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Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
John 21:2-8 (NIV)
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.
Though the disciples had seen Jesus they were still confused and their faith was not complete. John’s Gospel uses night and day to describe the difference of whether or not someone has faith (see John 20:1-2). While working hard all night long the disciples catch no fish. But once they listen to the voice of Jesus calling out to them in the dark of night they catch so many fish it is hard for them to bring them to shore! But they did not realize it was Jesus until after they had obeyed and received the tremendous catch of fish. Sometimes, in the darkness of our lives, listening to the voice of Jesus that we hear in the Bible can seem difficult. But the voice of Jesus calls out asking us to believe that He will give life. Where is this most difficult to believe in your life right now?