Our text this morning is John 21, verses 1-14. Let's stand together for the reading of God's Word. John 21, verses 1-14. And let us hear the Word of the Lord. After these things Jesus showed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and thus showed he himself. There were together Simon Peter and Thomas, which is called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said unto them, I go a fishing. They said unto him, we also will go with thee. They went their way and entered into a ship straightway, and that night caught they nothing. When the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore. Nevertheless, the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus then said unto them, sirs, have ye any meat? They answered him, no. Then he said unto them, cast out the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. So they cast out, and they were not able at all to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore said the disciple whom Jesus loved unto Peter, it is the Lord. When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girded his coat to him, for he was naked, and cast himself into the sea. The other disciples came by ship, for they were not far from land, but about 200 cubits, and they drew the net with fishes. As soon as they were come to the land, they saw hot coals and fish laid thereon and bread. Jesus said unto them, bring of the fishes which ye have now caught. And Simon Peter stepped forth and drew the net to the land full of great fishes, and 150 in three, albeit there were so many, yet was not the net broken. Jesus said unto them, come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him who art thou, seeing they knew that he was the Lord. Jesus then came and took bread and gave them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples after that he was risen again from the dead. And that ends the reading of God's word, and let's pray. And Father, be with us as we look here. We pray you would bless us with understanding and instruct us through the text. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. And please be seated. Now we go back to verses 30 to 31 of John 20, and many other signs also did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these things are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is that Christ, that Son of God, and that in believing ye might have life through his name. After these things, Jesus showed himself, okay, and that's how the chapter 20 ends and chapter 21 begins. Now, this text is the object of textual criticism, and the authorship of John chapter 21 is questioned by the textual critics. The reason claimed is that John 20, 30 to 31 are able to be construed as the end of the book, which makes chapter 21 seem like an addition, at least to their thinking. Now, I don't read it that way at all, nor do I think there's any necessity in that as a process. Verse 30 to 31 are a reminder of the purpose in writing the book. before John gives final instances of Jesus' resurrected acts. So he's just bringing us self-consciously to this point right before he ends the book. And it's the same kind of a summary. If you turn back to John 19 in verse 35, you find another place that's just like this, yet no one says, well, that's the end of the book. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true. and he knoweth that he sayeth true, that ye might believe it. For these things were done that the scriptures should be fulfilled, not a bone of him shall be broken. Now, of course, that verse puts the prior verse in context. So you see, John is in the business of summarizing certain points that he's driving home at certain times in his writing. There's nothing uncommon about that in writers, and there's nothing uncommon about that in the way that chapter 20 here ends. And also knowing that the chapters and the verses were added later, they're not in John's letter. John wrote a letter and people have put chapter and verse to it. So again, chapter 20 verses 30 to 31 are the same kind of a summary as in John 19.35, nothing strange about it. And of course, when you go on in chapter 21, you can tell it's still John. He uses the same kind of approach to his own identity at verse 7 in chapter 21. Therefore said the disciple whom Jesus loved unto Peter, it is the Lord." Who's the disciple whom Jesus loved? Who's the disciple that leaned on Jesus' bosom at dinner? That's always John. That's the way John reveals himself when he writes. Or again, let's see, verse 20. Then Peter turned about and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, which had also leaned on his breast at supper. And he said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter therefore saw him. He said to Jesus, Lord, what shall this man do? So once again, it's the disciple that Jesus loved. That's John's name that, in one sense, doesn't reveal his identity, and the reason he writes that way is because he is the author. He holds his identity until the end, which we will see later. Again, that's the circumstance of John's writing. It's the way John writes, and it's an approach of an author like, I mean, there's others. R.L. Dabney is an example of that. You know, when he writes his history of Stonewall Jackson, he has a role in it. He's the adjutant for Jackson in the Valley Campaign in 1862, and so he's involved in this a thing that you don't get to read about until you read somebody else's biography of Dabney, but he says, at one point, it's at Port Republic when the Yankees take this bridge and cut Jackson's troops in half, and Dabney writes, he says, well, but an alert officer gathered together, he had some cavalry, he had some cannon, he had some infantry, and they attacked the Yankees that were chasing Jackson's baggage train down the road and held them off and reversed the circumstances. Well, it's just an alert officer. He doesn't name the officer. It was him. And you get that from reading, I think it's