John 21:1-14 Fishing
John 21:1-14 (Evangelical Heritage Version)
1After this, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. This is how he showed himself: 2Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3Simon Peter said to them, “I’m going fishing.”
They replied, “We’ll go with you.”
They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4Early in the morning, Jesus was standing on the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus.
5Jesus called to them, “Boys, don’t you have any fish?”
“No!” they answered.
6He told them, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” So they cast the net out. Then they were not able to haul it in because of the large number of fish.
7The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard, “It is the Lord!” he tied his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the sea. 8But the other disciples came in the little boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about one hundred yards. 9When they stepped out on land, they saw some bread and a charcoal fire with fish on it. 10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”
11So Simon Peter climbed aboard and hauled the net to land, full of large fish, 153 of them. Yet even with so many, the net was not torn.
12Jesus said to them, “Come, eat breakfast.”
None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord.
13Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them, and also the fish. 14This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Fishing
I.
There they were, sitting around one day. They were thinking about the past couple of years and remembering many times when they all had confused looks on their faces. It could be said that the information wasn’t really all that difficult, but it was new to them. It was unique—not like anything they heard from other sources. It often took a while to process. They didn’t always understand immediately. Truth be told, they still didn’t understand it all.
You know who I’m talking about, don’t you? It isn’t these young people sitting in the front pew this morning. I’m talking about Jesus’ disciples. For three years they had listened to him and learned from him. Those confused looks came because, while the information was the same as taught by the other rabbis, Jesus’ take on it all was so different.
It had been obvious to them for some time that Jesus was the greatest Rabbi ever. They had tried hard to absorb it all and understand. They tried hard to please Jesus and make him proud of them.
So often, however, they had gotten it wrong. Peter seemed to be the one who got singled out all the time; he must have jostled his way to the front a lot. Peter was the one who made a bold confession that Jesus was the Christ, the One promised by God to deal with sin, but moments later had to be rebuked by Jesus as being under the influence of Satan himself (Mark 8:29, 33). Peter declared that he would lay down his life for Jesus (John 13:37); he even pulled out his sword in the Garden of Gethsemane when the soldiers were arresting Jesus (John 18:10). But then, in the courtyard of the High Priest, Peter denied ever knowing Jesus, just as Jesus said he would—3 times! (John 18:17, 25, 27).
Now they were waiting. Resurrection Sunday had happened. They had seen Jesus. They had been told they would receive further instructions about what they were to do next, but those instructions hadn’t come yet.
As they waited, maybe there were some of the same confused looks on their faces they had had in the past. Peter’s threefold denial wasn’t the only problem—all of them had turned tail and run. It hadn’t just been Thomas that had doubted, as last week’s Gospel documented, all of them had had their doubts.
They were concerned about the coming instructions. No doubt the tasks they anticipated from Jesus seemed overwhelming as they looked ahead. The tension grew. What would he want? Could they do it? They had failed—time and time again—to live up to his standards.
Maybe it was time to do something they knew. This they would have no trouble with. “Simon Peter said to them, ‘I’m going fishing.’ They replied, ‘We’ll go with you’” (John 21:3, EHV).
It wasn’t just a recreational pastime for them. They weren’t going to be like the guys in the images used for the sermon slides, each with a line in the water, waiting for a nibble so they could start reeling in their catch. They were commercial fishermen. They knew all the right times and all the right places to let down their commercial fishing nets for a catch. It was hard work, but their fishing trip would be relaxing, none-the-less. They knew exactly what to do, how to do it, and where and when to do it. It was the one thing this subset of disciples was comfortable and confident in doing. So off they went.
II.
There they were, sitting around one day. They were thinking about the past couple of years and remembering many times when they all had confused looks on their faces.
This time I am talking about the confirmands, just recently. They were going through the review questions from two years of confirmation instructions. They reviewed their notes in the Catechism Connections books, and their Catechism books, too, as well as their review sheets, looking for the answers to the many questions. The only answer that wasn’t in any of the books was “What is Pastor Schamber’s favorite tie?” All they could do with that one was laugh and guess.
The truth is, as they were going through that list of questions, they didn’t always find the right answers. Truth be told, like the disciples, they still don’t totally and perfectly understand it all. But they have learned. They have grown in their faith and their understanding of God’s Word.
Sometimes they just want to heave a sigh of relief and go fishing. Fishing wouldn’t be my choice, and for some of them, it wouldn’t be theirs, either. But go do something that is relaxing, something they understand well and are good at. Everyone feels that way from time to time, don’t they?
