Just a coincidence? - CONFIRMATION
Speaker: Chris Edwards
Date: 14th April 2024
Passage: John 21:1-25
00:00:00 --> 00:00:06 Good morning everyone. How are you? Good? Feeling comfy? That's good.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 We're going to look at this passage together from John's Gospel.
00:00:13 --> 00:00:17 It's kind of a strange little passage though, don't you think?
00:00:17 --> 00:00:22 I mean, if I was Steven Spielberg, if I'd been writing the movie of what's just happened,
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 then I'm not sure I would have put this bit in.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:32 You see, Jesus has told his disciples that he would be betrayed, and he was.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 He's told them he'd be arrested, and he was.
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 He's told them he'd be killed, and he was.
00:00:39 --> 00:00:42 He also told them he'd be raised from the dead, and he was.
00:00:43 --> 00:00:48 And so in terms of the story, it's all sort of come to this great climax, the crescendo,
00:00:48 --> 00:00:57 was that Jesus, crucified on the cross, buried in a grave, is now alive again, and he has appeared.
00:00:57 --> 00:01:00 And he's appeared to the disciples, those who are following him.
00:01:00 --> 00:01:01 He's appeared. He's alive again.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 And then John, at the end of chapter 20, says,
00:01:05 --> 00:01:12 These things have been written so that you can know, so that you can believe that Jesus is the Christ.
00:01:12 --> 00:01:13 He's the one that was promised.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:15 He's the Messiah.
00:01:16 --> 00:01:21 And by believing in him, you can have eternal life.
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 And at that point, if I was Steven Spielberg, it would be,
00:01:24 --> 00:01:30 and the curtain would come down, and the credits would roll, and we go, wow, that was awesome.
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 But we've got chapter 21.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:32 It's done.
00:01:33 --> 00:01:34 It's like he keeps going.
00:01:35 --> 00:01:36 In fact, the first word, did you see?
00:01:36 --> 00:01:37 After these things.
00:01:38 --> 00:01:38 Afterwards.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:40 After these things.
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 You think, but the climax has happened.
00:01:43 --> 00:01:44 So what now?
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 What's in this bit here?
00:01:49 --> 00:01:54 I think we need to concentrate a little bit this morning together to see what God is saying.
00:01:54 --> 00:02:01 For as Steve has rightly said, we should not harden our hearts if we hear God speak.
00:02:02 --> 00:02:06 And so God is going to speak through his word to us.
00:02:07 --> 00:02:13 Let's open our eyes, our ears, our minds, and our hearts so that we might hear from him.
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 So I'm going to pray, and we'll listen to what he has to say, shall we?
00:02:16 --> 00:02:24 Dear Father, we thank you for your word, and we thank you that it's been preserved in a way that we can have such easy access to it.
00:02:25 --> 00:02:32 I pray this morning as I speak, I'll be clear and careful with what you've given us so that we might hear you speak.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:39 I do pray, as we already have, that we would not harden our hearts, but that we would receive your word.
00:02:39 --> 00:02:40 Amen.
00:02:40 --> 00:02:40 Amen.
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 Well, I don't know why you're here this morning.
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 Well, I guess you're here for church, right?
00:02:47 --> 00:02:48 But I don't know what's brought you.
00:02:48 --> 00:02:54 I don't know whether someone invited you or whether you come regularly because you're part of the family.
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 I don't know whether you're here because of the confirmation.
00:02:57 --> 00:03:01 I know that the people sitting in the front row always sit in the front row like this, right?
00:03:01 --> 00:03:02 Yeah, no, no.
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 It's not a coincidence.
00:03:06 --> 00:03:10 In fact, I'm not sure that anyone is here by coincidence.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 You know what a coincidence is, don't you?
00:03:14 --> 00:03:22 A coincidence is a remarkable alignment of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection,
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 which is a dictionary definition.
