Jesus by the Sea of Tiberias: Lessons in Fellowship

Open Church Open Bible Rev. John E. VanLoan, Sr.

Sunday Church School FEBRUARY 27, 2022 Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias John 21: 1-14

C CB BC C Open Church Open Bible Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias John 21: 1-14 ( KJV) 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.

C CB BC C Open Church Open Bible Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias John 21: 1-14 ( KJV) 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.

C CB BC C Open Church Open Bible Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias John 21: 1-14 ( KJV) 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.

C CB BC C Open Church Open Bible Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias John 21: 1-14 (KJV) LESSON OUTLINE I. UNSUCCESSFUL FISHING TRIP: John 21: 1-3 II. SUDDEN ABUNDANCE: John 21: 4-8 III. FELLOWSHIP WITH JESUS: John 21: 9-14 TODAY S AIM Facts: To confirm that Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day and appeared to His disciples. Principle: To recognize that Jesus resurrection was physical and guarantees life to all who believe in Him.

C CB BC C Open Church Open Bible Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias John 21: 1-14 (KJV) Application: To know the power of Jesus resurrection by firmly trusting that He is the Giver of life to those who believe in Him (John 6: 25-36; and 14: 19). The resurrection of Christ is at the very heart of our Christian faith. It is essential to the gospel (1 Cor. 15: 4). Christ died for our sins, but without His resurrection, we would still be trapped in them (vs. 17). Depending on how they are counted, there are about a dozen recorded appearances of Jesus after His resurrection. Paul records an appearance of Jesus to him on the Damascus road, although that

Open Church Open Bible Jesus by the Sea of Tiberias John 21: 1-14 (KJV) C CB BC C occurred after Jesus ascension (vs. 8). And there may have been other unrecorded appearances. Introductory statement (John 21: 1). After these things refers to the events of chapter 20. These include Peter and John's initial visit to the empty tomb (verses 1-10), Jesus appearance to Mary Magdalene (verses 11- 18), Jesus appearance to the ten disciples (verses 19-23), and then His appearance a week later, when Thomas was present (verses 24-29). At this point, the gospel according to John comes to what seems like it's ending. The writer affirms that many other signs were performed by Jesus that are not recorded. John then states his purpose in writing, namely, to bring people to faith, that is, that they believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (vs 31).

Open Church Open Bible Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias C CB BC C If the Gospel had concluded at this point, it would have seemed quite natural, but then we have chapter 21. Often referred to as John s epilogue, it contains information about an otherwise unknown appearance of the risen Lord that occurred at the Sea of Galilee, identified here by its alternate name, the Sea of Tiberias. The lake got this alternate name from a city on its western shore, founded by Herod Antipas to honor Tiberius Caesar. This same body of water is called the Sea of Chinnereth in the Old Testament (Josh. 13: 27) and also the Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5: 1) in the New Testament. Not understanding this detail might lead some readers to conclude that these were all different places, when, in fact, they are different names for the same body of water.

C CB BC C Open Church Open Bible Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias Since most of Jesus first disciples were Galileans, it would be natural for Him to appear there. Except for Judas, all the apostles were from Galilee (Acts 2: 7). They had also been told that He would appear to them in Galilee (Matt. 26: 32; 28: 7, 10, and 16). Many think Christ s appearance to more than five hundred disciples (1 Cor. 15: 6) likely took place in Galilee. Return to fishing (John 21: 2-3). On this particular occasion, seven disciples were together. In the Gospel according to John, Peter is nearly always referred to as Simon Peter . Simon was his given name, but he was nicknamed Peter by Jesus (1: 40-42). While not stated specifically, Peter was clearly the leader of the disciples and their spokesman.

