The Easter Fishers of Men

John 21:1-14

Jesus Appeared to Seven Disciples

During the forty days between His resurrection and ascension, our risen Lord appeared and disappeared at will, visiting with the disciples and preparing them for the coming of the Spirit and their future ministries (Acts 1:1-9).

They never knew when He would appear, as they had to stay alert. It was an important time for the disciples because they were about to take His place in the world and begin to carry the message to others.

One of His appearances was recorded in John 21:1-14. Peter took the lead to go for fishing, and the other six disciples followed after him. They were laboring throughout the whole night, but they caught nothing. By this time, the disciples must be feeling very down, tired and hungry.

When it came to the early morning, Jesus was standing on the shore but they couldn’t recognize Him. Jesus called out to them, “Friends, have you caught any fish?” “No,” they answered. Jesus said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”

So, they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because they were so many fish in it. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”

Peter had stripped off his cloths while working, when he heard this, he immediately put on his tunic and jumped into the water and swam over to meet Jesus.

The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore. When they got on the shore, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.

The Lord who directed the disciples to a big catch also fed their hunger. We also see Peter’s restoration underway. He had earlier joined those who had arrested Jesus with lanterns and torches, sitting in the courtyard by a charcoal fire but he was now invited to join Jesus at a meal prepared on another charcoal fire.

Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught.” So, Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. They were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.

A great miracle had been worked by the risen Jesus, and the result of that miracle was a large number of fish that should have torn the net. Many were drawn into the net, but the net was not damaged.

“Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. There was a complete transformation of the disciples from the initial state of not recognizing Jesus.

This incident would have reminded the disciples of the earlier miraculous catch of fish after which Jesus called them to be fishers of men. In Luke 5:1-11, it was written that Jesus went on the fishing boat of Peter in the Sea of Galilee and preached.

After His preaching, He instructed Peter to put out the boat into the deep water and to further cast down his net. Peter did exactly what he was told, and he caught a large number of fish.

That miracle enabled Peter to recognize Jesus as the Lord and he responded to Jesus’ calling. He let go of everything and he started following Jesus.

For the incident in John 21, we are somewhat puzzled: hadn’t Peter, James and John abandoned their fishing boat and left everything behind to follow Jesus? How then would they pick up their fishing net again? Was it because they had given up their determination to follow the Lord? Was it because they forgot that the Lord had called them to not be fishermen but fisher of men and to follow Him?

After Jesus’s resurrection, the angel did tell the disciples in Jerusalem that Jesus would meet them in Galilee (Mt 28:7). So, they somehow followed the angel’s instruction to return to Galilee to meet Jesus there, for the place the seven disciples did their fishing was Galilee.

These seven disciples might have reached Galilee before the rest did. If that was the case, they were yet to receive further instructions from the Lord. They wouldn’t know what they were supposed to do. Hence, they went back to their normal life as fishermen and worked hard to earn for their own living.

Peter might have gone to fish in order to meet the needs of the other disciples, although he was not successful in getting a big catch.

Previously the disciples lived with Jesus and listened to His teaching daily and carried out Jesus ‘instructions. But now, with the risen Lord who might appear and disappear randomly at different places, it was impossible to have a clear direction and assurance to start off ministry.

The disciples’ fishing expedition and the dialogue that ensued also revealed that they did not embark on a Spirit-empowered mission. They were ineffective in their undertakings.

However, the seven disciples had not given up their determination to follow their Lord when they returned to their fishing life. Rather, it was a reflection of their helplessness, lost, ineffectual and confused state of continuing their lives as disciples of Christ.

It was at this depressed state that they encountered the risen Christ who granted them a big catch of fish. Not only did they have a miraculous and fruitful catch but they enjoyed to the fullest the warm breakfast that the Lord Jesus had prepared for them!

They could recall how the Lord Jesus had passed them some bread and fish when he fed five thousand with five loaves and two fishes, and another four thousand with seven loaves and few fishes.

