Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
It’s Thursday, does Easter seem like a very long time ago? It’s only been four days! In this week following Easter, I’m inviting us to look at the various times we have recorded in the Gospels that the RESURRECTED Jesus had encounters with the disciples and others. Today, join me please in John 21. This probably occurred about 3 or 4 weeks after Jesus’ resurrection, so you can imagine for these 7 men, Passover/Easter weekend really did seem like it was months ago!
John tells the story this way: “Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James and John and two other disciples were together. ‘I’m going out to fish’ Peter told them, and they said ‘we’ll go with you.’ So they got into the boat, went out, fished all night, but caught nothing.” (John 21:1-4)
I wonder what you see here my friends? We all know someone like Peter don’t we? A natural, gregarious leader. When he has an idea, others are quickly drawn in and they join right in. I assume Andrew was one of the two unnamed, since he was almost always with his brother Peter and the other brothers James and John. Perhaps the other was Philp since he and Nathanael were good friends. (John 1:40-49) Fishing was not just a hobby for these guys, it was the family business for Andrew & Peter, James & John. And for the other three, since they were likely from one of the shoreline towns around Lake Galilee, we can assume they loved the water, loved being out on the lake and loved fishing.
After Jesus’ death and resurrection, and Judas Iscariot’s suicide, everything changed for the 11 disciples. No longer was Jesus with them everyday as they traveled from place to place following Him. Now, each day they were on their own deciding what to do with their day. Jesus’ appearances were usually unexpected. Thus I assume these men had returned to their home area, Galilee, and probably returned to their businesses and friends. I can imagine daily these men were asked questions by people who had known them a long time and were fascinated by their relationship with Jesus, but with Jesus now absent, what were they going to do with the rest of their lives? Where was Jesus?
These men who had been faithful disciples didn’t have answers! They couldn’t explain where Jesus was when He wasn’t with them. Nor could they explain when they’d see Jesus next or what they were supposed to be doing these days! Suddenly everything that had given them purpose, identity and fulfillment was gone!
Have you ever found yourself in that situation? What did you do to find your direction, some sense of stability? This is why when Peter said “I’m going fishing.” The others jumped in quickly and before only a few minutes had passed, all 7 of them were in the boat on the lake. There they felt surrounded by the familiar… the lake, the boat, the nets, each other. Soon, however, another familiar experience was creeping in. . . empty nets! If you like to fish or hunt, you understand the empty feeling of NOTHING. No nibbles on the fishing line, no rustling in the bushes of the animal you are hunting. Nothing but silence. Sometimes silence is wonderful… but not all night long when you are fishing!
Net fishing on the Sea of Galilee was very tiring work. Peter, Andrew, James and John had been doing it since they were young boys. Dropping the nets into the water and then circling the nets to trap the fish and then hauling the wet nets back into the boat, watching closely with each pull, hoping to see fish caught in the net. Empty net fishing is exhausting. Minutes seem like hours, hours seem like entire days, especially when fishing at night. As muscles grow weary, hands get raw, and discouragement sets in, attitudes change, even among good friends, right? Remember the last time you experienced that?
Finally the early morning light started to push back the darkness of that long night of empty net fishing. The shoreline and the outline of the villages began to slowly emerge in the pre-dawn faint light. I imagine these 7 weary men were thinking of calling it a night soon, heading in with nothing to show for their long night of fishing. At home, they’d have a little something to eat and get some rest.
Of course between the quiet of the lake and the comfort of breakfast and bed would be the expectations of people. Where’s the fish? You have nothing…after an entire night? But you’re among the best fishermen on this lake, and you fished all night for nothing? Have you lost your touch? Maybe the months you’ve been away with Jesus have robbed you of your profession?
And then suddenly a voice… “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” (John 21:5) The 7 men scanned the horizon. Where was the voice coming from? There, over there. One lone figure standing on the beach. Not yet light enough to see him well, and it’s probably a good thing. Who is that wise guy asking in such a way that assumes the nets have been empty all night? Look around at the 7. What do you see in their eyes, what do you hear in their scowls? Peter calls out “No”.
My “Walking with Jesus” friends, may I simply tell you I’m glad the Bible doesn’t always give us all the details. In this case, I can’t imagine, after such a frustrating night of empty net fishing, that “NO” was all that was said in response to that voice! I have to believe someone in the boat was saying ‘Who is that guy? He probably had a good night’s rest and probably has one of those soft office jobs. He’s probably never worked hard a day in his life.’ or something like that…
None of them was prepared for what came next. That voice called out again from the shoreline. “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” Oh my! I have to believe tempers started to flair and words were spoken in that boat, that maybe even words I can’t write. But finally someone must have said, ‘what do we have to lose? I have no idea who that guy is, but why not give it a try? Let’s drop the nets one more time, and then we’ll go home, face the questions, get some food and rest.’ John simply says it this way: “When they did, they were unable to haul the net into the boat because of the large number of fish.” (John 21:6) Now look around, at the faces of these 7 nearly exhausted guys who’ve fished all night and caught nothing. What do you see?
Excitement, confusion and all hands on deck. Peter is likely barking out orders, telling everyone what to do to capture this cash register filling catch. I can hear Peter yelling… ‘John, get over here and help us, what are you doing? What are you staring at? Forget the guy on the beach, help us with these nets before the fish get away!’ But John records it this way: “Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ Can you see John leaning over the opposite side of the boat from the big catch, straining to see the man on the shoreline?
May I ask you… what convinced John it was Jesus standing on that beach? Why was John the only one of the 7 disciples who seemed more interested in the voice from the shore than the full net of fish?
John records: “As soon as Peter heard John say ‘it is the Lord’, he wrapped his outer garment around him and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish.” (John 21:7,8) Peter was likely looking at the biggest catch of fish he’d ever seen in his life, but when he heard his friend John say ‘it is the Lord’, suddenly all those fish meant nothing to Peter.
He leaped into the water because Peter was desperate for some time alone with Jesus. His heart was still very heavy, as far as we know he and Jesus had not yet had a private discussion about the darkest moments of Peter’s entire life… the moments just before the rooster crowed when he denied that he was one of Jesus’ disciples.
May I ask…have you and Jesus had those private conversations about your dark times of shame? How did those conversations go? Did you find Jesus loving, compassionate, forgiving or did you feel criticism, judgment, even more shame and failure? My friends, I can assure you that with Jesus you will always feel God’s compassion and forgiveness in response to your honest confession. If you feel rebuke, judgment, accusation… that is not from God, that is from Satan the accuser.
I’m going to have us pause right here… tomorrow we’ll listen in on the conversation on that beach, between Jesus and His friends. For today, let’s stay in the boat with these six. Watch Peter swim almost frantically to the beach. Watch Jesus waiting for Him by a fire He has going on the beach. Watch the other six disciples wrestling with this net full of fish. Probably two of them release their grip on the nets and pick up oars to bring the boat to shore, because the net is simply too heavy to pull into the boat without capsizing the boat! What do you see in the faces of the men, what do you hear them saying to each other?
What have we just witnessed in the past few minutes? How will you ever explain it? When is the last time Jesus did something spectacular in your life like this? Why not thank Him right now? And maybe you feel all worn out with life, like a long night of empty net fishing. Why don’t you and Jesus have a chat about that… He knows all about the journey you’ve been walking! Jesus knows you better than you know yourself. Think about that! Here’s a song to help you as you process all that you’ve just seen..
Today’s Scripture is John 21:1-8.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“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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