SOME WEDDING PHOTOS

THE VENUE on the SEA
THE LADIES

SUNSET VIEW

GOING FISHIING

Men's Study group - Harvesters Christian Fellowship

Jesus had already appeared to the disciples twice, so they knew he was around. They must have been waiting for his return appearance, yet he was slow in coming. Peter, always the impetuous and impatient one, seems to have given up hope that Jesus would return, and said "I’m going fishing." This is what he knew, it was his life before Jesus, and without Jesus, he would return to the old life.

We now live with the promise that Jesus will return, and we, too, often lose hope that he will really return. After all, it is already more than two thousand years! And we, too, after being born again and having experienced a closeness with Jesus, sometimes seem far from him, and are tempted to go back to our old lives and habits of before we met Jesus. The temptation to say "I’m going fishing" is great.

When they returned to the old life, these fishermen were not successful all night. Then someone appeared to them on the shore, asked if they had success, and they had to admit they had not. The person, actually Jesus, but they did not recognize him, told them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. When they did so, they caught more fish that the net was designed for.

Many questions here.
Why did these men, who had lived for Jesus for 3 years, not recognize him? The Bible says they were only a football field away from shore. Yet they did not recognize him. Perhaps it was not yet light? Or perhaps like the men on the road to Emmaeus (Luke 24) their eyes were prevented from recognizing him?
What difference is left side of boat or right? The net goes under the boat, the water is the same, the fish are the same. Yet they obeyed him, and were successful.

Of interest is the fact that Jesus was a carpenter, not a fishermen. They were the fishermen, and knew the fishing business. Yet Jesus knew where the fish were better than they.

Many times in our lives Jesus appears to us, perhaps as a person we do not recognize, and gives instructions. Something inside us tells us it is right. When we obey, we will be successful. Sometimes we must trust our ‘instincts’ and be obedient even though we don’t know the person and what they are saying doesn’t make sense. Sometimes we ‘know better’ but for the particular instance it would be best to follow what might seem like unwise advice.

There are all kinds of lessons and questions in the passage of Jesus feeding them breakfast, but I want to focus on John’s statement that they did not dare ask who he was, because they already knew. Why does John write this? Why would it even be in their heads if they already knew? This passage must be in the Bible for a reason, a reason for us and other believers through the centuries. Why?

I leave you for now with this question, though we did discuss it on the Sunday following Easter in Tondo, Manila, Philippines.