Jones' life, if I'm not mistaken, Jones that wrote Dabney's. So anyway, that's that kind of a thing. Authors often do this when they have particular involvement in the circumstance They don't just say, I was there. one of these politicians giving a speech. I did this and I did that. When they counted Obama's speech, how many times does he say I? He gave a five minute speech and he said I 100 times. That's not the way a biblical writer writes. So this is John. It's still John. It's got all the telltale marks of John's writing. Textual critics ought to be dismissed with scorn and unbelief that labels them. Before the final disclosure John makes at the end, he uses this kind of language, you know, the disciple whom Jesus loved. When you turn to John 21, 24, this is that disciple which testified of these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true. Okay, John's saying, I'm the one. So, he identifies himself at the end of the book. If you were building a suspense to, well, who is writing this book, you know, or who is it that we're talking about, this disciple whom Jesus loved, I'm the one that's writing to you. And that's how he ends the book. It's all quite natural, making any deference to the textual critics completely unnecessary. Okay, John 21 and verse 1, after these things, Jesus showed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. Okay, Tiberias is a sea in the north in Galilee, also known as Kinneret, Kinnereth, Gennesareth, or the Sea of Galilee. So the Sea of Galilee is named for Tiberius Caesar at this point, Tiberius. But it's the same lake, it's that one up in the north in what was then the Roman region or the Roman province of Galilee. And this was the intended meeting place for Jesus and his disciples. If we go back to Matthew 28, verses 1 to 10. Now in the end of the Sabbath, when the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the sepulcher. Behold, there was a great earthquake for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it. And his countenance was like lightning and his raiment white as snow. And for fear of him, the keepers were astonished and became his dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, fear ye not, for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen, as he said, come, see the place where the Lord was laid. And go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead. And behold, he goeth before you into Galilee. There shall ye see him, lo, I have told you. Now, you see the circumstance that with the resurrection of Christ, from the beginning of the angel's appearance, the women are told, tell the disciples, go into Galilee. And this is now we're in Galilee, we're at Gennesaret, or we're at Tiberias, or Sea of Galilee, and that's where Jesus is meeting with his disciples. So, what do you make then of the road to Emmaus, Jesus appearing there, and the two upper room instances? Well, they appear to be, and I'll put this in quotes, provisional. In other words, the fact that Jesus met disciples on the road to Emmaus, or then appeared in the upper room where the disciples were gathered together, appear to be provisional. Now, when I say provisional, we know that God's decree establishes all things that ever come to pass, whatever happens in history is by the decree of God. And God's decree establishes liberty and contingency. So the problem here is the disciples don't believe the report of the women. And so Jesus tells the women, tell my disciples, go into Galilee. And we're told in the scripture, well, they seemed like idle tales. They didn't believe the women. Now, that means Jesus has to send other witnesses of his resurrection. He sends two more, one who were on the road to Emmaus, and they still didn't believe. So Jesus then goes himself and appears among them in the upper room with the doors being locked. And Thomas still doesn't believe, so Jesus appears another time. And all I'm saying is, well, we realize that when God decrees all history, every event of history is decreed, including men's unbelief and what God does in response to that. So none of this is outside of the decree of God, but there's a sense in which these other appearances, Emmaus and the upper room, have to do with men's unbelief. And the design from the beginning was for Jesus to meet them in Galilee. And so I think that's what we're seeing here, that the other appearances were provisional in the sense of reacting to the fact that the disciples didn't believe. All part of God's decree, and yet that's the circumstance. So it was foreordained by God that the disciples would not believe the women's decree. or the women's report, foreordained by God, and foreordained that Jesus would have to meet them on the road to Emmaus and meet them in the upper room, and then they would do what they were told to do in the first place, and yet that's the reason why the disciples are in Galilee. So they're there by command, they're in Galilee by command, seven of the 11 being there, and that's what we get in verse two where they are listed, seven of the eleven being there, and we can just suppose that the others were intending to meet there and had not yet arrived or weren't part of the fishing expedition, and that's why we don't have all of them there assembled at the same time. The occasion of this story is Simon Peter's words in verse 3, I go a-fishing. And that's an interesting statement with a variety of possible constructions. Now, in the first place, it is claimed that Peter had a degree of coldness at this point. Perhaps it was all done in his mind and he was just going to go back to his old pursuit, which was fishing. And that has some interesting possibilities. In other words, you know, as far as cataloging or gauging the disciple's level of understanding about what they were called to do and so on. And so, again, they construct his words as an intention to return to his former occupation. And of course later when Christ questions Peter saying, lovest