Footprints of the Savior: Part 6

A night of hard work ends with empty nets, and then a voice from the shore asks one painful question: “Have ye any meat?” That moment in John 21 is where we start, because it exposes something timeless about the Christian life. We can believe Jesus is risen and still live as if He is far away. As we trace the final steps in The Footprints of the Savior, we watch the risen Christ step right into ordinary routines, bring weary disciples back to simple obedience, and turn failure into a doorway for grace.

From Galilee, we walk through the scene where love recognizes Jesus first, where bread and fish are already waiting, and where Peter is restored through the repeated question that still searches the heart: “Do you love me?” We talk about what Jesus is really doing when He presses Peter past bravado, past comparisons, and into a personal, honest confession. Then comes the commission that defines spiritual leadership and everyday discipleship: feed my lambs, feed my sheep, follow me. If you have ever felt distracted by busyness, discouraged by a “nothing” night, or unsure how to serve after a fall, this message meets you there.

We also follow Christ to Bethany and the Mount of Olives to consider the ascension of Jesus Christ and why it matters now. The ascension is the King returning to glory, the finished work accepted, the believer’s assurance secured, the church’s Head enthroned, and the sending of the Holy Spirit made possible. It is also a solemn declaration against Satan and unbelief, and a call to ask the most important question of all: do you know Him, and are you walking in His footsteps?

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Transcript

Welcome And Worldwide Gospel Reach

SPEAKER_00 0:00

All right. Now, a very pleasant good day to each and every one of you. I'm Brother James. I greet you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, and I welcome you to the preaching of the cross radio broadcast. We're so very happy that you've tuned into the program today for the conclusion of our series of messages entitled The Footprints of the Savior. You know, as the broadcast came on, I was just sitting here going through the mail that came in uh yesterday, and just yesterday we heard from uh the African nations of Ghana, Nigeria, uh, Zambia, and uh Zimbabwe. We've got uh mail here from uh California, from uh the state of Florida, from up in Michigan, and the Philippines. There's a letter from the Philippines, and uh most blessed of all, uh we heard from the the fifty-fifth nation uh on planet earth, fifty-five countries now, from which we have received uh response uh to this uh preaching of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. And this letter comes from a uh soldier stationed with the uh signal platoon of the uh United Nations Forces in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. In Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Now, do you realize what a blessing that is? And those of you that uh pray for and support uh these ministries, do you realize what a blessing it is to know that the uh preaching of the cross is reaching into places where missionaries cannot go. A missionary could not go uh into Cambodia, and yet a soldier with the uh United Nations uh peacekeeping task force, that's the big name for it, uh yeah, they they keep the peace, all right. Uh anyway, a soldier with the United Nations Peacekeeping Task Force can go into these countries and carry with him a cassette recorded uh message upon which the uh gospel, uh the saving gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is preached, and those people have an opportunity to hear the word of God, believe, and be saved, uh, even without a an official uh missionary uh going there and doing that work. So it certainly is exciting, certainly is a wonderful thing to be part of the great ministry of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why Galilee Matters After Resurrection

SPEAKER_00 2:35

Now, uh we're going to wrap up on the broadcast today this uh series of messages that we've been uh discussing, the footprints of the Savior. That is looking at uh the various places that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ uh went and ministered, and the various things that uh he did in these certain locations and localities. The series has been a real blessing to me, studying it out and talking about these things, and I hope and pray that it's been a blessing to you as you've uh listened. Now we want to talk today about Galilee, and then about the last leg of his journey, that is the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord was, after the flesh, a Galilean. So were eleven of his disciples. He had lived in Galilee for the greater part of thirty years. His miraculous ministry had begun in Cana of Galilee. His sermon on the mount had been delivered in Galilee, as were his parables of the kingdom in Matthew thirteen, and so much more of his spoken ministry took place here. He had walked on the sea of Galilee, and he had walked and talked on the lake shore. The maid in the palace court had called him Jesus of Galilee in Matthew twenty six and verse sixty nine. So it's hardly surprising then that risen from the dead, our Lord would want to meet his loved ones in Galilee. On his last evening with them he had promised his disciples, this is in Matthew twenty six, verse thirty two, after I am risen again I will go before you into Galilee. The angel at the empty tomb confirmed this in these words from Matthew twenty eight verse seven, he goeth before you into Galilee. Now the Lord himself had repeated to the women Galilee, there shall they see me in Matthew twenty eight ten. And accordingly the eleven apostles that were remaining after Judas went out and hanged himself and went to his own place, the eleven met him on the appointed mountain slope in Galilee. We read that in Matthew twenty eight and verse sixteen. But perhaps one of the loveliest

