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Pastor Scott L. Harris
Grace Bible Church, NY
September 22, 2019
Waiting on Jesus
John 21:1-14
Introduction
How to wait on the Lord for His direction in life is one of the more difficult lessons for many Christians to learn. I have learned to be calm while waiting on the Lord, yet I must admit that I still struggle with it at times since I am a bit goal oriented and I would still like the Lord give me a detailed list in sequential order of what I should do. That would remove the wondering of what specific thing should be done next, and it would give the sense of satisfaction that comes with checking off each item on a list as it is accomplished. Perhaps you are like that too to one degree or another.
Goal oriented people find it frustrating to have only minimal direction without specific tasks to do. They do not like to just sit around because they find great satisfaction in accomplishing a list of activities. Sitting around results in fidgeting and looking for something to do. Vacations can even become physically exhausting because instead of resting, the effort to relax results in the pursuit of activities. There is an underlying philosophy that life is short, time is not to be wasted, and the value of life is measured in list of activities accomplished.
God is not like that. While He has a clear plan in mind for what He is going to do and how He will get it accomplished, He is never in a rush. He accomplishes His will in His own way in His own perfect timing. His concern is for His relationship with His people and not in checking off a list of things He must do. Consider that when Jesus was crucified, He fulfilled a host of prophecies, but its purpose was to be the substitute sacrifice for man’s sins so that we could be forgiven and reconciled to God as our redeemer. The purpose of the long list of prophecies Jesus’ fulfilled was to prove His identity and assure us of the truth of His promises.
This priority of relationship can be a hard thing on people who like to get things done, yet it is a lesson that God will teach us one way or another. It is our relationship with Him that is the priority, and not all the things we accomplish. He does not want us bogged down with and anxious about the things of this world. He wants our focus to be on Him. That is why He promised in Matthew 6:33 that if we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, He would provide the food and clothing that are necessary for life.
This morning we will examine the first part of John 21 in which Jesus taught this lesson to His disciples once again. It is also a lesson for us. God works in His timing and not ours. We are to “rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7). We are to“Wait for the Lord; Be strong, and let your heart take courage” (Ps. 27:14). We are to seek Him and His will and He will provide for us. Turn to John 21
At the Sea of Tiberias – John 21:1
1 After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested [Himself] in this way.
The “after these things” are the post-resurrection events up to this point in time. Jesus, who had been crucified, is risen from the dead! It was announced by the angel to Salome, Mary the mother of James and the other women who had gone to the tomb that first resurrection morning. Jesus Himself announced it to Mary Magdalene just a short time later, and then later on that same day Jesus revealed Himself to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and then to all the disciples that had gathered together in a room in Jerusalem. A week later Jesus revealed Himself again to His disciples, but this time Thomas was also present, and he exclaimed, “My Lord and my God,” as his skepticism was overwhelmed by the evidence. It was Jesus Himself standing before him. Though Jesus’ body had new qualities, like being able to enter a closed room, He was flesh and bone and not a spirit. He could be touched. He could eat, and He bore the scars of the crucifixion. (See: The Resurrection of Jesus)
We know only a little of what Jesus said to the disciples on these occasions. We know that Jesus had explained the Old Testament prophecies concerning Himself to the two disciples while walking on the road to Emmaus. (See: On the Road to Emmaus) We also know that Jesus had calmed the disciples after appearing in their midst, and then He gently reproached them for their unbelief. After this He commissioned and empowered them for their future ministry as we saw in John 20:21-23, “Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace [be] with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and ^said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 “If you forgive the sins of any, [their sins] have been forgiven them; if you retain the [sins] of any, they have been retained.” This was according to what Jesus had told them in the Upper Room Discourse after the last Passover meal. John 16 records that Jesus told them that He would send the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, that would guide them into all the truth and disclose the Father’s will to them. In the same way that God the Father had sent Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim God’s revelation of Himself, so these men were being sent out by Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim God’s revelation of Himself. Because they would have all truth and know the will of the Father, they would be able to declare when sins were forgiven and when they were not. (See: Overcoming Unbelief)
When Jesus had seen Mary Magdalene in the garden He told her to “go to My brethren, and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’” What a wonderful revelation this was about the new relationship Jesus had with them. They were now His “brethren.” He was stressing His humanity to them and the hope that was now theirs, for one day they would be like Him. This was not to say that Jesus and the disciples were of the same substance, for it is “My Father and your Father, and My God and your God,” not “Our Father and Our God.” Jesus is son by nature, but they are sons by adoption (Galatians 4:5). Jesus’ relationship with God is as a member of the eternal triune Godhead, but they would now share in an intimacy with God they had not known before. This is the same hope that is given to all who place their faith in Jesus for salvation from their sins and follow Him. Jesus said in Matthew 12:50 that “whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” We also can be adopted into God’s family (Romans 8:15; Ephesians 1:5; 1 John 3:1).
