Lessons From a Risen Lord

Scripture

John 21

John 21:1–14 NKJV

1 After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. 4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.” 6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. 7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. 9 Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.” 11 Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. 14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.

After Jesus resurrected from the dead, he appeared to Mary Magdalene (), he appeared to ten of his disciples (), and he appeared to eleven of his disciples (). There were probably many other times in which Jesus revealed himself to his disciples (), but our text includes the third recorded time in which Jesus revealed himself to his disciples. This time it is only seven of them.

Back to Fishing

This is the third recorded time Jesus has revealed himself to his disciples (Jesus had revealed himself many other times that are not recorded - John 20:30).

In , Peter

Jesus found Peter fishing, and now Peter returns to fishing. Outside of the time Jesus told his disciples to go fishing to find a fish with a piece of money in it’s mouth to pay a temple tax (), nowhere in any of the gospels is it recorded that the disciples went fishing between the time Jesus called them and Jesus’ death. But now, all of a sudden, Peter wants to go fishing.

Why do you think that is?

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), .