SERMON NOTES

In the Gospels, Jesus often uses what is familiar to call people into what is entirely new. He steps into the boats we understand, the nets we’ve used all our lives, and the waters we recognize — not to keep us there, but to lead us into a purpose we never imagined.

Peter’s journey is one of the clearest examples of this transformation. Peter began as a fisherman, shaped by tides, storms, and the rhythm of casting and hauling nets. But the moment he met Jesus, everything shifted. His job changed, but so did his identity, direction, and calling. As this Catch & Release series reaches its final stretch, John 21 brings us back to the shoreline where it all started: another miracle catch, another moment of recognition, and another invitation from Jesus. But this time, the call is different.

The first miracle focused on catching people. This second miracle focuses on caring for them. This is the movement of discipleship: When fish become sheep.

When the people we reach become the people we guide. When the mission shifts from “go get them” to “now grow them.”

Scripture: John 21:6–17

The disciples follow Jesus’ instruction and cast their net on the right side of the boat. Their net becomes so full they cannot haul it in. John recognizes Jesus first, and Peter immediately jumps into the water to reach Him. On the shore, Jesus has already prepared breakfast. He invites the disciples to bring some of their catch, even though He already has fish on the fire waiting for them. After they eat, Jesus turns to Peter and begins a deeply restorative conversation — the well-known moment where He asks Peter three times, “Do you love Me?”

Each affirmation comes with a command:

• Feed My lambs
• Take care of My sheep
• Feed My sheep

This moment is more than reconciliation. It is recommissioning.

1. The Catch Reminds You, But the Call Redefines You

The miracle in John 21 mirrors the miracle in Luke 5, but the purpose is different.

In Luke 5, the miracle calls Peter to follow Jesus. In John 21, the miracle restores Peter to his calling.

After failure, guilt, and denial, Peter drifted back to what was familiar. Yet Jesus meets him there — not to condemn him, but to realign him. The miracle wasn’t about the fish. It was about Peter’s future.

In Scripture, God often re-calls leaders after moments of collapse or regret: Moses after murder, Elijah after despair, Jonah after rebellion. Their calling didn’t crumble under their failure, and neither did Peter’s.

Jesus essentially demonstrates: If it took a miracle to call you the first time, I will send another to remind you again. Grace doesn’t just forgive a person’s past. Grace reclaims their purpose.

2. You Don’t Own the Fish — You Guide Them to the Shepherd

One of the significant details in John 21 is Jesus’ fire already prepared with fish and bread. Before Peter brings his catch, Jesus already has His own.

This shows a profound truth: God does not need our results. He invites us into His work. The catch is not ours. The miracle is not ours. The people we reach do not belong to us. We are not owners — we are stewards.

Jesus redirects Peter’s mindset from achievement to alignment. The goal was never to accumulate spiritual “wins,” but to lead people back to the One who truly sustains them. This prepares Peter for the major transition to come: from fisherman… to shepherd.

3. Evangelism Begins With Love, but Matures With Care

When Jesus questions Peter’s love three times, the emphasis is not on performance but affection. He doesn’t ask: “Do you remember your calling?” He asks: “Do you love Me?”

The mission flows from that love. Evangelism without love becomes pressure and manipulation. Evangelism driven by love becomes nurturing, steady multiplication.

This moment transforms Peter’s role. He is no longer called just to gather people, but to guide them. No longer just to reach the crowds, but to walk with individuals. This shift is essential for the Church today.

Reaching people is only the beginning. Caring for them is the continuation.

A Christmas Assignment: Feeding the Sheep

As the Christmas season approaches, more people are open, searching, and willing to step into church than at any other point in the year. People are in different places:

• Some are like fish waiting for someone bold enough to cast a net.
• Some are wounded sheep in need of gentle care.
• Some are wandering souls longing for someone willing to guide them.

The question Jesus asked Peter is the same one He asks His followers today: “Do you love Me?”

If the answer is yes, then the assignment remains:

• Feed My sheep.
• Invite the lost ones.
• Care for the hurting ones.
• Guide the wandering ones.
• Bring His sons and daughters home.

December is not just a holiday. It is a harvest. It is a season of celebration — and a season of salvation.

The work of the Kingdom is not simply to cast the net. It is to nurture, guide, feed, and walk with the people God brings into our lives.