There is one other thing that Jesus said before this time that is recorded, and that was to the women who had been at the tomb. Jesus told them to “go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they shall see Me” (Matthew 28:10). That was the same message the Angel had given them earlier that morning (Mattherw 28:7; Mark 16:7).
That is why the disciples are now at the Sea of Tiberias. John probably uses this name for the Sea of Galilee because it would have been more familiar to those he was writing to in Ephesus. Back in John 6:1, he used both names to explain what he was talking about. Jesus had told them to meet Him there.
The Seven Disciples – John 21:1-2
John 1:2 makes references to seven disciples that were present.
2There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the [sons] of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples. Simon Peter, Thomas and Nathanael are specifically named, two others by referencing their father, and two more disciples are left unidentified except that they were disciples.
Simon Peter was one of Jesus’ very first disciples (John 1). He was introduced to Jesus by his brother, Andrew. They were from Bethsaida on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Philip was also from that city. Peter was married and had a home in Capernaum where he and Andrew had worked as fishermen. They were good friends with James and John who were their fishing partners (Luke 5:10). Peter was bold and impulsive resulting in taking action at times before thinking things through. His boldness made him a natural leader even among the disciples. John uses both names for him here. Simon, a Greek contraction of the Hebrew, “Simeon,” was his given name. Jesus called him “Peter” (or Cephas – Aramaic) meaning, “rock.”
Simon Peter was extremely devoted to Jesus. I heard this described one time in this way. Peter followed Jesus so closely, that if Jesus stopped suddenly, Peter would run into him. That is why it is Peter that jumps out of the boat in the middle of a storm to go to Jesus who was walking on the water (Matthew 14:29). It is Peter that boasts that he would defend Jesus to his own death and later pulls out his little sword and starts swinging it until Jesus tells him to put it away (John 13:37; 18:10-11). Peter is scared, but he still goes to Jesus’ trial (John 18). It is Peter that boldly rushes into Jesus’ now empty tomb (John 20:6). It is Peter that is the first of the twelve to whom Jesus reveals Himself (Luke 24:34). Peter is devoted to Jesus.
Thomas is further identified by his nickname, “Didymus,” which means “twin.” Though people often refer to him as “doubting Thomas,” he was not really any more doubting than the other disciples, for they did not believe the report by the women of Jesus’ resurrection and only believed after they had seen Jesus themselves. Thomas was also a very devoted disciple of Jesus, but he was given to despondency (John 11:16). The crucifixion of Jesus crushed his spirit and made him skeptical, but seeing Jesus in the flesh risen from the dead reversed all that. He was now in Galilee to await the Lord’s further instructions.
Nathanael means, “God has given.” He is also referred to as Bartholomew, meanings “son of Tholmai.” He is from Cana of Galilee, which is only about five miles NNE from Nazareth where Jesus grew up. He was a seeker of the Messiah and was introduced to Jesus by his friend, Philip, at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus described Nathanael as someone without guile or deceit (John 1:45). He was a person who was up front and honest. He would speak his mind. He was a student of the Old Testament and had at first doubted that Jesus could be the Messiah since he was from Nazareth. But he learned the truth of Jesus’ origin and character and became one of Jesus’ chosen followers.
