What Did Jesus Do?
“Cast the net on the right side of the boat…”
John 21.6
The last thing the boatload of discouraged disciples, who had spent an entire night fruitlessly casting their nets up the water, wanted to hear was some wiseacre on the shore tell them they’d been fishing from the wrong side of the boat! But such was the advice of the figure who called to them out of the grayness of the early morning mists upon the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee). Their muscles already tired, and their hearts discouraged, the seven fishermen had nothing to lose, so they tossed their net over the other side, the right side of the boat. At least they could then go ashore and tell the fool that he knew nothing about fishing. Of course, they were the ones who had nothing to show for their night’s labors, until…
Whoa! Either the net caught on a sunken boat, or there was a whole lot of fish in the lake where there hadn’t been any all night. Heave! Pull! It was no use, the net was simply too heavy to bring aboard because of the quantity of fish it suddenly held. While the others struggled with the load, wondering how the man on the shore had known exactly where the fish were, the apostle John who, along with Peter and Thomas, Nathaniel, and John’s brother James and two other unknown disciples, had had no luck whatsoever fishing all night, realized that it wasn’t just some stranger who happened to be out for an early morning walk along the beach who had showed the right way to catch fish, it was the Lord! Hearing John utter this declaration, Peter did not hesitate, but plunged into the water and quickly swam the hundred yards to shore. The others, clinging to the suddenly bulging net, brought the boat in to the beach.
As it turned out, the nets held 153 fish, which might not sound like a lot to those who today employ huge nets to catch tens of thousands of fish in one haul. But Peter and the others were not in a deep-sea trawler, but a small boat that would probably have foundered and sunk under the wieght of 153 fish being brought aboard. Empty nets also meant empty stomachs, but Jesus had already begun to prepare a breakfast of bread and fish, to which would be added some of the fresh catch. A long, frustrating, discouraging night was turning into a glorious new day, and it was Jesus who had worked the transformation. Just imagine, one of the worst nights of fishing trasformed into the best and most fondly remembered fishinhg trip ever! But that is what happens when we let Jesus show us the way—we are transported from worst to best, discouragement and frustration are transformed to encouragement and success.
Here’s a question for you. How’s the fishing been? I don’t mean how many haddock have you hauled in—what I’m asking is, how have you been making out as a “fisher of men?” Have you been working hard, casting your net, with little or nothing to show for your effort? Have days and nights of discouragement moved you to fold up your net and shove it in a closet and forget about it? Are you thinking that there may be others whom Jesus sends out to “catch” men, women, and children, and bring them in to his kingdom, but he must have some other work for you? The truth is, evangelism, like fishing, isn’t easy. And, again like fishing, if you don’t know what you’re doing, success will be hard to come by.
One of the keys to successful fishing is to know where and when to cast your net. One of the keys to successful evangelism is to continually seek the Lord’s counsel. Jesus knows the right way to catch men. The Lord knows the right places, the right times, and the right words to bring in hundreds of thousands, millions, even billions, to the kingdom. The key is to look for the Lord, and to listen to him before you frustrate yourself casting about in the wrong place, at the wrong time, the wrong way, and wind up as discouraged as the seven disciples were until Jesus showed them the right way to catch fish.
A few short days after their encounter with Jesus on the shore of Tiberias, the apostles saw the Lord lifted up into heaven. In their ears were his parting words of advice, whereupon they remained in Jerusalem for the day of the coming of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 1.4-9). On that day, which we know as Pentecost, Peter and the disciples were in the right place, at the right time, and used the power Christ himself gave them through the Spirit, to cast out irresistable words of grace and truth, and “haul in” over three thousand souls. We may never have a catch such as Peter’s on Pentecost, but, with Jesus showing us the way, we will surely succeed in bringing in souls to the kingdom of God.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Jesus Revealed Himself to Frustrated Fishermen
What Did Jesus Do
Simon Peter said, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.”
…but that night they caught nothing.
John 21.3
Despite the plethora of shows on cable television that let you in on all the sure-fire ways to haul in bodacious bass, bounteous bluefish, cartfuls of catfish, mountains of mackerel, and tons of trout, fishing is not a science. Put two people in the exact same spot, at the exact same time, with the exact same tackle, and the exact same bait, and you’ll have one haul in a beauty while the other angler gets skunked. I don’t care how much the people at Bass Pro Shops try to convince me that if I buy enough of the stuff they’d just love to sell me, that I’ll catch more fish than I ever dreamed of—fishing is 99.9% luck.