Open Church Open Bible Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias C CB BC C Regrettably, Thomas is usually remembered for his doubt (20: 24-29). But he was only asking to see the same evidence the others had already seen. Once that evidence was given, he was quickly and completely convinced. The name Didymus simply means twin (11: 16; and 20: 24). The name Thomas also means twin and may not have been his given name. As to who his twin was, it is assumed that it was either Matthew or James the son of Alphaeus, since all three seem to have been siblings (Easton, Easton s Bible Dictionary, CreateSpace). Nathanael is mentioned early in John 1: 44-51 as having a negative opinion of the town of Nazareth. He nevertheless was quickly convinced that Jesus was the Son of God. Only now is the reader informed that Nathanael was from Cana, the town where Jesus performed His first miracle (2: 1). Nathanael is most likely the same person as the apostle Bartholomew, mentioned elsewhere (Matt. 10: 3;

Open Church Open Bible Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias C CB BC C Mark 3: 18; Luke 6: 14; and Acts 1: 13). Bartholomew is a family designation, meaning son of Tolmai . Nathanael is a common Hebrew name that means gift of God . It may have been that John always used this disciple s actual first name, while the Synoptics knew him primarily by his family name. He is always listed right along with Philip in all the Gospel accounts, whether as Bartholomew or Nathanael. The sons of Zebedee were James and John (Matt. 4: 21). As to who the two other disciples were, we can only guess, though they were most likely part of the Twelve. We are given scant information about how long after Jesus resurrection this event occurred. The apostles seem to have stayed in Jerusalem for at least a week or so afterward (John 20: 26). They were also in Jerusalem just prior to Christ s ascension (Luke 24: 50-53; and Acts 1: 4).

Open Church Open Bible Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias C CB BC C A concerned question (John 21: 4-5). Returning from a night of futile fishing, the disciples must have been discouraged. As you may recall, when Christ called the fisherman to be His disciples, He promised them, I will make you fishers of men (Matt. 4: 19). The time for them to begin carrying out the Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19-20) was at hand. Like us, the original disciples needed to learn lessons about patience in ministry as fishers of men. While there are many conversions recorded in Acts, there are also noteworthy refusals to obey the gospel. As Jesus pointed out in the Parable of the Sower, there will be varied responses to the gospel (Matt. 13: 3-8, 18 - 23). As the disciples were making their way back to shore, Jesus was waiting for them. But they did not recognize Him at first. The light was probably still dim in the early morning, and there may have been a fog or mist hovering over the

Open Church Open Bible Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias C CB BC C shoreline. We can therefore understand why it would be difficult to discern who was standing on the shore. Calling out to His disciples, the Lord asked them if they had any food. The word translated meat in verse 5 simply means something to eat in this case, fish. Since they had caught nothing, they answered no. Profitable advice (John 21: 6). Taking a tip from a stranger is not something most professional fishermen would care to do. But if what they have already tried has not been working, they might conclude they have nothing to lose. That being so, the disciples were willing to follow the stranger's advice--namely, to cast their nets to the right of their boat in order to catch some fish. Some have surmised that Jesus merely had a better vantage point than the disciples to see where the fish were. That might be possible, but it really does not do justice to the underlying purpose of Jesus advice at this time. What was

Open Church Open Bible Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias C CB BC C taking place here was an unmistakable demonstration of Jesus divine wisdom and sovereign power over Creation. Clearly, the reason He told the disciples to cast their nets to the right was to remind them of the miracle they had witnessed near the beginning of their discipleship, recorded in Luke 5: 1-6. On that occasion, Peter and the other fisherman had likewise been fishing all night with no success. Jesus told Peter to try casting his nets for fish once again. Peter protested, since he was undoubtedly exhausted from fishing all night and had his fill of it. But he obeyed the Lord's words anyway. Of course, their nets were immediately filled to the breaking point with fish. Since Peter, James, and John had all been there on that previous occasion, what happened next was an unmistakable sign that immediately revealed to them the true identity of this stranger. Sudden comprehension (John 21: 7-8). At this point, the disciple whom

Open Church Open Bible Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias C CB BC C Jesus loved , presumably John, identified the figure on the shore. Since it was none other than the Lord Jesus Himself, John declared, It is the Lord! Peter immediately put on his outer tunic ( naked likely indicates he was clothed only in the undergarments suitable to his trade), jumped into the sea, and swam to shore. The other disciples followed in the boat, still dragging the net teeming with a heavy load of fish. Since they were two hundred cubits (about one hundred yards) from shore when Peter jumped out, we can again understand why they had been unable to recognize Jesus by sight. But the miracle of the fish left no doubt about His identity. Famine to feast (John 21: 4-8). After daybreak, Jesus stood on the shore, waiting for the men to come back in. They did not recognize Him yet. Perhaps it was because they were too far out to distinguish facial features, or maybe it was too foggy to see clearly, or maybe the Lord had clouded their eyes supernaturally (Luke 24: 16). No fisherman who has spent a whole night fishing without catching anything wants to be asked if he caught any fish, but that is exactly what happened here.