The Sons of Zebedee are James and John. Their mother, Solome, is Mary’s sister, and so they are cousins to Jesus. They had also been fishermen from the Capernaum area as Peter’s partner, so waiting for Jesus in Galilee is simply a return home for them. They were also among the first of Jesus’ disciples. They, along with Peter, made up Jesus’ inner circle which was with Him at the raising of Jarius’ daughter, at the transfiguration, and nearby when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. They were zealous for Jesus and sometimes a bit rash resulting in Jesus calling them “sons of thunder.” Jesus also had to rebuke their personal ambitions at times. But they were committed followers.
The Two Others are not identified. Some have speculated them to be Andrew and Philip, since they were both from Galilee, but why not mention their names? That has led others to consider that they could be any of the other disciples (Matthew, James the Less and Simon the Zealot), but since John has not identified them, we do not know.
Since Capernaum was where the home of Peter, James and John was located, and the place where Jesus often stayed, this is probably where they are staying while waiting for Jesus.
Personal Power – John 21:3-5
We do not know how long they waited in Galilee, but it could not have been very long. They are still in Jerusalem a week after Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus would ascend from Bethany 40 days after the resurrection (Acts 1:3; Lk 24:50). Jesus also appeared more than once in Galilee (John 21, Mt. 28). It would take at least a couple of days to travel each way to go from Jerusalem to Galilee and back. Therefore, the maximum time they could have waited would be two weeks, but for people who need to do something, even a couple of days is a long time. Peter takes action in verse 3. We are not told why he does what he does, but he goes back to what he knows.
Returning to the Old Things – John 21:3
3Simon Peter ^said to them, “I am going fishing.” They ^said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out, and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.
Peter’s reaction here is understandable for anyone who hates waiting. Goal oriented people want to accomplish something. People who fidget while waiting want to be doing something. Patience was not one of Peter’s virtues. But there is a problem here that is more than just being fidgety. Note when they go out and how long they fish.
If Peter just wanted to occupy his time while waiting, he could have done some recreational fishing, but this is serious fishing. The others decide to also go with him for a total of seven men to work the nets, and they work all night. Remember that at least, Peter, James and John had been professional fishermen. This does not give the appearance of being just a way to pass the time while waiting.
Now perhaps they were getting low on funds, and this would be a way to bring in some money. There is nothing wrong in itself about wanting to make time productive and plan for the future. However, there is a problem when you have been given a new job and you return to the old one.
We don’t know just what was in Peter’s mind when he decided to go fishing, but he should have remembered his fishing experience from three years earlier when he, Andrew, James and John had all been fishermen in partnership with each other. Jesus came along the shores of the Sea of Galilee and called them to follow Him and He would make them fishers of men (Matthew 4:18-22). They left their fishing business behind and became Jesus’ disciples. Jesus had trained them to spread the good news about the kingdom of heaven and to rely on God’s provision for their needs (Matthew 10). That should have what they were doing then, but Peter goes back to his old life of fishing and others join him in the endeavor. Jesus will teach them all a lesson about this, but it is also a lesson for each of us too.
The Failure of Their Own Wisdom and Power – John 21:4-5
4 But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus therefore ^said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.”
I am sure it was long night for these guys. Remember again that at least three of them had been professionals at this. They knew where to go, what to do, and where to do it. But they were skunked. They had not caught a thing and now it is daybreak.
We are not told why they could not recognize Jesus. They are about a hundred yards from shore (vs. 8) which is not a long distance, but far enough to make it difficult to recognize an individual you were not expecting. If there had been any mist from the lake that morning, it would have been that much more difficult to see clearly.
What is surprising here is not that they did not recognize Jesus, but their response to this stranger. Most fishermen do not mind being asked if they have caught anything, for if they have, it gives them a chance to talk about it and maybe brag a bit. A fisherman does not like to admit to not catching anything, but they can still save their pride by appearing helpful and telling the person what bait was not working that day. But how do you react when the person fields the question in the negative to begin with? The question here is not, “Have you caught anything?” It is, “You do not have any fish, do you?” And in the Greek it is phrased in a way that expects a negative answer. Most people might find that a little irritating, but they answer this stranger to them with a simple “no.” Perhaps because this stranger had called them “children” they took him to be an older gentlemen and they were just being respectful.
