John Ch21v1-14 - Seeing Chirst's Glory Draws Us To Him

Good morning. The reading today is from John chapter 21, verses 1 to 14.

John 21:1–14

! If you're using a church Bible, that's page 1090.

! It's John chapter 21, verses 1 to 14.

John 21:1–14

Afterwards, Jesus appeared again to his disciples by the Sea of Galilee.

It happened this way. Simon Peter, Thomas, also known as Didymus,

Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.

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.

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, it is the Lord.

As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, it is the Lord, he wrapped his outer garment around him,

for he had taken it off and jumped into the water.

The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish,

for they were not far from shore, about a hundred meters.

When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it and some bread.

Jesus said to them, bring some of the fish you have just caught.

So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore.

It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many, the net was not torn.

Jesus said to them, come and have breakfast.

None of the disciples dared ask him, who are you?

They knew it was the Lord.

Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them and did the same with the fish.

This is now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Thank you, Christopher.

Let's pray and ask for God's help as we study this passage together.

Our Lord Jesus, we thank you for yet another opportunity to gaze at your glory.

Holy Spirit, we pray you'd open our eyes to see Jesus now.

Amen.

I wonder what's the first thing that comes to your mind whenever I read this sentence.

I can't come to Jesus today because...

Fill in the blank.

Even as people who are united to Christ in faith,

I was just wondering,

why do we so often hang back from Jesus in our day-to-day experience?

We keep our distance.

We withdraw from him.

Why is that?

I think it's primarily because of the shame and guilt that we feel from our sin.

We wrongly assume Jesus needs a bit of space whenever we've wronged him yet again.

We wrongly assume that we should keep our distance until his disappointment in us has worn off.

What's your reason for often hanging back from Jesus?

Because what we're going to find in this text is that no such reasons exist.

To Jesus, there is no single reason why he would turn away any person who truly comes to him for mercy and for refuge.

We're the ones who make up false reasons why Jesus wouldn't want us or accept us.

And our problem is we're not really seeing his glory.

That is the beauty and radiance of his character.

We're just seeing a watered-down version of Jesus.

Jesus, John says in the first verse of this text, he says afterwards, Jesus again appeared to his disciples by the Sea of Galilee.

And John started off his gospel account back in chapter 1 and verse 14.

He said this,

In this last chapter, John gives us one more window into the glory of the Son.

God the Son.

That we also would see and believe and have life in his name.

And John shows us not only Jesus' glory, but what's interesting in this text, he shows us Peter's response.

An ordinary person, Peter's response to seeing Jesus' glory.

So that's where we're going today.

So first of all, we're going to look at three examples of Jesus' glory in this text.

The first one, see the glory of Jesus' power.

John tells us that seven of the disciples are together on this occasion.

And verse 2 says this,

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.

Now, you don't need to be a fisherman to know that is frustrating.

In fact, we've all had some experience of going to work.

Nothing went to plan that day.

It felt like we came home empty-handed.

But as for these guys, it was a loss of income for them as well.

Verse 4.

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore.

But the disciples did not realize 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.

And when they did,

they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

See the glory of Jesus' power.

The one who created and sustains the universe commands the fish in the Sea of Galilee to swim right into the disciples' net.

Nothing is beyond his power.

Now, you might say, that's well and good for the disciples.

They saw this amazing miracle right in front of their eyes.

We have just as much evidence of Jesus' power.

Who set the earth spinning at a precise tilt of 23.4 degrees in its orbit around the sun,

at a precise distance from the sun, not too close, not too far, perfectly calibrated,

so we could live out our days here.

Think about last night.

Who kept your heart pumping blood at a rate of 5 litres per minute?

That's 2,500 litres pumped while you slept,

sustaining over 30 trillion cells in your body.

Who started it?

Who sustains it?

We just went to sleep.

Do you see the glory of Jesus' power around you?

Do you pause to wonder and praise?

How blind we often are to the glory of his power.

Notice also how he uses his power to provide for his people.

Read verse 11.

Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore.

This guy's a Hulk, by the way.

