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Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Do you appreciate a good plan that comes together in great success or are you more grateful when something spontaneous turns out to be very special? Join me again on the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee, about 2000 years ago, as we witness a remarkable event which changed the lives of several men. And who those men became, after this event, has probably touched your life, did you know that?
Peter, John and five other disciples had been fishing all night but caught nothing. Until, that is, early in the morning, dim light, a voice called out from shore urging them to throw their empty nets into the lake once more, on the right side of their boat, in the very spot they were at that moment. When they did, their nets were nearly torn as they filled with fish! Stunned, six of those men frantically tried to haul in the nets, while one leaned over the side of the boat mesmerized by that shoreline voice.
Who was that man and how did this great miracle just happen? It didn’t take long, and John concluded it must be resurrected Jesus and so he proclaimed, “It is the Lord!” (John 21:6) Those words grabbed Peter’s attention and believe it or not Peter released his grip on the nets, and jumped into the water, swimming toward shore!
John’s account tells us that when they finally got the boat ashore, dragging nets so full they couldn’t pull them all into the boat, they were stunned to see Jesus and a fire with breakfast cooking over it! Shoreline breakfast of bread and fresh fish, oh my! The Bible doesn’t mention coffee, but surely Jesus made fresh coffee too, don’t you think?
John tells us that “Jesus said to them, ‘bring some of the fish you have just caught. So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many fish the net was not torn! Jesus said to them, ‘Come have breakfast!” (John 21:10-13) What’s happening here, this early morning on the shoreline of Galilee and how does it apply to you and me today, my friends?
When’s the last time you were really hungry or thirsty and you didn’t have time or availability of food or drink? Those guys were hungry after a long night of fishing. Jesus cooked breakfast, and that breakfast met their hunger need, and proved to them, again, that God knows our needs better than we do and He can meet those needs better than we can! Also, Jesus invited them to contribute some of their fresh fish to their breakfast!
Does that remind you of the huge crowd of people Jesus fed with one little boy’s lunch? (John 6:1-13) In fact, from where they were having breakfast that morning on the shoreline, they could have looked over to the hills not far away, to probably see the very place they had all witnessed that miracle. Do you remember they collected 12 big baskets of leftover food that day? What does that tell you about God’s ability to provide MORE than what we ask or imagine in response to what He knows our genuine need is or will be?
Perhaps you wondered WHY they counted the number of fish in that net and John bothered including that detail in this story? Notice please that it wasn’t simply the number of fish, but John indicates they were large fish and that they were all surprised the net did not tear! I think, among other things, it’s simply showing us the magnitude of this amazing miracle. Normally fish caught by these hand thrown nets would be few and small.
But there’s another important implication in this miracle. Jesus was preparing them for what He was about to ask them to do... TRUST Him, for His provision for them, every day for the rest of their lives; and for His STRENGTH and COURAGE to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit who would guide them to accomplish the life purpose Jesus was calling them to!
On that very same shoreline, about three years before, Jesus had called Peter, John, James and Andrew to leave their fishing nets and boats and follow Jesus. On that day Jesus had said “Come and follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mark 1:16,17) Now, after almost three years together watching and listening to Jesus, Jesus was going to leave them to complete this remarkable calling of representing Jesus and drawing people to know Jesus!
While they ate and talked around that campfire, these seven disciples were again convinced not only of the resurrection of Jesus but of the privilege they would have, for the rest of their lives, of telling His story! Oh, they knew many would refuse to believe them or even listen to them, but on that beach that day, each of them were again convinced NOTHING would be more important or fulfilling in life than sharing their friend Jesus with other people, especially people who had never seen Jesus, maybe even people who had never heard of Jesus! We need to think about that a moment and consider what is most fulfilling in our lives today and why?
Let’s pause again friends and relax on this beach with Jesus and His friends. Look around and soak in the scene. The Sea of Galilee, nets full of fish, breakfast cooked by Jesus, seven weary but joyful disciples, a beautiful morning, the start of a new day that was changing their lives!
I have some questions for us…
* What are the most fulfilling things in your life these days my friends?
* And what are the heaviest burdens, the greatest worries you have today? Does God fully understand them and is He more than capable, with more than sufficient resources, to meet your needs?
* When’s the last time you experienced something that showed you how much God knows you and loves you?
* When you consider the remainder of your life on earth, do you have a ‘bucket list’ of things you yet want to experience? If so, are any of them significant spiritual experiences like these men were having that day with Jesus?
No song today friends. Rather I urge us to sit by the fire, listen to the waves. What do you need to share with Jesus and what is HE ready to do in your life today? And I’ll meet you here again tomorrow.
Today’s Scripture: John 21:1-14.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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