The Ups and Downs of Serving Christ in a Fallen World

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: John 21:1-25

 

Galatians 6:9

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

(NKJV)

 

To achieve the level of a doctor, I wrote a dissertation about the importance of mentoring the next generation. The focus was on individuals who felt a calling to ministry and currently serve in ministry, to discover how they were mentored through the process. Many of those interviewed mentioned the ups and downs of ministry, with one even saying it is not all unicorns and rainbows. In this text, we have Peter, who experienced the low of denying Jesus three times and returning to fishing, reinstated to ministry by the Lord.

 

Jesus is about to appear to a group of disciples for the third time (John 21:1). This group consists of Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples (John 21:2). Peter decides to go fishing with the others following, the profession they had before following Jesus, but they caught nothing (John 21:3). This is when Jesus appears to them, asking if they caught any fish, to which they answer no (John 21:4-5). Jesus then makes a strange request by telling them to cast the net on the other side of the boat (John 21:6). Since this group of disciples did not know the man on the shore was Jesus, it is possible they complied to show how foolish his command was. However, a miracle did occur when they brought in more fish than they could manage (John 21:6).

 

This is when John recognizes that the man on the shore is Jesus, with Peter putting on his outer garment and diving into the sea (John 21:7). The other disciples brought the boat and the fish to shore (John 21:8). As soon as they reached shore, they saw a fire of coals with fish already on it and Jesus asks them to bring the fish they just caught (John 21:9-10). It was Peter who dragged the net containing 153 large fish with the net miraculously not broken to Jesus (John 21:11). This is the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples, this time having breakfast with them, with none of them asking who Jesus was (John 21:12-14).

Jesus then asks Peter to come to Him and asks him if he Loves Him and Peter replies that the Lord knows he loves Him, with Jesus telling Peter to feed his lambs (John 21:15). Jesus asks Peter a second time if he loves Him and Peter again responds with the Lord knowing he loves Him, with the Lord this time telling Peter to tend His sheep (John 21:16). The Lord asks Peter a third time if he loves Him and this time Peter is grieved and responds with the Lord knowing all things and knowing that he loves Him with Jesus telling him to feed His sheep (John 21:17). Jesus then signifies how Peter will die bringing glory to God and commands Peter to follow Him (John 21:18-19).

 

Peter then points to John and asks what will become of Him with Jesus telling him not to be concerned with that by telling him it is His will if he should die or remain till He returns (John 21:20-22). This started the erroneous rumor that John would live until the return of Jesus, something we know to be false since John died on the island of Patmos (John 21:23). The book of John ends with John validating his testimony as true with many other miracles done by Jesus, but not enough books to write them all down (John 21:24-25).

 

Jesus has appeared to the disciples twice in a locked room (John 20:19-29) and now appears by the Sea of Galilee. This shows us that the initial fear of retaliation is subsiding, with the disciples not afraid to venture outside. It also indicates a desire on their part to return to what they did before following Jesus, especially for Peter who decides to go fishing, but the Lord had other plans for Peter.

 

The Lord had one more miracle for those who returned to fishing. He appeared to them a third time, this time cooking them breakfast on the shore. He cries out to the disciples and asks if they have caught any fish, and since they have not, Jesus tells them to do something strange, to try fishing from the other side of the boat. They do as this strange guy on the shore tells them, possibly trying to prove him wrong, only to bring in a haul of fish they can hardly manage. Jesus reinstates Peter and puts him in charge of tending to the flock, the Church, which will take the Gospel to the world.

 

Following Christ has its ups and downs. The hope of eternal life with the Lord as promised in John 3:16 is an up. Knowing that the Lord is returning as promised by the angels when He ascended (Acts 1:9-11) and in the book of Revelation (Revelation 19:11-16) is definitely an up. However, ministry can also have its downs, like the disciples felt after the crucifixion of the Lord, secluding themselves in a locked room out of fear (John 20:19). In ministry, and we all have a ministry, these down times may make one want to quit and return to what we did before entering ministry, like Peter going fishing (John 21:). However, the Lord will come into our lives at these times and focus us on ministry as He did with Peter.

 

Jesus told his disciples and us that in this world there would be trouble (John 16:33) with Paul telling the Galatians not to grow weary in well doing (Galatians 6:9). Serving the Lord in a fallen world is difficult and even dangerous, but we must not allow that to stop us for what we do is not by our own strength but through the strength of the Holy Spirit within us (Zechariah 4:6). Please join me in learning to rely on the strength of God’s Spirit and to put on the full armor of God and pray continually (Ephesians 6:10-18).

 

If you are reading this and have never made a public profession of your belief in Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection to be saved (Romans 10:9-10), I invite you to pray with me now.

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

Let someone know of your profession of faith or comment on this post. I also urge you to find a church teaching from the Bible so you can grow in your faith. May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post.