Read John 21:1-14.
Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances to His disciples were few in the beginning. The first recorded account of His appearing to the disciples was on the first day of His resurrection (John 20:19). This was followed by His appearance to Thomas and the others eight days later (John 20:26). In John chapter 21, He makes a third appearance to many of the disciples, how long after the previous appearance is unknown. It seems, though, that a long enough time had elapsed that Peter’s reaction to Jesus on the shore seems a little more dramatic than one might expect if having only seen Jesus a few days earlier. Why would Peter so frantically (and irrationally – he put on his coat) jump into the water and swim back to shore? Had he doubted the reality of Jesus’ resurrection? Perhaps that was merely Peter’s personality – a little impulsive, a little extreme at times.
And why fishing? I suppose he needed to support the family. I think there was something more, though. Perhaps he misunderstood his commission given by Jesus earlier: “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (20:21) Or maybe he still a felt a sense of failure over his sin in denying the Lord. Whatever the reason may be, it seems the disciples are unsure what to do next. They almost seem to be wandering aimlessly, moving on, doing what they used to do before Jesus came onto the scene.
But then Jesus appears on shore. And here He does something remarkably similar to Peter’s first encounter with Jesus (Luke 5:1-11). The disciples have fished all night and have nothing to show for it. And Jesus tells them to throw their nets onto the right side of the boat. And like Peter’s first encounter, a net full of fish is drawn up from the sea. Sometimes when we lose direction, we have to go back to the beginning.
Jesus goes back to the beginning perhaps to remind them of all they had experienced from that very first encounter and maybe to remind them that the same Jesus that called them to be fishers of men was the same who was telling them now to do it! Here he gets them grounded again and back on course.
Have you ever felt like you’ve lost direction and were wandering aimlessly through life? Maybe you feel that way now. I encourage you to take some time and go back to your beginnings with Christ. Remember those days when Jesus first grabbed your heart? What was it like? How was He directing you back then? Sometimes retracing our steps enables us to move forward again.