WHERE DID HE GET THE FISH?

John 21:8-10

The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.  When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”

They are at the Sea of Galilee and Jesus has just filled their net after they spent the entire night without catching a fish.  Peter jumped into the water and was swimming ashore.  The rest of the disciples were laboring to get the huge catch of fish to land.  When they finally got there they found that Jesus already had a fire going with fish on it.

This raises some questions in my mind.  (Remember, I’m a pastor.  I see “catching fish” as a picture of reaching people with the gospel!)  Jesus has already showed them how to catch the fish but as it turns out, he didn’t need them in order to get fish.  Nevertheless he allowed them to make a great haul and they were pretty excited about it!

Even though Jesus had fish already, he invited them to participate in the breakfast by bringing “some of the fish” they had just caught.

If Jesus didn’t need the disciples to catch fish, why did he bother with the miracle?  Why didn’t he just let them come to shore “fishless” and then produce miraculous fish?  That would teach them a lesson, right?  They would learn that Jesus is the only one who can really catch the fish.  But Jesus didn’t do that.  He blessed the disciples with the wonderful catch and what they learned was that when Jesus told them to do something they should do it!  He did the miracle not because he needed fish but because he wanted to bless them and include them in the miracle.

So why did Jesus tell them to bring some of the fish they had just caught to put on the grill?  It was as if he was saying, “Come on guys, we’re in this together!  You caught the fish because I showed you where they were.  You hauled them in.  Bring them along for the breakfast!”

Call me crazy, but here’s what I see here.  It’s a picture of us, the church.  We’re the “fishers of men.”  We are always casting out our nets seeking to bring people to shore for Jesus.  But we can’t do it alone.  If we just depend on ourselves we will be “fishless.”  We walk closely with Jesus and we do what he tells us to do.  He’s the one who fills our nets.  Does he need us?  No.  Does he choose to have us participate in the kingdom work?  Yes!  It’s all for his glory and the glory of the Father.  It demonstrates his magnificent power to work through sinful people like us.  He wants us to know that we are in this together.

What do we do?  Keep listening for the voice of Jesus who has already “gone ashore.”  Keep casting our nets where he tells us to.  Never give up the fishing even when we’ve gone a whole night with nothing in the nets.  He’ll fill them when it’s time!