John 21:1-14
“The Strange But Familiar Voice”
Have you ever had one of those times in your spiritual life where you feel like you are just drifting along?
You know Jesus and you love Him.
You are not in a space where you are doubting your faith, or questioning God’s work in your life.
You are wanting to serve and be in the place where Jesus wants you to be.
You’re still running with the joy of the revelation of Jesus in your life.
But you are kind of just drifting along.
You’re feeling a little lost and lacking a bit of direction.
Today we are going to focus on John 21:1-14 where we find a group of disciples who seem to be drifting.
As we work our way through this passage, we are going to see what Jesus does for His drifting disciples … including the disciples who are here today. Let’s read.
1 Afterwards Jesus appeared again to His disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as 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 realise 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 round 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 metres. 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 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat 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.
The location is the Sea of Tiberias. Which is the name the Romans use for the Sea of Galilee. It is a significant area for the disciples.
Many of them came from towns on the lake … or not too far from the lake.
This is where Jesus first called most of them to be His disciples.
For quite some time the home base for the ministry of Jesus was Capernaum.
Jesus walked on this lake.
Jesus sat in a boat on this lake and taught the crowds.
Jesus stilled a storm on this lake.
It is a very familiar location. In many ways it is their home turf.
Which is why there are some who say that these disciples who are out fishing are actually being disobedient.
They have lost their way and gone back to their home turf – back to the life they had before they met Jesus. They have just gone fishing.
Those who think like this are wrong. The disciples are not being disobedient.
These disciples are doing exactly what Jesus told them to do.
Before His death Jesus told them 32 After I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee. (Matthew 26:32)
The angels at the empty tomb told the women. 7 Go quickly and tell His disciples: “He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.” (Matthew 28:7)
Seven disciples waiting obediently in Galilee for Jesus to show up.
The fact that only seven are listed doesn’t mean the other four didn’t also obey.
They are somewhere else in Galilee.
They are in a location which has many amazing ministry memories.
They have experienced the joy of the resurrection and have seen the risen Saviour.
They are out in a boat fishing all night with no result.
Literally drifting around the lake.
But you also get this sense that in their own spirit they are drifting a bit as well.
Feeling a little lost and lacking a bit of direction.
Until Jesus reveals Himself.
Now here is an interesting fact.
Every time the New Testament mentions fishing, nothing is caught until Jesus gets involved.
Initially there is no recognition that it is Jesus.
The fact that it is still early morning … so not fully light.
And the fact that the shore is 100m away … this would also not help.
However, in the post-resurrection stories it was common for Jesus to be there but not to be immediately recognised.
Something needs to happen to trigger recognition.
For Mary … it was when Jesus said her name.
For the people on the way to Emmaus … it was when Jesus broke bread.
Jesus is always there – but sometimes we don’t always recognise it.
Until something triggers recognition.
In my mind I would have thought the trigger moment would have happened when Jesus encouraged them to try fishing in a different spot. Because this instruction from Jesus has happened before. I’m thinking back to Luke 5:4-6
4 When (Jesus) had finished speaking, He said to Simon (Peter), ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’
5 Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because You say so, I will let down the nets.’
6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
This is the moment Peter gave up his fishing life and followed Jesus.
Now here is another night of fishing.
Another night of no catch.
Another call to try again after a fish-catching failure.
It feels like déjà vu
But that isn’t the moment the disciples work out who is on the shore.
It all comes together when they pull up the net overflowing with fish that don’t break the net. The disciple whom Jesus loved says – It is the Lord!
The ever erratic and unpredictable Peter grabs all his cloths and jumps into the water and swims to the shore.
The other six disciples pick up the oars and start rowing to the edge with a full net of fish in tow.
Recognition has been triggered. One way or another … in their own way … they are all making their way to Jesus! There is purpose. There is focus. There is direction.
Jesus is revealed in their lives in a very personal way – and now they are no longer drifting.
We can know the risen Jesus as our personal Saviour …
Know that
… we are co-heirs with Jesus.
… and we are citizens of heaven.
… and our names are written in the book of life.
… and our eternal salvation is guaranteed.
Know that forgiveness, grace, mercy, hope, peace, righteousness, holiness is all ours.
Know that, when judgement comes, Jesus will look at us and say “Well done good and faithful servant.
We can know all this …
And it should make us spiritually enthusiastic every moment of every day.
But we don’t always let it.
Sometimes we still just drift. There are days we lack focus. We are not lost, or doubting, or questioning. But we are also not really spiritually thriving either.
