Fishermen

by Rachael Stelzer

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He called out to them, ‘Friends, haven’t you any fish?’

‘No’, they answered (John 21:5).

Read John 21:1–13

My family contains several fishermen. Those who, when a bystander asks how they’re biting, give a coy and downplayed version so as not to give away the good spots. Those who will hold the fish up close to the camera, so it looks ‘this big’ on social media. And those who have their tried-and-tested theories about which bait works with which rig. The longer they’ve fished, the more expert they are.

Yesterday we looked at John’s account of Jesus feeding 5000 people, an event that rang bells deep in the collective memory of the Jewish people. Jesus was recognised as ‘the prophet who is to come’, and fed the people in a way that reminded them of the manna and quail in the wilderness.

For the disciples, so much has happened since then. Ministry, healing, power, confusion, horror, sorrow, disillusionment, rumours, hope. But when the chips were down, they had bolted, betrayed, denied and run. They consider themselves pretty lousy disciples. But they are still fishermen.

So Peter says, ‘I’m going fishing’. I’m going back to who I was. I’m waking up from this dream and getting on with the way things were.

And they catch nothing. Now they’re not even good fishermen.

And then the ‘expert’ on the shore says with a twinkle in his eye, ‘How are they biting? Maybe try the other side of the boat …’.

Ugh. Sure, old mate. Whatever. I guess we have nothing to lose. Maybe we’ll even prove you wrong. Clearly, there are just no …  Andrew! James! John! Help me!

And then, like a series of flashbacks, young John connects the dots. We’ve heard this fishing advice before when we were called from these boats … he’s breaking bread and handing out fish … Fishers of people … Fish …

‘It is the Lord!’

And, as on the night before his death, Jesus sits down with those who denied him and those who ran away, and he shares a meal with them. Like the day he fed the 5000, he invites them to provide some of the meal. And, as on the day they were called, they leave the boats for good, to follow their risen Saviour. They get it – without Jesus, they are nothing. With him, they are fishers of men. Their relationship with Jesus is not based on how good they are – it is all about how good he is.

Lord Jesus, help me to recognise you calling from the shore. Help me overcome my need to have it all together. Remind me that you are the One who welcomes me into a relationship, not because I am good, but because you are Love. Amen.