24 April 2022

WHEN THE EXCITEMENT DIES DOWN

Speaker: Fred Sigle

SUNDAY LESSON, 4/24/22
 
WHEN THE EXCITEMENT DIES DOWN
John 21:1-17
 
Can you imagine the excitement that the disciples of Jesus experienced when they saw the risen Christ?
On that Friday they saw the lifeless body of their Lord, the One in whom they placed their complete faith, hanging on a cross.  Whatever they thought Jesus as the Christ meant to the nation of Israel and the entire world, was no more.  Jesus was dead!   And so was their hope.
But then on that Sunday evening Jesus appeared to His disciples who were cowering behind closed doors.  The apostle John records, “The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord” (John 20:20).  But then Jesus left.  It wasn’t until a week later they saw Him a second time.   He left again.  No instructions.  No missions.  No goodbyes.
Whatever excitement they felt on resurrection Sunday was now waning.  So, what does the majority of the eleven remaining apostles do?  They go fishing.
Easter Sunday was an exciting time for GCC.  Many of our church family that we haven’t seen for months and even years, were back worshipping with us.  What a glorious day!   But what will this Sunday look like when the excitement dies down?
Come join us Sunday as we study how some of the apostles responded WHEN THE EXCITEMENT DIED DOWN, and then look at what we can do to maintain our excitement for Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
JOHN 21:1-17

Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.[a] It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus[b]), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “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.

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

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.

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved 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. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.[c] When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Jesus Reinstates Peter

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

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

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.