John 21:6 – And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.
Some of the stories in the Bible reveal the humorous side of the Lord even while He is teaching some powerful lessons. The disciples had not grasped the spiritual moment they were in and were slipping back into their normal survival mentality. I think those empty nets were just as supernatural as the full ones would be after Jesus provided a shocking harvest. This was another wake up call for Peter and this band of fishermen, stop looking to yourself for answers, look to the Lord. Here is how the Christ Centered Expository Commentary describes this moment.
“This story paints a portrait. The disciples were not hobby fishermen; they were experts. Prior to Jesus’s call as disciples, they had made their living on the sea. They hop into the boat to catch some fish but have no luck—all night long but not a single fish. Can you imagine the frustration? It’s no big deal for an amateur to come up dry, but a group of professional fishermen working all night and not catching a thing? That doesn’t happen. They must have been tired and cranky. The sun’s starting to rise, and they hear a voice from the shore call out a prodding question: “You don’t have any fish, do you?” It gets worse. “Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you’ll find some.” They decide to listen and catch 153 fish in one net—so many fish that John realizes it is Jesus. This was a miraculous catch. Only Jesus could have done it.”
All of us need a good wake up call from time to time, I have had my share over the years. During the whole covid drama I found myself breathless in a hospital room when Jesus woke me from my sleep, “Wake up fisherman”, He said to me. I think those words themselves not only awakened me again but also empowered me for another fishing trip in New Orleans. I’ve believed for a long time a very special harvest in is store for New Orleans in the days ahead. All that’s left for us to do is follow His next words, “let down your nets for a catch”. Maybe that is exactly what He is saying to His modern day fishermen, “let down your nets for a catch”.