The Strange But Familiar Voice

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.