This miraculous catch and breakfast ready, served as a thoughtful instruction of the resurrected Lord to His disciples, to help them ascertain that His call for them to be fisher of men remained intact. So too, the Lord will provide all their needs generously.

The confusion, uncertainties and depression that overshadow the disciples were all removed. Now the disciples came to understand that they wouldn’t remain in Galilee to continue their fishing business, instead, they would embark on the Lord’s mission to be fishers of men.

And by abiding with the Lord, relying and trusting the Lord, they would certainly bear much fruits!

The Lord Jesus later on, officially commissioned them to make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:16-20). The Lord Jesus also told the disciples to return to Jerusalem to wait upon the Holy Spirit.

Not long after that, the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, and the disciples were empowered with the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and they started their new phase of life being the disciples of Jesus.

They would understand the truth, and be ready to preach the gospel and to build churches.

Application

Firstly, due to changes in the external environment, we may come to a stage, where like Peter and his friends, be overshadowed with confusion and bewilderment about future undertakings. In fact, now many of us are anxious about the current situation and over uncertainty of future, given the disruption of routine life due to the pandemic of Covid-19.

And, after a long period of serving the Lord or embarking on certain job, we may not aware that we actually have grown faithless. We succumb to human weaknesses to operate with impulsiveness and self-confidence, not with God’s given direction and approval. We may sincerely believe that we are doing God’s will, but our labors are in vain.

Jesus told the disciples to cast their net on the right side of the boat; they obeyed, and they caught 153 large fish! The difference between success and failure was the width of the ship! We are never far from success when we permit Jesus to give the orders, and we are usually closer to success than we realize.

By ourselves, we are inadequate. But empowered by the Spirit of Christ, we will do great things. This narrative highlight that service in dependence on the risen Savior is always fruitful and will always have His presence and providence.

Secondly, this story was a manifestation of the risen Lord with a purpose: to call the disciples (and us) back to the purpose for which He saved us. He wants His followers to be fishers of men.

This is surely God’s unchanging mission for us all. A fisherman catches living fish, but when he gets them, they die. But we are to catch “dead fish” (dead in their sins), and when we catch them, they are made alive in Christ.

Why did Jesus had so many fishermen in the disciple band? Fishermen know how to work. They have courage and faith to go out “into the deep.” They have much patience and persistence, and they will not quit. They know how to cooperate with one another, and they are skilled in using the equipment and the boat. What great examples for us to follow as we seek to “catch fish “for Christ!

We are indeed “fishers of men,” and there are “fish” all around us. If we obey His directions, and perform faithfully as fishermen, we will have big catches.

So, it is time for Jesus to take over the situation. The risen Lord is here now to clear all the uncertainties of the mission that He has entrusted to us along the journey as we follow Him. And He surely provides us timely and enough resources to fulfill our needs.

Today, let us recall our many experiences with the Lord—his words and wonderful deeds, so that our hearts which were once lost and confused, will now be renewed and instructed.

Christ is risen, and his presence is here. Whether our lives are easy, hard, or somewhere in between, he is with us. Whether our faith feels strong, shaken, or somewhere in between, he never fails or forsakes us. Jesus is not present in the flesh as he was for the disciples. But as he rules from Heaven and empowers by his Spirit, he is no less present with us than he was with them.

Let us seek his face and cry out to him so that he will fill us with the Holy Spirit. Let us abide in the risen Lord, and once again rise up to do his mission given to us. He will provide everything that we need and we will certainly bear much fruits.

Prayer

O risen Lord, forgive us for our many wrongdoings and relying on our own understanding. Grant us the direction in life; lead us to the right path. We will rise up once again to do the mission that you have given us. We will tell the world that Jesus who was once dead in order to redeem sinners, is now gloriously risen to give life to his people. Give us a big catch now as we cast our nets according to your instruction. Thank you, Lord, for your bountiful providence. Amen!