WEBVTT

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 Please open up John 21 that was read for us a bit earlier on page 907 in the church Bibles.

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! John 21.

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 When you think of all the things that the once dead, now raised to life, living Lord Jesus Christ, could give to you.

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 You're in His presence and you think to yourself, what would I like Him to give me?

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 Barbecued fish probably isn't top of the list. Barbecued fish for breakfast.

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 I know it's traditional, kippers and kedgery and all that kind of thing, but fish for breakfast?

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 I wouldn't go for that. Nor would I think, do you know what, I'd love a really awkward conversation with Him that made me feel very uncomfortable.

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 You may have life. And it's the life that John has been showing all the way through his gospel, the life that is truly life.

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 Life in relationship with the God who made you, the God who made heaven and earth, the God who makes sense of everything.

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 You can have this life in Jesus Christ. And you think, it's amazing. Let's pray. Let's finish the story there.

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 No. There's another appearance, chapter 21. Jesus appears again. It happens when His disciples are having a bad day on the water.

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 And He turns up and He helps them catch a load of fish, but then He gives them fish for breakfast.

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 And He has this really awkward one-to-one exchange with Peter. Is that really how the story ends?

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 Well, no, it's not. But it is how the Gospel of John ends. That is, it is the point, the point I should say of this epilogue is to say that the story of Jesus at work in the world doesn't end with His resurrection appearances and the statement that you can have eternal life in Him.

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 It ends saying that His works continue through the disciples. Look down at verse 23, through the disciples until He comes again.

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 You see, John introduced his gospel, if you remember, a year ago. It seems like a very long time.

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 John introduced this gospel with a prologue that lifted our gaze from the here and now, lifted our gaze to the One who was with God and was God and is God, the Eternal Son.

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 The One who took on flesh and dwelt among us, the One whose glory we have seen through the pages of this gospel.

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 And now John provides an epilogue. Having lifted us with the prologue, he lands us with the epilogue that focuses on the ongoing work of Jesus in the world.

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 We lift our eyes to the One, the Eternal Son, and then we bring our eyes back down to earth and see how the reality of that works its way out in the here and now.

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 So the ending is more of a hinge than a conclusion. It closes the story of the life of Jesus on earth and it opens the story of His ongoing ministry in the Spirit through the disciples and then through the church.

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 The fish for breakfast, the uncomfortable chat, they're the doorway to something much more significant.

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 And we know this because of the way John organizes his material.

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 He puts the story of this miraculous catch of fish and the feeding of the disciples beside the exchange between Peter and Jesus.

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 And putting them beside each other, it's as if John is saying, well, he often does this.

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 He describes an event and then interprets the meaning of that event and what he records next.

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 We saw that back when Jesus washed the disciples' feet.

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 Do you remember? He washes the disciples' feet and you think to yourself, what on earth is this all about?

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 What's going on here?

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 And then he records what Jesus says immediately after that to explain how the washing of the feet is a picture of the cleansing from sin that His death will bring for those who are His.

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 So we've got the events described and we've got the interpretation of the events.

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 It's the same here.

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 The miraculous catch of fish and the feeding of the disciples is about ministry.

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 It's about the work that Simon Peter is being restored to that Jesus has done with him just after the miraculous catch of fish.

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 The fish is a symbolic enactment of the role of the church in the post-resurrection era.

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 All that's going on with the fish is about what we're all caught up in now as the church of the Lord Jesus.

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 So that's what I want to work through.

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 We've got three points.

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 Regarding the church, John wants, first of all, to depict her mission.

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 To depict her mission.

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 Depict the church's mission.

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 So Jesus, 20, has just commissioned the disciples in 20 verse 19 and following.

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 He's promised them His peace.

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 You remember?

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 We heard about that last week.

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 He's promised them His Spirit and He's given them authority to forgive sins.

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 But the start of chapter 21, they've decided to return to what they know.

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 See, when Simon Peter says, I'm going fishing.

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 Well, they're fishermen.

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 That's what they know.

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 Simon Peter, Thomas called the twin, Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two others.

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 All of his disciples were together.

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 Simon Peter said to them, I'm going fishing.

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 They said to him, we'll go with you.

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 Now, was this disobedience?

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 Were they just choosing their old lives?

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 Had they been commissioned by Christ to go and live for Him?

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 And they then say, do you know what?

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 Actually, I'm going to do what was familiar.

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 I'm just going to drift back into all that was familiar.

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 Well, perhaps that's the case, certainly given that John refers in verse 3 to it being night.

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 In John's gospel, that isn't just a time marker.

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 It always has negative connotations.

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 So, it's perhaps likely that they were doing that, that they were just returning to what was familiar, giving up and returning to their old lives.

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 They certainly, what is clear is they certainly are unclear about what their relationship with Jesus entails.

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 What their part in the life of God involves.

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 They don't get the nature of their commission.

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 Hence, the fruitless night on the water.

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 But then Jesus turns up.

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 I'm going fishing.

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 We'll go with you.

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 Off they go.

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 And then Jesus turns up.

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 And because when He first called them, if you remember in the Synoptic Gospels, He told them that He would make them fishers of men.

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 He brought them from their life as fishermen going into the water and catching real fish to make them fishers of men.

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 To bring people to know the Lord Jesus, He takes the opportunity to draw out the fishing metaphor to depict their mission and the church's mission.

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 Put simply, their mission is to draw people to Christ.

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 That is what He has given them.

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 His peace and His spirit and the authority to forgive sins to go and do.

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 To draw people to Christ.

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 And that is the mission of the church.

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 Every church since this event.

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 So the details then that John gives.

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 Flesh this out a bit.

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 Develop what it entails for the church.

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 The mission of the church to be to draw people to Christ.

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 First of which is this.

