This month we are doing a double take of sorts regarding a few events that are associated with and around the Easter Story.
So far we've looked at the garden (The Garden of Gethsemane), and the tomb. Today we will look at the boat.

Have you ever been part of an event that totally turned your life around? The event may have been tremendous or traumatic. And your life may now be better or it may be worse.
Maybe afterward you were able to step back, take a closer look, and do a double take. As a result you were able to learn something from what happened.

Today's message is about a life changing event. It's about a failure that involves Simon Peter and there are some important lessons we can learn from the story. We can learn from the story because we've all failed!

Some things to remember about failure:
-failure is a personal thing, not who you are as a person
-failure is proof that you are human and don't know or control everything
-failure is the proving ground of life, shows you what works/what doesn't
-failure reveals how much we have to learn, depend on others, & need God
-failure provides a recognizable launching pad to our future

Before we look at today's Bible passage, we have to understand the context. What has happened leading up to the story we are going to look at?
-Jesus traveled on a 6 month journey from the northern region of Galilee to the city of Jerusalem
-He instructed His followers on the hostility & rejection that He & they would face
-He demonstrated His dependence upon His Father, revealed His deity, modeled how to handle adversity, and showed them how to reach & grow new believers
-He arrived in Jerusalem (triumphal entry) and presented Himself as King of the Jews
-He faced a series of conflicts with the stubborn & hard-hearted religious leaders
-He attended the Passover supper with His disciples, relayed some profound new truths, and instituted a ceremony known as the Lord's Supper or Communion
-He departed with the disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane (prayed, betrayed, arrested, denied by Peter, endured, suffered, crucified, buried, and raised)
-He revealed Himself alive through a series of post-resurrection appearances (13 recorded)

This morning we're looking at the 8th appearance that takes place on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
In John 21 we are going to Take a Closer Look at the 3rd event in this series and it involves The Boat.

Following the resurrection from the tomb, Jesus made 7 appearances to His followers in Jerusalem. In the process, He commanded them to go to a mountain in Galilee and wait for Him.
Our passage in John 21 takes place a couple of weeks after Jesus had last appeared to them in Jerusalem. The disciples are in Galilee waiting for Him. Peter and the rest of the group doing what they are familiar with, fishing.
Commentators are generally split into 2 camps in terms of the disciples motivation:
1. They may have redirected their focus to making a living in this world (bills to pay and mouths to feed).
2. They may have lost their focus on spiritual matters and settled for this earthly world as their source of satisfaction.

We see the 7 disciples in The Boat. Jesus is going to use this event and this place and this object to teach a few important lessons.

1. Jesus UNDERSTANDS our motives and is faithful, even when we are not.
John 21:1a

Jesus had great insight into the nature of others. John 2:24
He knew the disciples by personal experience.

2. Jesus CARES about us and makes His will known to us.
John 21:2

These are real people with real problems but much potential. People who are majestic (God's image) but also messy.
John 15:16a

3. Jesus KNOWS that we have an earthly life but wants to use it for spiritual purposes.
John 21:3a

God has given each of us a spiritual S.H.A.P.E. What will we do with it?
Colossians 3:17

4. Jesus DESIRES for us to influence people in a healthy not harmful way.
John 21:3b

The Boat has nothing special about it …it’s a place where life happens. It represents those places in life where we can influence someone, either negatively or positively.

5. Jesus REALIZES that in our own power we will fail and wants us to depend upon Him in our life and ministry.
John 21:3c

The disciples had done the best they knew how. The results left a lot to be desired. Their boat was as empty as their hearts and minds. We see in verses 4-9 that getting direction from the Lord and obeying brings success!

Application and Discussion:

1. Look at the web link article that is listed in your notes (Major Life Changes). Review the list of Major Life Changes and see which of these you’ve faced. How did they change your life? What lessons did you learn from them?

2. What are several things in which you have failed? What impact did they have on who you are as a person? What adjustments have you made in your life as a result?

3. Read John 21. What are some things that you have questions about? Or some insights from your reading?

4. Review the five lessons from the message. Which of these speak most to you?