Tag Archives: Easter Sunday

Catching Nothing May Just Be Another Learning

Leave a reply

CATCHING NOTHING MAY JUST BE ANOTHER LEARNING
John 21:1-19

HE SAID, “THROW YOUR NET ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BOAT AND YOU WILL FIND SOME”. WHEN THEY DID, THEY WERE UNABLE TO HAUL THE NET IN BECAUSE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF FISH.- JOHN 21:6

It is not surprising that most of us easily backed out when we don’t figure out what is really happening.

And even if we have that understanding of what is going on, we are still puzzled and our limited minds cannot grasp the reality of the situation because at the back of our minds we have still a lot of questions.

Like the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, Peter and the rest of the disciples have learned valuable lessons about Jesus’ resurrection.

That life does not end even when you see it falling. Even when you witness it that the door is closed.

When we are not given any more options, we need to listen to His Words that give direction because God knows the best solution.

Let us again dive deep into the story of the rest of the disciples and understand that “Caught Nothing does not mean the End of the Game”

PUZZLED AND TROUBLED

The disciples have not yet overcome and fully grasp what had happened with the Lord even when He already appeared to them the first time.

They spent almost three years being with the Lord and Jesus after His resurrection had nowhere to be found and no idea when He will appear again, what to do next, and what was the plan.

Their life for the past years revolves around Jesus’ ministry of healing the sick, casting out demons, hearing preaching, and witnessing miracles day by day.

But for now, the ministry is under watch, no more preaching, no more teachings, miracles cease, those who followed Jesus were hiding and some returned back to their normal life wondering what happened.

They may think that their faith in Jesus made a mess in their lives because they were identified with Jesus and now they were on the watch list.

Their movement became limited.

Still puzzled about what to do, they may be asking themselves “What shall we do now?”

Even in our lives, under painful events and tragic experiences; we have the same question “What shall we do now?

I have so many loans in the bank and I cannot make things better, what shall I do now.
I am the talk of the town and my friends left me, what shall I do now?
I am now fifty, and not yet ready to retire.

“WHAT SHALL WE DO NOW?”

With this in mind, we console ourselves and return back to our comfort zone.

To where we fit and are accepted. To where we are best. To a life of mediocrity.

This may be the same question of Peter and the other disciples.

Peter demonstrate this scenario like all of us, so he returned where he came from.

Fishing.

For some people, fishing is a hobby and to be one with nature. It’s good for deep thinkers.

But for Peter, he returned to what he loved and was familiar with, fishing!

Catching fish was his expertise. He knows the sea, and the timing and this made him successful.

“You don’t know what to do now? I’m going fishing.”

There was no doubt that even his fellow disciples when he asked them to go fishing, all followed him.

When our expectation fails us, isn’t that many of us settle for less?

Because we don’t want to be hurt and to fail anymore

WHAT VALUABLE LESSONS LEARNED FROM DISCIPLE’S EXPERIENCE

1. WE CAN NOT GO BACK WHEN GOD SHUTS THE DOOR

This is what we need to know, sometimes God closes more doors than he opens.

He shuts more access so that we could get to the right door that leads us where to go. To our destiny where He wanted us to be.

Like Peter and the disciples, we grab our old boats, we use the old nets, we hang with old friends, and we do the old things.

We return back where we fit, where we used to be.

But when we return back to where we fit, we cannot fit there anymore.

Caterpillar cannot go back to where he came.

Chicken cannot go back to its shells again.

Because when we left everything to serve God, there should be no turning back.

The skills we had acquired before should not be used to do what we usually did because God will be using that skills in a different form.

From fishing fish, they become fishers of men.

We should not be disappointed by many companies that close their door for us because there is one prepared for you with your acquired skills to be used to a better position.

“Kapag pinto ay kanyang sinarhan hindi dahil sa wala ka nang babalikan kundi para buksan ang pinto na mas mainam kesa sa iyong pinanggalingan”

2. ADMIT THAT NOTHING IS WORKING

The problem with most of us is that we rely on our ability to do, to accomplish something. We brag on our expertise.

