John 21:1-25 | Follow Our Risen Savior

John 21:1-25
Follow Our Risen Lord

I. Introduction

1. In this final chapter of John, we see Jesus’ meeting with his disciples for a third time.
   1. Once on a Sunday evening, and then a week later, when Jesus revealed His scars to Thomas.
   2. Now we see Jesus meeting them in Galilee after an unsuccessful fishing trip.
2. There are still a few more important lessons to glean from this last chapter.
3. Jesus serves us even as a risen Lord.
4. Our efforts apart from Christ will not produce the results we hope for.
5. We serve the Lord because of our love for the Lord.
6. Jesus recommissions Peter.

II. vv. 1-4 Empty nets

John 21:1-4 ¹ After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself:  ² Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. ³ Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. ⁴ But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.^[1]

1. v. 1 How did Jesus show Himself?
   1. This is the key to understanding this chapter.
   2. As an enabler.
   3. As a servant.
   4. As a restorer.
   5. As an exhorting prophet.
2. v. 3 Peter tries his hand at fishing once again.
   1. The Lord had called all of these men out of their jobs to fish for men.
      1. It is hard to be definitive about whether Peter and the disciples are in error for going back to their nets.
      2. Was this just an opportunity, or did it reveal more?
      3. Maybe Peter felt that after his failures, that was all he had left for himself.
   2. Whatever the answer may be, one clear outcome was that they were unsuccessful.
      1. The result of their efforts was a familiar one: nothing.
      2. Jesus had told them the night of His betrayal that they could do nothing without Him.
   3. Too often, we return to those things that we feel we can do well, even without the Lord.
      1. Don’t be deceived.
      2. We can do nothing with success unless the Lord blesses it.
   4. The Lord had told the men that they were being sent even as the Father had sent Him.
      1. He then instructed these men to meet Him in Galilee.
      2. There was nothing that indicated that Jesus was no longer interested in them carrying out the business of the Kingdom.

III. vv. 5-11 Jesus, our enabler.

John 21:5-11 ⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.” ⁶ And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. ⁷ Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. ⁸ But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. ⁹ Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. ¹⁰ Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.” ¹¹ Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken.

1. There was no success apart from the Lord.
   1. The Lord gives them instructions to carry out the same task, yet this time they make a large catch.
2. Activity directed by the Lord will lead to fruitfulness.
   1. The very same activities done outside of the direction of the Lord will always end in a long night of toil without much to show for our actions.
   2. Yet when we let the Lord direct our lives, we will find much fruit coming forth.
   3. The Lord desires for your life to be a fruitful one for His glory.
3. When you can no longer drag in the nets, “it is the Lord.”
   1. What is the explanation of this miraculous catch?
      1. Well, these are new, lighter, less visible nets that were imported from Egypt.
      2. I just figured that the other side of the boat would be a great choice because the wind was blowing out of the north west with the temperature in the mid 50s.
   2. Success in ministry doesn’t come through our well-crafted schemes or through the toil of the night; it comes from the Lord.
   3. There was only one answer for such a catch: it was the Lord.
      1. Lord, keep us sensitive to your voice and leading so that we might see our nets full here at Calvary Chapel Lynchburg with unbelievers getting saved.
4. Are you laboring in the strength of the Lord, or are you laboring in your strength?
   1. Out of frustration.
   2. According to your wisdom.
   3. According to the wisdom of the day.
      
      Psalm 127:1 Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.
      
5. The Lord showed Himself as one who enables our labors.
6. Ministry must be done in the Lord’s strength and in His ways.

IV. vv. 12-14 Jesus, a servant.

John 21:12-14 ¹² Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?” — knowing that it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. ¹⁴ This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.

1. Jesus loved His disciples so deeply that He wasn’t bothered to rise early, get a fire going, cook, and serve breakfast.
2. The relationship with Jesus remains unchanged; He continues to serve us.
   1. The Lord hasn’t sought you so He could find help for His floundering eternal plan to save mankind.
   2. It isn’t what we are doing for Jesus but what Jesus Christ is doing for us.
3. Let’s model our Lord whenever we have the opportunity–be a servant.
   1. Jesus was interested in helping the needs of others.
   2. He was an other-centered man.
   3. Do you look for opportunities to serve? Or are you looking for an occasion for others to serve you?
      
      Philippians 2:1–8 ¹ Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, ² fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. ³ Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ⁴ Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. ⁵ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

V. vv. 15-17 Jesus, the restorer.

John 21:15-17 ¹⁵ So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” ¹⁶ He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” ¹⁷ He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