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 The mission will be, firstly, pointless without Jesus.

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 Verses 3 to 6.

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 Pointless without Jesus.

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 The story starts with a picture of failure.

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 Verse 3.

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 A wasted trip.

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 A waste of all their time and all their effort.

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 It is only when Jesus calls out to them,

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 Children, do you have any fish?

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 That their fortunes begin to change.

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 And then when they follow His instruction, put the net where He told them to put it,

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 they pull in their catch.

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 John here is pressing us to see that apart from Jesus' presence and His direction and His power,

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 that is His presence with them,

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 His direction as to what to do,

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 and power to accomplish the task,

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 their efforts come to nothing.

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 And it's exactly the same with the mission of the church.

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 Our efforts to draw people to Jesus are just as dependent on the miraculous,

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 just as dependent on the supernatural,

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 as this catch of fish.

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 Nobody believes in the Lord Jesus unless the Lord Jesus does a miracle in their heart.

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 So our efforts cannot and will not succeed without the presence and the leading of Christ,

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 without the animating power of God at work.

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 So how do we get that?

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 How do we get the presence and leading of Christ?

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 How do we get the animating power of God?

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 We ask for them.

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 We depend on them.

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 A church's mission rests on the prayer meeting

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 and on the prayerfulness of her ministers.

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 Dependence on the Lord Jesus,

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 the only one who can bring the fish in.

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 It's true.

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 With a bit of natural ability,

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 with a few quid and with some gifting,

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 you can create something that looks like a church.

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 And basic human dynamics mean that you can also gather a crowd

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 and you can make it look like God is at work.

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 And you can do it all in the power of the flesh.

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 You can do it all in your own strength

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 and all in the talent of the people that are involved.

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 All in the natural.

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 But there's no power.

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 If people will be drawn to Christ

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 and submitted fully to Him,

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 we need Him to work.

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 You can't manufacture that.

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 And if He will work, we need to ask

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 and we need to seek and we need to knock.

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 The mission of the church is pointless without Jesus

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 and the big application for us is that we must be prayerful people.

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 Prayerful ministers, prayerful congregations,

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 dependent on the Lord,

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 that He might work in power.

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 Listening to His leading and His direction through His Word

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 and relying on Him by the power of His Spirit

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 to be at work amongst us.

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 Pointless without Jesus.

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 But then, if we do all those things,

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 if we do depend on Him,

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 and if He is at work,

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 look at what happens, verse 5.

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 The catch is enormous.

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 Indeed, this plays into the second aspect of the mission.

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 It is fruitful with Jesus.

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 Pointless without Jesus,

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 fruitful with Jesus.

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 That's verses 10 and 11.

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 The disciples come to shore.

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 The charcoal fire has the fish and bread already grilling.

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 I'm sure Peter will have caught the unmistakable whiff

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 of the charcoal before he gets to land.

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 A terrible reminder of past failures.

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 But it's what Jesus says next that's so interesting.

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 Verse 10,

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 Bring some of the fish that you have caught,

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 that you have just caught.

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 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore,

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 full of large fish,

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 153 of them.

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 And although there were so many,

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 the net was not torn.

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 Now the disciples here,

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 they know as well as anyone

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 that they didn't catch the fish.

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 Jesus, the Lord of the seas,

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 drew the fish into the net.

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 But do you see,

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 Jesus describes it as their catch.

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 Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.

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 And you see,

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 Jesus had no need for their fish

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 because we're told that He already has His own fish

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 cooking on the fire.

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 So what's going on?

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 Well, Jesus is demonstrating

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 how while the mission is pointless without Him,

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 He involves us in the work.

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 In that sense, it's a partnership.

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 It's not an equal partnership, obviously.

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 But the church that starts with prayer

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 then goes about the work that Jesus calls us to.

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 We go about drawing people to Christ.

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 And don't miss what we're told here

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 with the size of the hall.

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 The fact that the nets aren't breaking,

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 the fact that there's a size of a catch

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 that they can hardly manage to get ashore

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 in their own strength.

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 And then this enigmatic number,

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 153 of them.

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 Now there are plenty of interpretations

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 of what the 153 is.

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 Some say it's just the number of fish.

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 There were just 153 of them.

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 The church father, Jerome,

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 suggests that there are 153 kinds of fish in the world.

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 And the number represents the fullness

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 of every kind of person in the world.

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 Another view is that the number is an allusion

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 to the 153,000 workers assigned

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 to build Solomon's temple in 1 Kings 5.

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 You have to hold the text at an angle

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 and sort of look along it to see that.

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 But that's there.

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 And he's saying that points

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 to the building of the church.

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 The great Augustine suggests

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 that it is the sum of natural numbers

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 from 1 to 17,

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 which is a significant biblical number,

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 again speaking of fullness.

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 Still another has to do

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 with the numerical value assigned

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 to the Greek letters used in the words

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 sign, believe, Christ, life.

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 Big words in John's gospel.

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 Take your pick.

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 What is clear

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 is that the number relates

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 to the wider point of the paragraph,

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 and that is the massive size

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 of the catch.

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 One commentator says this,

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 the number symbolizes

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 the magnitude of the Christian church

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 and the comprehensive nature

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 of its mission.

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 The magnitude of the Christian church

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 and the comprehensive nature

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 of its mission.

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 The promise of this passage is

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 that the mission of the church

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 will be fruitful.

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 God will accomplish His plans.

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 The gospel will spread through history

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 like yeast in a loaf,

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 like a mustard seed growing

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 to the biggest tree in the forest.

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 The earth will be full

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 of the knowledge of the Lord

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 as the waters cover the sea.

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 The size of the catch here

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 should fill us with confidence,

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 particularly in our day.

