Casting Our Net

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

CASTING OUR NET

John 21:1-6

21:1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called 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 realize 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.

NIV

They must have left Jerusalem, maybe in the night, so as not to be seen by the Jews who they feared. Having locked themselves up in that room where Jesus appeared to them twice. So Peter and the sons of Zebedee we know were fishermen when Jesus called them. The others we are not sure of their trade, but it appears they too were fishermen. It is difficult to understand that after they had seen Jesus alive just a  couple of days after they watched him crucified, dying and being put in the tomb, they would not just go fishing. But that is their life, what they know, and how they make their living. Many, if not all of them still had families to support, now that all the funds given to support the ministry of Jesus had dried up, and they both needed to eat and support their families by selling the catch of the day to the local restaurants, pubs, and grocery stores. It was usual that fishermen would go out in the evening to cast their nets and bring the catch into the docks for the early morning sales from their boats. This time, in this narrative, they failed to catch even a single fish. This was their trade, they only source of income, and with all their efforts they caught nothing. Maybe with being gone for three-plus years traveling around the countryside with Jesus they forgot how to fish. That is unlikely, once a fisherman, always a fisherman. It is like learning any trade of skill, such as riding a bike, no matter how long it has been, we just climb on and pedal away. So they caught nothing, how disappointed they must have felt. They were not going to make any income today. But as they approached the shore, Jesus was standing waiting for them. He could have just walked out to the boat and instructed them where to find the fish, but no he waited on the shore with a fire burning ready to cook them a meal of fish and bread, much like he did for the five thousand earlier. So as they approached he called out asking if they had any fish. They answered no, and then he told them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat. Had they been casting their nets all night on the left side? We simply do not know that answer, but because Jesus told them to cast their nets on the right side, they did. From the narrative it would seem, at this time, they did not know it was Jesus. So why would they follow some strangers' suggestion to cast their nets again? Even when we do not know it is Jesus, we may well be following his directions. So they cast their nets and low and behold a net so full they could not lift it into the boat. It is interesting how we can labor in our own efforts and accomplish so little, even nothing at all. But when we follow the directions of Jesus, we accomplish more then we can take in. All our skills, all our education, our intelligence, our professional abilities still may not accomplish what we are meant to do for the kingdom of God. Sure we can gain much fame and fortune, even enough wealth to store it up for some rainy day, or those golden years of life. But have we cast our nets on the right side of the boat? Have we done that which Jesus has directed us to do? Our true accomplishments in life are in following what Jesus tells us. That does not mean we cannot be a doctor, lawyer, or candlestick maker.  But we should only be casting our nets only as he directs. Just as when he first called them as they were fishing, “Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”. So we cast our nets.