Every one of us who enjoys reading the Bible has their one or several favorite verses, chapters and or particular portions that really touches our hearts. The reasons are many and will differ depending on who you ask why a portion of scripture or a verse is so meaningful.
One of the portions of scripture that always touches my heart is John 21:1-14. The title heading in my NIV Bible says “Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish”. The New Living Translation titles this portion, “Jesus appears to the Seven Disciples”. The New American Standard Bible gives the title of this portion of scripture, “Appearance at the Sea of Tiberias”. Finally, the title of this particular event in the New King James Version is, “Breakfast by the Sea”. You might be asking, “what’s the point, why give this information?” The reason is, because of the way this portion of scripture personally touches me, if I was asked how would I title this portion of scripture, John 21:1-14, I would title it, Breakfast with Jesus.
The divine actions of Jesus in this account is not only the “Miraculous Catch of Fish”, we can find many others. We also see along with the Divine side of Jesus and His actions the intimate side of Jesus, preparing and eating breakfast with the seven. Jesus clearly displays His Power and authority as the Son of Godwith the miraculous catch of fish, but we also see the heart of Jesus, knowing how to touch and speak to the hearts of those He gave His life for and loves at this significant time in their lives.
It is important for every Christian to know that, “Jesus loves us so much that He gave His life for us so we can have eternal life with Him”, but can we recognize the many other ways we experience daily the love of Jesus in our lives? The apostle Paul prayed for this very reality for the believers of the church in Ephesus. “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”Ephesians 3:17-19.
John 21:1-3, 1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.”
As was stated last week, days after Jesus’ resurrection we find the disciples in Galilee because this is where Jesus wanted them to be, Matthew 28:7,10,16.Of the seven disciples, we know from scripture at least three of them, “Simon Peter” and “the sons of Zebedee” James and his brother John, before they choose to follow Jesus were professional fishermen, Matthew 4:18-22. Being by the Sea of Tiberias or Galilee, for ex-professional fishermen who grew up fishing, what else would they be doing instead of fishing while waiting for Jesus?
Some have tried to make these disciples less spiritual than what they actually were because they went fishing and were not praying and or even fastingwhile waiting for Jesus. Most of us have experienced the blessing when Jesus speaks to us when we are seeking Him in times of prayer and or fasting. But I really hope that all of us can remember the special times when Jesus came to us showing His love for us and speaking to us when we were not doing the somethingspiritual like praying or fasting? It is during these times that Jesus comes to us knowing how to not only catch our attention by what He does, but He also speaks to us in ways that demonstrate His love and concern for us.
The apostle John, who was one of the seven in the boat and was a skilled fisherman, describes in this portion of scripture what happened in a way that only an experienced fisherman could.
Jesus being God, is omniscient, He always knows where we are, not only physically but also emotionally and mentally. Jesus knew exactly the spot where to find the seven in a lake that is 33 miles in circumference. After fishing all night and not catching any fish he also knew how they were feeling emotionally and physically.
When Jesus asked them the question, He was not being mean or mocking them, but being all-knowing, He knew that they had not caught any fish and was leading to a demonstration of an important characteristic of His love for all of them to experience, His miraculous loving provision.
John 21:4-6, 4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. 6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
Furthermore, Jesus was not teaching them a lesson because they went fishing by allowing them to catch so much fish that they could not pull the fish into their boat. But He did catch their attention and stirred John’s memory about what happened three years earlier when some of them made the decision to follow Jesus.
Luke 5:1-11, 1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2 he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
John 21:7-8, 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.
John refers to himself as, “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. When we read this does it make us think of how we are also loved by Jesus in many other ways than Him just dying for our sins?
John 21:9-10, 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”
Jesus knew that they were working hard all night and that the seven men would be hungry. We not only see Jesus’ miraculous provision but we also see who Jesus is, always ready beforehand ministering to our physical needs, expressing His love and concern for us by what He does. How does these verses speak to us about who Jesus is? Can we name the intimate and meaningful ways have we been served by Jesus in His expression of His eternal love for us?
Do we remember when was the last time we accepted Jesus’ invitation to join Him and have a breakfast that He prepared just for us in our time of need?John 21:11–14, 11 Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Pastor John