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 In a day where our Christian heritage

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 is being dismantled,

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 even though we need to prepare

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 our children for harder days

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 than we've had for following Christ,

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 the faithful will endure.

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 The darkness will lift.

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 The mission of the church in history

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 will be massively fruitful.

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 Be encouraged.

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 The ground, you could say,

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 of the mission is dependence on Christ.

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 The nature of the mission

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 is partnership with Christ.

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 As the disciples then come ashore,

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 we see the goal of the mission.

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 The goal of the mission

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 is participation in Jesus.

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 Verses 12 to 13.

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 Look at verse 12.

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 Jesus said to them,

00:15:25.460 --> 00:15:26.520
 Come and have breakfast.

00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:29.940
 Now none of the disciples dared ask him,

00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:30.480
 Who are you?

00:15:30.540 --> 00:15:31.640
 They knew it was the Lord.

00:15:31.760 --> 00:15:32.920
 Jesus came and took the bread

00:15:32.920 --> 00:15:33.680
 and gave it to them,

00:15:33.720 --> 00:15:35.180
 and so with the fish.

00:15:37.900 --> 00:15:40.040
 This is the life of the church.

00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:43.600
 This is the point of her existence,

00:15:43.800 --> 00:15:45.040
 that men and women,

00:15:45.300 --> 00:15:46.220
 boys and girls,

00:15:46.360 --> 00:15:49.640
 participate in the presence of Christ.

00:15:49.639 --> 00:15:53.360
 That's the symbolic significance of the meal.

00:15:55.319 --> 00:15:56.399
 Jesus invites them,

00:15:56.759 --> 00:15:58.199
 and they come to be fed by Him

00:15:58.199 --> 00:15:59.960
 and to participate with Him

00:15:59.960 --> 00:16:03.100
 in this divinely instituted gathering.

00:16:04.299 --> 00:16:05.600
 That's what's going on, isn't it?

00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:07.759
 He calls them into His presence,

00:16:08.179 --> 00:16:10.179
 and they come and are fed by Him

00:16:10.179 --> 00:16:11.879
 and participate with Him

00:16:11.879 --> 00:16:13.179
 in this gathering.

00:16:13.340 --> 00:16:14.860
 Now the allusions to the Lord's Supper

00:16:14.860 --> 00:16:16.139
 are obviously clear.

00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:17.080
 It's a sacred meal

00:16:17.080 --> 00:16:18.059
 in which we participate

00:16:18.059 --> 00:16:19.319
 with the risen Lord Jesus.

00:16:20.079 --> 00:16:21.659
 The Apostle Paul uses that word

00:16:21.659 --> 00:16:22.839
 in 1 Corinthians

00:16:22.839 --> 00:16:23.719
 when he talks about

00:16:23.719 --> 00:16:24.519
 eating and drinking

00:16:24.519 --> 00:16:25.339
 at the Lord's table

00:16:25.339 --> 00:16:27.779
 as a participation in Christ.

00:16:28.419 --> 00:16:29.239
 That's what happens

00:16:29.239 --> 00:16:30.179
 by the Holy Spirit.

00:16:31.599 --> 00:16:33.359
 The allusions to the supper are clear,

00:16:33.559 --> 00:16:35.159
 but this is also the case.

00:16:35.559 --> 00:16:37.539
 This participation is also the case

00:16:37.539 --> 00:16:38.519
 when we gather,

00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:39.779
 like we have done this morning,

00:16:40.179 --> 00:16:41.779
 on the Lord's Day for worship.

00:16:43.419 --> 00:16:44.759
 We are participating

00:16:44.759 --> 00:16:46.659
 in the life of Christ.

00:16:46.659 --> 00:16:49.279
 Jesus tells us

00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:50.419
 when two or three are gathered

00:16:50.419 --> 00:16:51.039
 in His name,

00:16:51.139 --> 00:16:52.240
 He is there present.

00:16:53.019 --> 00:16:54.639
 That means He is present here,

00:16:54.879 --> 00:16:56.039
 now, with us,

00:16:56.219 --> 00:16:57.519
 in this moment,

00:16:58.019 --> 00:17:00.299
 in a way that He is not present

00:17:00.299 --> 00:17:00.939
 at other times

00:17:00.939 --> 00:17:01.799
 and in other places.

00:17:03.579 --> 00:17:05.379
 We encounter the presence

00:17:05.379 --> 00:17:07.259
 of the living Christ

00:17:07.259 --> 00:17:09.059
 by His Spirit

00:17:09.059 --> 00:17:10.980
 in the worship and ministry

00:17:10.980 --> 00:17:12.359
 of the church.

00:17:12.359 --> 00:17:17.699
 that is why this is

00:17:17.699 --> 00:17:19.759
 the most important time

00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:20.279
 in your week.

00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:24.639
 This is why we need

00:17:24.639 --> 00:17:26.099
 to be here.

00:17:26.099 --> 00:17:32.819
 There is nowhere else

00:17:32.819 --> 00:17:33.959
 on earth

00:17:33.959 --> 00:17:35.899
 that you can be

00:17:35.899 --> 00:17:38.019
 than gathered with the saints

00:17:38.019 --> 00:17:39.319
 of God on the Lord's Day

00:17:39.319 --> 00:17:41.779
 where God is at work

00:17:41.779 --> 00:17:43.799
 by the power of His Spirit.

00:17:44.719 --> 00:17:45.679
 This is where He is.

00:17:45.679 --> 00:17:46.779
 It's not to say that He isn't

00:17:46.779 --> 00:17:47.619
 in other contexts

00:17:47.619 --> 00:17:48.339
 at different times,

00:17:48.379 --> 00:17:49.439
 but this is where

00:17:49.439 --> 00:17:50.500
 He has promised

00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:51.959
 to do that work.