I am sure there were many thoughts going through their minds at that moment, but the stranger’s question would have driven one thought in deeply, “you guys have failed.” I think that is exactly what Jesus wanted them to feel at that moment. They had returned to their old profession and were relying on their own wisdom and power. He had trained them to rely on God’s wisdom and power. He points out the fact of their failure as part of the lesson. You cannot be successful in God’s kingdom if you do things by your own abilities.
That is a lesson for all of us and it is a hard lesson to learn. When we are not sure what to do or things are not working out the way we had wanted, our tendency is to go back to our old ways and habits. We return to the patterns of life, often sinful, that we had before being called by God to live for Christ. I have dealt with this many times when I am counseling. Even if the pattern is not blatantly sinful in itself, it is one that does not rely upon God, and that is bad.
The Christian life is simple in principle, but difficult to live out because of our innate sinfulness. God wants us to focus on Him. He does not want us bogged down with the things that everyone else thinks is so important such as money, possessions, fame and power. Jesus does not want us to even be concerned about the daily needs of life such as having something to eat or drink or wear. He wants our focus to be on His kingdom and His righteousness and so He promises that if we will put those first, He will take care of the rest (Matthew 6:33). My life should revolve around being used by God for the sake of His kingdom and living in holiness. Frankly, nothing else matters except serving God and being more like Jesus today than I was yesterday. If those two things are in place, then so will everything else because my priorities will be in proper order.
Money? Yes, it is needed for getting along in this life, but my God owns the world, so financing things is no problem for Him. He said he would meet my needs. Security is found in the Lord, not a fat investment portfolio. I may not have what the world has, but they do not have what I have – an eternal future in heaven. Their money is worthless to them when they die.
Possessions? I am owned by Christ therefore all the material things under my authority are possessed by Him and not me. I am simply a steward of them. I can have an open hand for their usage to advance the kingdom of God. Again, I may not have all the things the world presents as being important, but I am neither possessive of nor possessed by those things, and 2 Peter 3 points out that all of those things are going to burn up in the end anyway.
Fame? Ecclesiastes points out that fame is vanity. It is an empty chasing after the wind. Fame is a fleeting moment of time that will be forgotten (Ecclesiasties 1:11). Who was the Emperor of China in 100 A.D.? Name all the players – any of the players – in the 1972 Superbowl or World Series? What does it matter that anyone knows my name? I want them to know the name of Jesus Christ. The only place I want to make sure my name is known and written down is in heaven in the Lamb’s book of life.
Power? Position? It is also fleeting just like fame, but it is more insidious, because power brings control and I want things to work out my way. But there will always be someone with more power that will thwart your plans. Hitler had power, but he was finally crushed. Stalin had power, but his plans were stopped in country after country and now his empire has disintegrated. King Nebuchadnezzar was an absolute monarch, but he lost his mind and lived in a field like an animal until he finally recognized the sovereignty of the Most High God (Daniel 4). In the church, there is authority, but no power structure. Those with the most authority are also to be the most humble servants (Luke 24:26). The Christian is to desire to see the power of God manifested, and so like Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9, they should rather boast in their weaknesses that the power of God may dwell in them. Power? Position? Control? I would rather let God be in control, for when I am in control, things get messed up.
My goal and your goal should be to seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness and let Him take care of our needs. What you and I need to do is actively put into practice Proverbs 3:5-6 (5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight) and Psalm 37:4 (Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart).
The problem the disciples had and that we also often have is that things are not going the way we would like, so we take action by doing things according to our own wisdom and power. The disciples did not have a lot of instructions to follow while they were waiting for Jesus to come and give them further direction. That left them wondering. Sometimes we feel the same way. “Lord, what do you want me to do?” Their problem, and ours is usually the same, is that we do not follow the instructions He has given while we are waiting to see where the Lord will lead us in the details.
The disciples were to wait for Jesus in Galilee, and they had already been given Holy Spirit and commissioned to proclaim the revelation of God (John 20:21-22). They should have been trying to catch men, not fish.
We may not have all of the specific instructions we would like, but we have been given enough general principles to act on while we wait for the specifics. Are you faithful to those commands? Are you seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness? Are you loving the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself? Do the things of God fill your mind in your daily walk? Or are you falling back to the old worldly patterns of life and priorities? Are you becoming more like Jesus or your next door neighbor? What is your relationship with our Lord like?
