrassing about being newly saved and
look but when you're newly saved or again when you're a child as well who
you know by definition that is newly saved as well a lot of the time or at
least younger in Christian years says here if he says sorry verse 15 aren't
we he says lovers saw me more than he says under yay Lord I know so lovely
says under him feed my lambs because if if Simon Peter loves Jesus more than his
fellow disciples he are you could say he could also need to feed new Christians
and feed those lambs and feed those children and obviously you know that
means preaching spiritual milk as well because if you're just wanting if you're
as a preacher and this can you can you can put this across the men's preaching
nights as well and and not just if you're the person behind the pulpit week
in week out is that look you don't want to be standing there thinking right how
can I get a really complicated new you know there's some new angle that they
haven't seen and and give something look look then you're really it's more that
you're caring about your peers are you caring about being being lift up by by
those people and you're not loving Jesus Christ more cuz he said feed my
lambs okay and yet when you're behind a pulpit you got to understand that really
that those those you you know those babes in Christ those kids here everyone
needs feeding with the Word of God and if you're just trying to go to like
really complicated subject matters then a lot of the time you're not feeding the
the spiritual babes here and everyone here needs to remind you of that stuff
anyway don't they but it's easy you could easily start to pull that way
thing well I've got to really go I've got to find a new angle here preach them
something new but I think you're not loving loving the Lord they're more than
these because really you're wanting that adoration wanting them to lift you up
you're wanting them to go wow that was just what a great new truth you
discovered okay and that like I said that could be in a 10-minute men's
preaching that could be you know myself an hour behind a pulpit here and anyone
else that preaches in the future here as well we've got to make sure that that
we're not being we're not when we're thinking about what to write and praying
on what to preach thinking about well how can I impress my fellow man because
then really we're not loving the Lord more than these yeah that's why that's
what I'd get from that myself and because I can it could be a temptation
can't they're trying to impress just preaching spiritual meat all the time we
don't want to do that now all three verses seem to be making the point that
to feed his sheep or his lambs here he he has to love the Lord doesn't he okay
he has to love the Lord because again it's so important isn't it it's so
important for people when they're when they're leading when they're pastoring
and and again we've just seen failed churches all over this nation and and
there were saved people we went out myself brother Gary we're out just up
the road here on the other side of Sainsbury's in a little close there and
two elderly people were saved and that's like two only people within a stone's
flow of each other's house were saved and look one was a little bit sketchy at
the beginning but she I mean I would go away and say they were both saved brother
Gary yeah like we both came away going yeah they were both saved you know
sometimes people don't giving the exact same reply as you would yourself but
once you start digging deeper they're like no I believe it's belief alone no I
can't lose it and look to save people to to save people in it in South End in a
place that I don't think I could because I remember you saying I think I'd not
there before I don't think I did that side of the road it was on the right
hand side this little kind of cul-de-sac of kind of these little I think
no flats or little small houses there and yeah that you know these people were
saved and I'm trying to remember why I was going to say that but I think my
point was is that look you know that could be surprising for us sometimes
can't it it could be surprising in there in pretty bad churches and pretty wicked
churches and these people say but I think my point was is that this country
has had I believe more saved people and there were churches there were Baptist
Church had the gospel right and it's not oh well there's just been nothing
since until the NIFB no look the old IFB had some great churches before yeah
they might have been off on some stuff that we that we're right on now but look
that's some great they've been to great churches over the years there's always
been great churches over the years and there's been great leaders and they've
been great soul winners and there's there's been all of that and his
country's had that and there are still elderly people in this country that are
saved whose spirits are probably vexed in whatever church they're left in sadly
but there has been that here and look how's it got to this point to this state
of play where there doesn't seem to be another church out soul winning in the
whole of the country and again it's because the leaders there the pastors
haven't fed their sheep have they okay they haven't they haven't loved God they
haven't loved the Lord more than the people in there they've got weak
they've got soft they've cared too much about what people think they've cared
too much about the reaction to how they preach they haven't tested them they
haven't preached the hard the difficult stuff they haven't challenged them to go
out and live for God and go and preach the gospel they've got lazy they've got
slack they got weak they got soft didn't they and that's what's happened in this
nation but here he's saying look if you love me saying if you love me feed my
sheep and if those men of God really loved and I used the word men of God
loosely there but if they are many God they should love the Lord no God they
put put Jesus above everyone else then they're gonna do things his way aren't
they okay no matter what the reaction is not loving the fame the praise of men or
whatever it is whatever it is these people seem to love in it another point
