The Reality Of The Risen Savior
John 21:1-14
Introduction
John 21 is an epilogue of the events of Christ’s life, death and resurrection.
“The final chapter shows Christ as the Master of our service and the friend of sinners” (Wiersbe;
Outline Studies in the New Testament).
The events surrounding the life and death and resurrection of Jesus left the disciples crowded
with conflicting emotions; joy in the fact that Jesus had risen from the dead; grief because the
post-resurrections appearances seemed very far apart and always too short; and the lingering
stinging failure of not having been there when Jesus needed them most.
Jesus has risen from the dead. Jesus is alive. What does that mean to me? John knows the
reader has a lot more questions; like; “Whatever happened to our friend Peter?” “Was he ever
restored to Jesus?” What does it mean that Christ is the Master of our service and the friend of
sinners? How do we live in light of Christ’s resurrection? Can life possibly go on the same?
What if I have failed Jesus? The final chapter in John’s gospel will show how the Lord
recalled Peter’s failure; how the Lord rekindled Peter’s fervor; and how the Lord would
eventually reshape Peter’s future.
Returning To the Old Business (vv.1-3)
John 21:1 (NKJV) After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of
Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself:
People still fish in the Sea of Galilee. The lake provides an income for people who ferry tourists
from Tiberias to Kibbutz Ginosar.
John 21:2 (NKJV) Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons
of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.
John remembers the cast of characters in this resurrection appearance of Jesus. Three are named;
two are implied James and John; and two remain unnamed. The cast of characters reminds us of
Christians in every generation.
Simon Peter had forsaken and denied Jesus. Has personal failure ever caused you to backslide?
Perhaps you have grown cold or callous or bored! Have you forgotten the calling of Christ on
your life? Or like Thomas--are you doubting Christian? Do you doubt the Word of God, or the
power of God? Do you find yourself walking by sight and circumstances instead of by faith and
trust? Or like Nathaniel have you found yourself in a cycle of criticism and complaint? James
and John were the sons of Zebedee. Early in the ministry of Jesus they wanted to sit on the right
side and the left side of Jesus. Some Christians find themselves seeking their own glory
rather than God’s glory. Are you a Christian who is more concerned about your
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The Reality Of The Risen Savior
John 21:1-14
recognition? Are you ready to serve if it means people will notice? Do you get easily
offended if you don’t receive the proper recognition that you think you deserve?
Who are the disciples that John does not mention by name? We are not told. If you do not find
yourself identifying with Simon Peter in frustration and failure--desperately needing restoration;
perhaps you might identify with one of the others or these unnamed disciples. Has your life been
marked by trial and tribulation? Life without the Lord is a long and lonely road.
John 21:3 (NKJV) Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing. They said to him, We are going
with you also. They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught
nothing.
Some Bible teachers confidently assert that Peter decided to go fishing apart from Christ’s
specific instructions. When Jesus called Peter to join Him he was a fisherman. James and John
were with Simon Peter that day; the day Jesus said to Simon Peter; “Do not be afraid. From now
on you will catch men” (Luke 5:10). Luke’s gospel says; “So when they had brought their boats
to land, they forsook all and followed Him” (v.11).
Does this mean Peter and the others decided to return to their old employment? Was this
one step in going back to the old life?
Clearly the disciples believe Jesus has risen from the dead. But could Jesus still bring about the
promised coming kingdom? Do the disciples believe Jesus is the Lord of the current cause; even
when it seems like a lost cause? The disciples are not pursuing kingdom living. They have
given up way to soon.
Peter’s comment is heard and followed by the others. Make no mistake--when you are a
leader people will follow you--in either belief or unbelief. Our private doubts often become
public doubts. Six disciples followed Peter. Your choices influences others.
Sometimes the seed of future success is sown in what looks like the ashes of failure.
Historians tell us that Abraham Lincoln had a difficult childhood, less than one year of formal
schooling, failed in business in 1831, was defeated for the state legislature in 1832; again failed
in business in 1833; elected to the legislature in 1834; his fiancee died in 1835; he was defeated
for Speaker in 1838; defeated for elector in 1840; married a wife who was a great burden in
1842; only one of his four sons lived past the age of 18; he was defeated for Congress in 1843;
elected to Congress in 1846; defeated for Congress in 1848; defeated for the Senate in 1855;
defeated for Vice-President in 1856; defeated for the Senate in 1858; elected President of the
United States in 1860.
Proverbs 24:16 (NKJV) For a righteous man may fall seven times
And rise again,
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The Reality Of The Risen Savior
John 21:1-14
But the wicked shall fall by calamity.
Winston Churchill said; Success is never final; failure is never fatal; it is the courage to continue
that counts---.
Life with Jesus seems so long ago. Peter is fighting to find his way back.
George Burns used to joke; “I honestly think it is better to be a failure at something you love
than to be a success at something you hate.”
There were a lot of memories in that boat! The boat had weathered many a storm. Have you
ever labored hard for something only to have nothing to show for your labors? The text reads;
“that night they caught nothing”. Peter’s futile attempt to catch fish illustrates a lesson we all
experience at one time or another; failure. But even the failure of catching fish would serve as
an illustration of what happens when the resurrected Jesus shows up.
All Christians are called to learn the lesson of dependence upon the resurrected Lord Jesus.
Remembering A Familiar Voice (vv.4-5)
John 21:4 (NKJV) But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the
disciples did not know that it was Jesus.
John remembers “the morning after”. Jesus stood on the shore. In spite of every night of
failure; Jesus still stands on the shore. The appearance of Jesus is immediate and unexpected.
Why didn’t the disciples recognize Jesus?
