April 30, 2000             Come and Dine with the King Or Fishing with Jesus

By Ronald George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church

 What is the result of joining with the resurrected Lord?

Scripture Text:  John 21:1  After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he [himself]. 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. 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. 4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.  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. 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved 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. 8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. 9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. 10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. 11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. 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. 13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. 14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

 1.      Working/Living without the Lord?  Going back to the old calling.  A result of trials and tribulations, persecutions had driven them back to their old ways.  They were called of the Lord to be fishers of men not fish.  You can work all your life or all nightlong and not produce a thing.  Life without the Lord is empty and meaningless.  Will you work with the Lord?  See the results.  He gives the increase.  Can you imagine life without hope?  Sad to say but this is the way of the world.  To work all of one’s life and die without God is the worst possible scenario.  Have you ever fished all night and not caught a thing? 

                            I want to tell you a story of two brothers who live in the same neighborhood.  One has a Godly wife who is his constant faithful companion.  The other’s wife left him years ago for another man.  One has a family made up of children and grandchildren who visit him regularly.  The other has no one to visit although his has grown children and grandchildren.  One has a business that he works in daily.  The other works for his welfare check.  One has a relationship with God and serves the Lord in the church on the deacon board and the choir.  The other depends on a relationship with a bottle. One lives in a house on the hill, and the other lives in a camper.  Both of these men grew up in the same way with the same opportunities, but what has made the difference.   I know both of these men and l love them both, but God has made the difference.

            2.      Listening to the Lord?  Obeying the Lord?  They could have said Lord, we have fished all night and we are tired.  But they obeyed the Lord and cast out their nets on the right side of the boat.  Would we listen and obey the Lord if he were to show us the right place and time to cast out our nets?   The Lord wants his followers to fish in the right places and bring in the catch.  The Lord wants laborers to go into the fields and bring in the harvest.  Will you go and bring in the catch?  The catch is the lives of men.  If we don’t obey his desires to bring in the catch, then he will cause the rocks to come forward to be used by him.  He is the King and he wants you to go fishing for the lives of people who need the Lord.  He wants you to join him in bringing in those who need the Lord.   

 3.      Recognizing the Lord’s work in our lives?  They had fished all night yet they had not caught anything.  This futile attempt to fish illustrates the attempts we make without the Lord’s blessing, guidance, and help.  We need the Lord to be effective in our lives and to make our lives spiritually productive.  We have to remember that he is the one who has risen from the dead and gives to us the opportunity to serve him and rise from the dead. 

 4.      Running to the Lord? Peter was the first to reach Jesus. Why did Peter run to Jesus?   He was the one who had denied him three times even after Jesus had told him that he would.  Peter was the one who had cut off the servant’s ear in Jesus’ defense but then denied that he never knew him when he was put to the test.  All of the disciples made it to the shore and ate breakfast with the Lord that day.  But one ran to him.  Will you come to the Lord’s invitation?  He wants you to know him personally.  Many know of him but few know him intimately.  He invites you to sit at his table and he stands and waits for you to open the door of your life.  Peter wants to be with him and doesn’t want to delay.  Because he knows the time is short.  Time is slipping away for us to know the Lord.

 5.      Dining with the King?   He wants to invite you eat with him.  He wants to invite you to sit at his table to enjoy a feast with a King.  He serves fish cooked over the fire and bread.  His meals are common but fulfilling and satisfying. He’s not fancy or expensive, but he is the best that you can have.  Many may not want to cook out or eat fish and bread out by the lake.  But he will meet you where you are to offer you to simple best of life.  He is the bread of life and the food that will give you exactly what you need at the time you need it.   This is a meal fit for a King.  It is the meal that he has prepared just for you.  It isn’t extraordinary, but it is delicious.  It isn’t made of the finest the world has to offer but it is available for all.  Have you dined with the King?  Will you sit at his table and join him and countless others who have come in response to his invitation? 

Are you Hungry or are you ready to go Fishing?