00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:54.360
 And so we want to be here,

00:17:54.440 --> 00:17:55.980
 but we also want to call

00:17:55.980 --> 00:17:57.160
 our friends and our neighbors

00:17:57.160 --> 00:17:58.200
 and the nations

00:17:58.200 --> 00:17:59.319
 to be here as well.

00:18:00.100 --> 00:18:01.160
 Fish for breakfast?

00:18:01.539 --> 00:18:02.220
 No thanks.

00:18:02.519 --> 00:18:03.299
 Being in the presence

00:18:03.299 --> 00:18:04.259
 of the risen Christ?

00:18:04.600 --> 00:18:05.240
 Yes, please.

00:18:11.960 --> 00:18:13.559
 John depicts the church's mission.

00:18:14.460 --> 00:18:15.660
 He continues then.

00:18:16.120 --> 00:18:16.620
 And secondly,

00:18:17.240 --> 00:18:18.620
 he defines the work

00:18:18.620 --> 00:18:19.900
 of her ministers,

00:18:20.220 --> 00:18:21.019
 defines the work

00:18:21.019 --> 00:18:22.480
 of the church's ministers.

00:18:25.460 --> 00:18:26.519
 I feel for Peter.

00:18:27.460 --> 00:18:29.139
 It's another charcoal fire,

00:18:29.700 --> 00:18:31.139
 the memories of denying Jesus.

00:18:31.500 --> 00:18:32.639
 And now Jesus turns,

00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:33.279
 verse 15,

00:18:33.339 --> 00:18:34.379
 and looks him in the eye.

00:18:35.779 --> 00:18:36.779
 Simon, son of John,

00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:38.059
 do you love me more than these?

00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:40.119
 He said to him,

00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:40.879
 Yes, Lord,

00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:42.059
 you know that I love you.

00:18:42.759 --> 00:18:43.539
 He said to him,

00:18:43.619 --> 00:18:44.339
 Feed my lambs.

00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:46.379
 He said to him a second time,

00:18:46.460 --> 00:18:47.160
 Simon, son of John,

00:18:47.180 --> 00:18:47.740
 do you love me?

00:18:47.940 --> 00:18:48.579
 He said to him,

00:18:48.619 --> 00:18:49.099
 Yes, Lord,

00:18:49.160 --> 00:18:50.059
 you know that I love you.

00:18:50.059 --> 00:18:51.419
 He said to him,

00:18:51.460 --> 00:18:52.159
 Tent my sheep.

00:18:53.359 --> 00:18:54.579
 He said to him a third time,

00:18:54.679 --> 00:18:55.460
 Simon, son of John,

00:18:55.460 --> 00:18:56.039
 do you love me?

00:18:56.559 --> 00:18:57.419
 Peter was grieved

00:18:57.419 --> 00:18:58.240
 because he said to him

00:18:58.240 --> 00:18:58.899
 the third time,

00:18:59.039 --> 00:18:59.759
 Do you love me?

00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:00.720
 And he said to him,

00:19:00.740 --> 00:19:01.720
 Lord, you know everything.

00:19:02.099 --> 00:19:03.259
 You know that I love you.

00:19:04.200 --> 00:19:04.980
 Jesus said to him,

00:19:05.019 --> 00:19:05.700
 Feed my sheep.

00:19:07.919 --> 00:19:09.119
 Simon, son of John,

00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:13.039
 So, just in case there were any other Simons around

00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:14.159
 that could have heard,

00:19:14.759 --> 00:19:15.599
 he's making it clear.

00:19:15.679 --> 00:19:16.979
 I'm talking to you, Simon Peter,

00:19:17.079 --> 00:19:18.000
 not anyone else.

00:19:19.139 --> 00:19:20.519
 Three questions

00:19:20.519 --> 00:19:23.259
 that mirror Peter's three denials.

00:19:25.179 --> 00:19:26.179
 Three answers

00:19:26.179 --> 00:19:27.639
 showing his repentance

00:19:27.639 --> 00:19:28.779
 and recommitment

00:19:28.779 --> 00:19:29.939
 to follow Jesus

00:19:29.939 --> 00:19:31.299
 as Lord.

00:19:31.459 --> 00:19:32.599
 Lord, you know.

00:19:33.699 --> 00:19:34.219
 Lord,

00:19:34.639 --> 00:19:35.379
 yes, Lord.

00:19:35.380 --> 00:19:35.480
 Lord,

00:19:36.080 --> 00:19:39.060
 now this is ground zero,

00:19:39.180 --> 00:19:40.060
 not just for Peter

00:19:40.060 --> 00:19:42.200
 and these foundational apostles,

00:19:42.380 --> 00:19:43.680
 but for every minister of the gospel.

00:19:44.620 --> 00:19:46.260
 We all need the grace

00:19:46.260 --> 00:19:47.080
 and forgiveness

00:19:47.080 --> 00:19:48.040
 that Jesus offers.

00:19:48.180 --> 00:19:48.780
 No minister

00:19:48.780 --> 00:19:50.680
 can claim to be without sin,

00:19:50.940 --> 00:19:51.780
 and no minister

00:19:51.780 --> 00:19:52.440
 should be treated

00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:53.520
 or expected to behave

00:19:53.520 --> 00:19:54.620
 as if that were the case.

00:19:55.620 --> 00:19:57.320
 We all need the grace of Christ

00:19:57.320 --> 00:19:58.120
 moment by moment

00:19:58.120 --> 00:19:59.120
 for life and ministry.

00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:00.459
 But this exchange

00:20:00.459 --> 00:20:01.759
 also shows us

00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:02.919
 what it is

00:20:02.919 --> 00:20:04.000
 that Jesus requires

00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:04.619
 of ministers.

