Church On The Rock-Abilene
Sunday Morning Service - 5/18/2025
  • God Is Good (All The Time)
  • The King Is In The Room
  • Abide
  • GOODNESS OF GOD
  • Jesus, Lover of My Soul
  • Text:
    John 21:1–23 NKJV
    1 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. 15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.” 20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” 23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”
    Introduction:
    Have you ever felt stuck? Isn’t it the worst? sometimes it will drain your energy, and make you completely disoriented in your own life. If we don't take ownership of our own lives we can waste them. I don't want to wait till the last minutes or years of my life to walk in what God has called me to. I am sure you don’t either. Everybody has a calling and a purpose! most people have some kind of idea what that is. allot of Christians don’t understand that and connect that the thing that they are so good at is a gift from God. They also have never considered that their gift is someone else s miracle. they may not relly understand the cost of being stuck. this morning we are going to look at the life of the disciple who would become the apostle and learn how he recovered from personal failure and being “stuck.”

    1. The Apostle Peter is completely disoriented. So, He was stuck!

    a. Peter Denied Christ

    John 13:36–38 NKJV
    36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.” 37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” 38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.

    b. Satan asked to sift Peter.

    Luke 22:31–32 NKJV
    31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

    Jesus said, “But you shall follow Me afterward”

    -He said that in verse 36.

    After what? The answer is after the resurrection.

    (This is after the resection.)

    c. Peter has likely been feeling this way since the denial.

    John 20:3–4 NKJV
    3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the John other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.
    John outran Peter not just because he was younger, also because he must have felt guilty for not being the man that he thought he was.
    Have you ever been where Peter was that day?
    Jesus said , “ I have prayed for you that your faith will not fail; and when you have returned you shall strengthened your brothers.
    Peter is so stuck in frailer that he cant see the grace that Jesus came to bring.
    No doubt Peter felt his life was over.
    Like Joseph, what Satan meant foe evil, God will turn to good.
    Genesis 50:20 NKJV
    20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.
    Romans 8:28 NKJV
    28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
    What Peter forgot is Jesus did not hire him, He called him.

    2. Peter forgot he was called.

    Matthew 4:19–20 NKJV
    19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
    Romans 11:29 NKJV
    29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
    Peter forgot that Jesus called him and he and his brother followed Jesus.
    To forget that we are all called means that we are stuck. I have been stuck in my calling. I have been in the place where I did not feel worthy. I know some of you are squirming in your seats. I am asking you to hold your peace. I am speaking to a wound right now. I am speaking to a wound that for some has become a stronghold. That strong hold that is feeding a root of bitterness even after some restoration has occurred. In these situations we tell how we feel- and leave out what might have happened.
    He was stuck. He was around but not engaged. He did what we all do- He went back to what he knew, Fishing.
    John 21:3 NKJV
    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.
    Jesus uses Peter’s diversion into re-direction.
    John 21:4 NKJV
    4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.
    Jesus is calling back to when He called Peter and Andrew in Matthew 5:4-8. The boats almost sunk that time.
    John 21:5–6 NKJV
    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.
    John, (of course, it had to be John who also went to the cross) he recognizes the Lord, He says its the Lord.
    Peter puts his clothes on and swims to the shore, because he knows he has to come to Jesus. Often times we want to fall into the trap of trying to get ourselves together and come to Jesus all bright and shiny. We didn’t come to Jesus that way, we cant walk with Jesus that way. We have to come the way we are. He had to come to Jesus and so do we.

    3. In order to be “unstuck,” Peter had to come to Jesus.

    John 21:15–19 NKJV
    15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”

    a. How many times did Peter deny Jesus?

    b. How many times does Jesus say feed my sheep or lambs?

    c. Jesus took Peter back to each denial and restored him.

    many times when we are stuck we need restoration. Sometimes I may need to own my behavior and make an apology and drop my judgement. Then we can be restored.
    sometimes we don't need to do that we simply need to make some changes and get of the bench.
    We need to stark walking in our role and let our brothers and sisters be present for our restoration.
    Conclusion:
    A person can get stuck in any aspect of life. We can get stuck in our families and disengage. We can get stuck in our marriages and disengage. We can feel past over at work and get stuck. Like Peter we can think we are strong and find out we are much weaker than we ever imagined. Also like Peter we can find that Jesus is not surprised and disappointed. Like peter we can discover that we are called. Also like Peter we can discover that the only way to where we are going is through Jesus! If you are stuck today the prayer team is here to go with you to the throne of grace. Wont you come now and receive the healing and restoration that Jesus bought for you? It’s paid for, it’s for you, come and recieve it!

      • John 21:1–23NKJV

      • John 13:36–38NKJV

      • Luke 22:31–32NKJV

      • John 20:3–4NKJV

      • Genesis 50:20NKJV

      • Romans 8:28NKJV

      • Matthew 4:19–20NKJV

      • Romans 11:29NKJV

      • John 21:3NKJV

      • John 21:4NKJV

      • John 21:5–6NKJV

      • John 21:15–19NKJV

Church On The Rock-Abilene
churchontherockabilene@gmail.com
3256725446
https://church-on-the-rock-abilene-tx.faithlifesites.com
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