Did you know how strong Simon Peter was?

There you go.

The net was full of large fish.

153.

But even with so many, the net was not torn.

Now, this was not just an average catch of average-sized fish.

It was 153 whoppers.

It's like Jesus is saying to all of us,

I'm able to do immeasurably more than all you could ask or imagine,

and I love to use my power to provide for my people.

Read the Gospels.

That is his heart.

Take comfort in that.

He wants to provide for us.

If Jesus cares about his disciples having a good return

from their shift at work and a hot breakfast,

ready for them when they're tired and hungry,

he also cares about the little things in our lives as well.

And he calls us to ask of him,

to ask of his father,

knowing that if he doesn't give us what we have asked for,

it's not that our father isn't able to provide.

It's because he has something better for us.

So do you and I really believe

that he desires to use his power to provide for us personally?

That he cares about the specific things in our little lives

that no one else even knows about?

Do you ask him to provide or just keep him separate?

Ask of him and see the glory of his power.

Secondly, I think we can see the glory of Jesus' humility in this.

John, he also saw a vision of Jesus

in the brilliant glory of his future judgment and all evil.

It's not in our text today, but I just want to show you it

just for a moment because I think it's good context.

These verses come from Revelation 19.

It says this,

I saw heaven standing open

and there before me was a white horse

whose rider is called Faithful and True.

This is Jesus.

With justice, he judges and wages war.

His eyes are like blazing fire

and on his head are many crowns.

Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword

with which to strike down the nations.

He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.

On his robe and on his thigh,

he has this name written,

King of Kings

and Lord of Lords.

This is Jesus.

He has all power and authority.

He has the last say.

Let's not forget that

as we read these words now

from verse 9 in our passage

and see the glory of his humility.

Verse 9,

When they landed,

the disciples saw a fire of burning coals

there with fish in it

and some bread.

Jesus said to them,

Bring some of the fish you have just caught.

Again,

verse 12,

He said to them,

Come and have breakfast.

None of the disciples dared ask him,

Who are you?

They knew it was the Lord.

Jesus came,

took the bread

and gave it to them

and did the same

with the fish.

I think we can just see the disciples

standing there,

stunned.

The King of Kings

and Lord of Lords

is cooking them breakfast

on a beach.

No doubt they were thinking,

It's we should be serving him breakfast.

But the one who has all power

and authority

stoops down low

to serve them first.

What humility.

You see,

those who have power

and authority

in our world

expect to be served.

We can all think

of many examples.

They expect to be served

on a silver plate.

But Jesus,

being in very nature God,

did not consider

equality with God

something to be grasped.

Rather,

he made himself nothing.

By taking the very nature

of a servant,

being made

in human likeness

and being found

in appearance

as a man,

what did he do?

He humbled himself

by becoming

obedient

to death.

Even death

on a cross.

He went that low

to lift us up.

Do you look

at the glory

of his power

and think,

oh,

he wouldn't really care

about my situation.

He wouldn't,

oh,

he's too great

and glorious

to ever come down

to where I'm at.

No.

That's not Jesus.

This is what Isaiah

said of him.

A bruised reed

he will not break

and a smoldering wick

he will not snuff out.

Though he is high

and lifted up,

he lowers himself

to us.

Can you see

the glory

of Jesus'

humility?

Thank you.

Thirdly,

see the glory

of his grace.

Of all the things

the disciples

expected Jesus

to say,

come and have

breakfast

was definitely

the last

on the list.

I mean,

think about it.

They had abandoned

him

in his darkest hour

the night

before his death.

But Jesus

demonstrates

the glory

of his grace

in inviting

them

to breakfast.

And Jesus

shows us

the glory

of his grace

by inviting us

in our

brokenness,

our mess,

our repeated

failings

to come

to him

again

and again

and again.

Grace

is when you're

given something

so wonderful

you never

deserved.

The glory

of Jesus'

grace

is his

welcome

to bankrupt

sinners

to share

in his riches.

he welcomes

the empty-handed

with nothing

to offer him

but their mess

and failings.