God’s Provision – John 21:6-14
Success with God’s Wisdom and Power – John 21:6-8
Most fishermen do not want to be told what to do. That is especially true if they are fishing an area they know well. It is even more true if they have not done well. Yet the disciples receive and follow instructions from this man they do not recognize. Perhaps that is an indicator that they had been humbled by their night’s futile work.
6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you will find [a catch].” They cast therefore, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish.
God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. In this case, that grace was a large catch of fish when they humbly followed the instructions of the stranger. It is at this point that John now realizes who was instructing them. 7 That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved ^said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” And so when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped [for work]), and threw himself into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net [full] of fish.
I am sure what occurred reminded them of a similar incident recorded in Luke 5. It was a miracle that manifested who Jesus was, and a similar miracle does so again. John is the first to recognize this and he tells Peter, and Peter, man of action that he is, puts on his outer garment and immediately jumps into the sea. Since Peter is with Jesus when the boat finally makes it to shore, we know that Peter jumped in to be with Jesus the fastest way possible. The rest of the men in the boat make their way to shore dragging the net full of fish.
Jesus Meets Their Needs – John 21:9-13
9 And so when they got out upon the land, they ^saw a charcoal fire [already] laid, and fish placed on it, and bread. 10 Jesus ^said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.” 11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus ^said to them, “Come [and] have breakfast.” None of the disciples ventured to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus ^came and ^took the bread, and ^gave them, and the fish likewise.
Jesus could have reprimanded them for going fishing and not waiting for Him, but Jesus is kind and gracious. He would teach them the lesson, but He also knew they were tired and hungry and He met that immediate need too.
Jesus had them go to the nets to get some fish from their catch, but this was not because they needed them for breakfast. It was so they could sort through everything in their net and see what they had caught when they had obeyed the Lord. That is why they had a count of all fish. This was an extremely large catch as indicated by the comment added that the net was not torn. It demonstrated the miracle that had occurred. We know they did not eat any of those fish for breakfast because when they had come ashore, the found Jesus with a charcoal fire and one fish upon it (vs. 9 – ojyavrion / opsarion – Greek singular) and they all ate from that one fish (vs. 13 –ojyarivwn / opsari n – Greek singular) and not from the fishes (vs. 10 – ojyavrion / opsarion – Greek plural) they had caught. This may well have been a miracle similar to the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14) in the multiplying of the food.
The point here is simply that our God provides for us and it is better to wait for His provision and direction that striking out in our own wisdom in our own power. He has already given us plenty to do in keeping His commandments while we wait for specific leading.
Jesus Manifests Himself – John 21:14
John then adds in verse 14, This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead.
The first two manifestations to the disciples were to prove that He was really alive again. He had risen from the dead with a body that had new qualities, yet it was still of physical flesh and bone. In this manifestation Jesus shows His care and provision for them, which was an important lesson before He gave them their commission to leave Galilee and evangelize the world (Mt. 28:16-20; Mk. 16:15).
Jesus has the same care for us that He did for the disciples. He will provide for our needs as we seek first His kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33). We can cast all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).