00:03:24 --> 00:03:32 I mean, it's basically saying it's when things line up without any kind of apparent reason for them lining up.
00:03:32 --> 00:03:38 Maybe you didn't know the confirmation was on today.
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 So you might say, oh, what a coincidence.
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 Maybe you didn't know I was speaking today.
00:03:44 --> 00:03:45 That would be a coincidence, wouldn't it?
00:03:46 --> 00:03:46 You just turned up.
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 Although, I do have a friend here this morning, David.
00:03:49 --> 00:03:50 He knew I was going to be speaking.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:51 David's from Adelaide.
00:03:52 --> 00:03:52 Welcome, David.
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 It's not a coincidence.
00:03:57 --> 00:03:58 I don't believe in coincidences.
00:03:58 --> 00:04:05 See, I believe that God is behind everything.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 So it's not an accident that you're here.
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 It's not an accident that we're looking at John 21.
00:04:11 --> 00:04:15 It's not an accident that we have the opportunity to be here together.
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 I don't think it's an accident.
00:04:17 --> 00:04:22 Now, I don't, at the same time, think it's terrible to say there are coincidences.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:27 Because so long as what you're saying is, wow, I didn't realise those things were going on.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:32 But God has a very, very clear plan.
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 And he wants you to know him.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:42 And I think he uses events, even like this morning, so that you might get to know him better.
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 Here's the question that I have for you right now, though.
00:04:46 --> 00:04:50 Are you prepared to be open to God and to get to know him better?
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 Or do you just sort of come and tick the box and say hello to your friends and go home?
00:04:56 --> 00:04:59 Well, why would you need to get to know him better?
00:04:59 --> 00:05:06 And I, look, I wrote this sermon during this week, preparing for today.
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 I had no idea that what was going to happen in Westfield at Bondi yesterday.
00:05:09 --> 00:05:14 I had no idea that Iran was going to launch into Israel.
00:05:17 --> 00:05:23 But both of those things, and no doubt other things that are going on in your life,
00:05:25 --> 00:05:28 should convince us that actually we need to be in touch with God.
00:05:28 --> 00:05:33 We need to understand that he is the sovereign one who is in control of everything.
00:05:34 --> 00:05:35 There are no accidents.
00:05:36 --> 00:05:37 There are no coincidences.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 God is sovereign over everything.
00:05:41 --> 00:05:45 And we need to realise and understand some important things.
00:05:45 --> 00:05:51 And that, as I consider this passage, is exactly what John 21 is doing.
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 John, who was the disciple Jesus loved.
00:05:54 --> 00:05:59 John, who was known in the early church as the theologian.
00:05:59 --> 00:06:04 It was John who, other writers in the Bible describe what God was like.
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 But it was John who said, this is what God is.
00:06:08 --> 00:06:09 God is spirit and truth.
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 God is light.
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 God is love.
00:06:13 --> 00:06:16 John was the great theologian of the early church.
00:06:16 --> 00:06:23 And he has deliberately, not coincidentally, not accidentally, he has deliberately given us chapter 21,
00:06:23 --> 00:06:28 so that we can understand about the sovereignty of God.
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 Of who's in charge.
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 Of who we need to come to and learn from.
00:06:33 --> 00:06:36 So, if you've got a Bible, open it up.
00:06:36 --> 00:06:42 If it's on your phone or your tablet or your other device, whatever you have, please open up.
00:06:42 --> 00:06:42 John 21.
00:06:43 --> 00:06:49 And you'll find seven disciples back on the boats, once again working with their hands, working in a very humble role.
00:06:49 --> 00:06:50 They were fishermen.
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 In the ancient world, fishermen were not wealthy.
00:06:54 --> 00:06:58 Fishermen were actually just sort of the second level up from poverty.
00:06:58 --> 00:07:07 We do know from archaeological work that about nine out of ten people lived in abject poverty around Galilee.
00:07:07 --> 00:07:08 Nine out of ten.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:12 Ninety percent of the people lived what we call a subsistence life.