here is it obviously Peter denied Jesus three times didn't they Peter denies
Jesus three times now he's being asked to confirm his love for him three times
and I don't think that's a coincidence I think he's given that that he's giving
him that chance there as well and again he's giving that chance to to set the
record straight yeah I love you yeah look we all get things wrong and some
people here might deny the Lord and I'm not encouraging that but look we've all
made mistakes we'll continue to make mistakes we'll continue to get things
wrong we'll continue to have bad times in our life times when we're not living
for God we should be living for God yes we should we we must we're commanded to
serve him but we'll all get things wrong won't we okay we will get things wrong
we'll have bad times but you know what he does give us that chance to make make
make amends with that doesn't he and and just in case one thing that's got
nothing to do with heaven nothing to do with heaven because we're saved by grace
through faith okay you're saved the second you put your faith in Jesus
Christ but but to be able to be back in the will of God to be able to be back
close to God to be able to have that relationship with God after salvation
Jesus wants us back there Jesus gives you that chance and here he has he says
it three times he confirms his love for him three times and and followed by
Peter stating that Jesus knows all things doesn't he says that he says in
verse 17 he says he says Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I
love thee Jesus saith unto him feed my sheep and and like I said Jesus told him
that he would deny him three times as well didn't he I mean Peter I don't think he's
in any doubt there is he because then he thinks on those words and he wept
bitterly didn't he Jesus knows all things he told him he was going to deny
him he did deny him now he's giving him that chance and he's and he's saying
like you know all things you know all the things but he also knows that he
loves him and we can do we can get things wrong it doesn't mean you don't
love the Lord John John 13 38 says Jesus answered him wilt thou lay down thy life
for my sake verily verily I sound to thee the cock shall not crow till thou
has denied me thrice Jesus knew didn't he Jesus knows all things and look that
means it he knows when we're sincere too doesn't he he knows when we're sincere
he knows when we really want to serve him he knows when we really want to do
things for him he knows when when it's just when it's just to to impress others
when it's just to look the part he knows that he knows when it's just to well
because that's what someone wants me to say it'll make me sound all right or
yell think I'm a I'm a better Christian I am but he knows where your heart is he
knows if you really really want to follow him verse 18 verily verily I
sound to thee when thou was young thou girdest thyself and walkest whither thou
wouldest but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and
another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldest not this spake he
signified by what death he should glorify God and when he had spoken this
he saith unto him follow me and look you may have heard story you heard those
stories that Peter was crucified upside down yeah a few people have heard that
the Bible doesn't say and neither do these verses for me either what verse
18 does say clearly is that when he was young he relied on himself and did as he
pleased okay that's what that verse does say and and how many people could
probably say the same here and sadly you know for youngsters they can be a lot
more like that as well when they're saved or not but especially those that
were unsaved but when he's old it will be the opposite and although here he's
he's talking about his death he does say that it's spake he signified by what
death he should glorify God but still notice the contrast between the young
self-reliant Peter and the old Peter who glorifies God and by ultimately relying
on God really I mean it says here that that he when he should be old he should
stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee and carry thee whether
thou wouldest not and maybe he was crucified with a kind of fit there but I
don't know but what I do know is that he's highlighting there the difference
between when he was young and when he's old and we want a difference don't we
you want to strive to be dead don't just sit here well like that's just the way I
am I'm just that person that's just my sin that's just that's the way I was
made or anything look you can change everyone here can change everyone else
everyone here can improve everyone here can become better people can be become
better Christians can be become better sons of God we all have the ability to
do that it's whether or not you want to do you want to do you want to strive do
you want to work hard do you want to make that difference or do you just want
to go well I'm just I'm just like that that's why and then it goes on verse 20
then Peter Tony about seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following which also
leaned in his breast at supper and said Lord which is he that betrayeth thee
Peter seeing him saith to Jesus the Lord and what shall this man do and Jesus
saith unto him if I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee follow
thou me and it seems like a bit of envy or competitiveness here from Peter
doesn't it that's what it comes across as here maybe is maybe isn't but either
way Jesus makes it clear that Peter needs to just focus on following him
doesn't he he's saying what is that to thee follow that me okay and look most
Christians could probably do with spending more time on serving God and
less time on focusing what others are doing I think we could all probably
learn from that can we because it is easy as a Christian to just start
looking at other people and criticizing and feeling maybe better about yourself
feeling worse about yourself or whatever else it but it's not a comparison there
is you know the Bible gives us plenty of people that we can compare to in the
Bible and ultimately the number one the person we should be comparing to most is
