"21 After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.
9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead."
John 21:1-14
The events discussed in our last two Notes form a familiar spiritual pattern. It is often the case that the message of the gospel kindles and warms men's hearts into a tremendous enthusiasm for the things of God. This is good, so far as it goes. But the great question is. How far does it go? Sometimes it does not go far enough; it did not go far enough with Peter; for it did not take much to send him back to the old ways again. The mere combination of a number of circumstances and pressures proved too much for him. And this teaches us that the enthusiasm that stirs hearts - good and necessary as it is - needs something more to make it a steady loyalty to Christ. The will must also be involved, and that will must be yielded unreservedly and for good and all to Him. This is the real message of the chapter and this the point to which the gospel brings us, a crisispoint at which we are either going to go back to the old ways and subside in the former pattern, or go on to the new creation altogether. This is the kind of confrontation that the gospel brings about; and the right choice must be made, says John. 'These things are written that ye might believe', he has indicated. Ah, but believing means certain things: it means resisting the impulse to go back to the old ways. And it goes ill with those who do not resist. Of course, their expedition proved a complete failure. They toiled all night and caught nothing. And one can hardly avoid the conclusion that John is implying that this was the Lord's doing. We see this from the fact that in the morning He gently showed them that He was Lord of the sea, and told them where to put down their nets. It was the Lord that blighted and blasted their endeavours, because He was resolved that they should not find any satisfaction in the old calling from which He had taken them to be with Him. His call to them had spoiled the old ways for them forever, and they were destined never to find fulfilment in it again.