The disciples had all seen Jesus in His resurrected, glorified body. But, it was going to take some time for them to realize what was expected of them now.
John 21:1-3- After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
The disciples just went back to their old jobs- Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James and John, and two others went fishing. They sat all night in their boats with nets trying to catch fish, but they caught nothing!
John 21:4-6- But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
A man was walking on the shore and called out to the boats asking if they had caught anything. When they replied "no" He told them to cast their nets into the water on the other side.
They did what He said and they caught so many fish that the nets were too heavy to be able to drag into the boats. John remembered the time Jesus called them from their fishing boats and told them to follow Him. It was the same miracle that He had preformed then!
John 21:7-8- Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.
Peter dove into the water and swam to land while the others used a small boat to drag the full nets to shore.
John 21:9-12- As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
As they dragged the fish-full nets to shore, they were amazed that the nets hadn't broken; usually a bounty like that would rip the nets and they would be in for a long day of mending.
Jesus had a fire ready with bread. He told them to bring some of the fish that they caught and come eat.
This was a lesson that He was hoping they, and we, would learn. Remember, He told them over three years ago to follow Him and He would make them fishers of men? Jesus still wanted them to fish for men- tell others about Himself so they could get saved. He wanted them to bring those "fish" to heaven with them so that one day we could all sit down at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!
John 21:13-14- Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
Jesus had only shown Himself to His disciples as they were all together three times! He knew that soon He would go back to heaven to prepare the place for them that He had promised. While He was gone the disciples would have to be trusted to tell others about Him. And they would need a leader to do so.
Jesus already knew who would be the best leader! But, this man would need to overcome some things that were holding him back- the first being guilt.
John 21:15-17- So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Jesus first asked Peter if He loved Him more than these- perhaps Jesus motioned to the fishing equipment and the boats. Maybe Jesus wanted to know if Peter was ready to give up his occupation forever to become a "fisher of men".
Then Jesus simply asked Peter if he loved Him. Both times Peter answered the Lord yes.
Jesus asked Peter one last time if he loved Him. Peter was grieved. Why would Jesus keep asking that? Peter already answered Him! But, you see, Peter had denied even knowing the Lord three times; so, the Lord was asking him if he loved Him three times.
Peter said that he knew the Lord knew his heart; the Lord knew all! The Lord knew that Peter loved Him! The Lord answered the same as before- feed my sheep.
Not only were the disciples to be like fishermen, but they were also to be like Shepherds. Once they fished the men and the people got saved, then they would need to take care of these new Christians and make sure that they learned and grew to become "fishers" and "shepherds" themselves.
Then Jesus told Peter how he would die.
John 21:18-19- Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
Jesus wanted Peter to realize that eventually it would cost him his life to follow Jesus. One day, Peter would be killed because of telling others about Jesus.
John 21:20-23- Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
Peter did what most people normally do when they're singled out- he found someone else to point fingers at! Peter asked Jesus what John would do.
Jesus knew what all the disciples would do. But, He wanted Peter to learn to focus on his own calling, not on what others were doing.
Jesus did what He does best- He answered the question while still getting His point across.
John had a very special job ahead of him. He was not only going to be a fisher and a shepherd, but he was going to write 5 books of the New Testament! And, he was going to be the one that Jesus showed the future to. John would get to see how all of time and creation would end!
But, of course, the disciples didn't understand this. They thought that Jesus meant that John would become immortal or something. But, that wasn't what He said at all!
John 21:24-25- This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
John wrote all this down for us to learn and grow. He understood things that the other disciples didn't because of his close relationship with the Lord.
We can each become what John was called, the disciple whom Jesus loved. As we grow in our spiritual walk with Jesus Christ and as we tell others about Him we learn how precious we are to Jesus. We learn how much He loves us!
John wrote only some of the things that Jesus said. Because Jesus said and did so much while He was on the earth that there wasn't enough paper or ink to document it all!
Matthew 28:18-20- And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Jesus had a specific calling for these men- go to all the world and tell them about Himself. Once you tell them about Jesus, then they should get baptized as a show to others that they believe. And, lastly, they should teach them to do what Jesus commanded, knowing that they would never be alone!
How could they never be alone if Jesus was going back to heaven to prepare a place? Well, if you remember, Jesus said that He had to go, but He would send a Comforter. The Comforter is one of the names used for the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost is the part of the Godhead, or Trinity, that is a spirit. When a person gets saved, Jesus blood gets applied to their account of sins, and they are marked as PAID IN FULL. But, this isn't the only thing that happens! The Holy Ghost comes down and lives inside our body, separating our soul from the sinful flesh, sealing us with Jesus' blood and ensuring God's mercy, pardon, and redemption forever!
Once you are saved, you can still sin. But it is just the flesh (the body) that sins; and it is just the flesh (the body) that feels the consequences of sin.
II Corinthians 5:17- Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
I Corinthians 3:13-15- Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
After we get saved, our works are judged (not our sins). We give an account of how well we did the job of a "fisher" and a "shepherd". The works that we do for God will miraculously become gold, silver, and precious stones; while the works that we did for our own pleasures will become wood, hay, and stubble. God judges our works by fire and whatever doesn't burn up are the treasures that we earned working for God on the earth.
Whether we earn rewards or not, if we ask Jesus to forgive us of our sins and save us then we go to heaven!
Acts 1:1-5, 8-9- The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
The Lord Jesus Christ walked the earth for 40 days encouraging and teaching His disciples what it was they should do. Jesus told the disciples just before He went up to heaven that He would send the Holy Ghost and for them to wait at Jerusalem until He came.
Then they were to preach! First they would tell all the city of Jerusalem where they were. Then they would tell the Jews who lived in all of Judaea, or Israel. Next, they were to take this to the half Jew, half Gentile people who lived in Samaria. And, then, they were to go to every Gentile throughout the entire world!
Jesus wanted them to know that His message was for Jews and Gentiles alike! Anyone could be saved!
The disciples listened as they stood there and watched Jesus ride the could out of their sight.
Acts 1:10-11- And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
As they stood there looking into the sky in awe, two angels appeared and encouraged them to get to work! They also said that when Jesus returned it would be the same way He left- people would see Him coming!
Acts 1:12-15, 21-26- Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
The disciples went back into the city, into an upper room where the disciples were staying, it may have even been the same room that the disciples and Jesus ate the Last Supper in.
Peter immediately embraced his role as the leader of the disciples. He understood that the Psalms said that Judas would betray Jesus. But, he also understood that someone would need to take Judas' place.
They said the qualifications of being a disciple were that they had to have been baptized by John the Baptist and then they needed to have followed Jesus during His earthly ministry, and they also had to have been present when the Lord Jesus Christ ascended up into heaven.
They found two men present who fit those qualifications- Barsabas and Justus Matthias.
The disciples prayed and asked God to give them wisdom and guidance. Then they cast lots and Justus Matthias, whom they called Matthias, was chosen to become the 12th disciple.
Now, all they needed to do was wait for Jesus' promise of the Holy Ghost. While they waited, I'm sure they prayed and probably searched the Scriptures to learn more about the Lord Jesus Christ!
