Good morning. The reading today is from John chapter 21, verses 1 to 14.
! If you're using a church Bible, that's page 1090.
! It's John chapter 21, verses 1 to 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
chapter 5.
Matthew,
Mark,
Luke,
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.
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.
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,
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
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.