August 16, 2020 - The Providence of God

1 After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. 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 will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. 9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When we read through what we just read through...

And we understand it in it’s context

I THINK what stands out to ME - is the Providence of God

What is Providence?

PROVIDENCE is the “protective care of God in His dealings with man”

Now I think we all can think back - HOPEFULLY - to times when we -

Looked back at a situation and saw - the PROVIDENCE of God IN and THRU the situation...

**I personally can think back on SO MANY situations in my life...

FROM the smallest things - to KIDS, and MARRIAGE type things...

from the smallest of things - to the biggest of things...

have seen the PROVIDENCE of God in my life...

And I think today - Jesus is going to highlight some truths for us PERTAINING His providence in our lives...

And I think we’ll find them helpful...

If we remember back to what Jesus said last week - i think it will help us understand maybe the REASON for why Jesus does what we’ll see today...

Last week He said - Blessed are those who HAVE NOT SEEN - and YET - - BELIEVED....

Jesus is ELEVATING - FAITH - and faith is the conviction of things - NOT SEEN...

So Jesus - KNOWING that He’s going AWAY…Physically...

BUT also KNOWing that He will be WITH His followers...

The Holy Spirit guiding them...

Wants to TEACH the disciples what that’s going to look like…after He departs...

Let’s circle back and look again at our text...

John 21:3 ESV

3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

So - I think every fisherman can RELATE to what happened to the disciples THIS NIGHT...

They go out - looking to catch some fish...

AND INSTEAD - nothing!

next verse

John 21:4 ESV

4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

So Jesus appears - but the disciples don’t know who it is...

This is important - we’ll come back to this point...

John 21:5 ESV

5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.”

NOW - Here we have - Jesus asking a question He already KNOWS the answer to...

WHY??

I think it speaks to how we are to HANDLE and DEAL with the - Providence of God

SLIDE: The Providence of God: Seen Through Humility of Truth

The Providence of God

What do I mean?

When Jesus asked the men if they had any fish...

He already KNEW the answer!

He didn’t NEED to hear the answer in order to gain that knowledge...

SO WHY ASK?

I BELIEVE - He asked them - in order to allow them to CHOOSE to place themselves on a foundation of TRUTH...

SO THAT - they then could ACCURATELY assess what was ABOUT TO HAPPEN!!

And this isn’t the ONLY time in the Bible that we see Jesus operate this way!

Remember this?

Matthew 15:33–34 ESV

33 And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” 34 And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”

AGAIN - another question by Jesus...

He KNEW the answer yet He asked...

He wanted THEM to answer it - TRUTHFULLY...

So that they could then ACCURATELY assess what was about to happen!!

How about this?

Mark 8:22–25 ESV

22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

Why did He ask the man - Do you see anything?

He wanted the MAN to answer Him - truthfully....so he could then accurately assess what was about to HAPPEN to him...

Another?

Jesus - standing at the well with a Samaritan woman...

John 4:16 ESV

16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”

Why did He say this?

He KNEW she didn’t have a husband...

He WANTS her to respond - TRUTHFULLY...

John 4:17–18 ESV

17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”

See - Jesus brings ALL these people to a place of - TRUTH...

SO THAT - His providence can then be SEEN for what it is!

We’ve seen in Scripture where TRUTH is - neglected…and therefore God’s PROVIDENCE can’t be seen!

Daniel 4:29–33 ESV

29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.

What happened here?

King Nebuchadnezzar didn’t see God’s PROVIDENCE - why?

His PRIDE wouldn’t let him…!

He looked out and - DIDN’T see TRUTHFULLY all that God had done...

He tried to claim it all as HIS OWN WORK!!

If Jesus would have been standing there with Nebuchadnezzar and would have asked him...

What do you see?

We know his answer!

He said - I see GREAT Babylon - which I built with MY MIGHTY power!

And because he didn’t humbly come to find the right answer...

He couldn’t see God’s PROVIDENCE...

But if we keep reading, watch what happens!

Daniel 4:34–37 ESV

34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” 36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

See - it’s hard for us to REALLY be honest with where we’re at in life...

When life is going well...

We want to TAKE CREDIT for it…we want the GLORY due God…(Just like Nebuchadnezzar)

In those times - we’re not being TRUTHFUL…about our situation...

And therefore we WON’T SEE God’s Providence…in our life...

But even when life is going poorly!...

We will EITHER -

Not admit that it’s THAT bad...

We’d rather convince ourselves…that we’re strong enough to hold it together!

And we won’t SUBMIT to God’s lead...

We will deem the situation SO BAD...

that not even God can turn it around...

And therefore WON”T SUBMIT to God’s lead...

And this is where our NEXT point comes into play!!

God’s Providence is SEEN through the Humility of TRUTH… yes...

BUT ALSO...

SLIDE: The Providence of God: Seen Through Humble Obedience

The Providence of God

Let’s go back to our text...