Heck, you don’t have to take my word for it, just ask Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel, James and John, and two other disciples to be named later, just how frustrating fishing can be. And those guys were professionals. I tell you, that boatload of frustrated fishermen were not expecting to haul in any fish after a fruitless night of casting their nets upon the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee). And they certainly could not have anticipated having a seafood breakfast with Jesus, but that’s just what happened when the risen Lord revealed himself to them.
Just how frustrated would the disciples have been? Well, let’s remember, they were men who, before Jesus called them, had made their living from fishing. This meant that angling was much more than an avocation for them. With the exception of the Sabbath, Peter and the others would have been out on the water every day, of every week, of every year, since they had been little more than boys, with nothing but a hoped for net full of fish standing between them and hunger, homelessness, and poverty. To come back empty-handed after a night of fishing wasn’t just frustrating, it was failure which, if prolonged, could have life-threatening consequences for them and all who depended on them for their material support and well-being.
The thing was, Jesus had called all the men in that boat to a new vocation. Having been fishermen all their lives, the Lord had called them to become fishers of men. The consequences of frustration and failure in their new calling can also be life and death for those who, whether they realize it or not, depend on Jesus and his Church for their spiritual support and eternal well-being. But, in contrast to the great amount of luck necessary for one to succeed at the business of catching fish, the disciples, and we, had better believe that Jesus has no intention of leaving anything to chance with the work he has called his disciples to undertake. Whenever anyone, like Peter, declares they are “going fishing,” it is important to note that such a declaration is no guarantee that any fish will actually be caught. But what about when Jesus sends disciples out to haul in men (and women and children) for his kingdom? Can the Lord’s work be frustrating? Yes. But, can the will of God be frustrated, can human “fish” escape once Jesus has determined to “catch” them? No, even if they do prove hard to catch for a time.
I am pretty confident that all of us who have sought to respond to Christ’s call to go “fishing” on his behalf can attest to fact that there are times when we feel frustrated in our efforts for his kingdom. We can sometimes spend days and nights, even weeks, casting our nets before people, so to speak, only to wind up like Peter and the others, catching nothing. And frustration can, and often does, set in. But we need to recall the first three verses of John 21, and have faith that Jesus is anxious to reveal himself to folks frustrated by what seems to be fruitless fishing. Because, when Jesus shows up, he shows out in ways that will surely change our “luck.” Not that luck has anything to do with catching “fish” for the kingdom. Next time you feel frustrated in you efforts at evangelism, remember that Jesus revealed himself to frustrated fishermen, and be on the lookout for what the Lord would show you about being a “fisher of men.”
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Simon Peter said, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.”
…but that night they caught nothing.
John 21.3
Despite the plethora of shows on cable television that let you in on all the sure-fire ways to haul in bodacious bass, bounteous bluefish, cartfuls of catfish, mountains of mackerel, and tons of trout, fishing is not a science. Put two people in the exact same spot, at the exact same time, with the exact same tackle, and the exact same bait, and you’ll have one haul in a beauty while the other angler gets skunked. I don’t care how much the people at Bass Pro Shops try to convince me that if I buy enough of the stuff they’d just love to sell me, that I’ll catch more fish than I ever dreamed of—fishing is 99.9% luck.
Heck, you don’t have to take my word for it, just ask Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel, James and John, and two other disciples to be named later, just how frustrating fishing can be. And those guys were professionals. I tell you, that boatload of frustrated fishermen were not expecting to haul in any fish after a fruitless night of casting their nets upon the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee). And they certainly could not have anticipated having a seafood breakfast with Jesus, but that’s just what happened when the risen Lord revealed himself to them.
Just how frustrated would the disciples have been? Well, let’s remember, they were men who, before Jesus called them, had made their living from fishing. This meant that angling was much more than an avocation for them. With the exception of the Sabbath, Peter and the others would have been out on the water every day, of every week, of every year, since they had been little more than boys, with nothing but a hoped for net full of fish standing between them and hunger, homelessness, and poverty. To come back empty-handed after a night of fishing wasn’t just frustrating, it was failure which, if prolonged, could have life-threatening consequences for them and all who depended on them for their material support and well-being.