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 In other words, they had food for today.
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 And it wasn't a Krispy Kreme donut, let me tell you.
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 They had a very, very poor diet.
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 Well, Krispy Kreme's not a great diet either, just quietly.
00:07:24 --> 00:07:28 But they had an incredibly poor diet.
00:07:29 --> 00:07:40 And we know that because of the way that their bodies, when they were buried, were affected by their diet, their bone structure, their bone density.
00:07:40 --> 00:07:44 It's amazing what archaeologists have discovered.
00:07:45 --> 00:07:48 But we know that fishermen were probably second to the poorest.
00:07:49 --> 00:07:50 The richest people were landowners.
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 Most of them didn't live in Galilee.
00:07:53 --> 00:07:53 They owned the land.
00:07:54 --> 00:07:58 But they lived somewhere nice like Tiberias or Sepphorus or even in Jerusalem.
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 And they had people managing their properties for them.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 And then the next level down were the fishermen.
00:08:03 --> 00:08:08 And then the lowest of the low were people called tectones.
00:08:08 --> 00:08:10 Tectones were people who worked with stone.
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 That's where we get, that's the Greek word.
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 The English word would be tectonic.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 You know, tectonic plates when they have an earthquake.
00:08:17 --> 00:08:21 Tectones were the poorest of the poor.
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 And you know what the English word for tectone is?
00:08:24 --> 00:08:24 Carpenter.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:28 Jesus was a tectone.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:30 The poorest of the poor.
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 Well, you knew that, didn't you?
00:08:32 --> 00:08:33 You remember Christmas?
00:08:34 --> 00:08:35 Where was he laid?
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 In a manger.
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 They were the poorest of the poor.
00:08:41 --> 00:08:45 He grew up in the poorest group in society.
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 These fishermen were not much better.
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 And here they are.
00:08:49 --> 00:08:51 They are back on their boats.
00:08:51 --> 00:08:54 We know that Peter and John had no silver and gold.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 They told a beggar as much in Jerusalem.
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 But they are incredibly poor.
00:09:00 --> 00:09:05 And they've lived for the last three years on the generosity of others.
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 They've been following Jesus for three years.
00:09:08 --> 00:09:13 As he taught, as he did miracles, as he did all kinds of signs and wonders.
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 They've followed him.
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 And for three years, people have taken care of them.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:22 Their generosity meant that the disciples could eat.
00:09:22 --> 00:09:28 We know that Lazarus and his sisters, for example, hosted them in their home and looked after them.
00:09:28 --> 00:09:34 We know that through many of the gospel accounts, they stayed with people who fed them and looked after them and gave them money.
00:09:35 --> 00:09:38 But now, their rabbi, their teacher, has gone.
00:09:41 --> 00:09:44 And I guess they're figuring, if the rabbi is gone, our money is gone.
00:09:45 --> 00:09:46 We'd better go back to work.
00:09:46 --> 00:09:47 You'd think that, wouldn't you?
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 You would think, if he's gone, how are we going to live?
00:09:52 --> 00:09:52 I don't know.
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 We'll go back to what we know.
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 We go back to fishing.
00:09:56 --> 00:10:00 And I'm convinced that they were completely confused by what had happened.
00:10:01 --> 00:10:04 And when you are confused, what do you do?
00:10:05 --> 00:10:06 You do what you know best.
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 If you're confused, you go to what you know.
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 Because that at least is secure and safe.
00:10:12 --> 00:10:14 They're confused.
00:10:15 --> 00:10:23 Because their leader, who had taught them so many things that were mind-blowing, who'd shown them so many things that were astounding.
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 People who were healed of disease.
00:10:25 --> 00:10:28 People who were blind, who could see.
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 People who were raised from the dead.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 They saw him do all that.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 They saw him walk on water.
00:10:34 --> 00:10:38 And now he's gone.
