Spring 1993

Fruition
John Wright Follette

"But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood
on the shore, ... Then Jesus saith unto them,
Children, have ye any meat? They answered him,
No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the
right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They
cast therefore, and now they were not able to
draw it for the multitude of fishes" John 21:4-6.

They had fished all night, but had caught nothing. After they had been brought to this condition of reduction, the Lord casually asked, "Have you any meat? For, in frustration, they had gone "fishing" before they were ready.

Jesus first calls His disciples to be near Him before sending them forth. Many Christian workers ignore the first part and immediately seek to be sent into the harvest field. There is however, the necessity for a close personal union and fellowship with Him before being sent. Many do not appreciate this time of being set apart, until after they have been thoroughly exposed to the elements. Then they are anxious to come back to be with Him.

Time spent with Jesus is of the utmost importance. Only then will we have the right perspective and message. The disciples were very slow to understand Jesus and His message. They continually interpreted His message in the material realm, until finally He rebuked them. These disciples had come under the tradition of the elders.

The Old Testament had been perverted by the Scribes. They changed it, rather than leave it as it had been given to Moses. In each successive generation, they added their interpretation to the previous interpretation. When Jesus came, those to whom He ministered were living under the effect of seven layers of interpretations.

They did not have the slightest idea of its original power. For example, a person could walk only so far in a day without breaking the law. God did not say that, but the tradition of the elders had established it so they were bound under the law like a lot of dead folks wrapped in mummy clothes.

Israel had been pressed by one nation after another who walked over them and took what they wanted until Israel had been depleted. God often allows such a reduction to come in the physical realm to arouse within a need which is spiritual. He had allowed Israel to be hammered upon until it was depleted. There was nothing they could do, except look to God, who had promised them a Kingdom."

When John the Baptist came saying, "Behold the Kingdom is at hand," they really listened. They did not desire to hear the real truth, but wanted Jesus to come as a Messiah to establish Israel.

Each time Jesus preached concerning a Kingdom, His disciples interpreted it on the level of their flesh. The minute His back was turned they argued as to who would be the greatest in it. Thus, when Jesus said, "I must go up to Jerusalem and suffer death and rise in three days," Peter said "No, Lord, be it far from thee." Does Peter love Jesus so tenderly? No, he is afraid he will lose his place in this Kingdom.

The Lord had to rebuke His disciples because of their lack of insight. They had no penetration of understanding that would allow them to enter into the real moving of God that was within Him. Tradition would not allow it. They were so warped by the traditions of the elders that even the presence of the Lord Jesus in their midst could not break through this.

If we are under the effect of certain traditional patterns, we will never piece together the spiritual values. Spiritual values will never mean to us what they should. Not sin and wickedness, but religiosity. Our traditions must be put aside.

Jesus came to die. After He accomplished this, God the Father raised Him from the dead. He appeared to them and breathed the Holy Spirit upon them, and said, "Receive ye the Holy Spirit." He comforts them, discusses with them the things of the Kingdom, and is taken home.

What happens when your faith receives a severe jolt and you discover the thing you have hoped for has eluded you. And then the Lord says, take this step of faith with Me; that (the Kingdom restored to Israel) is not for you, but this is. The Lord desires to shape before us something of real spiritual value, a divine substitute for the thing which we thought we must have or die.

Then He leaves us. Many of us have been left after He has said something terrifying. Then we wonder whether we had a dream or if we imagined it. Anyone who walks with the Lord will experience this. What is our next step? When our faith is not able to bridge a chasm like this, we automatically revert to our old position. It is more comfortable there, and we are used to it.

Peter said, "I know fish, I will go back to my nets." This is a very revealing statement. Of course, the enemy had a boat right there for him. We do not know who we might influence by these things. Peter did not think of this. "And they said, we go also." He did not ask them, his attitude drew them.

Jesus had said to Peter, "I will make you to become a fisher of men." Peter is now in disobedience because Jesus had called him away from his fishing vocation. He is in unbelief, rather than in faith. Peter can rationalize this - "A boat has been provided for me and my friends are all with me. This must be the Lord's will." All the boats in the world will not correct our disobedience, or our lack of faith.

Peter fished all night. It is always night then. Do not make your night too long. Peter tried all the tricks of the trade, but none of them worked. As they fished all night, the Lord waited on the shore for them. He longs for the daylight to come.

When they finally came in, the Lord said, "Did you get any fish?" He was not asking for information. This is a principle. A question provokes an answer, and the answer becomes the platform upon which the blessing is released.

Notice, Jesus did not rebuke them. Rather He said, "Did you catch anything." In other words, "You had your fling in self-will because you would not standstill until faith could be built up in you to bridge this chasm. Can you not wait until I pour out My spirit upon you? Only then will all this take an entirely different direction."

It is difficult to confess, "I did not get even one fish," but this will give the Lord the opportunity He desires. He responded and told them, as an act of obedience, to cast their net on the right side of the boat and they would find. They had cast their nets in unbelief and disobedience. Now they are to cast their nets in faith and obedience, because the Lord has spoken.

Many think we must have a change in environment, or an entirely different arrangement to become obedient. No, we can stay in the same boat, in the same water, with the same net. There is only one thing that makes a difference. You that have prayed for so long for another boat, stay in your own. Act in obedience. Even though it slay me, yet will I stay put.

"As soon then as they were come to land, they saw
a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and
bread. Jesus saith unto them, bring of the fish
which ye have now caught" John 21:9-10.

"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.

He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of
Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord;
thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him,
Feed my sheep.

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas,
lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto
him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto
him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that
I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep"
John 21:15-17.

The beauty of this conversation is in the subtle, hidden way in which Jesus handles it. He asks Peter three times concerning his love and devotion. The beginning of the chapter tells us why. Three times Peter has declared his devotion and love to Jesus. Each time he measures it by the law of love and death. He had said, "Though all forsake You, I never will."

The Greek text has two words for love. Agapao and Phileo. Agapao is the stronger word as it is love measured by sacrifice, even unto death. Phileo is an emotional word, "I am very fond of you."

"Jesus saith to Simon Peter, lovest thou me more than these?" Jesus uses the word agapao. Peter answers with phileo. Jesus said, "Feed my little lambs." Much can be done with a little lamb. Jesus put this burden on Peter.

A second time, Jesus says, "Peter, lovest (agapao) thou me?" Again Peter says, "I love (phileo) thee." Jesus saith unto him, "Feed my sheep." These are the older ones.

A third time Jesus asks Peter, but this time He came down to where Peter is, because He is unable to bring Peter up to the higher place. "Peter, am I really very dear to you, are you really fond of me?" Peter says, "Oh, Lord you know everything."

Jesus reinstates Peter beautifully. He is more interested in what Peter is becoming than in anything he will ever do. Peter is being changed within, he has come to the end of all ambition and drive, the traditions of the elders have been washed from him. Now a new vision of ministry and purpose can be imparted to him.

The grandeur of his place in the hoped for kingdom has faded. Now Peter is ready to feed the sheep of His pasture.