And he calls

them friends.

And as he

hands out

the bread

to each

of those

disciples

around that

little charcoal

fire,

they have

this visible

reminder.

My body

broken for you.

My body

broken

for you.

Their sin

has been

paid for

on the cross.

Jesus took

the judgment

they deserved.

And now he

gives them

his

relationship

with the

father,

the status

of sons

and daughters

to one's

enemies.

This

is the

glory

of his

grace

to every

one of us

who would

come

empty-handed

to him.

Do you

see the

glory

of Jesus'

grace

this morning?

So that's

the glory

of Jesus

that we

see in

this passage.

His

power,

his

humility,

his

grace.

But what

happens

when we

really see

his glory?

Like,

truly see

it?

Well,

Peter's

response

tells us.

Now,

the funny

thing is,

for these

disciples,

this event

was all a

bit of

deja vu.

I want

you to

keep your

finger

in John.

Turn back

with me

one book

to Luke

Luke 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5.

Matthew,

Mark,

Luke,

Luke 5:1

chapter 5,

verse 1.

That's on

page 1032

if you're

using the

church

Bible.

And this

was the

first day

that Luke

records

Jesus

ever

meeting

his

disciples.

day

one

and such.

And I

want you

to note

the

similarities

between

this

event

and the

one

that we

just

read

in

John 21.

This

is very

interesting.

So,

verse 1,

Luke chapter 5.

Luke 5 · chapter mention

One day,

as Jesus

was standing

by the

lake of

Gennesaret,

that is,

Sea of

Galilee,

same place,

the people

were crowding

around him

and listening

to the

word of

God.

he saw

at the

water's

edge

two

boats

left

there

by

fishermen

who

were

washing

their

nets.

He

got

into

one

of

the

boats,

the

one

belonging

to

Simon,

Simon

Peter,

and asked

him to

put out

a little

from shore.

Then he

sat down

and taught

the people

from the

boat.

When he

had finished

speaking,

he said

to Simon,

put out

into deep

water

and let

down

the nets

for a

catch.

Simon

answered,

Master,

we've

worked hard

all night

and haven't

caught

anything.

But because

you say

so,

I will

let down

the nets.

And when

they had

done so,

they caught

such a

large number

of fish

that their

nets

began to

break.

So they

signaled

for their

partners in

the other

boat to

come and

help them.

And they

came and

filled both

boats so

full that

they began

to sink.

And listen

to this,

verse 8.

When Simon

Peter saw

this,

he fell

at Jesus'

knees and

said,

Go away

from me,

Lord.

I am a

sinful man.

Peter

sees the

dazzling

glory of

Jesus'

power and

holiness for

the first

time,

and he

is petrified

of it.

because he

knows the

blackness of

his sin.

That's the

reason why.

He said,

I am a

sinful man.

What's

interesting is

Isaiah had

exactly the

same response

when he

saw Jesus

in all his

glory.

He said,

Woe is

me,

for I am

ruined,

for I am a

man of

unclean lips.

my eyes

have seen

the king,

the lord

of hosts.

See,

when we

see God

in his

dazzling

holiness

and purity

and power,

the ugly

darkness of

our sin

is laid

bare.

We can

begin to

fool ourselves

that our

sin isn't

all that

bad.

You know,

I'm okay,

I'm not

as bad

as,

you know,

that person

over there

or that

person I

read about

on the

news.

No,

when we

really see

the holiness

and power

of God,

we are

left on

our faces

in terror

at our

sin and

where that

leaves us

with a

holy God.

We instantly

realize we

have defiled

God's good

creation.

we have

rebelled

against

his

good

rule.

You see,

Peter and

Isaiah,

their responses

are natural.

They wish

the ground

to swallow

them up

because they

know their

sin condemns

!

And that's

where our

sin must

actually bring

all of us

as well.

We need to

come to the

place where

we see God

as just

in condemning

us for

our sin.

to see

that we've

not just

fallen a

little bit

short of

God's

glory,

but in

so many

ways we

have torn

up his

creation,

his rule

book,

his love,

and thrown

it back in

his face.

