New Life Group Study - Part 4 - Rock Point Church

was around daybreak, about two thousand years earlier, when the disciples headed for shore after

a wasted night of fishing. At this point in the story, disciples must have been feeling a little lost on really what to do next. You know, the last time that Jesus had appeared to them, he said that he would meet them somewhere in Galilee, although he didn't specify a place or a time.

And with nothing concrete on the agenda, Peter announces that he's going to go fishing.

And it seemed like all the others just followed in right behind him. Now, it's really unclear if they were thinking about returning to their old way of life or they were just passing the dime until Jesus arrived, but maybe the disciples were thinking about just selling down a little bit, doing something sensible for a change like catching some fish and earning a little money.

But sadly, it didn't work. Most of them in the boat knew the lake. They were experts in knowing where the fish were congregated. And they especially knew if they didn't haul in a catch at night, they're far less likely to catch anything around sunrise.

Just as dawn was breaking and the sky and sea were filling with color, the disciples were feeling a little cold, a little tired and ready for some food and rest. And it was at that moment when Jesus decided to appear again. And just as Mary Magdalene had trouble identifying who Jesus was in the garden,

and though the boat was actually less than a 100 yards away, at first the men didn't recognize it. Maybe because around the lake, Tiberias gets deep really, really quickly and it gets choppy. So even at that short distance from land, people can see better from the shore than they can see if they're on a boat.

But after a word of greeting and a command to throw their nets in the right side of the boat, they recognized the carpenter was once again giving fishing advice to professional fishermen.

And of course, immediately after they obeyed, the nets were filled to overflowing with a multitude of fish. This was a powerful reminder to them that they could do nothing on their own power in this new work that Jesus had called them to. This is also a lesson for us. For all of Jesus' disciples in every

it's only when we reach the end of our resources is when Jesus shares his.

Now, John was the first to recognize Jesus, yet it was Peter who jumped out of the boat and swam to shore like he had some unfinished business to do. He needed to be freed from this unhealed wound that had casted this long shadow over what had been the greatest day of his life. You remember that Sunday when Peter went into the empty tomb.

You know, it seems like up to this point in Peter's journey with Jesus, he was always just trying and failing, trying and failing, trying and failing. Would Peter always be haunted every morning at the sound of a rooster announcing a new day?

When Peter stumbled out of the frigid water wet and shivering and standing in front of his friend that he betrayed is when he sees it. And it's so fitting that Jesus built it. Peter stood there in silence. The moment was just too holy for words.

The only thing between Peter and his God was a charcoal fire. Now you might remember the first time that we talked about charcoal fire. It was when John had heightened the suspense of the moment. You know, he's being this master movie director. He was alternating the scenes between what was happening inside

of Annas's house where Jesus was suffering an illegal trial and outside of the courtyard, Peter simultaneously was providing false testimony before a slave girl while they warmed themselves around that charcoal fire. I bet Peter could still smell the smoke that wafted through the courtyard that morning.

Now, this time around on the beach, Jesus is going to use the same prop again, a charcoal fire, before he even spoke to Peter. But this morning on the Sea Of Galilee was going to be different. First, Jesus met his physical needs.

He gave him breakfast and gave him a little time to relax and warm up from his frigid swim. And after breakfast, Jesus revisited Peter's love for him. And since he denied Christ publicly, Jesus had to restore Peter to service publicly. And on that beach, that fisherman

became a shepherd once again. And most likely, as the sun came over the mountains to announce a new day, it was the waves crashing on the shore that probably drowned out the crowing of any roosters in the vicinity. There's sometimes missing the story of the restoration of Peter is a credibly large catch of fish, 153

in all, which Peter single handedly drug with the boat to shore. And not only were there a huge amount of fish, but the Bible tells us the fish was also abnormally big. Normally a catch like this would definitely strain or break the nets, but Jesus somehow held the nets together.

But then here comes the interesting exchange. Jesus is already cooking fish on a charcoal fire. He doesn't need their catch. He's quite capable of looking after himself and and them as well. So since John never wastes words in his stories here, he's really trying to tell us something.

He wants to get us to understand that something about the relationship between our work and his. You know, sometimes though probably we never verbalize it, Christian workers come to believe that they've got to do it all. If we don't organize it, it just won't happen.

We may be given the Holy Spirit to enable us to do the work of Christ, but his holy breath is not ever independent of the master who breathes the spirit on us.

Or sometimes we get fooled into believing that somehow we owe God for what he's done for us. Well, truth is he's the one that empowers the work and the more that we get to do for God, the more we are actually indebted to him. For some strange reason, he has given us the opportunity to join him in his mission.

He can do it without us and the angels could do it better, but yet somehow God receives more glory when He empowers us to do His work through Jesus' Spirit.

At least since chapter 13, both Peter and John have been the two main characters in this epic drama of the greatest story ever told. In particular, they've been the most important players in The Last Supper, at the rest and trial in chapter 18, in the resurrection accounts in chapter twenty and twenty one.

