“It is the Lord!” [Matt's Messages] ~ Matt Mitchell

“It is the Lord!”

Life in Jesus’ Name - The Gospel of John

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

December 8, 2024 :: John 21:1-25

It was probably the strangest breakfast meeting ever.

I like to think about John chapter 21 as kind of a post-credits scene after a good movie.

You know what I mean? You’ve watched a great movie, and it was very satisfying at the conclusion, everything came together nicely, and then the credits roll. But you just stay sitting there in the theatre, with a smile on your face, because you’ve heard there might be something more. You don’t get up. You don’t throw away your popcorn. You wait for the next bit, the something extra.

The Gospel of John began with a prologue. An amazing summary statement foreshadowing what was to come, John 1:1-18. The Gospel of John ends with an epilogue that ties up loose ends, carries the story up past its conclusion, and sets up what was going to happen next.

And it all goes down at the strangest of breakfast meetings.

Let’s take a look at John chapter 21.

Remember where we are in the story. Jesus has been crucified and buried, but then has been seen alive again by Mary Magdalene, and the disciples. Twice! The second time including Thomas who said to Him, “My Lord and My God!”.

And John has told us why He wrote the book. Last verse of the previous chapter. He wrote this book “...that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Which sounds a lot like a conclusion! But don’t stand up. Don’t throw away your popcorn. There’s more. Chapter 21.

“Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. [That’s the Sea of Galilee up in the north. The one Jesus walked across in chapter 6.] It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus) [The Twin], Nathanael from Cana in Galilee [remember him from chapter 1?], the sons of Zebedee [James and John], and two other disciples [probably Andrew and Philip] were together” (John 21:1-2).

How many is that? Seven of them. They’ve headed back home after the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. They have seen the Risen Lord and been sent on a gospel mission. But what are they doing? They are fishing. Look at verse 3.

“‘I'm going out to fish,’ Simon Peter told them, and they said, ‘We'll go with you.’ So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.”

Now, there’s nothing wrong with fishing itself, right George? Maybe they were hungry or bored or restless while they were waiting for more details of their marching orders. We don’t know. Perhaps they needed to make some money, and this was their livelihood for at four of these guys. So, perhaps they needed to go fishing.

They fish at night because that’s when the fish are often biting and so that they can sell the freshest fish in the morning. But it’s called “fishing” not “catching,” right, Abraham? That’s for a reason. These experienced fishermen go all night without a bite. Their nets are empty that night. And then the morning came, and so did Jesus. Verse 4.

“Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. [Just like Mary in the garden.] He called out to them, ‘Friends, haven't you any fish?’ ‘No,’ they answered.”

That’s always the question for a fisherman, isn’t it? No, they have no fish to sell. Nothing to show for a whole night’s work. Verse 6.

“He said, ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.’ When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.”

Wow! That’s a miracle. All of sudden, they are straining at the nets because they can’t pull the whole thing into the boat. And John knew what that meant! Verse 7.

“Then the disciple whom Jesus loved [I think that’s John] said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, ‘It is the Lord,’ he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.”

That’s “so Peter” isn’t it? I don’t think Peter’s thinking straight. He puts on more clothes to jump in the water. Maybe he was stripped down for work and wanted to be presentable to his Lord. Anyway about it, he’s gung ho! He does the cannonball into the lake and swims the length of a football field to get to shore. Verse 8.

“The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.

When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. [Jesus has His own fish! And He’s made breakfast. The strangest breakfast meeting there ever was. V.10]

Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’ [Wink, wink. Wonder how all of that got there?] Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. [Another miracle!]

Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord” (vv.8-12).

I grabbed the title of this sermon from verse 7. What John said in the boat that caused Peter to jump out of the boat.

“It is the Lord!”

“It’s Him! I know it’s Him. I can tell. It’s obvious. From the miracles. From what He asks. His voice. His heart. It is the Lord!”

#1. ACTUALLY ALIVE AGAIN.

Jesus is alive. He is not still dead, and He is still alive. That resurrection thing was not a temporary deal. This is later, and He’s still alive. And it’s obvious that it’s Him. At first, they don’t recognize Him, but by verse 12 they all knew. They all “knew it was the Lord.”

“None of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you.’” They knew! They knew they were having breakfast with Jesus. The real Jesus! The actual factual Jesus who had been dead but is now alive. “It is the Lord!”

And He’s not just meeting them at breakfast time, He’s making them breakfast. When I preached this passage before on May 7 in the year 2000, I put across the top of the sermon notes page, “Dead men don’t make breakfast!”

Jesus is actually factually miraculously alive again, and it makes all of the difference.

Can you imagine what this breakfast was like? The smell of the fish grilling over the burning coals? Wet old Peter with his hair and beard matted down and glistening with water. Everyone just staring at Jesus. And Jesus serving everybody their food. Look at verse 13.

“Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead” (vv.13-14).

The third time when a bunch of them were all together.

“After he was raised from the dead.”

You see, that really happened! This isn’t a fable or a myth or a just story. This isn’t fiction. This is history.

I think that’s the point of the 153 fish in verse 11 Christians have had all kind of theories of what is intended by the number 153 in verse 11. There are all kinds of theories out there, some better than others. But here’s what I think the point of the number 153 is in verse 11:

I think it means that there were 153 fish.

Literally. That’s how many there were. Fishermen count that sort of thing because that’s how they make their money. They know how many there were. And it was a lot! It was a miracle.

And if it symbolizes anything, it just symbolizes blessing; the blessing that comes when you obey Jesus. If simply just obediently throwing your net over on the other side of the boat will yield 153 fish, imagine what will happen if you obediently try to go fishing for men?!

“Apart from me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5). But with Jesus all things are possible.

One time, I had a quiz in seminary, and I was asked how many fish there were in John 21:11. And the answer was 153. John thought it was important enough to include that detail so here it is. The Holy Spirit thought it was important enough to include that little detail, so here it is. But the big reason it’s important is because that’s how many fish there actually and that means that Jesus is actually alive again. To me, it has the mark of an eyewitness to it. And if John gets the little details right, it makes it all the more plausible that he got the big detail right.

“It is the Lord!”

Actually factually miraculously alive again. And handing out breakfast to His followers. A little delicious foretaste of the kingdom to come!

But there was more to this strange breakfast meeting. Jesus has an agenda, specifically for His follower Simon Peter. They have some unfinished business. Look at verse 15.

“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?’”

It is the Lord...

#2. ASKING IF WE TRULY LOVE HIM.

Obviously, He was asking Peter here, but I don’t think it’s too big a jump to get to us.

“Do you truly love me?”

Jesus said to Peter, “Do you truly love me more than these?”

And, of course, the interpretive question is, “These what?” These fish? “Do you love me more than 153 fish, Peter?” Or these fishing implements? Nets, boats, the whole fishing business. “Do you love more than your old life, Peter?” Or it could be “these other disciples.” “Peter, do you love me more than Thomas, Nathanael, James and John, and these other two guys?”

I tend to think it’s “more than these other disciples do.” “Peter, you said that you loved me more than anything. Not long ago, you said that you would lay down your life for me, Mr. Rock. But when the time came, you denied that you even knew me. And you did it three times (see John 18:15-18, 25-27). Next to a fire of burning coals...Kind of like that one right there (see John 18:18). Do you remember that?”

Peter does remember that, and he’s ashamed. But he also knows that he does love Jesus, and that Jesus knows it. Verse 15 again.

“‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’”

Hmm. He doesn’t say, “Feed my fish.” Though He could have. He reaches back to John chapter 10 when He said that He was the “Good Shepherd” and that His people are His sheep. That’s us!

And Jesus says that if Peter actually factually loves Jesus, then he will feed Jesus’ lambs. Peter will take care of God’s people. He’ll be an under-shepherd, a subordinate shepherd to the Chief Shepherd.

But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He asks again. Verse 16.

“Again Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you truly love me?’ He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.’”

By the way, there’s a few different words here for “love” and for “sheep” in the Greek, but I don’t think He’s making a big point with that. It’s just stylistic to use varied vocabulary when you want to get a major point across.

“Do you truly love me?” He’s not just asking if Peter has affection for Him. He’s asking if Peter cares more about Jesus than anything else. He’s asking if He is Peter’s number one priority. And He’s asking Him three times, probably because Peter denied Him three times, and He’s giving Peter the chance to undo all of that. V.17

“The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.’”

That was hard for Peter, but it was good for Peter. He had to own His failures, and he did. And then He got Jesus’ forgiveness! That’s it. From this point on, Peter is fully restored. From this point on, Peter has a leading role once again. He says, “Lord, you know all things...” Which is very true! He’s knows all the bad, and he knows all the good. He knows that Peter does love Him. And Jesus says, “Feed by my sheep.”

Now, those words are very important to me because of my calling to be a people-shepherd myself. Just like Peter, I’m supposed to take the Word of God and feed it piece by piece, like I’m doing now, to the flock entrusted to my care. And I do it, just like Peter, because I love Jesus. I love you guys, too! But I love you because I love Him. And He knows it. He knows all things. And He knows that I love Him. And He’s called me to “Feed His sheep.”

But this truth is not just for pastors. It’s for all who love Jesus. You can tell if you love Jesus by whether or not you love His people.

Do you feel the logic here? “Do you love me? Do you truly love me? Then love my lambs.” It’s not enough to say that we love Jesus. We need to love Jesus by loving His people.

