“I am going fishing.” (John 21:3, NKJV.)
Peter’s words revealed a man who no longer knew his purpose. Jesus’ resurrection changed everything, yet Peter carried the burden of his denial and the uncertainty of what came next. When people lose direction, they often return to what is familiar. Peter knew boats, nets, and the Sea of Galilee. When everything else seemed uncertain, he could at least go fishing.
Five other disciples must have felt the same because they climbed into the boat with him, and together they worked through the darkness. These were not amateur fishermen hoping for good fortune. Before Jesus called them to become fishers of men, they had spent years on those waters. They understood the lake and knew its rhythms. Still, every net came back empty. As the hours slipped away, exhaustion replaced expectation. Dawn found them weary with empty nets. Worse yet, they had nothing to eat.
Then a voice drifted across the water, “Children, have you any food?” (John 21:5, NKJV.) The question needed no answer. Their empty nets left them with nothing to eat.
From the boat, they didn’t recognize the man calling from the shore. To weary fishermen, He appeared as nothing more than another stranger on the beach.
The stranger told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat. They did, perhaps because they had nothing to lose. Suddenly the net grew so heavy with fish that they could scarcely pull it aboard.
Then John recognized Jesus. He turned to Peter and said, “It is the Lord!” (John 21:7, NKJV.) Peter didn’t hesitate. He plunged into the Sea of Galilee and hurried toward the shore while the others struggled behind him, dragging the catch.
When the disciples reached the shore, they found a fire of glowing coals with fish cooking over it and bread beside it. Peter reached the shore dripping wet while the others brought in the boat and dragged the heavy net onto the beach. Only moments earlier, they had nothing to eat. After landing such a catch, they still expected to clean the fish before breakfast. Instead, Jesus said, “Come and eat breakfast.” (John 21:12, NKJV.)
Jesus didn’t begin with Peter’s failure or the disciples’ return to fishing. Instead, He invited them to breakfast. They arrived on shore hungry, and He fed them.
Only after breakfast did He turn to Peter’s heart.
Jesus didn’t begin with Peter’s denial. He asked questions that reached beneath Peter’s failure and drew him back to the calling he had abandoned. Three times Peter answered. Three times Jesus entrusted him with the care of His flock.
The same Savior who prepared breakfast also restored the disciple. Peter left that shoreline with more than a renewed calling. He left with peace. His failure no longer shaped his future.
Peter walked away from that shoreline with peace and a new purpose. The risen Christ still meets people who carry the weight of yesterday into today. He still replaces shame with peace. That invitation still reaches across the centuries. The risen Christ still calls weary people to Himself before asking anything of them. Before He speaks about tomorrow, He offers the peace only He can give. Those who accept His invitation discover what Peter found on that Galilean shore. Peace doesn’t grow out of perfect explanations or flawless performance. It grows in the presence of the One who still says, “Come and eat breakfast.”
About the Author
David Johnson is the co-founder and Director of Ministry at Laurel Mountain Ministries. He is an ordained minister, retired attorney, Bible teacher, and author who enjoys helping people discover God’s truth through practical Bible study. His latest book, PEACEMAKER: A Twelve Session Journey into the Heart of God’s Peace, is available on Amazon.
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