When we have those moments when we are drifting … we come back to the Gospel. The Gospel truth is that, when we know Jesus as our Saviour, Jesus will keep revealing Himself to us.
For the disciples – they are in a time in salvation history where there is a change-over.
Jesus is still on the earth … but soon He won’t be.
The full pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost still needs to happen.
So, here, Jesus reveals Himself personally in Galilee to remind them of where they have been, and that there is a ministry ahead.
For us –
… Jesus has ascended and is with the Father in heaven.
… The Spirit of Jesus has come—and is in us.
Through His Spirit Jesus is reminding us that He is personally revealing Himself to us … personally walking with us.
Every moment of every day.
Even when we are drifting.
How many times have we found ourselves in a place where our devotional life is a bit … well to be frank it is a bit empty.
We read the words of Scripture and they just seem life-less.
Even the highlighted and underlined bits … why did they speak to us before and not now?
We know we had devotional times where every word we read in the Scriptures sat like a fire on our soul.
Now … it’s just drifting.
Or what about your ministry service that you gave to the Lord?
You remember the beach mission.
And the time everyone went to old Mrs Whats-Her-Name for the garden blitz clean-up.
They were good times.
But now
… I’m just too busy.
… I’ve got too many commitments.
… I’d love to but really can’t.
And you are kind of just drifting.
In those days when we are drifting the Gospel truth is that, when we know Jesus as our Saviour, Jesus will keep revealing Himself to us.
“Hey friend, cast your net on the other side and you will catch fish.”
It is not a command … YOU MUST put your net over there.
It is not a command … it is a promise. If you move the net you will catch fish … and you will stop drifting.
The suggestion might sound foolish … or counterintuitive … or even a waste of time.
But it actually isn’t that difficult to do.
Stop and think about it for a moment.
Jesus didn’t say they needed to go to the other side of the lake to get the fish.
They don’t even need to move the boat.
They just needed to move the net.
And when they move the net, everything changes.
When our spiritual life is a bit cold. Maybe we need something different.
Go to the beach and get on our knees.
Write in a journal and express our feelings.
Go to the mountain-top and talk to God.
Or maybe it is just a matter of actually picking up our dusty Bible and reading it.
Put the net on the other side.
Our relationships are breaking down because we feel that we have to be defensive. Or we want to be proven right.
How is that working out?
Maybe try … forgiveness … or humility … or honesty.
Put the net on the other side.
Put the net on the other side. It makes no sense. But there are many thinks that Jesus says that make no sense at the time … but continue to make all the difference in our spiritual life.
Put yourself last.
Serve others.
Be the least.
Do not consider others better than yourself.
That is the net-on-the-other-side … isn’t it.
The Gospel truth is that, when we know Jesus as our Saviour, Jesus will keep revealing Himself to us.
The truth of this Gospel promise is affirmed by the catch of 153 fish.
153 Fish
That is a very specific number isn’t it.
In fact the number is so specific that it has caused much discussion about its meaning – you can find at least 10 different meanings.
My favourite one is that, according to ancient sources, there are 153 types of fish.
So the catch in the net represents all the different types of people who will be welcome into the family of God.
That is nice isn’t it.
But the problem is that the ancient sources being used have different numbers … the closest being 157. Another one gives 98 species.
So that is not the meaning.
Do you know what the meaning of the 153 fish is?
It means someone can count. And someone remembered the number.
And when the story was written down the number was given to clearly demonstrate that this is an eye-witness account.
The disciples were drifting.
Jesus turns up.
Fish were caught.
The disciples stop drifting.
The specific number of fish reminds us that we can believe all that has been recorded. And we can trust that it is true.
So don’t be afraid to be obedient.
To hear the voice of Jesus and go “that seems a bit strange” but I will do it anyway.
In our journey with Jesus, even when we are drifting, Jesus keeps appearing.
That is the main point of this narrative which is emphasised at the beginning and at the end.
1 Afterwards Jesus appeared again to His disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way
…
14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.
John 21:1, 14
No matter where we are in life … even when we are too focussed on the long dark nights and the empty nets … the risen Jesus keeps revealing Himself.
His strange but familiar voice calls out with a promise.
“Friend, put the net on the right side and you will catch fish”.
Take hold of that promise.
The move of the net makes all the difference.
The drifting stops.
Recognition comes into focus.
It’s the Lord Jesus who has appeared in my life … again.
Prayer
