© 19 Colin Melbourne
Stranger On The Shore
The third time the resurrected Christ showed Himself to His disciples was by the Sea of Tiberias (Sea of Galilee).
Dejected and confused, Peter had been fishing all night, yet caught nothing, until a Stranger appeared on the seashore, and called them to cast their net on the right side of their vessel.
Seine net: The Disciples deployed it in a semicircle by boat, then pulled it ashore
They were fishing with a typical seine net (aka. dragnet) the kind with floats at the top, and weights at the bottom, which they let out in a semicircle close to land, then rowed ashore to haul in both ends of the net to ensnare the enclosed Tilapia fish.
Red-bellied Tilapia as caught in The Sea of Tiberias
Gone Fishing
As they were obeying, John realised it was no stranger on the shore, but their LORD Himself.
Peter, who was stripped to his undergarments, put on his cloak and jumped overboard to wade ashore, hauling one end of their net, now heavy with large fish, and contemplating his dilemma.
Fishermen hauling a seine net onto a beach
Quiet Beach Barbecue
The LORD miraculously supplied His own campfire, bread, and fish, and invited the motley crew to sup with Him.
Silently they sat sharing breakfast with the One LORD they had each deserted.
Peter, we recall, had recently declared in Matthew 26:33 KJV, to have been His most loyal and faithful disciple;
Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
Within hours, Peter was humbled by the carnality of his resolve; as every believer inevitably experiences when they trust in their flesh.
The Living Word helped him put things in order, Jn. 21:15 KJV;
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.
We love Christ’s directness, don’t we?
He homes in on the heart of the matter: Praise God He’s never changed.
He’s Asking You
Respond now to His gentle touch on your heart, yield your whole self to Him once and for all.
Peter publicly denied Christ three times the very same day he’d bragged on his devotion.
We have shared in his shame too.
If not yet, you will.
Flesh fails every divine test: It cannot attain Father’s Standard, so quit depending on your self, and rest on the Spirit of God in your heart.
Christians live and walk after The Spirit, Ro. 8:1-6 KJV;
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Since The Holy Ghost here declares that we do walk after Him, it follows that we are obliged to remain in step with His leading in our hearts. Gal. 5:16-18 KJV;
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Oh Halleluia! What a position we have in Christ; free from the law of sin and death, set free and led by The Spirit of God!
Lovest thou me more than these?
How can anybody deny Him now?
You won’t will you?
Because you are now discovering How You Can Be Led by The Spirit of God and avoid sharing the Disciples’ shame.
© 19 Colin Melbourne