Reading: John 21.1-14
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The scene was Lake Tiberias – better known to us as the Sea of Galilee. This is John’s first-hand report, though in his typical style he doesn’t give his name – just “the sons of Zebedee”. It is his first-hand report and he is at pains to give the details of what happened. “This is how it happened.” Only seven out of the eleven disciples were there.
They were all confused. Three-and-a-half years ago all of them had heard Jesus call them to follow him. They were amazing years. They had heard his teaching, witnessed his miracles, observed his prayer life, discovered who he really was.
To the four fishermen among them, his word of calling had been, “Follow me and I will teach you to catch men.” I wonder if, during that time, they ever had that nagging feeling, “Someday Jesus is going to get us to do this. There was of course, that time when he had sent them out two by two. That had been an astonishing time - they had witnessed miracles at their own hands! But there had been a certain security about it. Jesus as there as their home base. Their mission was simple and specific -Jesus was coming soon, the time was short and they were to prepare the way for him.
Well, they had done that and the coming of Jesus through those towns and finally to Jerusalem had led to bitter opposition from the Jewish leaders - had led to the brutal execution of Jesus on a Roman cross. Had their fishing for men led only to this? only to the cross?
Now they had seen Jesus alive - Mary Magdalene had seen him! Ten of the disciples had themselves seen him, while they met in secret behind closed doors. He had said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you.” Then he had breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive people's sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Thomas was not there that evening. A week later the whole eleven of them were together - Thomas too. Jesus appeared again to them.
But what did it all mean? In a sense they were re-evaluating, not only their convictions about who Jesus was and what he had come to do, but their whole lives. What had Jesus meant when he had called them to follow him? They were amazing years. They had heard his teaching, witnesses his miracles, observed his prayer life, discovered who he really was - and seen him die and rise to life!
Going out two by two a couple of months ago - was that all Jesus had meant them to do? They had been elated by what happened then. But the movement had led to the cross. So many of the crowd that had called “Hosanna!” had later called out “Crucify him!” And even they, his closest friends, had betrayed him, deserted him, denied him. Perhaps they weren't such good fishers of men after all!
They were re-evaluating their whole lives. And the risen Jesus had now said. “As the Father sent me, so I send you”! So this risen Jesus still had a claim over them, still had expectations tor them.
Simon. Peter said to the others, “I am going fishing.” The others readily agreed to come too. What did these amazing years mean? What next? Fishing has its moments. Every fisherman has stories to tell. But for a professional like Peter, fishing was predictable and dependable in a way the things they had seen and done with Jesus just didn't seem to be.
For a professional like Peter to say “Who would like to go fishing?” meant something quite different from the same words on the lips of an amateur. He was on the brink of a decision - would this be a casual outing? or a return to his old lifestyle?
His brother Andrew wasn't there and they had three non-professionals on board too. Peter seems to be evaluating his life - what's it to be, fishing or fishing for men?
Amateur fishermen know the feeling of going out and coming in empty-handed. We shrug it off with, “Only the mozzies were biting tonight!" In the telling, successes are dramatised, failures are minimised!
But professionals are faced with the task of making a living, of providing for a family. Knowledge of sea and tides and feeding times and places is essential. Some nights may be better than others, but there has to be a catch – every time!
This time they hadn't caught a thing. What's the matter? Have I lost my touch? Have I lost the edge I had against the other professional fishermen? Has following Jesus made me worse, not better off? I'm trapped! I can't go back, but – how can I go forward?
As the sun began to rise they saw someone at the water’s edge looking out towards them. Some jogger? – that would have been our reaction! They couldn't see who it was. Could have been anyone really!
This person called out, “Young men, haven't you caught anything?” He must have been watching for some time. His question suggests that he knew it had been a bad night.
“Not a thing”, they answered.
“Throw your net out on the right side of the boat, and you will catch some.”
Could he see something? Did he know something? They did as he said and immediately netted a great haul of fish – later they counted a hundred and fifty three big fish.
Suddenly it all brought back memories. This had happened once before (Lk. 5). Jesus had been teaching a crowd from this same boat – Simon’s . When he had finished speaking, Jesus had said to Simon, “Push the boat out further to the deep water, and you and your partners let down your nets for a catch.” “Master,” Simon answered, “we worked hard all night long and caught nothing. But if you say so I will let down the nets.” The result then was a “such a large number of fish that the nets were about to break.” “Go away from me, Lord,” Peter had said, “for I am a sinful man!” But Jesus bad said, “Don't afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” That is when Peter finally left everything and went to follow Jesus.
Now he's fishing again – with little success – and this stranger on the shore has guided him to a great haul of fish. John remembered and said, “It is the Lord!” Peter jumped into the water and swam ashore, then helped the others bring in the fish. Jesus was preparing breakfast for them.
Think back to when you first started following Jesus. What were the circumstances for you? Brought up in a Christian family and it came naturally? Brought up in a Christian family and you turned away and later came back? Came to faith through a camp, a church service, a mission campaign? Impressed by the life of a Christian and started coming along? Most important is not how you came to begin following Jesus, but that you began.
And what has happened for you since that time? Have you grown? Have you discovered exciting revelations in the Word of God? Have you had prayers answered? Have you had a quiet assurance that he is with you, no matter what?
And where are you now in the Christian life? Aside from the amazing – and ordinary – things of the past, where are you now? What does the Lord Jesus – the risen Lord Jesus – expect of you now? You can't go back to that old life! The only way forward is with Jesus! As the Father sent him into this world, so he is sending you – to be his person, to show his character, to tell his good news.
Jesus has died. The price has been paid. Forgiveness of sins is offered to all who will believe in him.
Jesus is alive. The message you have believed is true after all. He has work for you to do in getting that message out to the whole community – to the ends of the earth.
He is depending on you!
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© Peter J Blackburn 2012
Except where otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the New International Version, © International Bible Society, 1984.
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