1. v. 15 Do you love me more than these?
   1. The question is whether Jesus is referring to fish or to the other disciples.
   2. Peter had declared, at the Passover meal, that even if all forsake the Lord, he would not.
   3. Possibly, Jesus is referring to that night when Peter rejected the notion that he would deny the Lord.
   4. Or is Jesus referring to Peter’s life as a fisherman?
   5. It seems to me that Jesus is referring to the idea that Peter espoused that he would not fall like the other disciples.
      1. The night before, he labored on his own and caught nothing.
      2. Peter had tried to stand on his own strength and likewise failed.
      3. “Perhaps at long last Peter has learned that he cannot follow Jesus in his own strength and has realized the hollowness of affirming his own loyalty in a way that relies more on his own power of will than on Jesus’ enablement (cf. 13:36–38—significantly, in response to Jesus’ ‘new’ love commandment).”^[2]
2. Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him.
   1. Jesus asked Peter three times whether he loved Him.
   2. There has been much emphasis on the use of two different Greek words for love.
   3. Jesus uses the word agapao in His first two questions about Peter’s love, and then in His third question, Jesus uses the word phileo.
   4. There is divided opinion as to whether there is significance between these two words.
      1. Some will argue that agapao is a divine love and phileo is more a friendly love.
      2. Others advocate that these words were too similar for such a distinction.
      3. “The fact that there are two different verbs for ‘love’ used in the present passage has led some to believe that ἀγαπάω (agapaō) and φιλέω (phileō) are distinct in meaning, but this is doubtful for at least two reasons: (1) the fact that the word ἀγαπάω, said to convey the notion of divine love, is used with reference to human love—and evil humans at that—in texts such as 3:19 and 12:43, and that φιλέω, said to connote human love, is used for God the Father in 5:20 (where he is said to love the Son) and 16:27 (where he is said to love the disciples); (2) the presence of other close synonyms in the same section, such as the use of two words for ‘know’ (γινώσκω, ginōskō; οἶδα, oida), and stylistic variants of ‘tend/shepherd’ (βόσκω, boskō; ποιμαίνω, poimainō) “my sheep/lambs” (ἀρνία, arnia; πρόβατα, probata) in 21:15–17 (Köstenberger 1999a: 193–94; Carson 1991: 676–77, citing Barr 1987: esp. 15).”^[3]
3. v. 17 Peter is grieved.
   1. The grief is that Jesus asked a third time.
   2. Peter is also grieved in that the Lord had to ask Him three times, possibly a way of reminding Peter of the three times he denied the Lord.
   3. Some may wish the Lord had not made this an issue because Peter felt bad about his actions.
   4. Yet, getting this in the open and restoring Peter was the right thing to do.
4. Restored to service.
   1. Jesus gives Peter two main injunctions.
      1. To feed His sheep and lambs.
      2. To tend to His sheep.
   2. This is the job of all those who would seek to be in the place of leadership.
      1. It is because of this command that we place such a high priority on the teaching of the Word of God.
      2. Nothing else will feed you except the Word of God.
   3. The Lord is directly restoring Peter to ministry.
      1. We all may be able to say that we know that the Lord has forgiven us, but do you know He still desires to use you to do His work?

VI. vv. 18-23 Jesus, an exhorting prophet.

1. v. 18 Jesus prophesies that Peter will live to an old age, yet will be put to death.
   
   John 21:18-25 ¹⁸ “Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”
   
   1. Peter was sentenced to die on the cross while in Rome.
   2. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs gives us an account of Peter’s death.
      
      “Among many other saints, the blessed apostle Peter was condemned to death, and crucified, as some do write, at Rome; albeit some others, and not without cause, do doubt thereof. Hegesippus saith that Nero sought matter against Peter to put him to death; which, when the people perceived, they entreated Peter with much ado that he would fly the city. Peter, through their importunity at length persuaded, prepared himself to avoid. But, coming to the gate, he saw the Lord Christ come to meet him, to whom he, worshipping, said, ‘Lord, whither dost Thou go?’ To whom He answered and said, ‘I am come again to be crucified.’ By this, Peter, perceiving his suffering to be understood, returned into the city. Jerome saith that he was crucified, his head being down and his feet upward, himself so requiring, because he was (he said) unworthy to be crucified after the same form and manner as the Lord was.”^[4]
      
2. v. 19 Follow me.
   
   ¹⁹ This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”
   
   1. Even though following me will lead to your death, you still need to follow me.
      
      Mark 8:34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ³⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”
      
      
   2. This sure doesn’t sound like the health and wealth gospel that is being widely taught today.
3. vv. 20-21 The folly of comparison?
   
   ²⁰ Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” ²¹ Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”
   
   1. Comparing yourself to another person is never a wise activity to engage in.
      1. Why do they have more material goods?
      2. Why are they in the ministry? They are not as godly as I am.
      3. I wish I had the ministry they do.
   2. The Lord has a beautiful plan for your life, so stop worrying about everybody else.
   3. We all have been given a lane to run in, and our obedience to it should not be concerned with what others have been given to do.
4. vv. 22-23 Just follow me.
   
   ²² Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” ²³ Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”
   
   1. Mind your own business.
   2. Don’t worry about the Lord’s other servants.
   3. Our job is to follow the Lord regardless of the circumstances.
   4. It is a waste of time and a great distraction when we begin to analyze other people’s business.

VII. vv. 24-25 A trustworthy testimony.

²⁴ This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. ²⁵ And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

VIII. Conclusion

1. What a beautiful revelation of God found in this Gospel.
2. The Logos has come and revealed the words and works of God.
3. This record definitively declares Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah and the Son of God.
4. If you believe this true testimony, you will have an abundant life now and eternal life to come.

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^[1]  All Scripture quotations are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted.

^[2] Andreas Köstenberger, John, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004), 598.

^[3] Andreas J. Köstenberger, John, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004), 596.

^[4] John Foxe, Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, (Austin: Word search Corp., 2011), ch. 1.9.