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 That's kind of confusing.
00:10:41 --> 00:10:44 Not only gone, they saw him killed and buried.
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 And then they saw him raised.
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 But where is he now?
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 They're confused.
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 So they go back to what they know best.
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 They go back to fishing.
00:10:55 --> 00:11:01 But did you pick up the coincidence that John is making really clear here?
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 Because, again, I don't believe in coincidences.
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 But look at the coincidence.
00:11:06 --> 00:11:06 Where are they?
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 Sea of Galilee.
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 Sea of Tiberias.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:14 It's actually a massive big lake in Israel.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:16 But listen to Mark chapter 1.
00:11:16 --> 00:11:45 I wonder if Peter, James and John, who are mentioned in John 21,
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 who are in their boat again fishing,
00:11:48 --> 00:11:50 who are again on the Sea of Galilee,
00:11:50 --> 00:11:54 I wonder if they picked up the coincidence here.
00:11:54 --> 00:11:58 I wonder if it came home with peculiar power.
00:11:59 --> 00:12:04 That they're back in the place, the very place where Jesus called them.
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 I wouldn't be surprised if it did.
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 Listen to Luke's account of what happened.
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 This is from Luke chapter 5.
00:12:10 --> 00:12:13 When Jesus had finished speaking,
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 he said to Simon Peter,
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 to put out into the deep water,
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 let down the nets for a catch.
00:12:19 --> 00:12:22 This is three years ago from this moment.
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 So Simon answered,
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 Master, we've worked hard all night.
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 We haven't caught anything.
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 But because you say so,
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 I'll let down the nets.
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 When they'd done so,
00:12:32 --> 00:12:35 they caught such a large number of fish
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 that their nets began to break.
00:12:37 --> 00:12:41 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them.
00:12:41 --> 00:12:44 They came and filled both boats so full,
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 they began to sink.
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 When Simon Peter saw this,
00:12:49 --> 00:12:52 he and all his companions were astonished
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 at the catch of fish they'd taken.
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 And so were James and John,
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 the sons of Zebedee,
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 Simon's partners.
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 Do you get this?
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 These same people
00:13:01 --> 00:13:04 on the same waterway,
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 in the same boats,
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 doing the same job.
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 Jesus called them three years before
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 and said,
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 come and follow me.
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14 And I will make you gather people,
00:13:14 --> 00:13:16 no longer gathering fish.
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 I will make you fishers of men.
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 So come and follow me.
00:13:22 --> 00:13:22 And where are they?
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 They're back on the Sea of Galilee,
00:13:24 --> 00:13:27 fishing for fish.
00:13:29 --> 00:13:31 And not only back on the Sea of Galilee,
00:13:32 --> 00:13:34 but when Jesus said,
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 cast your net over,
00:13:37 --> 00:13:39 they have a miraculous catch.
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 The first time,
00:13:40 --> 00:13:41 so big,
00:13:42 --> 00:13:44 that their nets began to break
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 and the boats began to sink.
00:13:46 --> 00:13:46 This time,
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 the catch is so big,
00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 they can't even get it into the boat.
00:13:51 --> 00:13:53 Do you think that they might have just gone,
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 hang on,
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 we've been here before.
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 This has happened before.
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 Hang on,
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 is this just a coincidence?
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 Do you think?
00:14:03 --> 00:14:06 Or do you think Jesus is actually saying,
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 do you remember when I called you?
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 Do you remember why I called you?
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 Do you remember what I did?
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 Do you remember when I told you
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 to bring in the fish?
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 Do it again.
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 Do you remember?
00:14:21 --> 00:14:24 Do you see who I am?
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 But there's another thing.
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 How could they miss that coincidence?
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 But then there's another thing.
00:14:32 --> 00:14:35 When they pull in this massive catch
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 of fish,
00:14:38 --> 00:14:42 they're reminded of his incredible power.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:47 And they're reminded of the way they followed.