thou me more than these, these is construed as being fish, it can be construed as being fish, a pronoun for fish, which puts the question in that context. Now the disciples have been told they would be fishers of men. And so there is the fulfillment of real fishing in the love of Christ, as Peter will experience. And so anyway, those connections all work together in sort of painting this as Peter saying, I'm going fishing. Put this out of my mind, I'm going fishing. On the other hand, verse seven seems to mitigate against this. Therefore, the disciple whom Jesus loved said unto Peter, it is the Lord. When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girded his coat to him for he was naked and cast himself into the sea." Now, what are they, 200 cubits or something? They're about 100 yards from shore. If he's putting his coat on, he's not swimming, probably. He's probably walking. on, you know, with his feet on the bottom, and that's just probably the circumstance. So he puts his coat on because he's going to walk to shore, but he's running to Jesus, he's going to Jesus, rather than saying, oh, it's him, let me hide, you know. After betraying him by running away, after denying him, you know, in the presence of people, you would think that if he was pulling back from Jesus in heart, he wouldn't be the first to get in the water and get to him. And so that verse 7 mitigates against this. He's abandoning his fishing to hurry to meet Jesus, probably walking through shallow water for 100 yards or more. Matthew Henry makes the resolution of verse 3, I go with fishing, about improving the time. They knew Jesus would meet them in Galilee. They did not know when or exactly where. And so they were about their former business, which is of use to themselves and to others. Most of the disciples had families to feed and a necessity upon them otherwise, and we have examples. The word tent-making has been captured in the nomenclature of our day. Now that's Acts 18 and verse 3. Because he was of the same craft, he abode with them and wrought, for their craft was to make tents. This is Paul, whose craft was to make tents, and so working while you preach is called tent making. The nomenclature has been captured by the example of this in 2 Thessalonians 3 and verse 8. Neither took we bread of any man for naught, but we wrought with labor and travail night and day, because we would not be chargeable to any of you." And that word wrought, or worked, to rot, you know, rot is again a figurative word, you know, you have rot, iron, you have iron, it's worked. Okay, and so when the Bible says, the King James Version or in this case, the Geneva Bible talks about we rot, that means we worked for our sustenance. Even at night and day, we worked during the day to feed ourselves and we worked at night in the preaching and in the communicating of the gospel to you. So, the idea of We wrought, or the idea of tent making, captures this on the part of the disciples. It's most likely true of the other apostles as well. I can find it in Paul in Acts 18 and 2 Thessalonians 3 and 8. And when Paul in 2 Thessalonians says, we wrought, that's Paul and the entire company that was with him. So it's not just Paul, it's the others that were in his company who were ministering the gospel who also worked. Now what's true of Paul as an apostle, I think is probably true of the other apostles at least at various times. And while they may have had a ministry and a church large enough at Jerusalem, to support them when they were at Jerusalem. We have examples of Peter traveling to different places, and what is it we expect or would anticipate took place? Probably he worked. So again, it's most likely true of the other apostles, particularly respecting their travels. So, one thing I think then we can notice is there's no flaunting of the position of these men as a professional class. But in humility and diligence, we find them laboring, and that's the construct on verse 3 that I prefer at this point. So while, you know, you may find, you may try to paint lessons about coldness and about returning to an occupation or something like that. Out of Peter's words, I go fishing. While you may find that there, I prefer the construct that says, look, they're improving the time. They're in Galilee like they're supposed to be. Jesus is going to meet with them. They don't know when or where they're there, so let's go fishing. That's of use to ourselves, our families, and others. Alright, in verse 4, the resurrected Christ stands on shore and calls to the men. And once more, he's not immediately recognizable to the disciples. Now, the commentators try to explain that in various ways. By a fog, for example. And well, if Jesus was okay, it was foggy or misty or whatever, and they couldn't see him exactly, wouldn't they have recognized his voice? Or, you know, there's on the road to Emmaus, it says their eyes were holding that they wouldn't recognize him. But that's not stated here. And I think one thing we can note is that the resurrection body seems to have differing properties that add to this circumstance. Because even when they were unsure, it says no one dared ask him who he was. Okay, so now you're in his presence, forget about the fog, now you're unsure, you're in his presence, you're looking right at him. You're not sure? You don't recognize him exactly? Well, again, this resurrection body seems to have different properties. If you turn to 1 Corinthians 15, beginning at verse 35, But some man will say, how are the dead raised up, and with what body come they forth? O fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die. And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare corn, as it falleth of wheat or some other. But God giveth it a body at his pleasure, even to every seed his own body. All flesh is not the same flesh. There is one flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the body