Reflections On The Gospel Of John Sample

TRUST ME, THERE’S MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE After Jesus’ death, burial and subsequent resurrection, in John chapter twenty-one we find Jesus’ disciples, led by Simon Peter, out on the Sea of Galilee in a boat in the hot Middle Eastern sun attempting to catch some fish. I can picture the frustration on their faces as they cast nets from each side of the boat with no fish anywhere to be found. Making His third appearance after His resurrection, Jesus appeared standing on the beach from where the boat was launched. “[Jesus] called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish” (JHN.21.4, New Living Translation)? Being the rash and impulsive one, I can imagine Peter having a few choice words in response to this question. With fishing being his occupation and his area of expertise, it should have been evident that if they were still out on the water at that specific time of the day, they obviously had not caught anything. However, collectively the group simply replied “No.” Jesus then said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some” (JHN.21.6, New Living Translation)! Again, I can imagine Peter saying to himself: “Does He not know that we’ve already tried this?” Yet at the command of Jesus, the disciples did exactly as He said. And as a result of their collective obedience, their nets were so saturated with fish they were unable to haul the entire catch in. This is a wonderful lesson in faith that demonstrates the benefit of moving even though we can’t see the end result in the natural (HEB. 11.1). When we begin to truly operate in faith and move based not on what we can readily see, but on the unseen things; this is when God begins to do the supernatural in our lives as He prepares us for something new. “As the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed]” (1CO.2.9, Amplified Bible)!