The Empty Nets And The Unseen Christ

SPEAKER_00 4:55

of Galilean pictures is that of John twenty one. The chapter has been called the Epilogue to John's gospel. It was not written to prove that Jesus was alive. That had been proven in chapter twenty. John twenty one has been given to us to demonstrate that the risen Christ desires to enter into the affairs of our daily lives. He is not, though now ascended, remote and far removed from his people. He said, Lo, I am with you always. How many of us believe unreservedly that He is risen, but do not practically appreciate His living presence in our day to day lives? Seven disciples were together. In John twenty one we read, and what a lovely word this is. The Bible says in Psalm one hundred and thirty three how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. In spite of vastly different personalities, in spite of vastly different temperaments, they were together. Peter is first mentioned. This impetuous, impulsive, lovable man is a leader of men, but the old Simon is attached to his name because there is well there's much of the old nature yet. Thomas is with them. Thomas the melancholy, pessimistic, doubting, ever looking on the blacker side of things, that Thomas. Nathaniel too was there, without Guile, open hearted, the Israelite with no Jacob in him, as we discussed from John chapter one. Two others were with them, anonymous men, and the suggestion is often made that where we find such anonymity, there is opportunity to put ourselves into the picture. That's something you might want to think about and meditate upon. What variety then of men, and yet men who love the master, and men who in his absence were together? Peter gives the lead. And how responsible are leaders, and he said, I go a fishing. And the others quickly said, We also go with thee. Now were they all too quick? Should they not have waited for the Lord? Now let's not be too critical because we don't know what we would have done in that situation, but what we do know is this that they went forth with neither his commandment, nor his promise, nor his presence, and that night, of course, they caught absolutely nothing. You know, my friend, you can't help but wonder about the conversation of that long night. Did they talk about Jesus? I I think they must have. There must have been many reminiscences as they looked back over the years that they had spent together. They doubtless shared the memories and experiences of those eventful three years that were past. But whatever they talked about, whatever the manner and subject of their discussion, one thing is absolutely certain from the Bible, they caught nothing. But eventually the morning came. And Jesus stood on the shore. They failed to recognize him. In the bustle of service it can be true of us too that we lose sight of him. Martha, you may recall from your Bible reading, was cumbered about with much service. She was busy, she was active, she was laboring, but so much so that Jesus was crowded out. And here are these disciples there fishing, they're toiling with their nets, they're working, struggling with the boat, and they just don't even realize that Jesus is present. I hope we never get so busy that we're distracted from the Lord Jesus Christ whom we serve. Now he obtains from these weary men, Jesus does, a painful acknowledgement of their failure. He cries from the shore, have ye any meat? They call back from the boat, I don't know if it was in anger or disgust or discouragement, but they call back simply no. Our acknowledgement of our failure is but Christ's opportunity to enter into our lives. Let me say that again. Our acknowledgement of our failure is but Christ's opportunity to enter into our lives. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. These disciples, they obey him implicitly, and their reward is immediate. A net full of fishes, and all of them great, and an unbroken net too. Now I don't doubt for a minute if I can recall, and some of you listening can recall the incident of Luke chapter 5, when they were told to let down all the nets, and they let down but one, and the net break because of the great draught of fishes. This happened in the early days of the Lord's earthly ministry, and the early days of his dealing with these same disciples, and here they let down the net, and uh they they haul in a great catch of fishes, and John says, It is the Lord. Now, like I say, I don't know if it's because of uh remembrance of this having happened before. Don't know if this is just intuitive in his heart and mind. I don't know if it's a realization that only the Lord Jesus Christ could provide such a great blessing as this, but in either case, John says, It is the Lord. And note that it is it's love that first recognizes Jesus with his own hands. The Lord Jesus Christ has prepared a fire with fish and bread, and come and dine, he invites them. There are other things to be attended to and to be talked over, but first in gracious and kind consideration he will feed them and warm them. It would seem that uh a heavy silence ensues while they eat,