00:14:48 --> 00:14:49 But for Peter,
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52 there's an incredible reminder that's coming.
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 You see,
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 when Peter sees Jesus,
00:14:55 --> 00:14:57 he jumps out of the boat,
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 goes in,
00:14:58 --> 00:14:58 onto the beach,
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 and Jesus is there cooking fish.
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 Did you notice that,
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 by the way?
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 He doesn't need their catch of fish.
00:15:05 --> 00:15:07 He's already got fish.
00:15:07 --> 00:15:09 Did you notice also
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 that he's got bread,
00:15:12 --> 00:15:12 fish,
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 and bread.
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 Did you notice that?
00:15:15 --> 00:15:17 Do you think that's a coincidence?
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 That here by Galilee,
00:15:20 --> 00:15:23 he's about to feed them with fish and bread.
00:15:23 --> 00:15:23 Gee,
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 I wonder if that's happened before.
00:15:25 --> 00:15:28 In John chapter 6,
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 there is a moment
00:15:30 --> 00:15:32 by the Sea of Galilee
00:15:32 --> 00:15:35 when crowds are following Jesus.
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 And Jesus turns to the disciples
00:15:38 --> 00:15:41 and he says to Philip,
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 let's feed them.
00:15:44 --> 00:15:46 Let me read to you from John chapter 6.
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 When Jesus looked up
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 and saw a great crowd coming,
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 he turned to Philip and he said,
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 where will we buy bread
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 for these people to eat?
00:15:53 --> 00:15:55 He asked this only to test him
00:15:55 --> 00:15:57 for he already had in mind
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 what he was going to do.
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 Philip answered him,
00:15:59 --> 00:16:01 it would take more than half a year's wages
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 to buy enough bread
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 for each one to have a bite.
00:16:04 --> 00:16:06 Another of his disciples,
00:16:07 --> 00:16:07 Andrew,
00:16:08 --> 00:16:10 the same names keep popping up,
00:16:10 --> 00:16:12 Simon Peter's brother spoke up,
00:16:13 --> 00:16:15 he's a boy with five small barley loaves
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 and two small fish,
00:16:16 --> 00:16:18 but how will they go so far
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 among so many?
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 And Jesus answered,
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 have the people sit down,
00:16:21 --> 00:16:23 there's plenty of grass in that place,
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 they sat down,
00:16:23 --> 00:16:26 about 5 men were there.
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 Jesus took the loaves,
00:16:28 --> 00:16:28 gave thanks
00:16:28 --> 00:16:30 and distributed to those
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 who were seated
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 as much as they wanted.
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 He did the same with the fish.
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 Do you get it?
00:16:39 --> 00:16:41 Fish and bread.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:43 He's done this before
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 by the Sea of Galilee.
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 It's no coincidence
00:16:46 --> 00:16:48 what's on the menu for breakfast
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 that day
00:16:49 --> 00:16:51 because he wants them to remember
00:16:51 --> 00:16:51 because he wants them to remember
00:16:51 --> 00:16:53 that he is the one
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 who miraculously fed
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 thousands of people.
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 He is the one
00:16:57 --> 00:16:59 who's in control of everything.
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 He is the one
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 who is the sovereign
00:17:01 --> 00:17:03 who can even defeat death.
00:17:04 --> 00:17:04 He is the one.
00:17:04 --> 00:17:06 Have you forgotten that?
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 Why have you gone fishing again?
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 And when that miracle happened,
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 do you remember that story
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 with the feeding of the 5?
00:17:14 --> 00:17:16 Do you remember how many baskets
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 were left over?
00:17:17 --> 00:17:19 There were 12 baskets
00:17:19 --> 00:17:21 of fish and bread left over
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 after Jesus had fed everyone.
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 And I reckon it's like the show bag
00:17:24 --> 00:17:26 for each of the disciples.
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 There's 12 of them.
00:17:27 --> 00:17:27 There you go.
