153 Fish

I have a confession.  I'm a "secrets" and "methods" addict. I'm an info junkie.  I love reading non-fiction "How To" books of all kinds, especially those of other student pastors and veterans of the ministry.  But you know what?  Sometimes we can copy the method and miss the power!

Look at what I mean in John 21:1-14 (NLT)...

¹Later Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. ^F92 This is how it happened. ²Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.

³Simon 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.

⁴At dawn the disciples saw Jesus standing on the beach, but they couldn't see who he was. ⁵He called out,"Friends, have you caught any fish?" "No," they replied.

⁶Then he said, "Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you'll get plenty of fish!" So they did, and they couldn't draw in the net because there were so many fish in it.

⁷Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is 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 swam ashore. ⁸The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only out about three hundred feet. ^F949When they got there, they saw that a charcoal fire was burning and fish were frying over it, and there was bread.

¹⁰"Bring some of the fish you've just caught," Jesus said. ¹¹So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn't torn.

¹²"Now come and have some breakfast!" Jesus said. And no one dared ask him if he really was the Lord because they were sure of it. ¹³Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. ¹⁴This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.

The disciples had been fishing all night and had caught ZERO fish.Jesus walks up and says, "Throw the net on the right-hand side of the boat." And what happens? They catch 153 LARGE fish!!!

I can't imagine after fishing all night long that they never had thrown the nets on the right-hand side. I think that they must have and not only that, they must have thrown them on that side many times that night!  But Jesus tells them to do it and BOOM, BOOYA = 153 LARGE fish! :)

What was the difference?  Was their technique better?  Were they copying some of the successful fisherman's style?  No. The only difference was Jesus! That's the most important difference!!  He anointed that moment. He caused the fish to be there and for them to get into the net!  Don't get me wrong. I think we need to learn the right methods and we need to do the right things.  All I'm saying is that without the power and anointing - without Jesus guiding us WHERE and HOW to do the methods - they're powerless.  I'm trying to make sure I pray more than ever and listen to him for the directions about where and what to do. It's the only way our ministry will succeed!  You know what else I like about this story?  When they got to shore, Jesus already had fish and bread!!!  He didn't need their fish. But they needed his power and anointing and direction.