Victory in Obedience
- Brett Tannon Malott
- Apr 19, 2017
- 2 min read
Early in Jesus’ ministry when He began calling the Twelve, Luke 5:10 highlights that the Sons of Zebedee, James and John, were business partners with Simon Peter as fishermen. It is fascinating to note that when these disciples were called by Jesus, they had fished all night and had caught nothing. Jesus then tells them to cast out their nets once again and their nets became so full of fish that they were breaking. Here in John 21 after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, the disciples were waiting for instructions from the Risen Lord in Galilee (Matthew 28:16 states that the disciples were to return to Galilee and eventually to a specific mountain). As they were passing the time waiting for Jesus, they returned to what they knew, fishing. Just like three and a half years earlier, they toiled all night with no success. It needs to be remembered that there was no refrigeration in biblical times and hence fishing was primarily done at night so that all the fish caught could be sold in the morning at markets. Just like the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 14:15-35, they too were at first blinded to the fact that Jesus was speaking to them.
Once Jesus told them to recast their nets, John immediately recognized the Risen Lord and told Simon Peter, who out of respect for Jesus put on his outer clothes, impulsively jumped into the lake, and swam to meet Jesus. I wonder if the other disciples were a little indignant in that they had to haul back to shore 153 fish without Peter’s help (vs. 11)? As they approached the shore, they notice a charcoal fire with fish and bread cooking. Even in His resurrected body, Jesus still took care of His disciples’ needs by providing the 153 fish (i.e. physical needs) and served them by cooking fish and giving them bread that He already had on Him and pronouncing a blessing (spiritual needs) over the meal. We must remember that Jesus, the Son of Man, came to serve (Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45). As we become more and more Christlike and grow in our faith, we are to continually be of more service for the Kingdom.
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