Jesus Christ isn't it that's a benchmark that's how we should be striving to live
like so why do we spend so long looking at other Christians and trying to try
to compare with them and see whether they're getting this or blessed with
that or well it's okay for them or how come they get to do it look it it's just
envy isn't it and we can can get out of control and that can be wicked and oh it
can be the other way where you're just getting self-righteous and you're
thinking that you're better than other people but we shouldn't compare
ourselves with others we should just be focusing on what we're doing focus on
our own walk with God focus on living for God verse 23 then when it's saying
abroad among the brethren that that disciple should not die but Jesus said
not unto him he shall not die but if I will that he tarry till I come what is
that to thee and there's a good example of what you call Chinese whispers isn't
it there taking something Jesus said in creating a doctrine of it and we used to
anyone used to play that game when they were young where you'd whisper someone
into something into someone's ear and then in a group and it whisper around
when it came back it was just the complete opposite to what you said in
the beginning and there was always that dodgy friend that would change it to
something really dodgy so no just we just have fun completely changing it
but yeah it was quite a fun game when you were bored wasn't it and here it's
kind of like the same thing isn't it because again it's like he says here
then went this saying abroad among the brethren that that disciple should not
die but he didn't say that did he he said if I will that he tarry till I come what is
that to thee and look taking something Jesus said in creating a doctrine of it
and how often do we see that hey so taking it skewering it a little bit take
it out of context changing it adding a word taking away a word completely
changing it with a false Bible version if you like and cults have been doing
this with Scripture ever since haven't they? Cults have been constantly doing
this with Scripture but here it's the brethren it's not the cult is it here
it's the brethren and then went that saying abroad among the brethren and I
was thinking about just off the top of my head you know some examples of this
got Matthew 24 36 I was thinking of where it says but of that day and hour
knoweth no man no not the angels of heaven but my father only took that
Jesus Christ return and you know they will look at that as a rapture you know
that point sort of that that half a return and and then they'll look at that
of that day and hour knoweth no man oh see he could come back at any time but
said the day or the hour okay they didn't say no one's got any idea what
period of time or anything else just that exact day and hour oh well that's
it there see you go Jesus Christ could come could come he could come this minute
and what a load of not and again just just completely skewed isn't it and you
you taking a verse and and that's the one a lot of time they'll come back to
won't they and say look see yeah well what about you know that no man knoweth
the you know of that day and hour knoweth no man well sure they don't know
the day and the hour but we do know that it's after the tribulation of those days
it's before the wrath okay but we don't know the day and the hour and look there
are many many places and it's funny that they say that don't they always love
love that one in Matthew 24 even though a few verses earlier in verse 29 he says
immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the Sun be darkened and
the moon shall not give a light the stars shall fall from heaven and powers
of heaven shall be shaken and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in
heaven and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the
Son of Man come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and then
they'll say oh yeah well that's that's talking to the Jews you know it's just
frustrating isn't it but again it's just taking a verse taking something Jesus
said and and then just creating your own doctrine out of it and we see that
obviously with a judge not one don't we judge not that ye be not judged Matthew
7 1 and Q millions of Christians going around or so-called Christians saying
you can't judge and a lot of real Christians will say that you know judge
not judge not because Jesus said judge not but they kind of miss a bit after
Matthew 7 5 where he says our hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own
eye then shout thou see clearly to cast out the moat out of thy brother's eye
because obviously we are commanded to judge aren't we it's just not
hypocritical judgment yeah how on earth could you get through a day of life
without judging things you have to judge everything in life don't you it's all
about judge judge it's just ridiculous isn't it Matthew sorry John 7 24 he said
judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgment there's
Jesus Christ telling us to judge so just another one knows and look you could
probably come out with a hundred of these couldn't you and there are just
ones I thought of and look but but don't we see that everywhere don't we just
people just taking verses take you so that they just hate when you get people
that don't even claim to be Christians trying to do it well didn't Jesus say
and then like for example that one they love judge not you got no idea okay but
maybe it's even worse than Christians do um verse 24 back to where we were John
21 this is a disciple which testifies of these things and wrote these things and
we know that his testimony is true talk about himself here John and there were
also many other things which Jesus did the which if they should be written
everyone I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that
should be written our men and Jesus must have done a lot of things I I was
thinking about this as well you know he wasn't having me time was he Jesus he
had time with the father but he wasn't having just yeah well I just need need a
bit of time to myself in fact he was working on the Sabbath as well you know