Peter’s Love Tested And Restored

SPEAKER_00 11:10

and Jesus breaks that silence. Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than thee? Do you really love me more than these men do? You once boasted that you did in Mark 14, 29. Do you really? As the charcoal fire burns on, and poor Peter stares into it. He remembers how so recently, beside a similar fire, he had denied the master not once, not twice, but even as Jesus had known aforetime. Three times. Three times then the question is asked. But on the third occasion the Lord changes the word for love. And Peter in his responses, he had not admitted a strong, settled disposition of love for Christ, but had avowed love, which was rather an emotion. He had spoken and said, Lord, I'm I'm attached to thee, I'm fond of thee, I I care for thee. But Jesus wants to know, wants to pin him down. He says, Simon, son of Jonas, the first time, lovest thou me more than these? And then he changes. I said the third time, it's the second and third time. Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me. Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me? He's not concerned now. Do you love me more than these others? We've got that taken care of. We've got that dealt with. Peter's no longer in competition to be the greatest disciple. Now Jesus just wants to know. I'm not asking if you love me more than these others. Do you love me? Just you. Not in comparison, not in relation to anyone else's love, but just you. And then Peter says he does, and then the Lord tells him about his future, and he says, Well, what about John? What about John? And we see that Peter still hasn't fully learned the lesson, and the book of Acts will give us more instruction into Peter's spiritual education, which continues throughout his lifetime. Now, Peter's grieved. Is the Lord questioning even this in me? He must have thought, Lord, thou knowest all things. The fisherman Peter of the earthly part early part of the chapter is now commissioned to be a shepherd. There is a hungry flock to be fed, there are little lambs to be tended, to be restored to the restored Peter. The Lord commits the heavy but sweet responsibility feed my lambs, feed my sheep, feed my sheep. I once asked a shepherd, Why does our Lord mention the lambs first? And his answer born of long experience with sheep and lambs was this If the lambs are contented, then so is the flock. If the lambs are restless, the flock is restless too. Take care of the lambs, and you take care of the flock. May we follow his example. The one who leads both sheep and lambs with a shepherd's love and care. The encouragement of the end of part uh the end part of John twenty one is for those of us who may never be prominent, either as fishermen or as shepherds. Follow me, says the risen Lord. We can all be disciples. Till he comes, may we faithfully wait and serve and follow.

Bethany And The Final Footprints

SPEAKER_00 15:06

Well, for thirty three unique and wonderful years our Lord walked the face of this earth. His was true manhood, real humanity, but all stamped with moral perfection. From infancy through boyhood and youth to holy maturity, he had lived fragrantly for his father's pleasure. Every sacred footprint delighted the heart of God. Every step was hallowed. There had been in this holy life joy and sorrow mingled. There had been pain and pleasure, grief and glory. And now on the road over Olivet, the last footprints were being impressed on the dusty path which he knew so well. The Bible says in Luke twenty four fifty he led them out as far as Bethany. What precious memories this little town on the mount held for the Lord Jesus? When in so many other places he had been rejected they had received him at Bethany as we discussed in an earlier broadcast. Here they had shown him hospitality. Here he had enjoyed the warmth of their love. They had opened their homes and hearts and hearts to him there. It had become for him a haven in a world that had cast him out. Is it coincidental then that as he prepared to leave earth in ascension, he led them out as far as to Bethany? Or does it not seem indeed that he was reluctant to leave Bethany? And when the moment of ascension arrived he would desire to leave his disciples in the atmosphere and spirit of the place that had so singularly received him. Almost a home on earth if Jesus ever had such, if he ever came close to having a place on planet earth where he was truly welcomed and made at home, it it would be this place. He lifted up his hands in priestly blessing upon them. We wonder what he said. I do, I don't know about you. If you meditate on the scriptures, you you probably wonder what he said in this last meeting. His last words, his final benediction, he began to be parted from them. And as they watched in sad silence, he rose from the midst of them with outspread holy hands, up and up, into the clouds, through the clouds, higher and higher, until at last the glory cloud itself took him, it hid him from human view. He had gone up, he had gone in. He had sat down. Hark those bursts of acclamation, hark those loud, triumphant chords. Jesus takes the highest station. Oh what joy the sight affords. Crown him, crown him, King of kings and Lord of Lords. How little did the disciples realize at that moment the importance of what had happened? A real man had gone on high into the heavens in his own right and by his own power. Now, of course, Enoch and Elijah had also gone up, but it was not the same. Enoch had been translated that he should not see death. He was walking with God throughout the course of his life, and as he walked with God one day, God took him. God translated him, carried him, a living soul, up into the glory of heaven. Elijah, you know the story about the great fiery chariot coming down from heaven and receiving him and taking him, carrying him up in the glory, and yet this was different. This is not the same. This is our Lord Jesus Christ, the man Christ Jesus ascending in personal power. His own power, not a God sending a fiery chariot of horses, not God catching a man up by the his power, but this is a man under his own power, the man Christ Jesus ascending up into heaven. Our Lord had the authority to do so. He had the power to do so. In defiance of natural law, he ascends. In defiance also of the prince of the powers of the air, he ascends. In defiance of all the host of evil in high places, he ascended with every right to ascend, with heaven opened, with heaven receiving him and saluting him and adoring him. Glorious scene that had to have been the return of the King to glory.

