The last few weeks had been a roller coaster of emotions for them all. The elation at hearing the crowds shout, “Hosanna to the Son of David”. The desperation at hearing another crowd shout, “Crucify him”. Utter despair seeing the One they had followed so fervently for the last three years die upon the cross. But then to witness the miraculous and awesome appearance of the resurrected Christ while they were hiding in a room in Jerusalem. Such deep lows of grief and such amazing heights of joy.
But now all was quiet. No more crowds and no more leader. The last command they were given was to go to Galilee, so they did. Once there, the stillness of the waiting brought unease and unrest. At this moment they needed to do something. Busy their hands and distract their minds. But also practically, they and their families still needed to eat. So on impulse one evening, Peter and six of his friends climbed into a boat to go fishing. For these men, who had grown up in fishing families, the boat would provide comfort and a sense of purpose. It was a return to a routine that they knew well.
But on this night, there would be no success. They labored all night long casting nets and pulling the nets back in empty. Nothing but more disappointment and frustration.
As dawn began to break, a voice called out in the distance, “Children, do you have any fish?” The fishermen simply said “No”. There was nothing left in them to give excuses or explanations for their lack of provision.
The man on the shore called out again to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find the fish.” These men were now without a leader. Literally and figuratively, they were floating in a sea of uncertainty, waiting for direction. They didn’t recognize the man on the beach but his voice and command carried knowledge and authority, so they obeyed.
That simple obedience yielded a very large catch of fish. But it also opened their eyes and hearts.
…and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great quantity of fish. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved *said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” (John 21:6-7)
Perhaps John recalled a similar event that had happened years ago on this very same lake that began their journey with Jesus. In Luke 5, we are told of the first great catch the disciples witnessed. To get some distance from the crowds, Jesus had jumped into Simon’s boat and asked him to row a little offshore so that Jesus could teach the crowds.
And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. Luke 5:4-11
And here He was again, calling out to them, providing a miraculous catch of fish. John’s heart remembered and so he was the first one to recognize that the man calling out to them was Jesus. But just as in the first story, Peter was the first to react to Jesus. In Luke 5, Peter falls at Jesus’ feet and in this instance he jumps into the water and swims to his Master. The others do their best to bring the fish, the boat, and themselves to shore.
In both stories, a miracle happens. Jesus provides where there was previously no provision. Each catch requires Jesus’ instructions, the men’s obedience, and the men’s labor. By working with Jesus, they are able to witness two miraculous catches. Both stories bring the men to the awareness of who Jesus really is and to his power and authority.
As you read the two accounts though, you may notice a couple of differences. In the first catch, the nets began to break from the amount of fish. In the last great catch, the nets do not break. There are many interpretations of why one breaks and one doesn’t. Possibly the most understandable is to look at Scripture itself. In the Gospels, there are many Pharisees and Jewish people that rejected Jesus as the Messiah. They were not caught in His net and escaped through the holes they made with their misinterpretations of God’s Word. In Acts, the Holy Spirit is given, the Church is born and the Gospel moves out towards the Gentiles. The net thrown out will hold all who come.
Another difference between the two stories is Jesus’ position. In Luke’s account, Jesus is inside the boat when the catch occurs, just as Jesus was physically with them for three years. Walking and living alongside them, through His words and His actions, he taught them what “fishing for men” looks like in the Kingdom of God. But in John’s story, Jesus is on the shore, commissioning them to take the tools He has taught them and to continue the mission.
With the dawn of each new day, Jesus is there on the shore calling out to each one of us. Do you hear Him and can you recognize His voice? One of the many wonderful blessings we have in Jesus is that each day we have new mercies and a new chance to begin again. If you don’t know His voice, ask a friend who does to help you find it. If you have allowed all the pressures and stresses of life to be so loud you no longer hear Him calling, pray to Him to silence the noise so you can hear Him better. Open the Word of God daily and He will provide.
I look forward to the day when we all can see Jesus ourselves as He stands on Heaven’s shores, with arms wide saying, “Come, have breakfast with me!” What a joyous feast that will be!