Tuesday, April 7, 2026

NOTE: If you missed any of the daily devotionals from John’s Gospel during this Lenten season, you can go back, catch up, and fill in the gaps by going to this link… https://www.fbca.org/category/bible-readings/.

Opening Scripture

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them. Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” John 14 (selected)

Opening Prayer

Gracious Father, I exalt you for your majesty and holiness. Thank you for your provision and comfort. I praise you for your mercy and forgiveness. Help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength today. I want to delight in your will and walk in your way to the glory of your name. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

John 21

Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “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.

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. 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.

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. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 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. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”

“Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”

Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

Reflection  

What a beautiful ending to John’s remarkable gospel! An angel had promised that Jesus would meet with His disciples in Galilee. After all they had experienced in Bethany and Jerusalem – Lazarus being raised from the dead, Mary anointing Jesus’ feet, the Triumphal Entry, Jesus washing their feet, Judas’ betrayal, the crucifixion, Jesus’ appearances in the locked room – they finally returned home to Galilee.

Still with more questions than answers, “the Eleven and those with them” tried to go on with their lives absent Jesus’ presence. But Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection had changed everything! What should they do now?

For Peter – mentally, physically, and financially – the answer was to go fishing. His influence as the leader of the group is evident when six other guys decide to go with him. Sadly, they fished all night but caught nothing. At daylight, they headed back to shore.

You know what a boat full of tired, frustrated, unsuccessful fishermen don’t want to hear from a guy standing on the shore? Tips on fishing.

Perhaps it was the guy’s friendly demeanor – “Lads, have you no fish?” – or the simplicity of his instruction – “Cast your net on the right side!” Regardless, they had nothing to lose, so they did.

Luke tells us that at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, when He was calling His first disciples, there was also a miraculous catch (Luke 5:1-11). Jesus was teaching by the lake (alternately known as the Sea of Galilee/Tiberias/Gennesaret) when He got into Peter’s boat. After He finished speaking, Jesus said, “Let’s go fishing!” Peter replied, “Master, we fished hard all night and caught nothing. But because you say so, we’ll go back out.” Sure enough, they caught such a large number of fish that the nets began to break. Peter, Andrew, James, and John filled their two boats to the point that they began to sink.

Here was another record catch. And unlike Luke, John wasn’t just telling the story; he wasn’t just an eyewitness; he was a fisherman. They caught 153 large fish (and we’ll assume he wasn’t exaggerating). John must have flashed back to that event three years earlier and declared, “It’s the Lord!”

Once again, Peter is the first one in the water. Whatever lingering shame he may have felt was quickly forgotten when he heard it was Jesus. He swam to shore, greeted the Lord, then helped drag in the net. The group enjoyed a reunion breakfast, and Peter was reinstated. This moment left a lasting impression on Peter. Years later, he would testify that Jesus was alive because He was seen “by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead” (Acts 10:41).

John closes his gospel by identifying himself as the author – the disciple Jesus loved – and acknowledging that he had only shared a portion of what Jesus did. As previously stated, “these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Flourishing Habit

Intentional Discipleship

After the “darkness” of Peter’s failure – denying Jesus three times – the “light” of His forgiveness is profound. This episode is significant for Peter and the other disciples, for the Church that was about to be established, and for all of us in need of pardon and reconciliation.

The word translated “a fire of burning coals” (anthrakian) is used only two times in the Bible: here and at Peter’s denial of Jesus (John 18:18). Peter had denied Jesus by a charcoal fire, and he was reinstated by a charcoal fire.

Jesus had given Peter a new name, but here he called him Simon son of John. What happened to “the Rock”? This challenging situation called for a reset. Jesus graciously walked Peter back to the beginning of their relationship together and his initial calling to be a disciple.

Jesus’ question, “Do you love me more than these?” could be taken several ways.

Do you love me more than you love boats, nets, and fishing – the life you had before I called you to follow me?

Do you love me more than you love these men – including your brother Andrew and your partners James and John?

Do you love me more than these men love me – as you declared when you said, “Even if all fall away, I never will”?

The weight and significance of Jesus three times calling Peter “Simon son of John” and three times asking if he loved Jesus, was intensely personal. Interestingly, Jesus doesn’t ask Peter about his faith, but about his love. That really is the crux of the matter, isn’t it?

At the end of the day, our discipleship isn’t as much about our faith as it is our devotion to Jesus.

Peter’s failure had humbled him. Jesus’ forgiveness had restored him. And the one who has been forgiven much, loves much. In His persistence with three questions and three directives, Jesus left no doubt about Peter’s crucial role in the events that would soon unfold. The Good Shepherd was delegating responsibility to His followers to shepherd the flock on His behalf.

Jesus’ disciples are to serve as both “fishers of men” and “shepherds of the sheep.” These functions are extensions of our love and devotion to the Lord Jesus.

Do you love Jesus “more than these”?

Religious activity is no substitute for a personal relationship with Jesus. We keep His commands because we love Him. We live out our mission to “fish” and “shepherd” out of devotion to Him.

How will you demonstrate your love for Jesus today?

Remember: Nothing changes until something changes!