Simon Peter told them, "I am going fishing." "We will go with you," they said. So they went out and got into the boat, but caught nothing that night. Sermons I. THE OLD SCENE. This verse gets all its suggestiveness just as we remember the place which Jesus chose for this particular manifestation. Persons and time and place were all combined together into one complete lesson of truth. Capernaum stood on that sea, the one place that came nearest to a home for him who all the years of his public life had no true home. While walking on the margin of its waters, Jesus called his first disciples to become "fishers of men" (Luke 5:1-11). To the disciples of Jesus gathered on the shores of this lake everything should have been eloquent with stirring memories of their Master. Everything in the way of circumstance and association was made, as far as it could be, into a hook and a help. II. WHAT WAS CHANGED SINCE THE COMPANY HAD BEEN THERE BEFORE? The interval could not have been very long; yet what momentous things had happened in it! There was no change to speak of in the scene; a spectator from some coign of vantage would have seen pretty much the same as before. Nor would there be much change in the disciples. A great preparation was going on; but the change itself had yet to come. But in Jesus himself, what a glorious change! The mortal had put on immortality, the corruptible had put on incorruption. A great gulf separated him and his disciples - an immense difference added on to all the differences existing before. Best of all, the difference was laden with hope and encouragement for all who could look at it in the right way. The change in Jesus heralded and initiated a change in every one of these disciples, and through them a change in many with whom they would have to deal. III. THE ESSENTIAL JESUS STILL REMAINED. He had not to make confession of former errors and new discoveries. The change in Jesus was but a metamorphosis; the change in the disciples was a regeneration. Jesus would look different, for he had put on the body of his glory. Before long, the disciples, looking outwardly the same, would have been profoundly changed. IV. THE NEED OF A NEW MANIFESTATION TO US IN THE OLD SCENES OF OUR LIFE. Most people have to spend their days among scenes that are as familiar to them as ever the shores of Galilee were to these seven disciples. Life may become very dull and monotonous in these circumstances. But a manifestation of Jesus will make a wondrous change. Then, and only then, will there be sense and comfort in the utterance, that "old things have passed away, and all things become new." The Galilaean cities are gone long ago; but humanity remains, needing all the manifestations of Jesus as much as ever it did. - Y.
Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. 1. A sudden inspiration.2. A prompt resolution. 3. A hopeful expedition. 4. A laborious occupation. 5. A fruitless speculation. 6. A happy termination. (T. Whitelaw, D. D.) I. LEADERS. In Church and State these, like Peter, should be men of —1. Prompt resolution. 2. Self-reliant action. 3. Cheery expectation. 4. Contagious inspiration. II. FOLLOWERS. Like Peter's companions, these should be — 1. Unbroken in their ranks — "We." 2. Hearty in their co-operation "also." 3. Simultaneous in their movement — "Go." 4. Unenvious in their dispositions — "With thee." (T. Whitelaw, D. D.) I. A PERSONAL DETERMINATION — "I go." The Church and the world need such men. Men with will and energy, who dare to strike out a course of action for themselves and face opposition. Where would the Church be to-day but for such men as Luther, and Knox, and Wesley? And where the world? We especially need such men now. We have got into the lazy, slovenly habit of waiting for one another. We see things that need to be done, but we wait until some one should take the lead. And so our Church life has little vitality and force.II. THE FORCE OF EXAMPLE. "We also go with thee." These men were not prepared for anything, they had no plans, but were just waiting for some one to "break the ice." You have no idea how much good you would do if you would speak decidedly for Jesus; many would be prepared to listen, and to follow. Men are always influenced by truth, spoken with calmness and determination. III. IMMEDIATE ACTION. "They went forth," &c. They did not talk about going, and stand still after all. This again is a want. We meet with men who have plenty of directions to give, but they never act. "Ah!" says one, "there ought to be more teachers in that school." Quite right; but do you teach? "What a pity there are not more tract distributors." So it is; but are you one? Let us learn to act as well as speak. IV. THE FISHERMEN'S FAILURE. We determine; we sometimes act upon the determination; and the result is simply — failure. "Night and nothing." I have said, "I will preach from such a text; I will give my soul to it," and then, what a failure it has been, and I have gone home and vowed I would never preach again. Has it not been so with you, teacher? Christian worker? V. THE FISHERMEN'S SUCCESS. Throughout the darkness do we toil until the morning comes — and we see Jesus. Then success attends all we do, and our souls are filled with joy. 1. Jesus is often near to us when we little think it. We have only to stretch out our hand through the darkness, and we shall find Him. 2. We often see Him, but yet we do not know Him. Love only can recognize and realize the Lord. VI. WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES ALL THIS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAILURE AND SUCCESS? 1. The presence of Jesus. 2. Listening to the voice of Jesus (ver. 5). 3. Obeying the command of Jesus (ver. 6). (A. F. Barfield.) I. A combos EXPERIENCE. Not the first time this had happened in the history of three out of the seven (Luke 5:5). Nor were these the first or the last who have spent their strength for nought (Isaiah 49:4).II. A SORE DISAPPOINTMENT. Considering — 1. The high expectations with which men usually start on their enterprises; and — 2. The great labour they often expend on them. III. AN EXCELLENT DISCIPLINE. — 1. Teaching personal humility. 