The thing was, Jesus had called all the men in that boat to a new vocation. Having been fishermen all their lives, the Lord had called them to become fishers of men. The consequences of frustration and failure in their new calling can also be life and death for those who, whether they realize it or not, depend on Jesus and his Church for their spiritual support and eternal well-being. But, in contrast to the great amount of luck necessary for one to succeed at the business of catching fish, the disciples, and we, had better believe that Jesus has no intention of leaving anything to chance with the work he has called his disciples to undertake. Whenever anyone, like Peter, declares they are “going fishing,” it is important to note that such a declaration is no guarantee that any fish will actually be caught. But what about when Jesus sends disciples out to haul in men (and women and children) for his kingdom? Can the Lord’s work be frustrating? Yes. But, can the will of God be frustrated, can human “fish” escape once Jesus has determined to “catch” them? No, even if they do prove hard to catch for a time.
I am pretty confident that all of us who have sought to respond to Christ’s call to go “fishing” on his behalf can attest to fact that there are times when we feel frustrated in our efforts for his kingdom. We can sometimes spend days and nights, even weeks, casting our nets before people, so to speak, only to wind up like Peter and the others, catching nothing. And frustration can, and often does, set in. But we need to recall the first three verses of John 21, and have faith that Jesus is anxious to reveal himself to folks frustrated by what seems to be fruitless fishing. Because, when Jesus shows up, he shows out in ways that will surely change our “luck.” Not that luck has anything to do with catching “fish” for the kingdom. Next time you feel frustrated in you efforts at evangelism, remember that Jesus revealed himself to frustrated fishermen, and be on the lookout for what the Lord would show you about being a “fisher of men.”
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Jesus Did What Faith Required
What Did Jesus Do?
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples…
but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ.
John 20.30-31
John’s Gospel is a compendium of sorts, a catalog of revelations if you will: signs, that clearly, consistently, and convincingly point to a singular truth—Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Son of God. Of these signs, and other works of Jesus, there was and is no end, so that the entire world is not big enough to house the complete record of all that Jesus has done and will do (John 21.25). From the vast and eternally expanding list of the things that Jesus did, John set out to cull a select number which would accomplish the particular purpose of his Gospel. John’s goal was to record enough of what Jesus did to satisfy the requirements of faith, to provide a sufficient and secure foundation for belief. Yet belief was no end in itself. Ultimately, John’s quest was to provide sufficient evidence for belief that Jesus is the Christ, so that such belief would consequently and unfailingly deliver each and every believer unto life in Jesus’ name. Essentially, John tells us that Jesus did all that faith required, and more.
In his fulfillment of what faith required Jesus was, as always, in the role of mediator between the Father and humanity. To the Father, Jesus, the Son, offered complete trust and perfect obedience. By way of requirement, Jesus did all that is needful for faith to be acceptable to the Father. To humanity, Jesus, the Lord and Savior, offered unmistakable signs, revelations of himself as the Christ, the Son of God. By way of requirement, Jesus did all that is needful for faith to be received by us. For faith is not something anyone can go out and acquire by dint of effort or will—believing is a gift of God’s grace.
In his quest to furnish enough evidence for people to believe, and by believing have life in Christ Jesus, John was in concert with the mission of the Lord, who had said that, as the Good Shepherd, he had come so that his sheep “may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10.10) John intended his Gospel to reach lost sheep, that they might, by virtue of the record of signs it contains, come to belief and life in and through the Good Shepherd—Jesus. Jesus did so much more than John could ever write down, but all that the Evangelist did record leads unfailingly to one destination: faith in Jesus as the Son of God, and everlasting life in his name.
Though John supplied sufficient evidence of what the Lord did, for the whole world to see that Jesus is the Christ, the whole world would not come to believe. For many, the evidence John has supplied, the signs which Jesus accomplished, do not lead to belief. For many, belief will come only with the final Judgment, too late for them to have life in Jesus’ name. For many, belief will only come as the immediate prelude to condemnation. But, for those who read John’s Gospel and, by the grace of the Father and the action of the Holy Spirit, come to believe, there is life in Jesus’ name, both here and now, and forever.
If faith unto life was something that any child, woman, or man could achieve on their own, there would be no need for a Savior. But the Bible chronicles humanity’s falling short of faith’s requirement from the first generation to the last. Thankfully, Scripture also teaches us about the Father’s great love for us in sending his Son, Jesus, who did what faith required, so that, by believing in him, we may have life!
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples…
but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ.