Like Peter might say to them, “You don’t know what to do? Ok, come with me because I am good at this. I know this going to work”

But what you will do if the things you know really work don’t work?

God shuts doors in our face we can’t go back to where we came from.

Being a Christian, there is no turning back because the mold that we usually fit will not fit us anymore.

“I know this man, this is where I was good at.”

So they cast the net but take time, some more time, and more time.

But seems the fishes were sleeping or on holiday somewhere because none of them is touching the net.

Peter at this time might be feeling red already and in excuse might say “By this time there should be fish already”.

So they waited for some more time but there were no fish.

Peter at this time might be feeling red already and in excuse might say “By this time there should be fish already”.

How many of us expecting something and until now waiting for it to come?

“By this time, I should be with my family already in the Philippines but I’m not yet ready to retire”.

Then you pull the net up, “Surely by now I should have already a husband…”

Pulling it up once again, “Surely bow now I should have already children”

Surely by now, I should have already gone home for good.

But the Bible says they had CAUGHT NOTHING.

We need to admit that nothing is working.

Peter doesn’t know that on that night, God shut the door for him.

No matter how good and intelligent we are, how gorgeous and beautiful you are when He shuts the door, we can do anything.

God puts us in a position to realize that without Him we can’t do anything.

God will humble us.

We need to admit that nothing is working.

Our skills are of no use until we humble ourselves.

“Kung ginawa na natin ang lahat at hindi umuubra, huwag isipin na mahina ka. Minsan kailangang huminto at sa Diyos tumingala para humingi ng kanyang gabay at awa.”

3. CAST YOUR NET TO THE RIGHT SPOT

We must be aware of any abnormal failures.

We should always suspect unusual failures because it means that there is something spiritual going on.

Uncommon letdowns mean God is talking to you somewhere.

You can call for help from anybody but when He slams the door, no one can help you.

And when they admit that they can do anything, Jesus said to them “cast your net on the right side.”

Take note that it’s the same boat, the same net, it’s on the same lake, only a change of sides.

The blessing comes not because of the new net or a more sturdy boat or a new lake but the difference lies in the obedience to a Word of Direction.

It is not enough that you have your skills, that you have the right equipment that you have the right support unless you hit the right spot, we will not make it.

Because when God speaks in our life, He gives us Words of direction.

“Ang biyaya ay hindi sa pagandahan ng bangka o pagalingan ng pangingisda; ang pagpapala ay matatamasa kung inihahagis ang lambat na may pagtitiwala”

May we discern & learn from everything that is happening,

Mikesendon

.

Advertisement

NEVER WEEP ON AN EMPTY TOMB

Leave a reply

NEVER WEPT ON AN EMPTY TOMB
John 20: 11-18:

Is it not that most of us wept in the past because of losing someone so dear to us?

Is it that some of us after separation have experience loneliness; brokenness and felt so vulnerable that we wept until we find it normal after a while.

Are we weeping because of a tragic incident in the past that till now, we can get over?

The topic is so provocative; do not weep on an empty tomb.

THE MISSING BODY

Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark and saw that the stone was already been rolled.

So she ran out to Simon Peter and the other disciples and said to them that the stone had been rolled and taken away the Lord out of the tomb.

So Peter and the other disciples went forth and they were going to the tomb but what they found was a tomb with empty wrapping linen lying.

The disciples returned back to their homes except for Mary who remain standing outside the tomb weeping.

WEEPING AND CRYING

Verse 11 says that Mary was still outside the tomb weeping, and as she wept, she stooped and looked at the tomb.

Mary was so emotionally affected by what happened as only a few days back, she witnessed how her Lord was brutally punished and sentenced to death.

Mary of Magdala cried when the Lord died and when they buried Him. But the weight of her agony was increased when she realized that the Lord’s body was missing.

Like Mary, maybe we asked ourselves when all of this torment will end?

When will all this emotional distress likely stop?

Why is it that after all of the beatings, the lashes and the nailing of Him on the cross, have they not finished yet? Now they took Him away from the tomb.

