2nd Sunday after Easter: Date: April 10, 2016
– THE SERMON: John 21:1-14
Theme: Recognizing the Presence of Our Living Savior
in Our Lives.
I. Living Our Lives.
II. Jesus Makes His Presence Known.
III. Knowing It is the Lord.
( Pastor Theodore Barthels )
Bulletin: Read Bulletin
Sermon: Read Sermon
THE ORDER OF SERVICE: p. 5 (238:3-5)
HYMNS: 364; 356; 362:1,4 409:4
THE EPISTLE LESSON: Revelation 2:1-5
In the seven letters to the churches Jesus would encourage us in the faith. In this letter Jesus commends the congregation for opposing evil, and for opposing false apostles, those who would corrupt the true teachings of Scripture. However, the lesson we all need to recall is that we not leave our first love. Our zeal for the gospel can easily diminish as we get caught up in the cares and pursuits of this temporal life. It is all too easy for us to take Jesus and our salvation for granted. Let us repent, and pray the Spirit grant us a renewed appreciation of our Savior’s grace in our lives.
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON: Ezekiel 34:23-31
Ezekiel prophesies of the result of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus is established as the One who guides and directs us in life. He keeps us safe from the dangers surrounding us in this world. He establishes a covenant of peace between us and the Lord our God. He cares for us as for His flock. He reminds us that we are merely human, but He is our God.
Sermon
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
2100 16th Street SW
Austin, MN 55912-1749
Pastor Ted Barthels
Sermon preached on
April 10, 2016
2nd Sunday after Easter
Scripture Lessons: Ezekiel 34:23-31; Revelation 2:1-5
Hymns: 364; 356; 362:1,4 409:4 (238:3-5)
Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sermon Text: John 21:1-14
After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”
They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. 4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”
They answered Him, “No.”
6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.
7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. 9 Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”
11 Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.
14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead. (NKJV)
This is the Word of God.
Sanctify us, oh Lord, through Your truth. Your Word is truth. Amen.
In Christ Jesus, Our Risen Savior, fellow Redeemed:
INTRO: Easter Dynamics
This is really something that we need to appreciate on different levels. That the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is a dynamic event should come as no surprise to any of us who believe. We have read of the impact that Jesus’ appearances had on those who believed in Him. It filled their hearts with joy to know that their Lord was alive again. We are careful to point out all the spiritual blessings that flow out of this truth. Jesus’ resurrection demonstrates God satisfaction with the sacrifice Jesus made for our sins, and so we are justified. Jesus’ resurrection demonstrates that resurrection is real, and that we too shall rise from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection shows Jesus is who He claimed to be, the Christ the Son of God; and that Jesus’ word is true.
The disciples on the road to Emmaus were blessed to have the Risen Lord Jesus open their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures. The disciples in the upper room received the blessing of the Lord’s peace not only for themselves, but with the instruction that whoever sins they forgave would be forgiven.
To say that Jesus’ resurrection was a dynamic event that powerfully impacts all who believe covers so much, and yet with today’s text the Spirit reveals that there is even more to the power of Jesus’ resurrection for us to appreciate as the Spirit leads us in —
THEME: Recognizing the Presence of Our Living
Savior in Our Lives.
What we see with the disciples happens with us all. We rejoice in the Savior’s resurrection and then we proceed with —
I. Living Our Lives.
They had been told to go back to Galilee and there Jesus would appear to them. That is exactly what they did. But then what? These men gathered by the sea shore near where many of them had their homes. Peter simply stated that he was going to do what he had spent so much of his life doing. He was going to go out fishing. That was how he had made a living for most of his life, and so Peter and the others with him went out with a small boat fishing with their commercial fishing nets.
They spent the entire night out doing what they knew how to do. Peter and Andrew, and James and John were all experienced professionals plying their trade that night, but they were frustrated in their endeavor. They worked hard all night without catching anything.
Is their frustration something we can relate to? The Lord gives each of us different gifts and abilities that we might use them. This is the way life is. And it is our desire to use the abilities that God has given us to provide for ourselves and our loved ones while we wait for the Lord’s appearing. Yes, we appreciate all that the Lord has done for us in securing our salvation, and then we go forward as the Lord Himself directs us, and expects us to do, and we often find ourselves frustrated in using our gifts and abilities. We don’t see any success in a particular endeavor, or in a certain aspect of our daily life.
