"Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, do you have any fish?" They answered Him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish." John 21:4-6 ESV
Because I grew up fishing with my dad I can appreciate these verses. Unfortunately, I have spent many days on the water when I didn't catch the first fish.
Here, some of the disciples are in a boat on the Sea of Galilee, still grumbling about a disappointing night of fishing. (There is nothing worse than staying up all night fishing and having nothing to show for it.) Blame it on luck or the tides, but these poor guys hadn't caught the first fish. This all happened about a week after Jesus had been crucified, buried, and was raised from the grave and began to reappear to hundreds of people in the area.
Now picture this in your mind, it is early in the morning, the disciples had been up all night, and they are about to give up when they hear someone call out to them asking them if they had caught any fish. I can only imagine the moans and groans from them as they answered him back with a resounding "NO!" Of course at that time they had no idea they were speaking to Jesus.
I can also imagine the looks they gave each other when the man on the shore told them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat. Then the surprise when they did it and the pulled in more fish then they could haul in by themselves. I feel like as soon as the nets got tight and they started to pull them in that they knew exactly who had told them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat.
Jesus was simply reminding His disciples of all He had tried to teach them when He was with them before He died. He had built into their lives through selecting them, teaching them, equipping them for ministry, and encouraging them to hold onto the faith before sending them out into the world to make more disciples. He forbade them to stay in the classroom, He wanted them to get on the job training in the field. That is what it was all about. He sent them out to fish for the souls of men, women, and children in a lost and dying world. They were charged with making a difference in the world around them. It is the same charge and order that we have. We are all called to change lives, love the unloved, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and heal the sick. If we faithfully cast out our own nets, Jesus will be responsible for what comes back in the boat.
All we have to do is be faithful and put our "boat" in the water. We have to look for places where the "fishing" doesn't seem likely to be productive then set back and watch what God will do.
Because I grew up fishing with my dad I can appreciate these verses. Unfortunately, I have spent many days on the water when I didn't catch the first fish.
Here, some of the disciples are in a boat on the Sea of Galilee, still grumbling about a disappointing night of fishing. (There is nothing worse than staying up all night fishing and having nothing to show for it.) Blame it on luck or the tides, but these poor guys hadn't caught the first fish. This all happened about a week after Jesus had been crucified, buried, and was raised from the grave and began to reappear to hundreds of people in the area.
Now picture this in your mind, it is early in the morning, the disciples had been up all night, and they are about to give up when they hear someone call out to them asking them if they had caught any fish. I can only imagine the moans and groans from them as they answered him back with a resounding "NO!" Of course at that time they had no idea they were speaking to Jesus.
I can also imagine the looks they gave each other when the man on the shore told them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat. Then the surprise when they did it and the pulled in more fish then they could haul in by themselves. I feel like as soon as the nets got tight and they started to pull them in that they knew exactly who had told them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat.
Jesus was simply reminding His disciples of all He had tried to teach them when He was with them before He died. He had built into their lives through selecting them, teaching them, equipping them for ministry, and encouraging them to hold onto the faith before sending them out into the world to make more disciples. He forbade them to stay in the classroom, He wanted them to get on the job training in the field. That is what it was all about. He sent them out to fish for the souls of men, women, and children in a lost and dying world. They were charged with making a difference in the world around them. It is the same charge and order that we have. We are all called to change lives, love the unloved, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and heal the sick. If we faithfully cast out our own nets, Jesus will be responsible for what comes back in the boat.
All we have to do is be faithful and put our "boat" in the water. We have to look for places where the "fishing" doesn't seem likely to be productive then set back and watch what God will do.
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