## A Fishing Story

## John 21:1-14

A couple of months ago, while our twin grandchildren were staying with us, we went to my mother-in-law's 80th birthday gathering at my wife's brother's house. He has a great place for a cook-out, with a nice pond for fishing. Riley came and brought his fishing pole. This amazed the twins, and the next day we made a stop at Wal-Mart and picked them up a couple of fishing poles (GI Joe and Barbie). Little did I know that my loving act would lead to such sinful behavior on their part!

Their dad took them fishing, and the rest is history. Nathan caught a fish…and then came the story. Did you know that sharks are native to the streams in Michigan? Whales too! When fishermen begin to tell their tales it seems that each story builds upon the other and for some unknown reason each must surpass the other. At some point it becomes difficult to determine when the truth ends and the story begins!

In our passage we have a 'fish story', but we do not have to worry about it being an exaggeration, for we know that God is Truth therefore His Word is faithful. Tonight, let's learn another important lesson from this passage.

Read: John 21:1-14

Joh 21:5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

I. No Good Excuses:

A. There was no problem with the ship

1. This ship had weathered many a storm

2. This ship had been used to catch many fish in the past.

3. It was likely the same ship that was used when they had caught so many fish that the ship began to sink when they hauled them on board. Cf. Lu 5:7

B. There was no problem with the net.

1. There were two methods of fishing with nets

a. One was the 'dragnet method' where they would attach a net between two ships and drag an area of the sea collecting their fish

b. The other was the 'cast net method' where the net was cast into the sea and then drawn on board with the catch.

2. It was unusual to catch so many fish with this method, but the net held without breaking.

C. There was no problem with the fishing hole.

1. It was the Sea of Galilee

2. It provided many fishermen there with a livelihood as it does even now.

3. There were definitely fish to be caught in that sea. v 6-11

D. There was no problem with the time that they went fishing

1. Experts on Bible customs tell us that often Galilee fishermen would fish at night lighting their way with torches.

2. We know from other accounts in Scripture that night fishing was common. Cf Lu 5:5

3. So we come to the end of several excuses that could have been given in an attempt to justify why they caught no fish

II. The Real Problem: the Disciples

A. Peter

1. He was the backslider - 'I go a fishing"

2. He was ready to turn back to the old life

3. Man never backslides alone - he always influences others .

a. Parents influence children

b. Friends influence friends

c. Family members influence family

B. Consider the men who went with Peter.

1. Thomas - the doubter.

John 20:25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

2. Nathanael - the critic

John 1:45-46 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

3. James and John - the glory seekers

Mt 20:20-21 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.

4. Two unnamed disciples…we will get to them later.

III. The Application:

Mt 4:18-19 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

A. The searching question of the Savior: 'Children, have ye any meat?'

1. One day Jesus will stand upon the shores of heaven and ask that same question of us!

2. As the eternal morning dawns, what will our response be?

3. Will we reply, 'We've toiled all the night, and have taken nothing'

B. We won't be able to make excuses

1. There is no problem with the 'ship'

a. The ship was the vessel they utilized in fishing - this was their base of operation.

b. Our 'ship' is Grace Baptist Temple: our local church.

1 Ti 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

c. For over 44 years this old vessel has weathered the storms of time and yet it still stands.

d. There is no problem with the ship!

2. There is no problem with the 'net'

a. The net was what actually gathered the fish into the ship.

b. Our 'net' is the Gospel of Jesus Christ

c. Though the message is old and sometimes abused still it remains strong enough to save. ... there were so many, yet was not the net broken'

3. There is no problem with the 'fishing hole'.

a. Jesus said, 'Go ye into all the world'

b. The field is white unto harvest.

c. No matter where we go - we will find people who need the gospel.

d. Oswald Smith said, "You cannot take the Gospel to the wrong address."

4. There is no problem with the 'time'

a. Some would have us believe that people are different now and that soul winning will not work anymore.

b. That isn't true!

c. Today - men, women, boys and girls are still without Christ - they are just as lost as they have ever been!

d. We don't need a new message - we need new dedication to the old message of salvation 'by grace through faith' alone.

C. The real problem today

1. Simon Peter

a. Backslidden Christians who have grown cold and callous.

b. Many could care less if the world - or their own community - die and go to hell!

2. Thomas

a. The doubting Christians

b. They doubt the Word of God

c. They doubt the Power of God

d. They walk by sight - not faith

3. Nathaneal

a. The critical Christians…don't get me started!

b. They find a reason to criticize everything in church.

c. They would rather criticize other Christians than to take a stand against sin.

d. They would rather split churches than build them.

4. James and John

a. The glory-seeking Christians

b. They are too busy seeking glory to share the gospel.

c. For them it is all about what they want or how they can be recognized.

d. They are ready to serve as long as they will be seen.

e. They get offended when they do not receive proper recognition for their service.

5. Two other disciples

a. The real problem can not be blamed totally on the previous group…

b. The two other disciples are you and me.

c. We ultimately must assume responsibility.

d. What are we doing to reach others?

When Jesus asks us where are the souls that He called us to reach, what will be our answer? There will be no excuses accepted! Jesus said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." That means if we are following Him we will be reaching others. It also means if we are not reaching others…we are not following Him. Eternal souls are in the balance…what will we do?