“Gone Fishing”
Sermon for May 4, 2025
Because we are still in Eastertide, as Jim told us last week, I decided to use scripture from the PCUSA lectionary. The lectionary lists about 3-4 scripture readings from the old and new testaments for every day. This helps guide what might be preached in churches.
And today’s scripture is one of the one’s for today.
It is an interesting reporting of an event which is only reported in the book of John. And some say is kind of a postscript ore pilogue for his book.
Now, in preparation for today, I have read this passage many times in many different translations and it leads me to lots of questions.
Here we see seven of the disciples together, Simon Peter or Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James and John and two others disciples whose names are not given. They are back home in Galilee. You remember when Mary saw Jesus at the tomb, he told her to go tell the disciples to meet him in Galilee, so we understand that they are no longer in Jerusalem. As Jim told us last week, they have seen Jesus two times while they were holed up in a room where he miraculously showed up and proved to them that he most certainly is alive. Oddly, though he must appear somewhat different since it seems that
many don’t recognize him at first on several occasions. In this scripture, Peter says, I am going fishing and the others decide to go with him. One of my first questions is why are they going fishing? They had recently seen Jesus so wouldn’t they be eager to continue what they had been taught? Is it that they are confused and not sure about what they should be doing as far as Jesus goes? Have they just given up and they are just going back to what they know how to do? – they are professional fishermen. Or, is it because they are home with their wives and families and now they need to earn some money to
support them? Do they think they are just going back to their old lives and all the time with Jesus was a waste? We just don’t know.
They go out in the night to fish. Fishing in the dark? Apparently, fishing with nets is different. One source said the waters are baited earlier and then when the fish bunch together to eat and then sleep, they are easier to scoop up in a net.
More questions – how do they know where they are going on the water in the DARK? Is there a moon? Or do they leave a light of some kind on the shore to help them know where about they are like some kind of marker to give them their bearings.
They are fishing on the Sea of Galilee, which is also called Lake Gennesaret, or Lake Tiberias, which is the Roman name for it.
The lake is 13 miles long and 6-8 miles wide. To give you some idea of its size, according to Alexa, Greenwood Lake is 7 mi long and 7.3 miles wide so double the length and it might be a similar size. I read that they usually fished closer to shore rather than far out.
And the scripture says, they are fishing in a small boat. I did read it was probably about 20’ long and 7’ wide, with oars and maybe a small mast and it could hold 15 men. So, not your typical small rowboat but not a ship.
I measured the sanctuary and all of you on one side of the center section front to back would be in the boat with a little more elbow room on the side.
Anyway, they fish all night and end up with no fish. But, now as light is breaking someone calls from the shore, which is about 100 yds away, which is about the length of a football field. In some translations the person calls to them as “Children” or Lads or Friends – all meant to be terms of endearment so it shows familiarity and he asks if they caught anything. They respond NO! to which the person says, let the nets down on the right side and you will catch some fish.
They do and they do.
John, “the favorite disciple”, remember this is his book, says, “It’s the Lord!” Do you think he is thinking déjà vu – I think we have done this before?
Do you remember in Luke chapter 5, when Jesus had just begun preaching, the same men had come in from fishing all night with no results and Jesus told them to go out again and let your nets down and they would catch some fish. They did and they caught so many that their nets were breaking.
At that time, Jesus told them that they would become fishers of men and they started following him.
So now 3 years later it happens again. Peter puts his clothes back on and swims back to shore to see Jesus and then the other men come along in with the boat and 153 large fish! OK – why did we need to know how many? No one knows that either but maybe to show there were a lot!
Interestingly, we see the beginning of this discipleship and the end are somewhat the same – I think Jesus is reminding them of their purpose and putting the stamp on the fact that they are to be fishers of men.
They get to shore and Jesus already has breakfast ready – fish and bread cooked on charcoal.
Another question – where did he get it? Did he plan ahead and bring it all there or was it another miracle of bread and fish. We don’t know. He does tell them to bring some of their fish over to be cooked.
Jesus does break the bread and gives it to them. The scripture says they don’t ask who he is because they know it is the Lord. They have seen Him do this before. He feeds them.
These men who had just spent 3 years in the presence of Jesus, following him and learning had now just been in the dark alone without Jesus and they were possibly unclear about life but now they are in the light with Jesus and he is going to give them direction and purpose. He already breathed the Holy Spirit on them when he met with them the second time.
They are trusting Jesus to lead them in the way they should go. In other words, a life without Jesus is fruitless. A life with him in it - is successful.
So, what does all this mean for us. I kind of thought this is a little like us. We followed our minister here for 40 years. We never thought of him as anything but a man, certainly not God, but we followed his teaching of the Bible, the Father God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. He left and we did and still are floundering, no fish pun intended, but we are trusting in that holy trinity to lead the way for us. So far, for 10 months, we, with the help of God, have done a remarkable job of keeping things afloat and we will continue.
But - If we think we are the source of all we have done and not the Lord – we are the same as those men going fishing in the dark, it cannot be done. Not only should we give God the credit, we must understand that it only comes by and through his power. Success and blessings are never independent from Jesus Christ. It all always comes through him.
Let’s be clear, it is NOT by our own doings but through the light and life of Jesus and by his grace, mercy and love. We can only do things through the power of God!
Individually, if we feel we are in the dark and don’t know which way to go, seek the light and lean in on Jesus. Pray for his guidance and strength. We are not alone. God sent the Holy Spirit to live within us to guide us and lead us in the direction we are supposed to go. And, we even have a “how to manual”. Let us pray.
Thank you, dear Lord for all of your love, guidance and steadfastness in our lives. We know you are there for us always. May we live our lives in a way that is pleases you. Amen
by Candy Burnett