John 21:5–6 ESV

5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.

They were HONEST in their response to Jesus...

“NO we don’t have any fish”...

And that honesty allowed them to then SEE what came about!

Jesus then COMMANDS them to cast the net on the right side of the boat, and that they’ll find some there!

Did they LISTEN?

YES - they OBEYED!

So they cast it…and NOW they were not able to haul it in…because there were so many fish!

THROUGH Obedience - came the BLESSING!

Now - think back through your life...

How many times - have you felt the Lord LEADING you THIS WAY...

But you wouldn’t LISTEN?

NO - it’s GOTTA be THIS WAY!

NO Lord - those are my FREE nights…you couldn’t possibly want me to commit to THAT!

No Lord - that money has ALWAYS been used for THIS over here - you couldn’t POSSIBLY want me to use it for THAT!

Their Obedience that day lead to the blessing!

It lead to them SEEING and DELIGHTING in the Providence of God!!

And it REALLY DOES take OUR EFFORT here...

Jump down to verses 9-10 in our passage...

John 21:9–10 ESV

9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.”

WHO CAUGHT the fish?

Weren’t the apostles EXCITED because Jesus just CAUGHT them a LARGE number of fish??

And here Jesus says - Bring some of the fish THAT YOU have just caught…!

It’s NOT LOST on Jesus that these guys - OBEYED HIM!

They could have said - NAH! We know what’s best…we’ll do this OUR WAY...

But they OBEYED!!

At first they DIDN’T know it was Jesus … BUT I would imagine that right when Jesus said...

“Children, do you have any fish…NO, cast the net on the other side and you’ll find some”

I would imagine…their INTEREST peeked…and they started looking at each other in anticipation!

It took their OBEDIENCE…to see the blessing!

Think of Abraham offering up Isaac...

His OBEDIENCE lead to SEEING the Providence of God!!

In God SUPPLYING the sacrifice...

Well what about the OTHER SIDE?

What about when someone DOESN’T reply to God - IN Obedience?

The easiest place to look would be - The Garden...

In the very beginning!

Adam and Eve - Under the Providential care of God...

AND YET - they felt they KNEW BETTER!

DIDN’T obey!

DIDN’T Listen!

Did their own thing.... RESULT?

The FALL of MAN!

SIN comes....DEATH comes!!

The Providence of God is SEEN in the humility of truth…AND...

Seen in Humble Obedience!

God KNOWS what is best…And so He can be trusted!!

Which leads to our last point today...

The Providence of God is seen in the humility of truth...

Seen Through Humble Obedience...

AND..

When THESE things become the PATTERN of our lives...

SLIDE: The Providence of God: Builds Ever-Increasing Confidence in God

The Providence of God

Back to our text...

John 21:6–7 ESV

6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.

The blessing came - and they KNEW it was Jesus!!

Right away - they TIED the blessing - to JESUS!!

And listen to their confidence later on...

John 21:12 ESV

12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.

Where did this CONFIDENCE come from?

Because we’ve seen them WITHOUT confidence before right?

We’ve seen them TRYING to figure out HOW they were going to feed 5000 people…KNOWING that Jesus is with them...

We’ve seen them frightened in a boat as Jesus was walking near…and them thinking maybe it was - somebody else?

We’ve seen them WITHOUT confidence....BUT NOW....

“They wouldn’t DARE ask Him who He was!”....

THEY KNEW!!

And it was because they had SEEN enough of the PROVIDENCE of God in their LIVES...

They had ANSWERED Jesus with enough TRUTH over the years...

And had SEEN the BLESSING COME TOO MANY times to DENY IT!!

to QUESTION IT!!

They saw Jesus COME THROUGH for them TOO MANY TIMES…to DOUBT anymore!!

Can you SAY THE SAME?

Can we GET THERE?

See - there’s a REASON that Jesus has been PREPARING these men to GET TO THIS POINT - today...

Jesus KNOWS what is coming for these men...

And He knows that CONFIDENCE in HIM will be NEEDED!!

The same can be said for YOU and ME...

The reason you look out and you see OTHERS with MUCH Confidence in GOD…

The reason it seems that it’s ALWAYS the OTHER person who has the “NO DOUBT confidence” in God...

IS BECAUSE they’ve PUT THEMSELVES in situations ENOUGH times to where they - RELIED on GOD and NOT THEMSELVES…!

OUT - where faith is required!!

THAT’S where Confidence in God is BUILT UP!!

**we have a tremendous opportunity before us as a church = to IMPACT this community in their STRUGGLE!

Explain - opportunity (virtual learners - 4 days a week)

It’s gonna take all of us...

Where can you help...

Can we BE a part of God’s PROVIDENCE in the life of this community?

I hope so.. I know we can!

What have we seen today?

The Providence of God:

Seen Through Humility of Truth

Seen Through Humble Obedience

Builds Ever-Increasing Confidence in God

Let’s pray...

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