A New Way of Fishing

It’s the only life they had known. They had learned the trade at the foot of their fathers who had learned it from their fathers. It was reinforced by the geography of the land where they had lived perhaps for generations; a region dominated by one of the natural geographic wonders of the world; a large fresh water lake that sits over 200 feet below sea level. Simon, Nathanael, Thomas and the Zebedee brothers were commercial fishermen working amongst a fleet of over 200 boats that derived a livelihood from a seemingly never-ending supply of fresh fish. The only interruption to this idyllic existence was the last few years when they left to join nomadic lifestyle of a charismatic leader.

The allure of this Leader had enticed them away from the only life that they had ever known. And then as suddenly as He had appeared on the scene, He was violently taken from them. In a panic they scattered – probably because the government was the culprit behind the disappearance. Most gravitated back to their prior existence. That’s why these four soon found themselves on the Sea of Tiberias in the middle of the night; when fishing was best. But this was no normal night. Every trick of the trade had been tried; yet no results.

Can you imagine the frustration as some guy on the beach seemed to be taunting them; “Catch any fish? Try the other side of the boat!” How ludicrous, that’s not the way fish work. They knew this lake like the back of their hand. They knew what worked and when it worked. Change sides of the boat, who is He kidding. I don’t know what motivated them to give it a try but soon they pulled up their nets and sunk them on the other side of the boat. Their indignation turned to surprise when the net immediately began to fill with fish. Not only was the net full but it tore as they attempted to haul the catch into their boat because it was so full. As they turned their gaze back to the Taunter on the beach, a huge smile covered His face. Wait, could it be? Yes, it is. . . No it can’t be. Why hadn’t we noticed? It was their Leader.

Many of you by now recognize this story as a contemporized paraphrase of John 21. The Leader is Jesus and the fishermen were the disciples. Now let’s cut to the chase. Jesus was not trying to help them catch fish. He was probably disappointed that they were even back on their old job. He had recruited them and poured His heart into preparing them for a much more important role. Jesus was masterfully using their old life and their old skills as an object lesson to yank them back to the reality of their new life. Jesus intended for them to passionately pursue their newly appointed life of “fishing” for men and women. The lesson from John 21 is that fishing for men is a God thing. We’re called to it but there is absolutely nothing within us that we can call on to know how to do it. The instruction manual for “man fishing” comes from God. He knows where the catch is; all we do is follow instructions.

What a celebration that morning when they realized, probably for the first time that everything Jesus told them was true. He really was “the Master.” Once you meet the Master your life is never the same. Wanna have that experience for yourself? Jesus extends the same invitation to you that He extended to His early gang.

“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matt. 4:19

When’s the last time we saw a bumper catch? Maybe we’re fishing on the wrong side of the boat!