2. Suggesting the need of heavenly assistance. 3. Preparing for ultimate success. (T. Whitelaw, D. D.) S. S. Times. Nowadays there is very little navigation on the lake of Galilee, — we might almost say, scarcely a boat; but in the days of the Gospel narrative, and for many years later, there were craft of all sorts there, and many of considerable size. The fishing-boat of to-day, as seen on the Mediterranean, is a long, broad, and deep affair, usually pointed at each end, and large enough to carry a crew of from four to a dozen men, with their nets, and the fish they may capture. Usually these larger boats fish in the night, in companies of two or three, but sometimes a larger boat goes alone with a small boat; and sometimes a small boat accompanies two or more larger ones. The smaller ones are like a skiff, while the larger ones might pass for freight boats. As here, it is nothing uncommon for the fleet (if the two or three boats can be called so) to toil all night and take nothing. In the Mediterranean, on the Syrian and Palestinian coasts, there are few places Where there is a "beach" upon which the net can be drawn. The net encloses the fish, and then they are drawn in as if in a bag, or picked out of the net without hauling the latter into the boat. Rarely one sees a gill-net, such as our fishermen use in deep water. Accordingly, the small boat is not so much of a necessity there as it would be where the seine was drawn to land.(S. S. Times.) The Sea of Galilee now, as in the days of our Saviour, is well stocked with various species of fish, some of excellent flavour. One species often appears in dense masses which blacken the surface of the water, the individual fish being packed so closely together that on one occasion a single shot from a revolver killed three. These shoals were most frequently seen near the shores of Gennesareth: perhaps not far from the place where the disciples let down their net into the sea, and enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.(Recovery of Jerusalem.)The place soon asserted its right to the name Bethsaida by the exceeding abundance of the fish we saw tumbling into the water. The hot springs flowing in here over these rocks, and a little farther on in larger volume over a clean brown sand, warm all the ambient shallows for a hundred feet from shore, and, as much vegetable matter is brought down by the springs, and probably also insects which have fallen in, all these dainties are half cooked when they enter the lake. Evidently the fish agree to dine on these hot joints, and therefore in a large semicircle they crowd the water by myraids round the warm river mouth. Their backs are above the surface, as they bask or tumble and jostle crowded in the water. They gambol and splash, and the calm sea, fringed by a reeking crowd of vapour, has beyond this belt of living fish, a long row of cormorants feeding on the half-boiled fish as the fish have fed on insects underdone. White gulls poise in flocks behind the grebes or cormorants, and beyond these again ducks bustle on the water or whirl in the air. The whole is a most curious scene, and probably it has been thus from day to day for many thousand years. I paddled along the curved line of fishes' backs and flashing tails. Some leaped into the air, others struck my boat or paddle. Dense shoals moved in brigades as if by concert or command. (MacGregor's Jordan.) People Didymus, Jesus, John, Jonah, Jonas, Nathanael, Peter, Simon, Thomas, Zabdi, ZebedeePlaces Cana, Galilee, Sea of TiberiasTopics Board, Boat, Caught, Entered, Fish, Fishing, Forth, Got, I'm, Immediately, Nothing, Peter, Says, Ship, Simon, We'llOutline 1. Jesus appearing again to his disciples is known of them by the great catch of fish.12. He dines with them; 15. earnestly commands Peter to feed his lambs and sheep; 18. foretells him of his death; 22. rebukes his curiosity. 24. The conclusion. Dictionary of Bible Themes John 21:3Library November 20. "The Disciple whom Jesus Loved Leaned on his Breast" (John xxi. 20). "The disciple whom Jesus loved leaned on His breast" (John xxi. 20). An American gentleman once visited the saintly Albert Bengel. He was very desirous to hear him pray. So one night he lingered at his door, hoping to overhear his closing devotions. The rooms were adjoining and the doors ajar. The good man finished his studies, closed his books, knelt down for a moment and simply said: "Dear Lord Jesus, things are still the same between us," and then sweetly fell asleep. So close was his communion … Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth 'Lovest Thou Me?' An Eloquent Catalogue The Beach and the Sea 'It is the Lord!' Youth and Age, and the Command for Both 'They Also Serve who Only Stand and Wait' November the Thirteenth a Transformed Fisherman Love and Service. On the Same Words of the Gospel of John. xxi. 15, "Simon, Son of John, Lovest Thou Me More than These?" Etc. On the Words of the Gospel, John. xxi. 16, "Simon, Son of John, Lovest Thou Me?" Etc. Lovest Thou Me? Christ among the Common Things of Life Erroneous Opinions Imputed to the Apostles. Of Avoiding of Curious Inquiry into the Life of Another Instructions to Converts. Synopsis. --Arbitrary Criticism of the Biblical Narratives of the Raising of the "Dead. " --Facts which it Ignores. --The Subject Related to the Phenomena of Trance Seventh Appearance of Jesus. The Harmony of the Gospels Feeding the Lambs. The Fall of the Empire and of the Papacy Epistle xx. To Mauricius Augustus. Links John 21:3 NIVJohn 21:3 NLT John 21:3 ESV John 21:3 NASB John 21:3 KJV John 21:3 Bible Apps John 21:3 Parallel John 21:3 Biblia Paralela John 21:3 Chinese Bible John 21:3 French Bible John 21:3 German Bible John 21:3 Commentaries Bible Hub |