But now the paths of these two good friends were about to diverge. Peter had just gotten his life straightened out when Jesus leaped to the topic of his death. In a very picturesque way, he contrasted the end of Peter's ministry with the beginning of it. And then went one step further to reveal how Peter would die.

He would ask him to stretch out his arms like this and you can kind of get an idea what this would look like. This represents being fastened to the horizontal beam of the cross. Jesus ended his commission of Peter with the same words that he called him three years earlier, follow me.

The form of this command in Greek really means to perpetually keep on following him. And it's not just a one time step, but a lifetime walk. A lot had happened to Peter between those two commands,

yet nothing had changed. Jesus was calling Peter for the rest of his days to follow him. Now, it's in that moment that Peter must have heard someone walking behind him and it was John. And I guess that Peter, now that his destiny was set in stone, was a little curious about what John's future was. Well, Peter's question was probably quite natural considering that the pair had been through so much together.

Jesus,

in really not so subtle of terms, told Peter basically to mind his own business. He needed to stay focused on Jesus rather than other people. You know, Jesus' question, if I want John to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? Was really hypothetical. Yet Jesus' question started a rumor that John would

would never die until he returned and this is one of the reasons that John later added this epilogue. But the most important thing for Peter and John and the rest of us is to learn that God has already staked out our race that we're to run. And sure, it's so easy for Christians to look and really

envy and wish they had somebody called to somebody else's race. But part of the obedience to Jesus is accepting the plan that He has for us. But the truth is both men were used by God in very unique and wonderful ways.

Peter was a major player in the book of Acts. After the coming of the spirit, you remember Luke is the author of the book of Acts, he records Peter preaching at the temple on the day of Pentecost. This was the first public sermon after Jesus' resurrection and 3,000, over 3,000 people were saved.

He was also involved in many miraculous healings standing before authorities as they marveled at his eloquence and power.

He had many imprisonments and even a miraculous escape from jail with the help of an angel. The Gospel of Mark is actually Peter's gospel. Mark served as both a scribe and an editor. Peter also wrote the New Testament epistles of first and second Peter,

which were the letters of comfort to those in Asia Minor who were facing persecution because of their faith. And he also, they were being challenged by false teachers who wanted to add elements of Judaism to Christianity. Now, according to the early church father Jerome,

Peter was crucified upside down because he thought himself unworthy to die the same as Jesus. John, on the other hand, was the last living apostle and the only one who didn't suffer martyrdom. But it wasn't like the Romans didn't try to kill him, but they had to settle by exiling him on the Isle Of Patmos.

John also penned first and second and third John and the book of Revelation. You know, the last time the Bible records the two men together is when they were arrested by Annas and Caiaphas in Acts four.

John ends his gospel like all Greek, Roman, and Jewish legal documents by inserting what is called a testimony by witness. He added his own endorsement that everything that he wrote was true because he had been an eyewitness to all the events found in the document. And since John was writing to a second century audience

who had never seen Jesus while he was on earth or even experienced the end of his miracles, this statement would have been an important one when it came to the accuracy of Jesus' works.

Although Jesus did many things that John didn't include in his account, he only selected the miracles to support his purpose for writing. And I hope you've got this down from memory so that you and I might believe that Jesus is the Messiah and believing in him, we would have eternal life.

Now, on a personal note, to be really honest, I'm feeling really sad. In fact, just like probably like Peter and John, that our paths are kind of diverging.

My prayer for you is that your group will continue to grow both in grace and knowledge and obedience to Christ together over the coming months of summer. I'm gonna really encourage you to try to meet together frequently, really as frequently as possible. And though people are often out of town during the summer,

don't despise group's lower attendance. Remember, Jesus' promise, where just two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst. You know, over the summer, I'll be working on a new group study on the Old Testament prophets.

So if you might think of me, please pray that God gives me the words to encourage you and your group once again as we dive into how God revealed himself to those who lived under the old covenant. So let's pray. God,

I've been forever changed by going in a very deep way into John. I bless you that I got to spend these hours digging in books and remembering things from childhood, all the things that you've spoken to me. I'm hoping that our groups had that kind of experience as well. But it's just not enough to know more about you

and if we ever want to know more about you we're going to have to put into practice the things you've told us to do. The truth is we've been given a lot, we've been given much and so it's required much of us, but there's a joy in it. And I love the fact it's your Holy Spirit working through us

towards other people that gives us the most joy and gives us a purpose where we could never ever imagine maybe when we were even kids. There's a lot of people that need your heart, that need your salvation. They're our neighbors. They're our friends, God. Let us not ever get tired of reaching out to those who are far from God.

Let us come together and encourage one another to stay close to God. And then soon, one day we will see you face to face. But until then, God, just make your presence known to us. I love this group of people who are listening to this. I love Rock Point. Thank you that we get to do this together at this church.

I can't wait to see what you're gonna do in our next study in the fall. In Jesus name. Amen.