GO FISH

Sermon Notes, May 4, 2014

Rev. Jan Sinozich

Pastor Jan’s sermon was titled “Go Fish,” based on John 21:1-14.  After Jesus’ resurrection, he told his disciples to wait for him in Galilee.  They went, but after a while, they began to doubt themselves; they were confused, and tired of waiting.  Peter said, “I’m going fishing,” and six of them decided to go along.  However, after fishing all night, these experienced fishermen caught nothing.  They experienced failure. (Verses 1-3)

In verses 5-8 they see a stranger on the shore, who calls out “Catch anything?”  When they replied that they hadn’t caught anything, the stranger told them “Throw your net on the right side,” which evidently was the wrong side for professional fishermen.  They obeyed the stranger, and caught 153 big fish.  They shifted from what they knew to something they didn’t think would work.  They experienced success.

Suddenly John made the connection: three years earlier, pretty much the same thing had happened.  Luke 5 tells the story.  That time Jesus told them to fish for people, and they left their nets and followed him.  They’d fallen back into their old patterns after Jesus’ crucifixion.  Now they recognized Jesus, and Peter got excited.  He left the 153 fish for the rest of them to haul in, and swam to Jesus onshore.  The disciples, cold, hungry and wet, came to shore, and Jesus had built a fire and fixed breakfast for them.  They experienced companionship.

This story is about Jesus’ self-revelation.  The same Jesus who served them by washing their feet now served them breakfast.  Jesus is our model: he served, we are to serve too.  God is touched by our infirmities.  We are to operate in this blend of supernatural and natural.  We should be used to expecting the unexpected.

Jesus affirmed his call to be fishing for people.  That is still our mission.  Good ideas and lots of effort alone may prove futile and frustrating; real success is found in obeying God.  God has our needs covered.  His call on our lives remains steadfast.  We are to be fishers of people!