After the resurrection of Jesus, He began to appear and then disappear at times, showing Himself alive to His Disciples.
On the first day of the week,
Mary and the other women had went to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body with spices
as was the custom since they were unable to do it before He was placed in the
tomb. As they approached, they found the stone rolled away and Jesus’ body
missing.
As they stood there looking
around perplexed, two angels appeared and asked, “Why are you seeking the
living among the dead? He is not here ,
but is risen!” The angels reminded them
of what Jesus had said must happen concerning His crucifixion and resurrection.
(Luke 24)
The women went to find the
Disciples and tried to tell them all that the angels had said and what they had
seen. But the Disciples thought they were just telling idle tales and didn’t
believe them. (Luke 24:1-12)
Peter and John ran to the tomb to
see for themselves. They found the empty
tomb just as the women had said yet they still questioned the reality of
whether Jesus had truly risen from the grave or if His body had merely been
moved. So, they all returned to their own homes. (John 20:1-10). Except two,
who decided to travel to a town called Emmaus.
As they walked and talked about
all that had happened recently, another man approached and began to walk with
them. The man asked what they were
talking about and why they were so sad. They thought he must be a stranger so
they began to tell him about Jesus and all that had happened over the
weekend.
It was getting late by the time
they arrived at Emmaus so the 2 disciples decided to stop and rest for the
night. The man that was traveling with
them began to walk further, but they encouraged him to stay and rest for the
night where they were. The man went
inside and sat down with them to eat.
As he took the bread, he blessed
it, then broke it and passed a piece to each of them. Suddenly, they knew and realized the man who
had walked and talked with them was Jesus. Jesus vanished out of their site. The men were so astonished, they rushed back
to Jerusalem where the other Disciples were despite the late hour. (Luke 24:13-33)
They found the other disciples
gathered together in a room with the door locked for fear that the Jews would
come and have them arrested and tried because they were followers of
Jesus. As they talked about all they had
seen and heard, Jesus appeared in the midst of the room, despite the locked
door.
The disciples trembled with fear
thinking they were seeing a ghost, so Jesus showed them His hands and His side
to assure them it was He. He then reminded them of His commandments to preach
repentance and washing away of sins in His name. He reminded them that He was
sending them out to do His work. (Lk 24:47 + Jn 20:19-21)
Thomas was not present when Jesus
had appeared to the disciples in that locked room. The other disciples originally thought the
women were telling tales/making things up until they saw Jesus for themselves.
Now, Thomas is doubting their words and thinking they were the ones telling the
tales about Jesus being alive. Jesus had
shown those disciples His hands and His side to prove it was really Him. But now, Thomas is doubting their words and telling
them he would not believe it unless He could see it for himself.
Eight days later, the disciples
gathered again within a locked room. This time Thomas was with them. Suddenly, Jesus appeared and told Thomas to
touch His hands and His side. Thomas
believed BECAUSE he had now seen Jesus for himself, but Jesus said, “Blessed
are those who have not seen and yet believe” – that is you and me!
Jesus disappeared for a time
again. Peter grew restless and said,
“I’m going fishing!” The other disciples thought that sounded like a plan so
they told him they were going as well. So, they went down the sea of Tiberias, got in
their boat, and pushed out from the land a little ways. They worked all night, casting their nets in,
then pulling them back out, over and over. Morning began to break and yet they
had caught nothing.
John 21
.
{21:1} After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the
sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. {21:2} There were together
Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and
the [sons] of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. ((One of those ‘other’ disciples
would have been John))
{21:3} Simon Peter saith unto
them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth,
and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
Those disciples were in that boat
in the night season….
Anyone here currently in what
feels like a night season? Or ever been
in a night season that seemed to last forever? The night seasons in life, when
everything seems dark and bleak, when you’ve done all you can, you’ve toiled,
you’ve worked, you’ve prayed, and yet you are left feeling wore out and empty….keep
holding on, don’t give up, morning is coming!
Jesus is coming with the morning, bringing hope and the answer!
{21:4} But when the morning
was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it
was Jesus.
Sometimes, we do not recognize
the hand of God when we’re going through tough times.