John 20.30-31
John’s Gospel is a compendium of sorts, a catalog of revelations if you will: signs, that clearly, consistently, and convincingly point to a singular truth—Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Son of God. Of these signs, and other works of Jesus, there was and is no end, so that the entire world is not big enough to house the complete record of all that Jesus has done and will do (John 21.25). From the vast and eternally expanding list of the things that Jesus did, John set out to cull a select number which would accomplish the particular purpose of his Gospel. John’s goal was to record enough of what Jesus did to satisfy the requirements of faith, to provide a sufficient and secure foundation for belief. Yet belief was no end in itself. Ultimately, John’s quest was to provide sufficient evidence for belief that Jesus is the Christ, so that such belief would consequently and unfailingly deliver each and every believer unto life in Jesus’ name. Essentially, John tells us that Jesus did all that faith required, and more.
In his fulfillment of what faith required Jesus was, as always, in the role of mediator between the Father and humanity. To the Father, Jesus, the Son, offered complete trust and perfect obedience. By way of requirement, Jesus did all that is needful for faith to be acceptable to the Father. To humanity, Jesus, the Lord and Savior, offered unmistakable signs, revelations of himself as the Christ, the Son of God. By way of requirement, Jesus did all that is needful for faith to be received by us. For faith is not something anyone can go out and acquire by dint of effort or will—believing is a gift of God’s grace.
In his quest to furnish enough evidence for people to believe, and by believing have life in Christ Jesus, John was in concert with the mission of the Lord, who had said that, as the Good Shepherd, he had come so that his sheep “may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10.10) John intended his Gospel to reach lost sheep, that they might, by virtue of the record of signs it contains, come to belief and life in and through the Good Shepherd—Jesus. Jesus did so much more than John could ever write down, but all that the Evangelist did record leads unfailingly to one destination: faith in Jesus as the Son of God, and everlasting life in his name.
Though John supplied sufficient evidence of what the Lord did, for the whole world to see that Jesus is the Christ, the whole world would not come to believe. For many, the evidence John has supplied, the signs which Jesus accomplished, do not lead to belief. For many, belief will come only with the final Judgment, too late for them to have life in Jesus’ name. For many, belief will only come as the immediate prelude to condemnation. But, for those who read John’s Gospel and, by the grace of the Father and the action of the Holy Spirit, come to believe, there is life in Jesus’ name, both here and now, and forever.
If faith unto life was something that any child, woman, or man could achieve on their own, there would be no need for a Savior. But the Bible chronicles humanity’s falling short of faith’s requirement from the first generation to the last. Thankfully, Scripture also teaches us about the Father’s great love for us in sending his Son, Jesus, who did what faith required, so that, by believing in him, we may have life!
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
Monday, September 12, 2011
Jesus Deleted Doubt
What Did Jesus Do?
“Do not disbelieve, but believe.”
John 20.27b
Do you know why God invented erasers? Because people make mistakes. I still chuckle when I substitute teach at a local elementary school, and a student turns in a paper with one or two holes in it. I don’t ever need to ask what the holes are from, I remember from when I turned in similar looking papers when I was young. The holes are the telltale sign of much vigorous erasing. And, you know, it takes some vigor to erase the marks of one’s mistakes. Avoiding dealing with erasers is one reason I am quite well pleased to do almost all of my writing with a computer nowadays. The “Delete” key does the job so much more completely, cleanly, and quickly.
It was a thoroughly cowed, and all but defeated group of disciples that had gathered behind locked doors. In fact, until Jesus came among them and invigorated them with the Holy Spirit (see John 20.19-23), they appeared to have pretty much discounted, if not altogether dismiss and disbelieve, the reports of the Resurrection. But, when Jesus showed up, he deleted their disbelief and fear. And, with a few short weeks, the once timid disciples were transforming the world with their bold preaching (see Acts 2). Yet, one among the eleven remaining apostles had not retreated to the locked room. Perhaps he was just a bit bolder, than the rest. Perhaps, no more convinced by the announcement of Mary Magdalene, “I have seen the Lord,” (John 20.18), he had gone to seek and see the risen Lord for himself. For whatever the reason, Thomas was absent when Jesus appeared to the other disciples.
So it was that, when the others told Thomas about their encounter with the crucified, yet now risen and living Lord, Thomas refused to believe them. Though the rest of the disciples believed, Thomas continued to be burdened by his doubts. And so things remained for eight days (John 20.26).
