Doubters Dreamers Deniers
Jesus lived His dream and revealed to us that with Him on board we also can reach ours!
We all have a dream, a hope, a desire and for various reasons we could begin to believe we are not going to reach that dream or may have never felt the courage to actually live the dream.
John 21:1-6 – “After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias. 2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter said unto them, I go fishing. They say unto him, We will go with you. They went and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
4 But when the morning came, Jesus stood on the shore; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus said to them, Children, have you any meat? They answered him, NO. 6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and you shall find. They cast the net, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fish.”
Jesus is beginning to bring a revelation of Himself they had not seen or known. They were all together: Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. Peter was the one who was boisterous and said, “I will go with you and I'll stand with you.” But he denied Jesus and turned away from the Lord.
Here was a flaw in the life of Peter. He was a man who was very strong in his convictions, strong in his words, but when it came to standing firm with the Lord, he failed in that place - a denier.
Then we see Thomas. He was the man who said, “Unless I see the nail prints in his hands and the wound in his side, I will not believe.” He doubted and questioned the resurrection of Jesus Christ. - a doubter.
Then we see Nathanael. When he was found, they saw him sitting under a tree daydreaming about the Messiah coming.- a dreamer. Here we see a doubter, a denier, and a dreamer. They are all three in the same boat. You can go to any group of people and you will find deniers, dreamers, and doubters. They are all in the same ship.
Also, there were the other disciples: the sons of Zebedee. The Word said Jesus showed himself. They literally saw Jesus with their eyes. At first they did not know who He was. There are a lot of people who have not understood the human side of Jesus. They haven’t understood Jesus who was made lower than the angels, and Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. With “grace” He is dealing with man; He is dealing with people who are doubters, people who are deniers, and people who are dreamers.
Have you ever seen people who always have a dream and are going to go someday and step towards that dream? Yet some years go by and they still have not taken one step towards their dream. Some of these “dreamers” can see everything that is not working smoothly for others and point it all out. It makes you just want to say, “Nathaniel, Nathaniel, I saw you under the tree.” Quit your dreaming, stand up and go towards your dream! We’re all in the boat together.
Peter was going back to what he knew to do. He was a fisherman when the Lord called him and so when ministry got tough, he said, “I’m going to fish. I’ll make a living and I’ll provide for my family, buy my own food and clothing.”
Beneath the waters were the fish that would be his bread, his resources, his clothing, food, and home - whatever needs he had for life. It was out of sight but it was there. Yet they toiled all night long and caught nothing.
John 21:4 But when the morning came, Jesus stood on the shore; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, CHILDREN…. He doesn’t call them disciples. He doesn’t call them apostles or great men of faith and power! He says, “Children, have you any meat? You toiled all night. Have you got any meat or anything that will give you strength?”
If you are tired and weary, don’t have any strength, and you have nothing to turn to that will give you strength in the time of battle, time of work, time of laboring in the ministry of God, then you need to hear what Jesus is saying and how He reveals himself.
John 21:6 – “and He said unto them, cast the net on the right side of the ship, and you shall find. They cast the net, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fish.”
At the word of the Lord and His vision, Jesus could see where the fish were. He knew where they should cast the net and what to do. They followed His direction and when they did they found this great amount of fish.
John 21:9-10 – “As soon then as they came to land, they saw a fire of coals and fish cooking, and bread. 10 Jesus said unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.”
Before they ever went fishing, Jesus was already getting things ready for their provision - BRING THEM TO ME. The Lord has all things ready. Let’s cast out our nets where Jesus directs and bring the praise back to Him! Let’s support the work of the gospel with the blessings received through our efforts.
You may be like Thomas and doubt that things are ready. You may be like Peter and be a denier and because things have not flowed as you thought they should flow, you may be trying do rely more on yourself and what you know you can do. Or you could be like Nathaniel and be a dreamer. You may have all the answers, but you’re idle when it comes to actually stepping towards your dream. I know there are many faithful believers on the boat with us like those “sons of Zebedee.” We are all in the boat together.
Because we have Jesus, we have everything! This event between Jesus and these men happened between the resurrection and the ascension of Jesus. Even though this was after the cross, the New Covenant had not yet begun. Jesus was still on the outside watching. HE IS NOW INSIDE OF US AND HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US! Yes, we still may doubt, we still may find ourselves denying, or dreaming, BUT WE ARE NOW LIVING IN THE NEW COVENANT!
Jesus has risen! Jesus has ascended and He is seated at the right hand of Father! ALL THINGS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED! HE ALREADY KNOWS WHAT HE IS GOING TO DO CONCERNING YOU!!!
He lives in us who believe and He has never doubted! He has never thought wrongly or spoke wrongly. Jesus never denied who He was or what He stood for. He wasn’t just dreaming about doing something, but He went all the way to Calvary’s cross, took our sin and gave us His righteousness. He took our fear and gave us His peace; took our poverty and gave us provision; took our sickness and gave us His health and vitality; took our loneliness and is a friend who will never leave or forsake us; took our confusion and became our wisdom. He busted the gates of hell down and broke through the heavens as He ascended to the right hand of the Father, giving us total and complete victory over all the powers of the enemy. We live under an open heaven!
Eph 1: 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. (Jesus is the Beloved) NKJV
Today Jesus already has everything set. His amazing grace provides for all who believe, even the doubters, deniers and dreamers who are in the boat with us! We are all in the boat together!