But God

does not

want us to

stay in

that place

of horror

at our

own sin

and condemnation.

Flick back

to John.

John 21:7

21,

verse 7.

Because three

years later,

we have the

same Sea

of Galilee,

we've got

the same

fishing boat,

we've

exactly the

same miracle

performed,

but oh

so different

a response

to Jesus.

Read with

me from

John 21,

John 21:7

verse 7.

Then the

disciple whom

Jesus loved

said to

Peter,

it is

the Lord.

As soon

as Simon

Peter heard

him say,

it is the

Lord,

he wrapped

his outer

garment around

him,

for he had

taken it

off,

and jumped

into the

water.

The other

disciples

followed in

the boat,

towing the

net full of

fish,

for they

were not

far from

shore,

about a

hundred

yards.

See,

the first

time this

miracle

happens,

Peter begs

Jesus to

get away

from him.

The second

time,

Peter can't

get to

Jesus fast

enough.

What has

changed?

What drives

this fisherman

to abandon

his catch

and throw

himself into

the sea

and swim

freestyle,

about 90

meters,

to the shore?

46 seconds,

by the way,

is the

Olympic record

set in

Paris,

back in

24.

I think

Peter came

close.

I don't

know about

you.

Here's my

guess as to

what changed

for Peter.

The first

time around,

Peter only

saw the

glory of

Jesus'

power and

holiness,

and it

condemned

him.

Now,

three years

later,

he's also

seen the

glory of

Jesus'

grace and

his humility,

which is

freedom from

his condemnation.

Before,

he cried,

away from

me,

Lord,

I'm a

sinner.

Now,

he knows

he's a

sinner more

than ever.

But he's

thrashing

through the

waves to

get to

Jesus.

Before,

his awareness

of sin kept

him away

from Jesus.

Now,

it propels

him towards

his Savior.

He sees

the glory

of Jesus'

grace and

humility.

Peter knows

Jesus has

paid for

every one

of his

failings,

so he

doesn't have

to hide.

Peter knows

Jesus came

to save

those who

freely admit

their sin.

He can run

to Jesus,

not hide

from him.

for everyone

whose faith

is wholly

placed in

Christ's

death and

resurrection,

we can say

it is

finished.

There is

no condemnation.

There is

nothing left

to pay.

Our guilt

is gone.

The sin

atoned for.

There are

no reasons

left to

stay away

from Jesus

now.

No

reasons

left.

The tragedy

is we keep

coming up

with reasons

as to why

we need

to stay

away.

We start

hanging back

from Jesus.

Now,

if there was

anyone in

this situation

who had a

reason to

hang back

from Jesus,

you'd have

to say it

was Peter,

right?

He's the

one who

failed Jesus

the most

in the

context of

these

disciples.

He flat

out denied

knowing Jesus

three times,

abandoned him

on the night

before his

death.

And the

natural feeling

is shame

to hide

yourself,

just like

Adam and

Eve did,

in the

garden,

after they

had sinned.

As those

united to

Christ,

how often

do we

hang back

from Jesus

in the

moment of

our sin?

We keep

our distance.

We say

things like,

oh,

I've fallen

again.

I can't

even face

him now.

I just

know he's

so disappointed

in me.

We say

things like

that.

And instead

of moving

toward him,

we avoid

him.

We busy

ourselves.

We doom

scroll.

We watch

the next

episode.

Here's a

quote from

Dane

Northland.

He says

this,

perhaps

Satan's

greatest

victory in

your life

today is

not the

sin in

which you

regularly

indulge,

but the

dark

thoughts of

God's

heart that

cause you

to go

there in

the first

place and

keep you

cool toward

him in

the wake

of it.

what a

tragedy

when

Christ's

bride,

his people,

whom he

has clothed

in his

righteousness,

think that

they must

withdraw from

him in

their

brokenness.

Yes,

we will

struggle with

sin, but

our sin can

never separate

us from

Christ now.

It only

draws him

to us.