of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. There is another glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars. For one star differeth from another star in glory, so also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption. It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness. It is raised in power. It is sown a natural body. It is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body and so it is also written the first man Adam was made a living soul and the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Hell be it, that was not first, which is spiritual, but that which is natural, and afterward, that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthly. The second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthly, such are they that are earthly. And as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. As we have borne the image of the earthly, So shall we bear the image of the heavenly. This I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a secret thing. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall blow, and the dead shall be raised up incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruption must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruption hath put on incorruption, and this mortal hath put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory." Now that's Paul describing the whole situation, but the points are applicable to the circumstance here. It is sown a natural body, it's raised a spiritual body. So what the disciples are encountering is a resurrection body. It's a resurrection body we in the future will share in, but it's that resurrection body in Jesus who has been transformed from the image of the earthly and he is the image of the heavenly. And he is something different than what they are as they are witnessing him. And so again, There is a difference in the body of Jesus before he was crucified and now after he is resurrected. That difference is what the disciples are dealing with. And so we have other things in the Gospel accounts that seem to be otherwise inexplicable. Luke 24 and verse 31. Then their eyes were opened, and they knew him, and he was no more seen of them." So here he is breaking bread with these disciples that he met on the road to Emmaus. He's known by them in the breaking of bread, and their eyes are opened, and he vanishes. He vanishes out of their sight. He's no more seen of them. Or John 20 and verse 19, the same day Then at night, which was the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst and said to them, Peace be unto you. Again, the commentators wrestled wildly. Did he unlock the doors himself or did he open the doors? It says, he came when the doors were shut and stood in the midst of them. Again, this is a resurrection body. Now maybe, maybe this is the God-man. Maybe the God-man in a resurrection body has properties unique to him and he can pass through doors or he can vanish and come back and you know, and so, okay, very possibly. But the ability to recognize him in appearance and in voice is compromised by the resurrection. We're dealing with a spiritual body here, not a natural body. Now, that means we might not ourselves expect to share in mobility or anonymity. Nevertheless, both of these are evident in the resurrected Jesus. And he's recognized when he wants to be recognized. And when he doesn't want to be recognized, he's not. Well, the success of the fishing expedition was a means then of Jesus revealing his identity. Jesus would hear the answer to his question from the mouths of the disciples. Children, have ye any meat? You tell me. Now, Jesus knows. that they fished all night and haven't caught anything. He's on shore with fish on the coals. He's making breakfast for them, okay? And he knows that they haven't caught anything, but that's providential in the hand of God. Jesus is using the circumstance to reveal himself. They can't otherwise recognize his voice or recognize his appearance after the resurrection unless he does reveal himself. And he's using the circumstances, the providence of God here, to bring the disciples into recognition that it's him. So he's asking a question he already knows the answer to, but he makes them self-conscious of the situation before instructing them. Children, have ye any meat? No. Cast the net on the right side of the boat. And again, 6 and 7, cast out the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. So they cast out, and they were not able to draw all of it for the multitude of the fishes. Therefore said the disciple whom Jesus loved unto Peter, it is the Lord. And you can capture the circumstance, that's Jesus. John tells Luke, that's Jesus. Okay, it is the Lord. So that's a revelation. John himself is the interpreter. And this continues down actually to making the hall in verse 11. You know it's a divine action. You know it's God at work. When they drew the net to land full of great fishes, 150 and three, albeit there were so many, yet was not the net broken. And that is to say that the net may have torn in places, but it was still capable of bringing the fish in. And so for the multitude of fish, they were captured, and that was remarkable in itself, that the net didn't tear and the fish escaped. Now on the shore, Jesus already had breakfast ready with fish and bread on the coals. And that reminds us of Jesus feeding the 5,000 with five loaves and two fishes. And again, it's not that the quantity here has to be multiplied. He's only feeding seven disciples and himself. So if you know how big certain fishes can get. In fact, the text says they were great fishes, that is, they were large, okay. Now let's see, they drew the net with fishes, full of great fishes, verse 11. Simon Peter stepped forth and drew the net to land full of great fishes, great meaning large. So the fishes they grew were not only 150 whatever, three, they were large fish at that. And so it's not the quantity here of fish that's the