00:20:06.959 --> 00:20:08.119
 Do you love me?

00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:10.439
 Feed my sheep.

00:20:14.159 --> 00:20:15.519
 Any faithful minister

00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:16.739
 must love the Lord Jesus.

00:20:17.679 --> 00:20:18.099
 That is,

00:20:18.159 --> 00:20:19.459
 they must love the Lord Jesus

00:20:19.459 --> 00:20:20.299
 more

00:20:20.299 --> 00:20:23.339
 than anything else,

00:20:23.479 --> 00:20:24.699
 more than their reputation,

00:20:25.639 --> 00:20:26.799
 more than their own comfort,

00:20:26.959 --> 00:20:28.199
 their own professional success,

00:20:28.200 --> 00:20:29.259
 their own friends.

00:20:29.799 --> 00:20:30.880
 Peter denied Jesus

00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:31.920
 for his own comfort

00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:32.980
 out of fear.

00:20:35.600 --> 00:20:35.960
 Therefore,

00:20:36.080 --> 00:20:36.500
 he showed him,

00:20:36.840 --> 00:20:38.340
 he showed that he loved himself

00:20:38.340 --> 00:20:39.380
 more than he loved Jesus.

00:20:39.500 --> 00:20:40.860
 A minister must love Jesus

00:20:40.860 --> 00:20:41.980
 above all of these.

00:20:43.480 --> 00:20:44.960
 That's what Jesus demands.

00:20:45.080 --> 00:20:45.620
 He's saying,

00:20:46.059 --> 00:20:46.940
 do you love me?

00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:47.680
 If you're looking

00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:49.200
 for a minister,

00:20:49.779 --> 00:20:50.539
 a faithful minister

00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:51.039
 of the gospel,

00:20:51.160 --> 00:20:51.779
 you've got to see

00:20:51.779 --> 00:20:52.840
 that they love Jesus

00:20:52.840 --> 00:20:53.940
 more than anything else.

00:20:53.940 --> 00:20:57.680
 because only then

00:20:57.680 --> 00:20:59.759
 will they truly be able

00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:00.799
 to do the second part

00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:01.539
 of what he expects

00:21:01.539 --> 00:21:01.960
 and that is,

00:21:02.100 --> 00:21:03.400
 feed his sheep.

00:21:03.799 --> 00:21:04.500
 Do you see there

00:21:04.500 --> 00:21:05.580
 when Jesus says,

00:21:06.039 --> 00:21:07.080
 feed my sheep?

00:21:07.580 --> 00:21:09.320
 He is retaining ownership.

00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:15.000
 The sheep that ministers feed

00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:16.100
 are not their sheep.

00:21:16.940 --> 00:21:18.019
 They still belong

00:21:18.019 --> 00:21:18.720
 to the Lord Jesus.

00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:20.819
 And that is why

00:21:20.819 --> 00:21:21.500
 loving him

00:21:21.500 --> 00:21:22.539
 is so important

00:21:22.539 --> 00:21:23.299
 for a minister.

00:21:26.180 --> 00:21:28.100
 You are Christ's sheep.

00:21:29.779 --> 00:21:30.620
 Nobody else

00:21:30.620 --> 00:21:31.720
 has any claim on you

00:21:31.720 --> 00:21:33.420
 as their sheep.

00:21:34.360 --> 00:21:35.720
 You belong to Christ

00:21:35.720 --> 00:21:36.380
 and that is why

00:21:36.380 --> 00:21:37.600
 we love Christ

00:21:37.600 --> 00:21:38.640
 as ministers of the gospel

00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:39.380
 as a priority

00:21:39.380 --> 00:21:40.339
 so that we will do

00:21:40.339 --> 00:21:41.380
 what he calls us to do

00:21:41.380 --> 00:21:42.539
 in caring for you.

00:21:42.740 --> 00:21:43.279
 If you know,

00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:44.660
 if someone you know

00:21:44.660 --> 00:21:45.920
 entrusts something of theirs

00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:46.960
 to your care,

00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:48.840
 you are more careful

00:21:48.840 --> 00:21:49.539
 with it

00:21:49.539 --> 00:21:50.500
 than you are

00:21:50.500 --> 00:21:51.400
 with your own things.

00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:53.539
 And then if you love

00:21:53.539 --> 00:21:54.200
 that person

00:21:54.200 --> 00:21:55.700
 because of your love

00:21:55.700 --> 00:21:56.420
 for them,

00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:58.200
 you are especially careful

00:21:58.200 --> 00:21:59.259
 with what it is

00:21:59.259 --> 00:22:00.340
 that they have entrusted

00:22:00.340 --> 00:22:00.819
 to you.

00:22:03.840 --> 00:22:04.660
 It is the same

00:22:04.660 --> 00:22:05.180
 with the sheep

00:22:05.180 --> 00:22:05.960
 of the Lord Jesus

00:22:05.960 --> 00:22:07.279
 and those that he

00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:07.920
 has entrusted

00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:09.039
 to a minister's care.

00:22:09.600 --> 00:22:10.579
 We shepherd

00:22:10.579 --> 00:22:11.160
 the sheep

00:22:11.160 --> 00:22:12.079
 of the good shepherd.

00:22:14.120 --> 00:22:15.000
 And we love

00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:15.799
 and care for them

00:22:15.799 --> 00:22:16.779
 primarily because

00:22:16.779 --> 00:22:17.519
 we love him.

00:22:18.460 --> 00:22:19.700
 That is what motivates

00:22:19.700 --> 00:22:20.220
 the ministers

00:22:20.220 --> 00:22:20.940
 of this church.