{21:5} Then Jesus saith unto
them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. {21:6} And he said
unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They
cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of
fishes.
{21:7} Therefore that disciple
whom Jesus loved ((that would be John)) saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now
when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto
him, for he was naked, and did cast himself into the sea.
I found this interesting that
Peter was ok with the way he wasn’t dressed – it was dark, just him and the
guys, he was working – but when he heard Jesus was watching, all of a sudden,
he put his Fisher’s coat back on and tied it securely with a belt (definition
of girt).
Peter was not naked as we would
define naked today. He had a long flowing garment with another coat over it as
was common in that era. To us, he would
be considered very modest. Back then,
they considered that being naked because he was immodest to them. Then, he
jumped in the water to swim to Jesus – clothes and all.
The other disciples continued to
toil with net full of fish to get them to land.
{21:8} And the other disciples
came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two
hundred cubits,) <**Approx 300 feet**> dragging the net with fishes.
Good thing they didn’t have to
struggle to drag them too far.
{21:9} As soon then as they were
come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
Jesus already had fish and bread
baking on the fire, yet He instructed them to bring the fish that they
had. When they counted them out, there
were 153 and yet the net did not break.
That was a miracle considering the first time this happened, the nets
broke and the ships almost sank trying to bring all the fish to shore. (Luke 5)
John 21
.
{21:10} Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
{21:11} Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, and
hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the
net broken.
{21:12} Jesus saith unto them, Come
[and] dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing
that it was the Lord. {21:13} Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and
giveth them, and fish likewise. {21:14} This is now the third time that
Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
After they ate, Jesus began to
question Peter about his love for Him….
{21:15} So when they had dined,
Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than
these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith
unto him, Feed my lambs. {21:16} He saith to him again the second time, Simon,
[son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that
I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. {21:17} He saith unto him the
third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he
said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou
knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed
my sheep.
Peter had denied Jesus 3 times
before the Crucifixion so he may have thought Jesus was questioning his love
for Him because of that failure. But
that was in the past. He had repented. Jesus knew his heart. So, why would He keep asking 3 times if he
loved Jesus?
Three denials = three questions
concerning Peter’s love for Jesus.
The point was more than about his
love for Jesus, although that was part of it….
Luke 5
.
{5:1} And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the
word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, {5:2} And saw two ships
standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing
[their] nets.
{5:3} And he entered into one of
the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little
from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
{5:4} Now when he had left
speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, ((Simon, I want you to
go deeper in the things of God)) and let down your nets for a draught. ((a haul
of fish – you’ll reap great things when you go deeper in the things of God.))
{5:5} And Simon answering said
unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing:
nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Obedience – although he didn’t
think it would do any good. Even though
he didn’t understand what good it would do or the necessity of it, he obeyed.
{5:6} And when they had this
done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. {5:7} And
they beckoned unto [their] partners, which were in the other ship, that they
should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that
they began to sink.
Obedience and submission brought
blessings and a bountiful harvest.
{5:8} When Simon Peter saw [it,]
he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O
Lord. {5:9} For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught
of the fishes which they had taken: {5:10} And so [was] also James, and John,
the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon,
Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. {5:11} And when
they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
When Jesus reminded Peter three
times to ‘Feed My Lambs’ and ‘Feed My Sheep’ He was reminding Peter that his
main purpose in life – is to win souls.
I know many have to work to pay
the bills and provide for family, but we can’t lose focus of why Jesus saved
us. He saved us to become ‘fishers of
men’.
Matthew 4:19 – Follow Me and I
will make you fishers of men.
Mark 1:17 – Come ye after Me, and
I will make you to become fishers of men.
That has been my prayer – Jesus,
make me to become a fisher of men.
Time is running out. We must reach for the lost while there is
still time.
Jesus asked Peter which is also a
question for us: “lovest thou Me more than these?”
Do you love Him more than these
(you fill in the blank)…. Do you love Him more than anything? Is there anything that is more important or
takes more of your time than spending time with Jesus and doing His will?
Jesus was told Peter and is
telling us – if you love Me, feed my sheep.
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