“They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing” (John 21:3, EHV).
When Peter and the others set out, perhaps it was with the idea of a return to normalcy. While they might not have gone fishing for some time, this was a thing they understood well. The tiller in strong, capable hands gave a sure direction they might not have felt in weeks. Oars and ropes and nets held by hands that automatically knew just what to do.
The night was a failure. Not just poor results—no results. Nothing. Not even a nibble.
You confirmands are getting confirmed today. You are about to embark on a new chapter of life. It seems like an endless summer stretches out in front of you, but before you know it, it will be over and you will begin the new experience of high school. If you haven’t already, soon you will also think about what comes after that—a potential career path, maybe a family. Your plans will likely change once or twice along the way.
Was Peter’s fishing trip with his friends just meant to be a relaxing holding pattern while they waited for more instruction, or an attempt to get on with life without Jesus? If you chase all that life has to offer—jobs, a family, recreational options—without Jesus, you might feel happy and satisfied. But life without Jesus is like Peter’s empty fishing net.
III.
“Early in the morning, Jesus was standing on the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus. 5Jesus called to them, ‘Boys, don’t you have any fish?’” (John 21:4-5, EHV).
Perhaps it was the dim light of early morning. A figure stood there on the beach. He might have been hard to recognize in that golden hour as the sun was peeking over the horizon.
“Boys!” he called out to them. Some translations use “friends,” but the word in the Greek is the word for children. It’s a term of endearment. Since they were all male, the EHV chooses “boys.” While they hadn’t recognized the figure on the beach yet, “boys” should have given them a clue.
They answered his question. “No.” Then the figure on the beach gave them instructions that went against all their fishing knowledge: “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some” (John 21:6, EHV). It was the wrong time, the wrong place, and the evidence from a fruitless night of fishing indicated that it was even the wrong day.
“So they cast the net out. Then they were not able to haul it in because of the large number of fish. 7The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’” (John 21:7, EHV). The unbelievably huge haul of fish under the wrong circumstances made John do a double take. Once before the disciples had caught fish at the wrong time and place. It had been Jesus’ work then, it was Jesus now.
“When Simon Peter heard, ‘It is the Lord!’ he tied his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the sea” (John 21:7, EHV). Peter had thought long and hard about the past. His threefold denial of Jesus was still on his mind. So was the Garden sword-play. So was his trip to the empty tomb on Easter Sunday, and his doubts when Jesus appeared in the locked room that evening.
All that stuff swirling around in Peter’s mind had led him to an inevitable conclusion—he didn’t want to be without Jesus anymore. Not fishing, not living, nothing. He wanted reassurance, and he didn’t want to wait any longer. Into the lake he jumped and hurried to the shore to see Jesus.
After the net-full of fish were dragged up on the beach, “Jesus said to them, ‘Come, eat breakfast.’ None of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ because they knew it was the Lord” (John 21:12, EHV). No questions remained. Not about the fish, not about the figure on the beach.
“Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them, and also the fish. 14This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead” (John 21:13-14, EHV).
The disciples had gone on a fishing trip with the idea of some sort of return to normalcy. The real return to normalcy had nothing to do with fishing—it had everything to do with being with Jesus again. Nothing is mentioned of their conversation during breakfast that day. Being with Jesus for breakfast was enough.
IV.
Some time ago you confirmands were baptized into the family of God. You were given faith in your Lord Jesus as your Savior. That is—and has been—your normalcy. The Lord Jesus called you to be his own dear children.
Today Jesus addresses you with a term of endearment: “Boys, girls, keep on following me.” You have been instructed in your faith. Though there were times when you had a puzzled look on your face, times when you couldn’t remember if we had really gone through the material before or not, you definitely learned and grew in your faith. Today—in just a few minutes—you will be making your vows to remain faithful to your Lord Jesus for the rest of your lives.
Don’t try to make it through life without Jesus. Use the Word he has given you to guide and direct your life now and into the future.
Think about Peter. There was a time when he was embarrassed to admit he knew Jesus. Think of the others—they all had their doubts at times. They had all been slow to believe that Jesus was risen.
As you grow older, there might be times when your words and actions are like those of Peter and the others who just weren’t sure. Remember always that the Lord Jesus is never embarrassed of those he calls his disciples. He will call you again and again—as he did to Peter and Thomas and the others. He will be with you always. Amen.
