Jesus taught many lessons to His disciples throughout His ministry. Three of those lessons are found in John 21.
One: Cast Out Your Net
One of the more important and talked about studies of John 21 is the miracle of the fish. The Lord Jesus had died and rose again when He addressed the disciples. The disciples are about to learn a very important lesson. Peter and the disciples are professional fishermen. They had used their expertise and had not caught any fish. They were extremely tired when Jesus instructed Peter to cast out the net into the water. But they obeyed. Obedience is the most important factor of Christian life. Obedience to the Word of God will fill your net all of the time. It will release the power of the anointing in the life of the believer. Obedience is expected of every believer. The lesson here is that Jesus knows more than your professional knowledge. He is able to give specific instructions for the victory. For example, He commanded Peter to put the net on the right side of the boat. Had Peter put the net on the left side, he would not have been successful. One thing to realize in this story is that casting a net means that your must go into deep waters. You cannot remain in the shallow areas. You cannot use a fish hook. You must use a net. Consider the net that Jesus has given you to cast out. What waters were you commanded to cast your net into?
Two: Do You Love Me?
If you love Me keep My commandments. The second lesson that Jesus teaches in John 21 is the lesson of love. Peter needed to be restored. He denied Jesus three times and it was necessary for him to acknowledge his love for Him at least three times. After the third time, Peter realizes that Jesus knew his heart. It must be remembered that no matter how sincerely you believe your love for God is, it will be tested. It is a prerequisite to feeding God’s sheep. Your love for God must stand the test of love over any earthly possession.
Three: What is that to you?
Like Peter, people are always inquiring about another person’s affairs. After hearing what his future was going to hold, he wanted to know about John’s future. By asking the question, ‘What is that to you?’ Jesus tells him that it is none of his business. Jesus then tells Peter what he needs to do is to be more concerned about his own affairs. He is instructed to follow after Jesus instead of following another’s business. So many times opportunities are missed because the saints are looking at the plans that God has for someone else. This ought not to be.
The lessons in John 21 are clear: Be obedient, Love the Lord and Mine your own business. You will catch a lot more fish with your net.