What did He say? Right before He predicted Peter’s denials in chapter 13, Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [This has been our church's theme for 2024.] By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you [Say that you love me?! Nope. If you have fish symbol on your car? Nope. If you post Christian memes all day long on social media? Nope. By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you] love one another” (John 13:34-35).

How’re we doing at that? How’re we doing at loving other Christians? And not just the ones that are like us or are easy to love. But the ones that are different from us and difficult to love? You know who I mean. Their faces come up in your mind when I ask! How’re we doing at loving other Christians? Because one key way know that we actually factually love the Good Shepherd is that we actually factually love His sheep.

“Feed my sheep.”

And that’s what Peter does. For the rest of his life, with his ups and downs, he’s dedicated to shepherding the flock of God. And then he will die for Jesus.

Talk about a strange breakfast meeting! At this breakfast, Jesus tells Peter how he’s going to die. Look at verse 18.

“I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, ‘Follow me!’” (vv.18-19).

On one level, that must have been encouraging. Jesus (who is back from the dead!) just told Peter that He is going to live to be an old man. But He’s also told him that he’s going to lose his freedom and his life. You “will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.' Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.”

Historical tradition indicates that the Apostle Peter was crucified upside down. According to the tradition, Peter refused to be crucified right side up because he didn’t feel worthy of dying like His Lord did. That’s unverified, but it speaks volumes, doesn’t it? Jesus knew that Peter would die as martyr for Jesus. And now Peter knows that Peter will die as a martyr for Jesus. How’s that for a "post-credits" preview of what’s to come?!

Verse 19, “Then he said to him, ‘Follow me.’”

It is the Lord!

#3. CALLING US TO FOLLOW HIM.

Even to our deaths. Are you ready to do that? Are you willing to do that? Do you believe that Jesus is worth that? I do! I believe that because Jesus is alive today, He is worth dying for today. And He is worth following with my life. And, sometimes, that’s like a thousand little deaths every day. Dying to self and selfishness and living for Jesus and His kingdom. We are not all called to be martyrs, but we are all called to follow Him. And that’s the point of the next section.

Jesus is calling us to follow Him in our own particular paths. Look at verse 20. Apparently Jesus and Peter have gone for a little walk after breakfast and John and probably the others are following close behind. Verse 20.

“Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved [John just can’t get over how much he was loved!] was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is going to betray you?’) When Peter saw him, he asked, ‘Lord, what about him?’” (vv.20-21).

“You’ve told me how I’m going to die. What about John? He’s the fast one. He beat me in the race to the tomb the other day. Is he going to be beat me to his own grave? Lord, what about him?”

That’s a dangerous question, isn’t it? When we start comparing ourselves and God’s plan for us with someone else and God’s plan for them?

“Jesus, why does that Christian go through cancer and I am healthy?

Jesus, why do I lose my job because I was a witness for you and that follower is allowed to share about you on her coffee-breaks?

Jesus, why does that disciple have a strong healthy family, and I am supposed to navigate this dysfunctional one?

Jesus, why does that believer always seem to be losing money, and I am amply supplied for?

Lord, what about him?”

Jesus says back, in effect, “None of your beeswax.” Verse 22.

“Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.’”

“None of your business.” What is that to you? “You must follow me.”

You. In your own path. I’ve got a path for him, and I’ve got a path for you. Don’t worry about his path.

Don’t fall into the comparison trap. “You must follow me.”

And don’t miss that He says, “until I return” or “until I come.” There’s another "post-credits" preview of coming attractions! Jesus is going away one more time, but He’s coming back! He’s coming back! And until then, we follow Him with our lives and, if needs be, our deaths. “You must follow me.”

Now, in verse 23, John clears up a misconception that some people formed when they heard about what Jesus said in verse 22.

“Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?’ [I’m not going to tell you what’s going to happen to John right now. That’s between me and John.] This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true” (vv.23-24).

“We know it because it was me who wrote it! I lived it, and I wrote what I lived. And I want you to believe it. Because if you believe in Jesus, you will have life in His name! He is actually factually and miraculously alive again! And He is asking us to love Him. And He’s calling us to follow Him. And He is so worth it! I can’t tell you how worthy He is! I couldn’t fit it all into this book! I didn’t even try!”

Here’s how John ends the book. Verse 25.

“Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”

“He is infinitely greater than what I have told you in these pages! He is everything I’ve told you.

He’s the Bread of Life.

He’s the Light of the World.

He’s the Gate for the Sheep.

He’s the Good Shepherd.

He’s the Resurrection and the Life.

He’s the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

He’s the Vine, and we are the Branches.

He’s the Word.

He was with God, and He is God!

And He’s become flesh and made His dwelling among us that first Christmas.”

“We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).