Was it because Jesus was off in the distance? Did the morning fog hide his appearance? Did
Jesus look radically different in his post-resurrection body? What if I told you that the problem
wasn’t physical or environmental, but spiritual? Unbelief blinds us. Clearly the food they lacked
wasn’t simply physical but spiritual. Unbelief brings empty nets.
John 21:5 (NKJV) Then Jesus said to them, Children, have you any food? They answered Him,
No.
The word translated food is the Greek word prosphagion and only occurs here in the Greek New
Testament; it literally means something eaten with bread; but clearly means fish! There is
temporary food and eternal food. Jesus found the disciples in their despair, in their failure in
their hunger.
The Savior’s searching questions remains; “Children, have you any food?”
We depend on the Lord for daily bread and the bread than comes down from heaven.
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The Reality Of The Risen Savior
John 21:1-14
The disciple’s answer; “no”. They confess failure. What happens when we fail to believe to
Jesus? The disciples had failed in their faith and in their failed faith they relied on human effort;
and in their human effort they wound up empty handed.
Recognizing The Work Of Jesus In Our Lives (vv.6-10)
John 21:6 (NKJV) And He said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will
find some. So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.
Peter must have sensed something.
Jesus instructs the disciples to “cast the net on the right side of the boat”. The disciples had
fished from all sides of the boat; all night long. Peter and James and John had spent many a
night on this lake. The boat was a good boat, and the lake clearly had fish. The net was just fine.
The real issue wasn’t where and how--but under whose guidance, whose direction, whose
blessing! Will Peter and the others listen to the Master fisherman and learn a lasting lesson?
This not simply a physical or geographical location. The wrong side is effort apart from Jesus;
instruction apart from Jesus; reliance apart from Jesus. This is the wrong side of human effort;
the wrong side of indifference and disobedience and now we cast our nets on the right side; the
right side of dependence upon Jesus; the right side of prayer; the right side of faithful living and
joyful experience; this is the right side of the resurrection; the side of blessing and power; this is
the side where Jesus lives and the Holy Spirit is present to transform lives.
Success follows obedience: “So they cast, and they were not able to draw it in because of the
multitude of fish”.
Would you be willing to listen and to obey the Lord if He were to show you the right place and
the right time to cast your net?
In Luke’s gospel chapter 5:1 “So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of
God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret (the sea of Galilee; the sea of Tiberius),
and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing
their nets, Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a
little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had
stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a
catch,” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught
nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net”. And when they had done this, they
caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.
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The Reality Of The Risen Savior
John 21:1-14
Wait a minute. I remember when my boat was used by Jesus as a pulpit. We fished all night and
caught nothing. I don’t remember the exact number of fish. I do remember the nets began to
break. I do remember Jesus instructed from the boat. We have just experienced a night of
complete failure.
John 21:7 (NKJV) Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It is the Lord! Now
when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed
it), and plunged into the sea.
The Apostle John recognizes the Lord.
The Old King James reads; “He girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked). The word is
gymnos which sometimes meant “naked, stripped bare” but some Greek writers note that it was
used in the sense; ‘without an outer garment’; without which a decent person did not appear in
public. This is why the New King James translates this “he put on his outer garment” for he had
removed it--or he was stripped for work (NASB); or “for he had taken it off” (NIV).
John 21:8 (NKJV) But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land,
but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish.
A cubit (pechys) was about 18 inches; or about 100 hundred yards (NIV).
John 21:9 (NKJV) Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and
fish laid on it, and bread.
John 21:10 (NKJV) Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.
Running Towards The Lord (v.11)
John 21:11 (NKJV) Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one
hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken.
All the disciples made it to shore that day. But only one ran. Peter had denied the Lord Jesus
three times. Peter had aimed to cut off Malchus’ head; missed and cut of the ear of the High
Priest’s servant.
Recline And Dine With The Lord (vv.12-14)
John 21:12 (NKJV) Jesus said to them, Come and eat breakfast. Yet none of the disciples dared
ask Him, Who are You? knowing that it was the Lord.
The verb translated “breakfast” is aristeo. The first mean of the day; “break your fast”.
Will you accept the Lord’s invitation to join Him in a time of nourishment and fellowship?
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The Reality Of The Risen Savior
John 21:1-14
John 21:13 (NKJV) Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the
fish.
Jesus cooks fish and bread over an open fire. The meal is simple but satisfying.
The miracle, the bread the fish, were all designed to awaken Peter’s conscience and open Peter’s
spiritual eyes. Jesus has prepared this little encounter to do more than provide a breakfast of fish
taco’s by a familiar shore. Peter is fighting to find his way back to a real restoration of
fellowship and ministry.
John 21:14 (NKJV) This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He
was raised from the dead.
As far as we know Jesus never showed Himself after His resurrection in Temple, or in Caesar’s
palace. Jesus showed Himself in the places where people lived; in the home, on the road or in
this case when the disciples went fishing.
Conclusion
“Today we are casting out the Gospel net, but often the nets break, there is seeming failure, and
we do not know how many souls are really won. But when Christ returns the exact number will
be known and none will be lost. Today there are many boats and fisherman at work, but when
Christ returns we will see the one church and all the redeemed in the one Gospel net” ( Warren
Wiersbe; Expository Outlines of the New Testament; pp.269-270).
Peter Marshall; “It is better to fail in a cause that will ultimately succeed, than to succeed in a
cause that will ultimately fail.”
The cause of Christ will ultimately succeed.
The ship set sail in the dead of night On the sea of Galilee
On a journey far from faith and light Away from lost humanity
And on the shore a Savior stood with fish and bread and life
And in the boat that stayed afloat were failure doubt and strife.
Critics gripe and doubters doubt and dreamer’s dream and wish
But servant’s serve and lover’s live and some men live to fish.
The lake is full and the nets are spread and the Savior’s voice is clear
Head for the shore and know there’s more when Jesus’ Word is near.
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