Maybe our frustration isn’t always work related. Maybe it is in a young person’s hope to find a God fearing spouse, or maybe it is in finding a resolution to a health problem, or maybe it is in the challenge of raising children in the fear and love of the Lord. What each of these situations has in common is that the child of God seeks to follow the Lord’s will for daily life, and experiences the frustration of feeling powerless to succeed. It may be all the more frustrating for the child of God because it often appears to us that the unbeliever, yes, the wicked and the mocker seem to gain the advantage in this life, and have an easier time gaining success in their endeavors in life.
But then the child of God is blessed when —
II. Jesus Makes His Presence Known.
In our text Jesus comes on the scene, but is not recognized by the disciples. It is still early morning and they are 300 yards off shore. He asks if they have any food, and receives the negative answer that He of course already knew. It is important for us to remember that these were professional fisherman who didn’t know it was Jesus talking to them from shore. When He told them to cast their nets on the other side of their boat they did as the Lord commanded; such is the authority of Jesus’ word. Then the nets were suddenly full of fish; such is the power of Jesus’ word!
This was a clear testimony to the power of Jesus as our risen Lord. Jesus intervened in a normal everyday occurrence. These men were out fishing. It was not the first time that they had fished all night without success. It was also not the first time that Jesus had intervened in this way, granting them a miraculous catch of fish.
What does this tell us? Many things that still apply to us. Jesus knows what is going on in our everyday lives, even in our workaday lives. He directs things for our good and blessing, even when we may perceive the events in our lives as being frustrating.
Sometimes when things turn around in our lives it is because the Lord is using the appearance of natural events to bless us in more than one way. He is present in our lives and directs events for our good and blessing first spiritually and eternally, and then also temporally. He knows that we have needs, and He also knows that He has set us up in life to work and interact with others in this world to fulfill those needs, be those needs work related, or medical or even social. Jesus is always near, always watching over us, always guiding and directing the affairs of our lives for our good and blessing.
We have a risen and living Savior who is active in our lives, a power in our lives, a dynamic influence who cares for us and would have us prosper. The Lord assures us:
Jeremiah 29:11-12 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
On that day on the shore of the Sea of Galilee by the time the disciples got to shore Jesus had breakfast prepared for them with fish that they had not caught. At the same time they were blessed with a great catch of 153 large fish. Because of Jesus’ blessing they had a most successful night of fishing. The way it came to pass it resulted with them —
Right away, as soon as the nets filled with fish, John told Peter, “It is the Lord!” Peter grabbed his clothes and dove into the sea to swim the 300 yards to shore that he might worship Jesus. When the others landed Jesus served them bread and fish, yet they were perplexed by the whole situation. He was different. Of course Jesus was different. He was not only risen, He was glorified. His state of humiliation had come to an end. And yet He served them!
They recognized the Lord Jesus, and yet they didn’t! They wouldn’t ask, “Who is this?” They couldn’t ask, “knowing it was the Lord (v.12)!
So we need to recognize the Lord in our lives. Sometimes it may be a bit perplexing. It is hard for us to comprehend all the “ins and outs” of the Lord’s working in our lives. He makes things happen that appear natural, and yet we know it is the Lord. He showers us with His blessing, and yet on other occasions we wonder if He is there at all. We wonder if He cares. We wonder if He hears our prayers, our concerns, sees our tears. Our risen Lord lives to make intercession for us before the throne of God. This is not only about the wondrous grace of securing forgiveness for our abundant sins, but also taking all our worries, and heartaches, and distresses, our trials and tribulations before the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and receive the grace to help in time of need.
Yes, Jesus our risen Savior is now glorified, but He lives to continue to care for us in all ways. He lives and continues to serve us in the greatness of His love for us. So let us go forward, even when we are a bit perplexed, recognizing the Lord’s hand in our lives. Let us go forward knowing that as the Lord delivers us we need to recognize that it is indeed the Lord who blesses us and cares for us in all our need. The Spirit has opened our hearts so that we proceed in life knowing it is the Lord!
“He lives to bless me with His love,
He lives to plead for me above,
He lives my hungry soul to feed,
He lives to help in time of need.
“He lives to grant me rich supply,
He lives to guide me with His eye,
He lives to comfort me when faint,
He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.
“He lives to silence all my fears,
He lives to wipe away my tears,
He lives to calm my troubled heart,
He lives all blessings to impart.”
(The Lutheran Hymnal 200:3-5)
AMEN.
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Amen. (Romans15:13)