Recently a few old friends joined this blog, and all inquired about the name of the blog, Have You Any Fish? Let me share with you again why I chose this name.
1 After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he showed himself in this way. 2 Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net to 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 there were so many fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he had taken it off, and jumped into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.
9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them, and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead” John 21: 1-14.
This is, for me, a story about what it’s like giving up on Jesus Christ and trying to live without Him. Such a decision to give up on Jesus in our life is like sitting in a small, old, wooden boat and drilling one hole after another into the bottom of the hull. Seven (7) of the eleven (11) disciples have just left Jerusalem devastated by the death of Jesus, completely confused and doubtful of two (2) other previous appearances of Jesus after His resurrection. Peter announces that he is going to do what we would all have done if we were in the same circumstances as Peter: he has given up on Jesus and is going back to his old career as a fisherman. He left his fishing boat and his business in the Sea of Tiberias, also known as the Sea of Galilee, to follow Jesus for three (3) years. And then to his total shock and disappointment Jesus was crucified to death. So Peter and six (6) of the other disciples of Jesus make their way out of the city of Jerusalem and return north to the coast of Tiberias where they used to live and work, wherein Peter announces: “I am going fishing” verse 3.
What Peter is announcing is this: “I’m giving up on this Jesus stuff. He’s not what He promised us He would be. His plans and all His teaches and miraculous healings, His feeding of thousands and His great teachings about love and following Him — His promise that He was our long-awaited Messiah — just ended on the Cross. Rome won again. Nobody is ever going to change our culture, our society, our lives! Jesus might “work” for others, but not for me. I’m going back to fish. I have to make a living and I am sure I can do it once again quite well without Jesus. I made good money before and I’m sure I can keep on doing that. I’m going back fishing!”
It’s sad, dear friends, but true, that when you and I abandon Jesus, the people living around us are influenced by our decision and stubbornness and witty arguments about how utterly useless Jesus is. People hear us convince ourselves that the Bible is fiction — full of stories that just don’t add up, and the others who live and work around us hear us say that prayer doesn’t work. This is why “Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples” who are following Peter to the shores of Tiberias respond to Peter giving up and returning to fish with these words: “We will go with you” (verse 3). Dear friends, we have no idea how much those around us watch us and follow what we do — good things and bad decisions. Our words and our life choices can greatly affect others!
But here is a sure consequence of giving up on Jesus: These seven (7) guys “went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing” (verse 3). I am sure you agree that verse 3 is perhaps one of the most consequential verses in the Bible. If you and I abandon Jesus, give up on Him, dismiss Him because “He doesn’t work” and tell everybody in your life that “prayer is useless” — look at what will surely happen to us: We end up nowhere and with nothing. Walk away from Jesus and give up on Jesus, make a decision to stop praying, and guess where we all end up: we end up with nothing in life.
But Jesus is the Hound of Heaven, and He won’t give up on us, so he chases the seven (7) down and shows up on the shores of Tiberias early in the morning after they have been out fishing all night with even a nibble.
They don’t know this is Jesus, they don’t recognize Him because they’ve left Him, they don’t know who Jesus is anymore, and so Jesus asks them a pejorative, condemning question: Have you any fish? In other words, Jesus asks them the same question He asks us when we give up on Him: So, how is your life going these days without Me? How is life without prayer? Are you feeling good about the direction your life is proceeding without Me? Are you catching any fish these days? Are you feeling good about your career and your marriage and your kids? How are things working for you without Me? Are you succeeding having given up on Me? Have you any fish?
You know the rest of the story. They begin to listen to Jesus again. They meet Him where HE’S AT! They follow His instructions in life once again, and they catch the biggest boat-load of fish they have ever caught! And so symbolically Jesus feeds them, not just with bread and fish that He is cooking on the shore, but He feeds them with His mercy and love and grace! Jesus shows them once again how different it is when they follow Him and do everything He tells them to do. Jesus shows them never too give up again on Him!
The seven (7) disciples are mortified and so ashamed of their foolish choices to try to live without Jesus, to give up on Him because they believe Jesus had given up on them. They are so ashamed that the story ends with this observation: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples did not “dare to ask Him (Jesus), ‘Who are you? because they knew it was the Lord” (verse 12).
So will you join me and look into the mirror and feel the shame when you have abandoned the Lord? Would you join me and ask yourself this question: Have I any fish? Would you join me in asking for the mercy and love and grace of Jesus Christ? Would you join me in following Christ again?
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses” Colossians 2:13.
“But for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury” Romans 2:8.
“For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” Ecclesiastes 12:14.
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him”
1 John 3:1.
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him” James 2:14?
“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” Ephesians 1:13-14.
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