John 21:5 New International Version (NIV)
5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No,” they answered.
This is one of my favorite portions of Scripture in the Bible. The place in which Jesus reinstated Peter is one of my favorite places to see when I go to Israel. We find the disciples acting out like most men when they do not know what to do. We go to a place that we know. We are comfortable there. For Simon Peter and the other disciples, it was fishing.
We see Jesus’ love for Simon Peter here. He tells them to throw the net on the right side of the boat, and they do it. It is said that the net was so full of fish, they could not haul it in. As a matter of fact, there were 153 large fish. Numbers mean something to God.
Peter realized that is was Jesus on the shore. Peter jumps into the water and goes to Jesus. He is dripping wet, and he is standing in front of Jesus. Their eyes are locked. The last time Peter saw Jesus, he had denied knowing Jesus.
It does not say, but I bet Jesus grabbed him arms open wide as a brother. Jesus goes on to reinstate Peter by telling him 3 times to feed his sheep. Peter comes to the end of himself.
Peter never failed in his faith from that time on. He would never go back to fishing for fish. His life would be fishing for men.
Men, what about you? Caught any fish lately?
It is time to go fishing for men.
As Jesus was telling Peter to follow him, you do the same and follow Jesus. You will be fishers of men.
Strength and Courage
Michael