00:22:21.500 --> 00:22:22.019
 It is a love

00:22:22.019 --> 00:22:22.519
 for Christ

00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:23.480
 that causes us

00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:24.799
 to feed you,

00:22:25.240 --> 00:22:26.159
 to care for you,

00:22:26.619 --> 00:22:27.440
 to shepherd you.

00:22:28.659 --> 00:22:29.180
 And of course,

00:22:29.240 --> 00:22:30.079
 the way that we do

00:22:30.079 --> 00:22:30.779
 that primarily

00:22:30.779 --> 00:22:32.379
 is by feeding you

00:22:32.379 --> 00:22:33.139
 the word of God.

00:22:33.819 --> 00:22:35.039
 That is the minister's

00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:35.960
 primary task.

00:22:37.079 --> 00:22:37.859
 Opening the word

00:22:37.859 --> 00:22:38.299
 of God,

00:22:39.019 --> 00:22:40.119
 saying what it says,

00:22:40.180 --> 00:22:40.859
 not what we might

00:22:40.859 --> 00:22:41.879
 like it to say,

00:22:42.159 --> 00:22:42.980
 and calling people

00:22:42.980 --> 00:22:43.620
 to follow it

00:22:43.620 --> 00:22:44.720
 wherever it takes us,

00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:45.940
 not where we might

00:22:45.940 --> 00:22:47.000
 like it to take us.

00:22:48.380 --> 00:22:49.059
 And doing that

00:22:49.059 --> 00:22:49.680
 consistently,

00:22:50.279 --> 00:22:50.839
 in season

00:22:50.839 --> 00:22:51.519
 and out of season,

00:22:51.700 --> 00:22:52.579
 Sunday by Sunday,

00:22:52.799 --> 00:22:53.720
 meeting by meeting.

00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:57.640
 Jesus depicts

00:22:57.640 --> 00:22:59.259
 the mission of the church

00:22:59.259 --> 00:23:00.019
 as drawing people

00:23:00.019 --> 00:23:00.420
 to him.

00:23:00.700 --> 00:23:01.799
 The way that this happens

00:23:01.799 --> 00:23:02.720
 is through the church's

00:23:02.720 --> 00:23:03.799
 ministers loving Christ

00:23:03.799 --> 00:23:04.720
 and feeding the sheep

00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:05.380
 with God's word.

00:23:06.339 --> 00:23:07.120
 And then Jesus

00:23:07.120 --> 00:23:09.360
 explains how the church

00:23:09.359 --> 00:23:10.619
 is to respond.

00:23:11.619 --> 00:23:12.119
 And thirdly,

00:23:12.219 --> 00:23:13.919
 he describes her manner.

00:23:14.039 --> 00:23:15.719
 He describes the church's manner.

00:23:17.439 --> 00:23:18.519
 He depicts her mission.

00:23:19.419 --> 00:23:20.319
 He defines the work

00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:20.879
 of her ministers.

00:23:21.199 --> 00:23:22.119
 And he describes

00:23:22.119 --> 00:23:23.139
 her manner.

00:23:23.240 --> 00:23:23.859
 Verse 22.

00:23:24.039 --> 00:23:24.559
 It's summed up

00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:25.299
 in a single phrase.

00:23:25.379 --> 00:23:26.079
 It's actually repeated

00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:26.439
 twice.

00:23:26.539 --> 00:23:26.959
 19,

00:23:27.199 --> 00:23:27.839
 follow me.

00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:29.279
 22,

00:23:30.199 --> 00:23:30.939
 you follow me.

00:23:35.219 --> 00:23:36.259
 Jesus moves between

00:23:36.259 --> 00:23:36.959
 addressing Peter

00:23:36.959 --> 00:23:37.919
 as an apostle here,

00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:38.899
 like in verse 18,

00:23:38.900 --> 00:23:39.700
 when he informs him

00:23:39.700 --> 00:23:40.600
 of how his apostolic

00:23:40.600 --> 00:23:41.680
 ministry will end

00:23:41.680 --> 00:23:43.500
 and addressing him

00:23:43.500 --> 00:23:44.820
 really as a model disciple.

00:23:46.560 --> 00:23:47.440
 He's saying Peter

00:23:47.440 --> 00:23:48.240
 must follow through

00:23:48.240 --> 00:23:49.280
 on his earlier claims

00:23:49.280 --> 00:23:50.120
 and follow Jesus

00:23:50.120 --> 00:23:51.360
 no matter what.

00:23:53.420 --> 00:23:54.320
 So the manner

00:23:54.320 --> 00:23:55.040
 or the posture

00:23:55.040 --> 00:23:55.920
 of the Christian church

00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:56.600
 is very clear.

00:23:57.240 --> 00:23:57.720
 Do you see it?

00:23:58.460 --> 00:24:00.000
 We follow Jesus.

00:24:02.960 --> 00:24:04.019
 Peter wants to ask

00:24:04.019 --> 00:24:04.500
 about others.

00:24:04.580 --> 00:24:05.019
 Verse 20.

00:24:05.120 --> 00:24:05.560
 He looks around.

00:24:05.620 --> 00:24:06.140
 What's going to happen

00:24:06.140 --> 00:24:06.720
 to this guy?

00:24:06.820 --> 00:24:07.300
 Jesus says,

00:24:07.400 --> 00:24:08.180
 don't worry.

00:24:08.340 --> 00:24:08.700
 Don't worry.

00:24:09.560 --> 00:24:10.259
 Don't worry

00:24:10.259 --> 00:24:11.340
 about anyone else.

00:24:12.500 --> 00:24:14.060
 You follow me.

00:24:16.680 --> 00:24:17.640
 So we could say

00:24:17.640 --> 00:24:18.140
 that the manner

00:24:18.140 --> 00:24:18.960
 of the Christian church

00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:19.920
 is to follow Jesus,

00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:21.180
 but we have to do

00:24:21.180 --> 00:24:21.840
 that ourselves.