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 One each.
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 Take that home
00:17:29 --> 00:17:29 and just remember.
00:17:30 --> 00:17:30 Fish and bread.
00:17:31 --> 00:17:31 I'll look after you.
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 I will care for you.
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 I'm in charge.
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 I am sovereign of everything.
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 God is in control.
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 I think they've forgotten.
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 They've gone fishing again
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 because they're so confused.
00:17:42 --> 00:17:48 But just after Jesus fed them
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 and gave them their show bags,
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 he said this,
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 Do not work for food that spoils,
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 but for food that endures
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 to eternal life,
00:17:58 --> 00:18:00 which the Son of Man will give you.
00:18:00 --> 00:18:00 Do you hear that?
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 Seek after Jesus.
00:18:04 --> 00:18:06 Turn to Christ.
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 Follow him.
00:18:08 --> 00:18:11 That's what Jesus is telling.
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 That's what the word is telling us.
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 That's what the message here is.
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 How could you not follow him?
00:18:18 --> 00:18:20 How could you ever deny him?
00:18:20 --> 00:18:22 And then, well, here's another thing.
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 Did you notice
00:18:23 --> 00:18:27 when Peter got to the beach
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 and the fire was burning,
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 did you notice it wasn't just
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32 Jesus was using the barbecue
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 or he had the web around
00:18:33 --> 00:18:35 or there was a fire on the beach?
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 Did you notice what it said?
00:18:37 --> 00:18:39 There is a coal fire burning.
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 That word coal fire
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 is only used twice in the whole Bible.
00:18:44 --> 00:18:44 Here,
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 and a couple of chapters earlier,
00:18:48 --> 00:18:50 here in Galilee in 21
00:18:50 --> 00:18:54 and in 18 in Jerusalem
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 in a courtyard.
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 And in that courtyard
00:18:57 --> 00:18:59 where the coal fire was burning,
00:19:00 --> 00:19:02 Peter saw Jesus arrested.
00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 And when Peter was asked,
00:19:06 --> 00:19:06 Don't you know him?
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 Aren't you one of his followers?
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 Three times Peter said,
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 I don't know him.
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 I've never met him.
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 I have no idea who the guy is.
00:19:13 --> 00:19:16 Three times Peter denied knowing Jesus
00:19:16 --> 00:19:19 before a coal fire.
00:19:20 --> 00:19:22 Now, why do you think that's been mentioned?
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 Because it's not a coincidence.
00:19:24 --> 00:19:26 It's because coal fires smell different.
00:19:26 --> 00:19:28 Have you ever smelled a coal fire?
00:19:28 --> 00:19:32 And smells have this capacity
00:19:32 --> 00:19:34 to make us remember things.
00:19:35 --> 00:19:37 For us to associate with things.
00:19:38 --> 00:19:38 You know,
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 the smell of a new car.
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 How nice is that?
00:19:42 --> 00:19:46 Or the smell of aviation fuel.
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 Well, that's not something you should go sniffing.
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 I wouldn't recommend that.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:51 But when you smell aviation fuel,
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 you sort of,
00:19:52 --> 00:19:52 I know you start thinking,
00:19:52 --> 00:19:54 maybe I could go to Adelaide again.
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 Or maybe I could go up to the Gold Coast
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 or Noosa or somewhere.
00:19:57 --> 00:19:59 Or maybe we could go and visit our kids in Sweden.
00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 Ah, that smell of kerosene.
00:20:02 --> 00:20:02 Yeah, lovely.
00:20:03 --> 00:20:05 Actually, smells can do all kinds of things.
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 Whenever I smell jasmine,
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 you know jasmine?
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 Beautiful flower,
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 beautiful scent.
00:20:11 --> 00:20:13 Makes me feel terrible every time I smell it.
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 Because when Belinda,
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 my now wife,
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 was young
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 and we were courting,
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 she used to braid jasmine in her hair.
