Sunday – Catching Nothing: John 21:1-3
Jesus made another appearance to seven of the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias (or Sea of Galilee). Their state of mind is unclear, but Peter is pulled back to the trade he knew well: fishing. We might suppose they didn’t quite know what to do with themselves, and Jesus didn’t condemn them for their activity. However, neither was their endeavor successful, despite casting their nets into the sea all night long. Perhaps they remembered another day that they had fished long and hard without success (see Luke 5:4-7).
Monday – A Multitude of Fish: John 21:4-6
One could easily make too much of this event by making the analogy stretch too far, however, the fact that the only change they made was to move the nets to the opposite side of the fishing boat is significant, especially since the load of fish they netted was so heavy that they nearly sank. And so it is that Christ that makes us productive as “fishers of men.” We can come up empty-handed if we rely on our own soul-winning programs, and not enough upon our Lord’s direction and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Tuesday – Sitting down to be Fed: John 21:7-14
We note that Jesus was at first not known to the disciples when He directs them from afar to cast their nets on the right side of the boat. John is the first to recognize Him and alerts the others. Simon Peter’s reaction is notable. (Do you imagine Peter remembered the night he departed the boat and walked to Jesus on the water?) Yet again, Jesus was serving His disciples as Host of the meal. With the meal ready, He called them from their long toil of fishing, and they ate with Jesus for the second time since His resurrection. There is something richly bonding about sitting down to dinner together and sharing a meal, and we should assume that throughout their lives, these men would remember this rich, relaxed time of fellowship.
Wednesday – Do You Love Me? Feed My Sheep!: John 21:15-17
What prompted Jesus to question Peter so pointedly was likely due to the important leadership he would have in the church, and also to his brashness. To follow Christ’s call, Peter would need to stay committed and loyal. To this end, the first two times Jesus asked the question, He uses the word, “agapaō,” meaning supreme, or perfect love. In response, Peter used the word, “phileō,” meaning “deep friendship.” (The third time, Jesus also used phileō.) Another significant word change is in v. 16, as Jesus said to “tend” (poimainō) the sheep, not just to “feed” (boskō).
Thursday – Foretelling Peter’s Martyrdom: John 21:18-19
It was a Roman custom to put the necks of those who were to be crucified into a yoke, and to stretch out their hands and fasten them to the end of it; and having thus led them through the city they were carried out to be crucified. Prophesying Peter’s martyrdom, Jesus stated that his death will bring honor to God.
Friday – What about John?: John 21:20-23
Peter is more concerned about events than he is about the duties to which Christ appointed him and again demonstrated his distractable nature by enquiring about John’s destiny. What a weakness there is in human nature to busy ourselves in other men’s affairs and neglect our own. Jesus’ response to Peter is blunt, and might be restated as, “Peter, mind your own business.”
Saturday – The Capstone of John’s Gospel: John 21:24-25
This written testimony of John was that of a man of truthful character, but he turns our primary attention to the fact that only a miniscule number of Jesus’ works and discourses had been recorded. So many writings would have been required to record all that Jesus accomplished, that the apostle can’t even estimate their number. Jesus’ life was so profound and so effective, that even all four gospels together fall far short of a comprehensive account.