00:24:22.040 --> 00:24:23.600
 You follow Jesus.

00:24:24.120 --> 00:24:25.240
 It's an individual thing

00:24:25.240 --> 00:24:26.360
 we all have responsibility

00:24:26.360 --> 00:24:27.300
 to do.

00:24:27.860 --> 00:24:28.740
 Those who love

00:24:28.740 --> 00:24:29.400
 the Lord Jesus

00:24:29.400 --> 00:24:30.100
 follow him

00:24:30.100 --> 00:24:31.220
 with all that

00:24:31.220 --> 00:24:31.900
 that entails.

00:24:32.560 --> 00:24:33.800
 To follow Jesus

00:24:33.800 --> 00:24:34.580
 doesn't just mean

00:24:34.580 --> 00:24:35.140
 that we follow

00:24:35.140 --> 00:24:36.080
 his mere commands,

00:24:36.160 --> 00:24:36.759
 although that is

00:24:36.759 --> 00:24:37.839
 obviously key,

00:24:38.119 --> 00:24:38.980
 but that we follow

00:24:38.980 --> 00:24:40.079
 his pattern of life.

00:24:41.220 --> 00:24:42.079
 When he calls

00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:42.579
 the disciple,

00:24:42.740 --> 00:24:43.339
 Jesus says,

00:24:43.700 --> 00:24:44.720
 take up your cross

00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:45.519
 and follow me.

00:24:46.519 --> 00:24:47.180
 In Luke's gospel,

00:24:47.259 --> 00:24:47.460
 he says,

00:24:47.539 --> 00:24:48.160
 take up your cross

00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:49.559
 daily and follow me.

00:24:49.619 --> 00:24:50.039
 That is,

00:24:50.099 --> 00:24:50.859
 we are to adopt

00:24:50.859 --> 00:24:52.559
 the same self-denial

00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:54.400
 and cross-shaped

00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:55.299
 pattern of life

00:24:55.299 --> 00:24:55.900
 that marked

00:24:55.900 --> 00:24:57.160
 the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:24:57.819 --> 00:24:59.019
 That is what it means

00:24:59.019 --> 00:25:00.160
 to love him.

00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:02.120
 self-denial

00:25:02.120 --> 00:25:03.140
 and obedience

00:25:03.140 --> 00:25:04.860
 to his commands.

00:25:05.800 --> 00:25:08.240
 You follow me.

00:25:09.620 --> 00:25:11.259
 So, let's think

00:25:11.259 --> 00:25:11.980
 about what that means.

00:25:12.080 --> 00:25:13.700
 Let's be somewhat specific.

00:25:14.500 --> 00:25:15.160
 Boys and girls,

00:25:15.740 --> 00:25:16.300
 boys and girls,

00:25:16.360 --> 00:25:16.759
 can you look up

00:25:16.759 --> 00:25:17.200
 for a moment?

00:25:18.900 --> 00:25:19.779
 When you find

00:25:19.779 --> 00:25:20.400
 mom and dad's

00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:21.380
 instructions difficult,

00:25:22.380 --> 00:25:24.540
 when you find obedience

00:25:24.540 --> 00:25:25.700
 in the home hard,

00:25:26.440 --> 00:25:27.800
 what's Jesus saying here?

00:25:27.840 --> 00:25:28.240
 He's saying,

00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:29.819
 you follow Christ.

00:25:30.779 --> 00:25:31.339
 And you do

00:25:31.339 --> 00:25:31.880
 what they say.

00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:34.400
 You honor their authority

00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:35.440
 as he has called you

00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:36.200
 to do.

00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:39.200
 Older teens,

00:25:39.720 --> 00:25:41.859
 when you feel the pressure

00:25:41.859 --> 00:25:42.720
 to go with the culture,

00:25:43.220 --> 00:25:44.200
 to follow your friends,

00:25:44.660 --> 00:25:45.779
 to wander off

00:25:45.779 --> 00:25:46.420
 into sin

00:25:46.420 --> 00:25:48.380
 and the sorts of things

00:25:48.380 --> 00:25:49.440
 that they want to pursue,

00:25:50.279 --> 00:25:51.839
 you follow Christ.

00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:53.700
 You say no.

00:25:55.099 --> 00:25:56.140
 You be an outlier.

00:25:56.140 --> 00:25:56.680
 It's hard.

00:25:57.880 --> 00:25:58.720
 It's hard.

00:25:59.780 --> 00:26:00.620
 But that's what

00:26:00.620 --> 00:26:01.520
 Jesus calls you to.

00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:03.340
 That's actually,

00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:04.060
 in the moment,

00:26:04.140 --> 00:26:04.580
 it's hard,

00:26:04.680 --> 00:26:05.400
 but that is actually

00:26:05.400 --> 00:26:06.720
 the pathway to life

00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:07.940
 that is truly life.

00:26:10.400 --> 00:26:11.160
 When it comes

00:26:11.160 --> 00:26:11.759
 to relationships,

00:26:12.020 --> 00:26:12.780
 you follow Christ.

00:26:14.300 --> 00:26:15.240
 You only choose

00:26:15.240 --> 00:26:15.720
 Christians,

00:26:15.980 --> 00:26:16.720
 and you treat them

00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:17.700
 as a brother or a sister

00:26:17.700 --> 00:26:18.500
 until you marry,

00:26:18.660 --> 00:26:19.380
 and you don't mess

00:26:19.380 --> 00:26:20.100
 with them emotionally.

