Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied. Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread. “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn. “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead. John 21:3-13 NLT
Jesus had told the disciples earlier that He would make them fishers of men. There are 6 lessons we can learn from this account that will help us bring others to Christ.
- If you want to catch fish, you need to go fishing! Sounds obvious, right? But seriously, if you want to help others discover the hope you’ve found in Christ, you need to make a conscious effort to tell them about the difference He’s made in your life. Fishermen head to the water prepared with bait, tackle, poles or nets, and sometimes a boat; in other words, they are well equipped and prepared to catch fish. Whether you’re leading a large ministry or simply reaching out to someone you care about, prepare yourself through prayer and Bible study so you’ll be well equipped. Then be intentional in looking for opportunities to speak into the lives of those around you.
- Don’t give up if the fish aren’t biting. These guys fished all night long, but didn’t catch anything. Yet, they were still out there at dawn. It can be discouraging when you share your excitement about Jesus with someone and they don’t seem interested. Just keep praying that God will open their eyes to His love for them, and make sure they see you consistently serving God. They best thing you can do to reach others is to pursue God with all your heart and enjoy a close relationship with Him. When others see your passion for God and how fulfilled you are in your relationship with Him they will want to know more about Him.
- Never be afraid to change the way you do things. Jesus told them to throw the net on the other side, to switch things up a bit. Just because something was effective a year ago, doesn’t mean it will work now. Never be afraid to change your approach to ministry. It makes no sense to keep doing everything the same way if you aren’t catching any fish!
- Let Jesus guide you. When they made the change that Jesus suggested, they caught so many fish they had trouble hauling in the net! The thing I like best about Christianity is that we get to partner with Christ. Ask the Lord to show you how to effectively reach people and then do what He shows you.
- Be sure your passion for Jesus supersedes your passion to catch fish. When Peter heard it was the Lord, he was so excited that he jumped into the water and swam in ahead of the boat! He wasn’t just impulsive, for he stopped to put his tunic on. Peter was passionate! The thought of spending time with Jesus excited him far more than the large catch of fish. Be sure you are driven by love for God, not love for successful ministry.
- Work as a team. Peter jumped in the water, but the others stayed in the boat and brought the net to shore. Yet when Jesus asked them to bring some of the fish, it was Peter who went back on the boat and brought the fish up onto the beach. Then they all enjoyed breakfast with Jesus. Here’s the point, everyone has a role to play. Jesus didn’t rebuke John for not swimming to shore, neither did he rebuke Peter for leaving the boat. Play the role God has given you to play and work well with those He has placed around you. We are all more effective when we work together as a team!