John 21:1-24

John 21:1. After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.

May every one of you, my fellow-disciples, realize that Jesus is showing himself to you! He is only to be seen in his own light; he must show himself to us, or else we shall never see him.

John 21:2. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.

He had told them to go into Galilee, and given them the promise, «There shall ye see me.» So now they were by the Galilean lake they were keeping their tryst with Christ, and as he always keeps his tryst with his people, he was there to meet them, as he had promised.

John 21:3. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee.

Their Master had told them to wait, but they could not wait. Surely when they were in Galilee by his command, they might have trusted him to supply their needs; but their faith was slack, so Peter said, «I go a fishing,» and the others were much of the same mind; waiting had become weary work, as it often does with our faint hearts, so they said, «We also go with thee.»

John 21:3. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

As is generally the case with us in our will-work and will-worship When we are not guided of God, but go entirely according to our own mind and will it will be thus with us also. Men attempt some business speculation without asking guidance of God, and they make a miserable failure of it, so that it might be written of them as of the disciples, «That night they caught nothing.»

John 21:4. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

They were thinking of fishing, so they saw boats, and nets, and the sea; if they had been thinking of Jesus, they would have looked for him, and when he came, they would have known him.

John 21:5. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat?

«Have ye anything to eat?»

John 21:5. They answered him, No.

But that was not his fault.

John 21:6. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

He testified his presence by crowning their exertions with his blessing, and soon they had a great catch of great fishes, a great contrast to their night of fruitless toil.

John 21:7. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, for he was naked), and did cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fishes.

We often come very slowly to Christ because we will drag that net with fishes; we have such a deal of care, anxiety, and trouble, when we need not have any at all, and so we come slowly, «dragging the net with fishes.»

John 21:9. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

Why did they want to go fishing on their own account? Christ had all that they needed ready for them, there was the fire, and there were the fish cooking on it ready for their breakfast. It was the Lord Jesus Christ's business to provide for them, and he did so.

John 21:10. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

And there lay those hundred and fifty and three big fishes on the beach. Christ had no need of them but perhaps he condescended to use some of them for that morning meal, as he said to Peter, «Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.»

John 21:12. Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine.

Or, «Come and break your fast after your long night's toil.» How they must have opened their eyes to see the fish ready cooked for them to eat!

John 21:12. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

«It was the Lord,» «the Lord» who had asked them if they had any food, «the Lord» who had filled the net which had previously been empty, «the Lord» who had given them his own fish from his own fire, that they might have breakfast with him. O good Master, if we have been toiling all the week, and have caught nothing, call us now to come and eat of that which thou hast thyself prepared!

John 21:13. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples after that he was risen from the dead. So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?

«More than this lot of fish, these boats, these nets? You gave them all up for me once, but now you have taken to them again; do you really love me better than your fishing and your fish?»

John 21:15. He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

«Feed My Lambs: A Sabbath-school Sermon.» «Do not go after fish any more, but attend to my business: ‘feed my lambs.' The proof of your greater love to me than to all worldly things will be found in your doing of the work which I have committed to your charge.»

John 21:16. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

«Quit the sea; I am giving you no more business there: come now, and be a pastor to my blood-bought sheep.»

John 21:17. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.

Thrice he had denied his Lord, so thrice he must be questioned concerning his love to the Lord whom he said he did not even know, and then for the third time he was re-commissioned by his Lord:

John 21:17. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou willest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And When he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

Peter's death was to glorify God, so he might well be content, painful though it was to be.

John 21:20. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, lord, and what shall this man do?

Our Lord never answered such a foolish, inquisitive question as this, and therefore

John 21:22. Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

That is how Christ would answer any similar questions that we might put to him. We need not concern ourselves so much about what is to happen to others until we have made our own calling and election sure. «What is that to thee? follow thou me.»

John 21:23. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

This is only one of many instances in which Christ's words have been twisted and made to mean something quite different from what he intended.

John 21:24. This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.