00:26:20.099 --> 00:26:23.179
 When it comes

00:26:23.179 --> 00:26:24.179
 to marriage and family,

00:26:24.419 --> 00:26:25.500
 you order the home

00:26:25.500 --> 00:26:27.359
 according to God's Word

00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:28.599
 with the Father in charge,

00:26:28.679 --> 00:26:29.579
 and you raise your children

00:26:29.579 --> 00:26:30.719
 according to God's Word,

00:26:30.779 --> 00:26:31.379
 and where the state

00:26:31.379 --> 00:26:32.299
 tells you that you can't

00:26:32.299 --> 00:26:32.699
 do that,

00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:33.279
 guess what?

00:26:33.799 --> 00:26:34.799
 You follow Christ.

00:26:37.779 --> 00:26:38.579
 When you're told

00:26:38.579 --> 00:26:39.740
 to define your pronouns,

00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:41.699
 or wear the lanyard,

00:26:41.839 --> 00:26:43.240
 or celebrate the cause,

00:26:43.879 --> 00:26:45.439
 you follow Christ,

00:26:45.500 --> 00:26:46.159
 and you say no.

00:26:46.160 --> 00:26:50.480
 When promotion means

00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:51.240
 that you won't be around

00:26:51.240 --> 00:26:52.200
 to lead your family,

00:26:53.000 --> 00:26:54.060
 or raise your children

00:26:54.060 --> 00:26:54.680
 as you should,

00:26:54.759 --> 00:26:55.500
 you follow Christ,

00:26:55.580 --> 00:26:56.720
 and you accept another role.

00:26:59.700 --> 00:27:00.640
 When you're planning

00:27:00.640 --> 00:27:01.200
 retirement,

00:27:01.980 --> 00:27:03.480
 you follow Christ.

00:27:04.320 --> 00:27:05.940
 You ensure that those plans

00:27:05.940 --> 00:27:07.200
 involve healthy patterns

00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:08.700
 of worship and service

00:27:08.700 --> 00:27:10.100
 in the life of a good church.

00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:13.220
 This is the church's manner.

00:27:13.779 --> 00:27:14.960
 We follow Christ.

00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:17.100
 For generations,

00:27:17.340 --> 00:27:18.060
 following Christ

00:27:18.060 --> 00:27:19.320
 really didn't cost us

00:27:19.320 --> 00:27:20.500
 a huge amount in the culture.

00:27:20.759 --> 00:27:21.700
 It's getting much,

00:27:21.820 --> 00:27:22.860
 much more difficult now,

00:27:22.980 --> 00:27:23.900
 and boys and girls,

00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:24.620
 your generation,

00:27:24.700 --> 00:27:25.720
 it's going to be harder still,

00:27:25.840 --> 00:27:27.180
 but we follow Christ.

00:27:28.080 --> 00:27:29.500
 We take Him at His Word,

00:27:29.540 --> 00:27:30.259
 and we trust Him.

00:27:31.480 --> 00:27:32.900
 If we say we love Jesus,

00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:33.779
 we follow Him

00:27:33.779 --> 00:27:35.380
 wherever He leads us,

00:27:35.519 --> 00:27:37.700
 no matter what.

00:27:40.240 --> 00:27:41.320
 And so this is where

00:27:41.320 --> 00:27:43.340
 John brings us into land,

00:27:44.100 --> 00:27:45.680
 following Jesus.

00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:48.400
 You follow me.

00:27:50.100 --> 00:27:51.320
 He's the one at the center

00:27:51.320 --> 00:27:52.860
 of John's testimony,

00:27:53.100 --> 00:27:54.279
 a testimony that He's written

00:27:54.279 --> 00:27:55.420
 to give us confidence,

00:27:56.180 --> 00:27:58.100
 confidence of the truth

00:27:58.100 --> 00:27:58.880
 of this gospel.

00:27:59.380 --> 00:28:00.240
 And when John says,

00:28:00.340 --> 00:28:00.920
 verse 24,

00:28:01.140 --> 00:28:01.779
 that his testimony

00:28:01.779 --> 00:28:02.980
 about Jesus is true,

00:28:03.980 --> 00:28:05.400
 he's not just saying,

00:28:05.500 --> 00:28:05.779
 it's true,

00:28:05.820 --> 00:28:07.000
 you can look under a microscope

00:28:07.000 --> 00:28:08.279
 and see that all this stuff

00:28:08.279 --> 00:28:08.759
 is true.

00:28:08.759 --> 00:28:09.500
 He's saying,

00:28:09.619 --> 00:28:09.700
 no,

00:28:09.779 --> 00:28:10.599
 this is an invitation

00:28:10.599 --> 00:28:11.440
 to participate

00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:14.019
 in the ongoing work of Christ

00:28:14.019 --> 00:28:14.839
 in the world

00:28:14.839 --> 00:28:15.700
 through the church.

00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:17.140
 It's not about

00:28:17.140 --> 00:28:18.619
 barbecued fish for breakfast.

00:28:18.960 --> 00:28:20.740
 It's not about awkward conversations.

00:28:21.039 --> 00:28:22.019
 It's about a mission

00:28:22.019 --> 00:28:22.839
 that will triumph.

00:28:24.440 --> 00:28:26.019
 A mission that will triumph.

00:28:26.019 --> 00:28:29.019
 And so whatever the cost,

00:28:29.859 --> 00:28:31.079
 we can follow with confidence

00:28:31.079 --> 00:28:31.900
 and hope.

00:28:32.579 --> 00:28:33.379
 And we can know

00:28:33.379 --> 00:28:34.180
 that in Christ

00:28:34.180 --> 00:28:35.119
 we have life

00:28:35.119 --> 00:28:37.000
 that is truly life.

00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:38.740
 Let's pray.

00:28:38.740 --> 00:28:39.740
 Amen.

00:28:39.740 --> 00:28:39.740


00:28:39.740 --> 00:28:39.740