Sermon Notes – September 22, 2019
Waiting on Jesus – John 21:1-14
Introduction
It is necessary to learn to __________ on the Lord for His direction in life (Ps 27:14; 37:7)
Goal oriented people find it frustrating to have only minimal ___________ without specific tasks to do
God is never in a __________. He will accomplish His will in His own way in His own perfect timing
God’s priority is our _____________ with Him and not the tasks we do
At the Sea of Tiberias – John 21:1
This occurs after Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances in _______________
Jesus had already _______________the Disciples to go out and given them the Holy Spirit (John 20:21-23)
They are at the Sea of Tiberias (Roman name for Sea of _______) waiting for Jesus as instructed (Mt. 28:10)
The Seven Disciples – John 21:1-2
Simon Peter _____________________________________________________
Thomas (Didymus – twin) _____________________________________________________
Nathanael _____________________________________________________
The Sons of Zebedee are James and John ____________________________________________________
Two Others who are not identified _____________________________________________________
Personal Power – John 21:3-5
The maximum time they would have waited is _______________ – it was probably much less than that
Returning to the Old Things – John 21:3
Peter gets fidgety and returns to ___________ fishing, with the others joining him
While it was not wrong to make their time productive, this was their old job and _________Jesus gave them
The Failure of Their Own Wisdom and Power – John 21:4-5
At least three of them were professionals fishing in their home waters, but they caught _____________
Distance ___________Jesus’ identity, but they answer His negative question succinctly with respect anyway
Jesus’ question pointed out they had ________- you cannot succeed in God’s kingdom by your own abilities
The tendency is to return to old habits / ways of life, but living in a way that does not ______on God is bad
The Christian life is simple in principle, but difficult in _________because it is against our innate sinfulness
The Christian life is to focus on _____________ God and serving Him as He makes you more like Jesus
Money? God owns the ___________, so security is found in Him, not portfolios and bank accounts
Possessions? I am owned by Christ so I am only a ___________of what He loans me during life on earth
Fame? It is a ______chasing after the wind. The only place your name needs to be known is the book of life
Power? Is only _____________. Christians can boast in their weaknesses because that displays God’s power
The Christian is to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness first – and __________God’s promises to provide
The disciples failed because they did not obey the ___________they did have while waiting for further ones
Follow the ____________ commands and principles while waiting for specific direction
God’s Provision – John 21:6-14
Success with God’s Wisdom and Power – John 21:6-8
The disciples receive and __________instructions from this man they do not recognize – a sign of humility?
The great catch caused John to recognize the instructions were given by ______________
Peter is a man of action and he jumps _____________ to go meet Jesus
Jesus Meets Their Needs – John 21:9-13
Jesus could have reprimanded them, but in graciousness __________ their immediate needs first
The counted the fish (153) they caught, but Jesus fed them from the bread and ____________He already had
It is better to _____for God’s provision and direction that striking out in our own wisdom in our own power
Jesus Manifests Himself – John 21:14
The first two manifestations proved He _________rose from the dead. This one shows His care & provision
Jesus cares for all His disciples and promises to provide as we _____________His kingdom & righteousness
KIDS KORNER – Parents, you are responsible to apply God’s Word to your children’s lives. Here is some help. Young Children – draw a picture about something you hear during the sermon. Explain your picture(s) to your parents at lunch. Older Children – Do one or more of the following: 1) Count how many times a reference is made to fishing or fish. 2) Talk with your parents about what the disciples should have done instead of fishing
THINK ABOUT IT! – Questions to consider in understanding the sermon and its application. How hard is it for you to wait for the Lord’s direction? Why are goal oriented people frustrated when they have nothing to do? Which is God’s priority for you – your relationship with Him or the tasks He wants you to do? Explain. Find Scripture verses that stress the importance of waiting on the Lord. When and where do the events of John 21:1-14 take place? Why were they there? Why does John reference it as the Sea of Tiberias? What commission had Jesus already given the disciples and what power was available to them to carry out His instructions? Seven disciples went fishing. Which ones are they? Why did they go fishing and what kind of fishing were they doing? Why was this a poor choice on their part? What should they have been doing? Why don’t they recognize Jesus? What is the nature of Jesus’ question to them? Why didn’t they take offense at it? Why did Jesus phrase His question in that way? What should be the Christian’s attitude about having food, drink and clothing? What should be the Christian’s priorities? Why are the pursuit of each of the following ultimately futile and what is God’s provision for the Christian in each area: Money; Possessions; Fame; Power. What should you do when you do not have specific leading from the Lord about important decisions? Why did the disciples follow the instructions of the stranger? What was John’s response to the great catch of fish? What was Peter’s response to John’s statement? Why would Peter do that? Why did Jesus tell them to bring some fish from their catch? What did Jesus actually feed them? How did that demonstrate Jesus’ power to provide? What the purpose of this post-resurrection manifestation of Jesus compared to the first two that occurred with the disciples in Jerusalem? How do we know that Jesus’ cares for us and will provide for us? What does He ask of us in return?
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