But, the next time all the disciples had gathered inside together, again behind locked doors, Thomas was with them. As he had before, Jesus came and stood among them. This time, however, after giving his peace to all, the Lord turned his attention specifically to Thomas and his doubts. Clearly, it mattered a great deal to Jesus that Thomas should believe. And so the Lord invited Thomas to examine and touch the wounds of the cross (John 20.27), prompting Thomas’s declaration of faith—“My Lord and my God!” (John 20.28) In an instant, doubts were deleted, and disbelief was completely erased. Seeing had made a believer out of Thomas.
While this was great for Thomas, and for all so fortunate as to personally witness the risen Christ, it would seem to have put all others at a distinct disadvantage with respect to faith. Yet Jesus pronounced blessing upon all who would believe without the benefit of seeing (John 20.29). Though he did not spell out the manner of this particular blessing, I believe it has to do with the gift of faith which one receives when the Lord deletes our doubt. Only the Lord himself, through the work of the Holy Spirit, has the power to remove the doubt that sustains disbelief. Only Jesus can so thoroughly erase our past, our mistakes, our sin, that we literally become a new creation (see 2Corinthians 5.17). But no amount of argument, evidence, or persuasion makes a believer out of anyone, until doubt is deleted.
The good news is that Jesus is just as eager to delete our doubts as he was the doubts of Thomas. The Lord is anxious to bless all who have not seen, yet believe, when doubt is deleted.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
“Do not disbelieve, but believe.”
John 20.27b
Do you know why God invented erasers? Because people make mistakes. I still chuckle when I substitute teach at a local elementary school, and a student turns in a paper with one or two holes in it. I don’t ever need to ask what the holes are from, I remember from when I turned in similar looking papers when I was young. The holes are the telltale sign of much vigorous erasing. And, you know, it takes some vigor to erase the marks of one’s mistakes. Avoiding dealing with erasers is one reason I am quite well pleased to do almost all of my writing with a computer nowadays. The “Delete” key does the job so much more completely, cleanly, and quickly.
It was a thoroughly cowed, and all but defeated group of disciples that had gathered behind locked doors. In fact, until Jesus came among them and invigorated them with the Holy Spirit (see John 20.19-23), they appeared to have pretty much discounted, if not altogether dismiss and disbelieve, the reports of the Resurrection. But, when Jesus showed up, he deleted their disbelief and fear. And, with a few short weeks, the once timid disciples were transforming the world with their bold preaching (see Acts 2). Yet, one among the eleven remaining apostles had not retreated to the locked room. Perhaps he was just a bit bolder, than the rest. Perhaps, no more convinced by the announcement of Mary Magdalene, “I have seen the Lord,” (John 20.18), he had gone to seek and see the risen Lord for himself. For whatever the reason, Thomas was absent when Jesus appeared to the other disciples.
So it was that, when the others told Thomas about their encounter with the crucified, yet now risen and living Lord, Thomas refused to believe them. Though the rest of the disciples believed, Thomas continued to be burdened by his doubts. And so things remained for eight days (John 20.26).
But, the next time all the disciples had gathered inside together, again behind locked doors, Thomas was with them. As he had before, Jesus came and stood among them. This time, however, after giving his peace to all, the Lord turned his attention specifically to Thomas and his doubts. Clearly, it mattered a great deal to Jesus that Thomas should believe. And so the Lord invited Thomas to examine and touch the wounds of the cross (John 20.27), prompting Thomas’s declaration of faith—“My Lord and my God!” (John 20.28) In an instant, doubts were deleted, and disbelief was completely erased. Seeing had made a believer out of Thomas.
While this was great for Thomas, and for all so fortunate as to personally witness the risen Christ, it would seem to have put all others at a distinct disadvantage with respect to faith. Yet Jesus pronounced blessing upon all who would believe without the benefit of seeing (John 20.29). Though he did not spell out the manner of this particular blessing, I believe it has to do with the gift of faith which one receives when the Lord deletes our doubt. Only the Lord himself, through the work of the Holy Spirit, has the power to remove the doubt that sustains disbelief. Only Jesus can so thoroughly erase our past, our mistakes, our sin, that we literally become a new creation (see 2Corinthians 5.17). But no amount of argument, evidence, or persuasion makes a believer out of anyone, until doubt is deleted.
The good news is that Jesus is just as eager to delete our doubts as he was the doubts of Thomas. The Lord is anxious to bless all who have not seen, yet believe, when doubt is deleted.
S.D.G.
Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4
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