April 08, 2026 | Be Connected
Jesus Appears to His Disciples Again
Scripture: John 21:1-14(NIV)
1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No,” they answered.
6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Devotional
Jesus already had fish. After the disciples dragged their netful of fish to shore, Jesus was there, cooking some fish he already had. Where did He get the fish? Did he cast a net out from the shore? Get a boat of his own? Walk out on the water and pluck a few out of the depth? Purchase them from some fishermen who were more successful?
It's hard to say. But what we know is that he already had fish. Three years earlier, Jesus called these fishermen to leave their boats and follow Him. He would teach them to fish for people. They didn’t have to worry about which people. Jesus already had people. They didn’t have to concern themselves with where they would go. Jesus already had communities. They didn’t have to dwell on their anxiety related to public speaking or personal discipling. Jesus already had all they needed.
It's the same for us. Jesus calls us to minister to people where we live, work, learn, and play.
Is there somebody in your neighborhood who needs you? Is there a coworker who needs faith? Is there a classmate who needs Jesus? Is there somebody at the gym who needs spiritual fitness? Jesus already has this. He is asking you to step out in faithfulness and be used by Him to fulfill His purpose.
The same is true for you. The next time you feel like you are lacking something, needing something, hurting in some way, or struggling in another, remember this: Jesus already has this taken care of.
This is not a trite promise that everything in life will work out like you wish. Of these disciples in the boat, all of them were martyred except for one. And he was incarcerated on a prison island at an old age. But all the disciples did remarkable ministry. They didn’t have to have all the answers. They didn’t have to know all the languages where they went. They didn’t have to have all the cultural differences mastered. They only needed to know one thing.
Jesus has this.