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 And we would go out.
00:20:21 --> 00:20:23 Belinda's mum would let us use her Tirana.
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 Oh, that Tirana.
00:20:26 --> 00:20:26 Great car.
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29 I don't think I ever put petrol in that car.
00:20:29 --> 00:20:29 Ever.
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 Hundreds of miles we drove.
00:20:32 --> 00:20:34 I never paid for one drop of petrol.
00:20:35 --> 00:20:37 I feel so guilty when I smell jasmine.
00:20:37 --> 00:20:40 All the times I just thrashed that car.
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 It was terrible.
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 I confess.
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 The smells bring back memories.
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 And the memory that Peter would have had
00:20:48 --> 00:20:50 on that morning on the beach
00:20:50 --> 00:20:53 was of when he denied it and knowing Jesus.
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 It's a coincidence that Jesus is there
00:20:59 --> 00:21:01 at Galilee calling them again.
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 Do you think it's a coincidence
00:21:03 --> 00:21:05 that they had a miraculous catch of fish?
00:21:05 --> 00:21:07 Do you think it's a coincidence
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 that there's a coal fire burning?
00:21:09 --> 00:21:09 No.
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 John is saying,
00:21:10 --> 00:21:10 no, no.
00:21:10 --> 00:21:12 There is no coincidence here.
00:21:13 --> 00:21:15 Jesus is reminding them
00:21:15 --> 00:21:18 because the world will cave in on them,
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 confuse them,
00:21:19 --> 00:21:21 and make them doubt
00:21:21 --> 00:21:23 that Jesus really is the sovereign
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 who's in control.
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 There will be things
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 that will happen to them,
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 not long from this moment,
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 that will make them wonder
00:21:30 --> 00:21:32 if Jesus really is the king
00:21:32 --> 00:21:35 who is to be worshipped.
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 There will be things
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 that will happen.
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 And what Jesus is doing here
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 is saying,
00:21:40 --> 00:21:42 there is no coincidence.
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 I am in charge.
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 I am in control.
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 I am the sovereign.
00:21:47 --> 00:21:49 I am the one you are to follow.
00:21:50 --> 00:21:50 So come,
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 follow me,
00:21:52 --> 00:21:52 and obey me.
00:21:52 --> 00:21:56 Let people know about me.
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 Seek me.
00:22:01 --> 00:22:03 And when the events
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 of a Westfield happen,
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 and when there are wars
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 and rumours of wars
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 taking place,
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 brothers and sisters,
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 don't forget,
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 Jesus is sovereign.
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 He is in charge.
00:22:15 --> 00:22:19 When your family isn't
00:22:19 --> 00:22:21 having the happy relationships
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 that you think
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 that you should have,
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 remember that Jesus
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 is sovereign.
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 When you're at work
00:22:28 --> 00:22:28 or at school,
00:22:28 --> 00:22:30 when you're doing
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 whatever you do this week
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 and you feel like,
00:22:33 --> 00:22:36 I'm just on a wheel,
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 like a mouse
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 making it spin,
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 remember that Jesus
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 is sovereign.
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 It's no coincidence
00:22:44 --> 00:22:46 he has placed you
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 where you are
00:22:46 --> 00:22:48 in your workplace
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 or your school.
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 It's no coincidence
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 that you're in the family
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 you are in.
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 It's no coincidence
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 that we live in a place
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 called Sydney
00:22:55 --> 00:22:57 and there are people now
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 rattled by the events
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 of yesterday
00:22:59 --> 00:23:02 and we know the truth
00:23:02 --> 00:23:04 about Jesus,
00:23:04 --> 00:23:04 his sovereignty,
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 his power,
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 his majesty,
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 his victory over death,
00:23:11 --> 00:23:13 the hope that we have.
00:23:14 --> 00:23:16 And I wonder if this week
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 you might have opportunity
00:23:17 --> 00:23:19 to share that hope.