John 21:1-8
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.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 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. 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.
Every one of us who enjoy reading the Bible has one or several favorite verses, chapters and or particular portions that really touch our hearts. The reasons are many and will differ depending on who you ask about why a particular portion of scripture or a verse is so meaningful to them.
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”. I personally like the title of this particular event as it is stated in the New King James Version, “Breakfast by the Sea”. The reason this portion of scripture personally is meaningful to me is because it shows me the love of Jesus and how personable He is which is how I really desire to experience Him in my relationship with Him.
In the beginning verses of John 21:1-8, there are many divine actions and spiritual lessons we can see and learn from Jesus in the account of the miraculous catch of fish. However, we also see along with the Divine side of Jesus and His actions, the intimate and loving side of Jesus, eating breakfast with the seven as we read in John 21:9-14.
In the first eight verses Jesus displays His divine power as the Son of God, but we also see the love of Jesus, knowing how to touch and speak to the hearts of the those He gave His life for and loves at this significant time in their lives.
Every Christian knows that, Jesus loves us so much that He gave His life for us so we can have eternal life with Him. However, in addition to this, are we recognizing daily the many other ways we experience 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.
As we studied last week in John 21:1-8, days after Jesus’ resurrection we find the disciples in Galilee because this is where Jesus wanted them to be. Matthew 28:8-10, 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
We also saw, of the seven disciples who went fishing, 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, As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. Matthew 4:21, Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Being by the Sea of Tiberias or Galilee, for former professional fishermen who worked and grew up on this lake, 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 fasting while 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 just as important we also need to remember the special times when Jesus came to us showing His love for us and speaking to us when we were not doing the something spiritual like praying or fasting. It is during these seemingly not too spiritual 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 as a skilled former fisherman, describes in this portion of scripture (John 21:1-8) 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 how are we 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 knew how the seven disciples were feeling, emotionally-discouraged and physically-tired.
In verse five, Jesus asked them the question “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” He was not being mean or mocking them because of their lack of success. But being all-knowing or omniscient, He knew that they had not caught any fish and was leading up to a demonstration of an important characteristic of His love for all of them to experience His miraculous loving provision at the precise moment when they needed to experience the most.
We also see that Jesus was not teaching them a lesson because they should have been doing something else more spiritual while waiting for Him instead of fishing. However, by allowing them to catch so much fish that they could not pull the fish into their boat, “When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. (ver. 6b)”; He caught their attention which stirred John’s memory and he recognized who it was that was speaking to them from the shore.
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.
Breakfast with Jesus
John 21:9-14
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.” 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.
Jesus knew that the seven men were working hard all night and that they would be hungry and discouraged by a night of unsuccessful fishing. We not only see Jesus’ miraculous provision, but also, we see who Jesus is, always ready beforehand ministering to our physical needs, expressing His love and concern for us by what He does. What does verse nine teach 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? Verse 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.”
When was the last time we accepted Jesus’ invitation to join Him and spend some intimate time with Him? Do we remember when was the last time we enjoyed what Jesus prepared just for us in our time of our need?
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