What The Ascension Means For All

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And what are the implications of the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ? Well, for the believer, it's full of encouragement and assurance. He has sat down. His work, his sacrificial work, his redemptive work, his redeeming, soul saving, lawful filling work is done. And both he and his work are accepted. His sitting down is the pledge of that. And you know if you've been saved, if you've been born again, you can say with me, I am accepted in him, I am accepted in the beloved. God is satisfied and rests, and I may rest too. And his presence in heaven is the pledge of yet another thing. Because he is there, one day, my friend, I shall be there too. If you've been born again, one day, my friend, you shall be there too. Jesus said, Where I am, there ye may be also in John 14 3. And here is the forerunner. He has gone in so that we may follow after. Blessed, blessed implication for the individual believer from the ascension of Jesus Christ. Now, what about the church? For the church, the implication of his ascension is a glory it's a glorious truth. Christ, the head of the church, is in heaven. Christ, the head of the church, is in heaven glorified. A new body has come into being, a great mystery. The church, a heavenly people, a new creation. Consequent upon the ascension and glorification of the Son of God, the Holy Spirit of God has been given, and with him those gifts to men from the risen head are brought. Did not our Lord say it is expedient for you that I go away? For if I go not away the comforter which my father shall send will not come unto you, but if I go away, the comforter shall come John chapter sixteen. What a glorious truth this is. The ascended Christ made possible. The church, the body having a head in glory, made possible the descent of the Holy Spirit of God to indwell the believers and of course the church as a whole. And then the implications of the ascension of Jesus Christ for the devil. For Lucifer, for Satan, for that old dragon. The implications of the ascension are solemn. The enthronement of Christ is the judgment of the Prince of this world. The ascended one is far above all principalities and powers. He is far above all might and dominion. He is far above every name that is named. Satan is annulled. The glorification of the Son of God spells the doom of the wicked one. God in exalting Jesus Christ has judged the usurper with the judgment of the prince of this world. The world too stands indicted. It stands charged with the sin of unbelief, the sin of rejecting through unbelief the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. That righteousness of Christ which men fail to see and acknowledge is now proven. The Father has received the righteous one in glory, and he is vindicated. Man of sorrows, God of glory, wondrous path thy foot hath trod. Cross and crown rehearse the story. Joyful sound this note abroad. Calvary's victim now adorns the throne of God. And let's finish our study of the footprints of Jesus by repeating the words with which we began six broadcasts ago. The study of Jesus Christ Himself in His ways amongst men bows the heart in worship and fills the soul with wonder. And we trust that it's been so with you, as we have sought to trace the footprints of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Do You Know Him And Follow

SPEAKER_00 24:30

Do you know him? This one who came from heaven's glory down to earth, that walked, talked, ate, slept, lived, as a man, yes, but as no man ever before or since, because he lived without sin. My friend, that road led him to Calvary's cross, where he suffered and bled and died to pay for your sins and mine, the sins of the whole world. And then that pathway led him out of the tomb in resurrection glory, and up, up through the universe, ascended to the right hand of God the Father. And he ever lives to make intercession for you and I. He is enthroned right now as our go-between, our mediator, the only one that can bring God and man together. Do you know him? Is he your Lord and Savior? Has he left footprints not just for preachers to preach about, but for you to walk in? He has. Are you following? Are you a Christ one? Are you a disciple? Are you a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ walking not only where he walked but as he walked? No, my friend, this is the wonderful thing about the Bible. It's a lamp under our feet, a light under our path, showing us how we may follow Jesus.

Resources Website And Testimonies

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All right, this is Brother James. I want to thank you for listening to the preaching of the Cross Radio Broadcast. This brings us to the close of a series of Bible studies called The Footprints of the Savior. If you'd like a copy of this particular series of programs, or if you'd like to see what we have available, recorded sermons in Bible studies. We've been making them since uh oh about 1980, 81, somewhere around in there. 5,000 hours plus verse by verse Bible studies through almost every book in the Bible, topical studies, some of them, some of them running dozens and dozens and dozens of hours. And then we got books, many books, deep teaching, verse by verse detailed teaching, subjects of great interest to God's people, tracts, witnessing helps, and all kinds of things. You can view all of this when you visit our website at jameswnox.org. Jameswnox.org. And while you're there, please leave a letter of testimony to encourage our hearts and be a blessing to those that pay for, support, and pray that God will keep this ministry going. It really helps. It really helps when they can hear from you and know that the preaching of the cross radio broadcast is ministering to your soul. Till that time, I'm Brother James. May the Lord richly bless you, and good day.