he said he you know his father working in the two and I work yeah and he was
here to work wasn't he he grafted Jesus did for the whole of his ministry and
look it wasn't sightseeing he wasn't getting on with some hobbies or anything
else he was in full-time ministry wasn't he but think about this as well full
time ministry and a lot of people in full-time ministry part of that time is
spent writing sermons a lot of the time studying the Bible to write sermons but
Jesus Christ didn't need to study the Bible and Jesus Christ I'm sure he
didn't write any of his sermons Jesus Christ has preached in me so that was
three and a half years we're preaching of which we've got just a snippet
haven't we in here think three and a half years borrowed when he was asleep
and the rest of the time miracles preaching just just so much stuff he
must have done of which we just have this small amount that's the amount that
God wants to give us the amount that he wants us to know the amount that we
obviously need to be able to preach and get people saved and the amount that we
need to be able to grow as Christians and to be able to live how God wants us
to live and the amount that we need in this Bible to be able to just be
nourished by the Word of God and to have it as a you know lamp unto our feet a
light unto our path and and but Jesus must have done a lot in those three and
a half years see what you could do in three and a half years of just full time
and especially when you're the Lord Jesus Christ and look he did say I
suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books it should be
written so you know I'm not saying that's an actual literal thing that the
world cannot contain the book but he obviously did a lot didn't he he did a
lot and you know we're here for longer though we're here for longer and we can
get a lot done he said greater works that we're able to do didn't he in terms
of more more soul winning and that because they're the they're the ultimate
works we could do stuff if we want to serve him like I said this morning but
yeah what what yeah what a great gospel what a great great chapter to end on as
well and just more and more truths coming out of there and and so you know
so much truth comes out of the Word of God and you know if you're sitting here
and I don't know you sit here thinking well yeah there's some good stuff in
there but I don't know is that really is that really the Word of God look you no
one can write that no one can write no one could write that and have it marry
up how it does and how you can just cross you could just study that compare
with other books it look for those idiots that go oh it's fairy tales or
it's it's you know someone wrote a book no one person wrote that okay there is
no doubt at all that there is multiple multiple you're looking at 40 authors
66 books 40 authors over over 1,500 plus years in different regions of the world
wrote this Bible and it and when you study it properly it marries up from
start to finish and it's absolutely amazing isn't it absolutely amazing you
could just go through chatter like you can't go through some worldly literature
and go through chapter after chapter and just find so much truth so much so many
lessons so much in every verse not that they'll be split into verses every
handful of what it's impossible I mean we should you should try it just for a
laugh one day just get out like the greatest literature get out on those
Shakespeare or something like that and try and just dissect it it's impossible
yeah what you're gonna get out of it a lot of fairies dancing around in dresses
most the time isn't it because it is it's just a load of actors and weirdos
but what you're gonna get you're not gonna get anything like and they try and
do it the world tries to study it anyone try anyone have to study it when they're
at school in English it's nothing like it is it nothing like it they try and
study it and try and dissect it but there is absolutely no comparison and
anyone that's even worldly under say people that try to study the Bible have
admitted the same haven't they that there is nothing like it nothing like
this King James Bible and how groundbreaking it it was and still is to
this day and look that's why these Bible studies are so great as well because you
could just go through and just just and that's just what I've pulled out you
could get ten preachers go through that chapter and pull out ten ten different
sermons couldn't they and and they will and they still do to this day and look
there's so much in there there's so much truth in there there's so much in the
Word of God and aren't we blessed to have the Word of God and isn't it great to go
through it and the Word of God is evidence of itself isn't it that it's
written by God it's written by God through men and no one no one else let
alone 40 different people could write something like this what you know what a
great truth that is and on that let's pray father I thank you for the Gospel
of John I thank you I thank you for the Word of God thank you for for just
everything that's in the Word of God just all the difference you know
different styles of writing in there in terms of the from history to the Lord to
to poetry to to the Gospels to the epistles just all all the all the many
different types of books we have in there how rich they are how much lessons
we can get from there how much wisdom we can get how much enjoyment we can get
from it how much knowledge we can get and but ultimately how much we can get
from it to apply to our lives please help us to do that from this Gospel of
John all the lessons we've learned over the last few months in this just help us
to apply it to our lives to not just be hearers of the Word but to be doers too
please help me to choose a book that's going to be edifying for the church
that's going to glorify you but also it's going to help help everyone in
here including myself to just to just live more for you and yeah please help
us all this week as well just to just to you know put you first this week to put
serving you at the forefront of our minds and and to all be able to return
back here next week for another day in your house Jesus name we pray Amen