Open Church Open Bible Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias C CB BC C Knowing the answer to His own question, Jesus asked them if they had caught anything. When the disciples answered this unidentified figure with a no, He told them to cast their net out on the right side of the boat. With nothing to lose, they cast their nets and caught so many fish that they could not draw the net in. At this moment, the light went on in John's head as he exclaimed, It is the Lord (vs. 7). He had seen this happen before (Luke 5: 4-7), and no one else could bring such a large catch as Jesus. As far as John was concerned, this could not be anyone else. When Peter heard this, he threw on his tunic and jumped in the water right away. He wanted to get to Jesus as soon as possible. The others came along in the boat, dragging a net full of fish from around two hundred cubits (one hundred yards) away from the shoreline.

Open Church Open Bible Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias C CB BC C A hearty breakfast (John 21: 9-10). Arriving on shore, the disciples found that a breakfast of fire-grilled fish, with bread, had been prepared for them by the Lord Jesus. Exactly how He came to have the prepared bread and fish is unknown. But on at least two occasions Jesus fed people miraculously (Matt. 16: 9-10). Those who had been at the Last Supper, where the Lord had been the host, now enjoyed His presence, sharing a meal with Him once again. This might perhaps be called the last breakfast . Jesus also invited His disciples to contribute some of the fish they had just caught with His miraculous help. A great number of fish (John 21: 11). Obeying the Lord s request, Peter took it upon himself to single-handedly pull the net full of fish ashore. John tells us that although the net was heavy with 153 large fish, it suffered no fraying or tearing at all. This surely was another providential work of the Lord. Whether there is any particular significance to the number of fish caught is mere speculation. True, some biblical numbers are notable, but others are

Open Church Open Bible C CB BC C Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias included merely to serve in relating concrete facts about an actual, historical event. An invitation to dine (John 21: 12-14). Although these seven disciples now realized that they were indeed in the presence of the risen Lord Jesus, they were reluctant to ask Him anything about Himself. Perhaps in His glorified body, there was something about His appearance that made them hesitant to speak. Christ was not immediately recognizable more than once after His resurrection. This is made clear in the episode on the Emmaus road (Luke 24: 13-35). Jesus took from the bread and fish and shared it with His disciples. It had to be somewhat reminiscent of the scene in the upper room when He hosted the Passover and instituted the Lord Supper. It is significant that Jesus devoted His post-resurrection appearances to simply spending time with His disciples doing ordinary daily things such as eating a meal or walking down a road. We might be reminded of John 13: 1.

Open Church Open Bible Practical Points 1. The Lord shows Himself today in a myriad of different ways (John 21: 1-2). 2. Sometimes we are so preoccupied that we do not notice the Lord standing right in front of us (verses 3-4). 3. We can confidently do what Jesus says because of who He is (verses 5-6). 4. We ought to leap at any opportunity to spend time with Jesus (verses 7-9). 5. The Lord s abundant provision points us to His bountiful grace (verses 10- 13). 6. There is no mistaking the sure testimony that Jesus rose from the dead (vs. 14).

Open Church Open Bible Jesus By The Sea of Tiberias For Further Discussion C CB BC C 1. What is another name for the Sea of Tiberias? How many disciples are mentioned in this post-resurrection appearance? 2. Why might Jesus not have been immediately recognized by the disciples? What did the Lord tell His disciples to do? 3. What did Peter do once he realized that it was Jesus on the shore? What had the Lord prepared for His disciples? 4. How many fish did the disciples catch? What might John have meant in saying that this was the third time Jesus appeared after His resurrection?

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