problem. Jesus has fish on the coals already. Was he fishing? Where did he get them? And he built a fire and he's got fish on the coal. And so everything's ready for breakfast when they get to land. That's something that he did in his divine power. But you remember, just like on the road to Emmaus, he was known to them in the breaking of bread. Here it is, he's got breakfast ready and he's using loaves and fishes again. And so it reminds one of the circumstances they all experienced in his ministry. And again, I'm reading commentators that are saying, well, you know, you know, there weren't, he must have multiple, he must have done a miracle to feed the disciples. Now, anybody that, that has done some fishing and understands, you know, knows that a good size fish might feed eight people. You know, salmon, you know, those things are, the fillet is this long. You know, you're going to get two of them out of the salmon. So it's that kind of a thing. Nevertheless, the disciples are told to bring some of their catch in verse 10. Jesus said unto them, bring of the fishes which ye have now caught. Now he's got them on the coal already, on the coals already. And he says, bring some of them. And again, I interpret that as an example with Psalm 128 and verses 1 to 2. Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord, and walketh in his ways. When thou eatest the labor of thine hands, thou shalt be blessed, and it shall be well with thee. So Jesus has got fish on the coal. He says, bring some of those. Bring some of your catch. And if they have to pick from 153, I mean, there's a variety probably in the net that they can choose this one and this one, you know. You know, I like flounder, I like cod, I like salmon, I like, you know, whatever. That can all come. And so, again, the disciples, having fished all night, get to eat the labor of their hands. That's the blessing of God. And that's evident. And so in a variety of fish might add to the enjoyment of the meal. Now at this point, verse 12, none of the disciples durst ask him who art thou seeing they knew that he was the Lord. I mean, they knew by evidence is the point. They're still not sure except by the evidence. Now John makes it clear this is Jesus and as the events go on, as the story follows, it is clear that this is Jesus. John makes that clear. And not only by the events that followed, but finally at verse 14, counting the appearances. This is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples after he was risen again from the dead. John is counting, but he's counting only the appearances to the disciples, not to the women, not to the small group, the two or three that were on the road to Emmaus. only the appearances to the body of disciples, which now are three. Twice in the upper room and here at Tiberias, three times Jesus appeared to the group of the disciples. And so much for the story, the fishing expedition. Well, we'll take it, we'll stop there, but in application, In the first place, John does tell us the reason that he is writing in verse 14. Now, this is the third time Jesus showed himself to his disciples after he was risen again from the dead. His goal has been, throughout the gospel here, the refutation of the doctrine of Antichrist, to prove that Jesus is the Son of God and the Son of man, God and man in the flesh, who died on account of sin and was raised the third day from the dead. So the resurrection of Jesus is critical to this gospel and John is proving this on the basis of witnesses. It is verification of the truth of the resurrection that's one of the purposes in John's writing. And so on the basis of the biblical requirements for evidence. Deuteronomy 17 and verse 6, at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death die, but at the mouth of one witness he shall not die. Now Jesus interprets that law, that commandment in John 8 and verse 17 when he says, also it is written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. And so we have to have that in our mind. The testimony of two men is true. At the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word shall be established. This is the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples after that he was risen again from the dead. He made these seven witnesses for the third time. And so we have it on biblical evidence. We have the biblical requirement for truth being met by God, and that's in John's mind as he writes and finishes the gospel story. Now, as the story develops, the disciples did not believe two, three, or more women. And so they're made witnesses themselves two or three or more times. So, again, this unbelief on the part of the disciples explains the number of appearances we have of Jesus after the resurrection, John's sin, or Jesus' sins. Women? Another woman? Two, three, four women? And the disciples still don't believe they seem to them as people telling tales. And so he brings them into the knowledge of direct, now you're the witnesses. You didn't believe the witnesses I sent you, now you are the witnesses. Now for us, our faith is grounded then on lawful evidence. and the testimony of God in terms of his own law. And that's something we can embrace as we think about the gospel. You say, well, is the gospel true? Well, God reveals the law, and God tells us that he has met the law, kept the law, with respect to testifying the resurrection of Christ. Again, that's central to John's reason for writing the gospel. OK, secondly, we can focus on the disciples here, on diligence and labor, even among those that are called to preach. Think of the text, 2 Thessalonians 3 and verse 11. For we hear that there are some which walk among you inordinately and work not at all, but are busybodies. or 1 Timothy 5 and verse 13. And likewise, also being idle, they learn to go about from house to house. Yea, they are not only idle, but prattlers and busybodies, speaking things which are not comely. Again, this discussion of people, sometimes