Some of us can relate to Mary’s experience.

There are many times that we cry and weep over things we cannot understand.

We ask ourselves why and we just weep on the things we cannot control.

LOOKING AT AN EMPTY TOMB

Mary cannot get it over.

She wept and stooped looking where the tomb was.

In our life, we cry over spilt milk and we are sorry about it.

We regret a job that was lost or disappointed in a failed interview because we thought that was already our dream job. We talk about it and we cannot go over it.

You feel sorry for a husband or a wife whom you have been for decades but suddenly disappear because you found someone new. You wept and stooped looking at an empty wall, staring at your photographs, reminiscing your memory and asking what have been wrong.

You feel sad that you let your chances pass by without taking any action. You look at an unending horizon asking what you will do next.

But never wept and look at that empty tomb because the very thing that we are looking at is not our end.

An empty tomb is not a scene of emptiness but a fulfilment of God’s promises.

God promises us not an empty tomb but a life of fullness and rewarding promises.

When Moses and the Israelites were at the brink of their end, God said to Moses “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.”

We cannot wait to just stare and wait for the enemy to attack us.

We cannot just wait for the circumstances to consume and have control over us rather we have to move forward.

Lift up our eyes on God rather than look down on the tomb.

Raise up our eyes on Jesus that was risen rather than stooping on the tomb where he was laid.

We have to take up our staff like Moses and command the sea of depression, loneliness, and hopelessness to be divided so that we could be able to walk past through dry land of peace, hope and victory.

THE STONE HAS BEEN ROLLED

The stone has been rolled, now we know that we are not fooled.

Because the fullness of our faith is when Christ is resurrected from the dead.

When Christ rises again, we know that our faith is not in vain.
He is alive and in Him, we are alive as well.

It gives us hope that no one can constrain us from our situation.

The stone has been rolled for us to give us the assurance that there is life after death.

Giving us the courage to triumph over every adversary.

The stone has been rolled for us to be free. Free from our sin and freedom from anyone who makes us slaves.

No more chain can bound us, no more stone can hold us because indeed we are free.

DON’T WEEP ON AN EMPTY TOMB

Verse 15 says “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom you are seeking?”

We cry and wept at times that we cannot understand what is happening?

At the time, they did not yet realize and understand what the Scriptures say about Him that He must rise again from the dead.

Many times we also cry and feel depressed because we fail to understand the promises that God have for us.

Don’t be so focused on the empty tomb that we neglect to see the risen Lord.

Don’t be so entertained by the feeling of emptiness but rather focus on the fullness of God’s promises.

God’s words are what we can rely on. It is true and it will come to pass.

Isaiah 12:10-11 says “For just as the rains and snow come down from heaven, and do not return without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing the seed to the sower and the bread to the eater; so will My word be which goes forth from my mouth, it will not return to me empty without accomplishing my desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

SEEK FOR JESUS WHO WAS RISEN

Verse 15 Jesus says ‘Whom you are seeking?”

Whom do you seek right now?

Are you looking for someone that will not come back anymore or something that could never be restored?

Are we looking for evidence or a sign?

If we are looking for evidence, the fact will force us to believe.

After all the evidence and facts are presented, there will be no more room to doubt but believe.

But Jesus who was not in the tomb is a sign for many for us to believe but we have the choice.

Seek for Jesus…seek for His promise because He is alive.

WHEN GOD CALLED YOUR NAME

Verse 16 says Jesus said to her “ Mary!” she turned and said to Him in Hebrew “Rabboni!” which means, Teacher)

When God called us, He will always call us by our name.

When God called us by our name, imagine what will happen.

When Jesus called the name of Lazarus, Lazarus came back to life. His blood might already be coagulated, his heart already stopped pumping, his body was totally frozen but calling his name, his heart stop beating and his frozen body started to move again.

No matter what you are into. You might be in deep trouble right now.

You might be totally broken but when God called your name, you can’t imagine what would happen.

May your happiness be full as He has risen.

Mikesendon