To think

that Christ

would ever

be resentful

or disappointed

or angry

with his

bride is

a lie

of the

devil.

That lie

is designed

to destroy

our joy

in him.

Here's

another

quote.

As

Christ's

people,

his bride,

we are

loved with

all the

madness

in Christ's

soul.

If you

can only

see a

frowning

saviour

on the

beach

waiting for

you,

that's a

Jesus of

your

imagination.

Can you

see the

glory of

his power

and his

grace?

Can you

see your

smiling saviour

there on

the beach

with a

meal ready

to serve

you?

At the

start, I

put this

line up.

I can't

come to

Jesus today

because

whatever

reasons

you or

I put

in there,

if our

trust is

in Christ,

we can

rip them

up.

We can

throw them

away.

we can

burn them

in the

fire of

Christ's

unquenchable

love for

us, his

bride.

The more

we see

of the

glory of

his power

and grace,

the more

we are

drawn to

him, like

Peter was,

in his

beauty.

The more

we depend

on him

for our

daily bread,

the more

we long

to hear

his words

spoken to

us, the

more satisfied

we are in

his love,

the more

we are

filled with

joy in

his presence.

Come and

have breakfast,

Jesus says

to each

one of us.

There are

no reasons

left to

stay away.

Now,

maybe you're

thinking this

morning,

Sam, I

just

struggle to

see the

glory of

Christ in

all its

fullness.

And so

often we

see like a

lopsided

version of

Jesus, we

see maybe a

lot of the

glory of

his power,

but not

much of the

glory of

his grace.

Or it

could be the

other way

around.

And whichever

way, it

causes us in

different ways

to draw back

from Jesus

and not

to come

to him.

In all of

this, we

have a

helper, the

Spirit of

Christ, who

dwells in

all those who

are united

with him.

And the

Spirit's job

is to help us

to see Christ

in all of his

glory.

So we can

pray, we can

ask the

Spirit to help

us see Christ

in all his

glory.

Pray for the

Spirit to open

your eyes to

see him more

clearly in his

word, in the

world around

you.

Pray this for

your family, for

your friends, for

your neighbors.

Pray that they

will be drawn

irresistibly to

Jesus, satisfied

in him.

And I also

want to say, if

you're somebody

sitting here

today, and

in your heart

you know that

you've never

come to

Jesus for

mercy and

refuge,

don't wait

another day.

He invites

you to

come and

receive from

him forgiveness,

grace,

everything you

need.

Come to

him while he

may be found.

Paul asks this

question in

Romans chapter

Romans 2 · chapter mention

2.

He says, do

you show

contempt for

the riches of

his kindness,

forbearance,

and patience?

not realizing

that God's

kindness is

intended to

lead you to

repentance.

God is

kind and

patient with

you so that

you can turn

to him and

find forgiveness.

Either run

to him now as

your loving

savior, or

one day face

Jesus as

your righteous

judge.

Jesus is

calling out

to you now

to turn from

your sin,

trust in his

work for you

on the cross.

You don't have

to have everything

figured out.

You don't need

to understand all

the ways he works

in this world.

You don't have

to have a certain

amount of Bible

knowledge.

know.

All you need

to know is

you are a

sinner in

desperate need

of his

mercy,

and that he

would give it

to you if

you would

come to

him.

So come to

him while he

may be found.

Blessed is

the one who

takes refuge

in him.

May we

all be

those who

see the

glory of

Jesus and

run to the

refuge like

Peter again

and again.

Let's pray.

Amen.

We thank

you,

Father,

for showing

us your

brilliant glory

in your

son,

Jesus.

Thank you

for giving

us this

text that

we might

see his

glory in

its fullness.

Lord

Jesus,

we thank

you for

humbling

yourself and

dying on a

cross for

our wickedness.

Thank you

for destroying

every possible

reason to

keep us

from you.

Holy Spirit,

give us

new eyes to

see the

glory of

Christ's

power,

humility,

grace,

everything

else.

That we

would not

hang back

in shame,

but run

to him

for mercy

and refuge.

Amen.