men, sometimes women, as busybodies, tattlers, telling stories, speaking. That's not the apostles. That's not these men who we are seeing here. Diligence and labor is evident even among those that are called to preach. These men are not busybodies. If anyone could have made a career of talking about Jesus after his death, these would be the ones. Well, we were with him. We were with him when this happened, you know. And so if they intended to go out in a career as a busybody, they had plenty to talk about. I mean, we've got that same thing in the group that was with Martin Luther King. They're able to write books. Or let's see, JFK, Martin Luther King. What's the book? I Was With Such and Such at Such and Such a Time. I can't think of what the circumstances, but you understand, people that are surrounded or that surround people who are renowned and have a story to tell, they can write that story and sell that book, or they can go to this house or speak in this place. There's all of that. These disciples didn't intend any of that. So they're not going to capitalize on their connection with Jesus. No one has designed to build a lifestyle out of their former connection with him. And I'm saying this about those who were disciples before the resurrection, before they knew that he had risen from the dead. There's no plan of this. There's nobody that's about to do this thing. They're awaiting instructions. They're awaiting a meeting. And they are working in the meantime. And that's a good example that we can take home from what the disciples do after the crucifixion, you know, in that time between the crucifixion and his meeting with them, or the resurrection and his meeting with them at Tiberias. And another way we can say this is work is the foundation of success in Christian testimony. And that's, I think, the take-home point here. If you want to have a Christian testimony, be one who is diligent in his work. It's not the talker who is believed, but the one who is seen as diligent, serious, excellent in the things that he does. And that is as true in the preacher. The foundation of respect in the ones who are watching is carefulness and diligence in your work. If you want to have a testimony with men, you've got to be faithful, diligent, hardworking, reliable, excellent, and in all of those things. And then you will have a testimony. Whereas the lazy, the slothful, the one whose home is a wreck, who is disheveled, he's not going to have a testimony with men. Because he's not good at what he does. So if he's not good at what he does, what good is his opinion about that thing or about anything? Whereas, again, the one who's good and careful and diligent in what he does, he's to be respected in that thing. And we ought to listen to him in this other thing over here when he has something to say. And whether it's spoken or not, that's the understanding of men, who you listen to. So you can know all mysteries and have all that you would say fall on deaf ears to a watching world if you're not diligent in your work. And again, we're taking that from the disciples here, from their example. Now we might also account for the providence of God in blessing our work. You know, just like the disciples are fishless, As breakfast time comes until Jesus tells them where to cast their net, it's not in the power of man to prosper apart from God, and yet what we have are the promises of God for diligent labor. Proverbs 14 at verse 23. In all labor there is abundance. But the talk of the lips bringeth only one. Now again, if you're going to talk, you're not going to earn anything. But if you labor and you're diligent, you will have abundance. Proverbs 21, verse 25. The desire of the slothful slayeth him, for his hands refuse to work. Or Proverbs 10 and verse 4, a slothful hand maketh poor, but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. And then Proverbs 12 and 24, the hand of the diligent shall bear rule, but the idle shall be under tribute. And there you have an example. So again, The Scripture is teaching us that you labor diligently with your hands and you will have abundance, you will have plenty, and you will bear rule. Whereas if you are slothful, you will have scarcity and be under tribute. and not have enough, in other words. And so again, the example of the apostles here can instruct us on that. Providence can be read in fulfillment of all of these, because these things, when God says, the hand of the diligent shall produce abundance, that's because he makes it to be that way. It doesn't have to be as pronounced as Jesus telling you where to cast the net, what side of the boat to cast the net on after a night of not catching anything. It doesn't have to be as pronounced as that, but be sure that when God says in His Word, the hand of the diligent makes rich, or there's abundance that flows from it, be sure that he is the one watching over his word to perform it. He is the one that sees to it that his word is fulfilled in the life of the one who is self-conscious in obedience to him. And the same thing is true on the side of penury. If you don't work, you won't have abundance, you'll have scarcity, and you'll be under tribute. And so that is, again, God's providence read into the situation. Let's pray. And Father, we do pray that you would help us in our thinking, in our lives, to put into the proper context our calling to work before you, that the gifts that you have given us might be used for your glory, and that by diligence and faithfulness in our labors, in our callings, you would glorify yourself and give us a testimony to men, and that what we see here in the disciples in their fishing expedition might be our experience in life, that we might receive your blessing providentially, and that you would exalt your son and give us a testimony about the gospel, even as we work to your glory diligently and faithfully. And so accomplish those things in our lives, we pray in Jesus name. Amen.