After Jesus died, seven of his disciples were by the sea of Galilee, likely reminiscing about the day Jesus had called them to follow him. It was Peter, James, John, Nathanael, Thomas and John 21:2 says, ‘two other disciples’. 

Peter is done sulking about losing the light of his life and says, I’m going to go back to what I had been doing before I met Jesus, but literally he says, “I’m going out to fish” (John 21:3) and everyone else who was there said, we will go too, symbolically go back to their former lives and literally get into a boat and fish with Peter. 

John 21:3-4 says that they fished all night but they didn’t catch anything and they stayed on the boat until morning. In the morning, they saw a man on the shore but didn’t realize that it was Jesus, because they all thought that he had died. 

And Jesus says to them, “Hey friends, did you catch any fish?” Meaning did going back to what you used to do give you anything? Was it worth it? Did it supply any of your need? And most importantly your need to eat to survive? And they all replied, “no” (John 21:5). 

So Jesus called out to them and said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat” and you will find some (John 21:6). Meaning put your effort in what I taught you, the ways of the Lord and you will find life. And “when they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish” (John 21:6). 

When this happened, John, the disciple of Jesus, realized that it was Jesus who was at the shore calling out to them and said, “it is the Lord” (John 21:7). When Peter heard John say this he immediately jumped into the water and swam out to meet Jesus and the others turned the boat around and headed towards him (John 21:7). 

When they all got to where Jesus was, in front of him, was a fire of burning coals and there was fish on it and some bread, and Jesus said to them two things: (1) ‘bring some of the fish you have just caught’ (John 21:10) and (2) ‘come and have breakfast’ (John 21:12). 

When Jesus said to them, ‘bring some of the fish you have just caught’ he was saying, let me be the reward of your life. No matter what happens in life, don’t let that make you lose faith in me and turn back to trusting in yourself and your ability to bring you life. Trust in me to provide everything you need, bring me some of the strength you have, bring me some of the faith you have and then, “come and have breakfast” meaning then be filled to satisfaction with the reward that I have prepared for you, blessings that will be just what you need to satisfy your physical need for life and spiritual need for life. 

Then Jesus pulls Peter aside and asks him three times if he loves him more than “these” (John 21:15-17). More than ‘these’ the people who were there. More than ‘these’ the other followers. More than ‘these’ the wealth of the catch they just dragged ashore. More than ‘these’ the work of your hands, his former job. More than ‘these’ your very life and Peter replies each time, “yes, you know that I love you.” Then Jesus says, “feed my lambs, take care of my sheep, feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17). 

The Purpose of John’s Gospel: That you will believe. 

Thomas was on the boat that Peter and the disciples were on. But he was not always with them. There was a time when Thomas (also known as Didymus, the twin), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus appeared to them after he had died. 

And because Thomas was not with them, after they saw Jesus, the other disciples told him about it, they said to him ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he replied, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe’ (John 20:24-25).

People who do not have faith are like Thomas, they can only believe what is right in front of them and cannot believe in the unseen, and their faith suffers because of this, they are unable to have faith. But Jesus has revealed who he is through scripture, so that even unbelievers and people who do not have faith will see him, through his word and believe. 

A week later Jesus’ disciples were in the house again, and this time Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, (meaning, Jesus will make a way to be seen to unbelievers even if they are closed off to belief) because even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe” (John 20:26-27). 

Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God! Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’ (John 20:29).

This next time that Jesus appeared to his disciples Thomas was with them. They were likely reminiscing on what Jesus had said when he appeared to him after he had died, that even though it seemed like it should be a time of mourning Jesus had said to them, ‘Peace be with you!’ and told us to spread that message of life to everyone. They said, if you had been with us, Thomas you would have believed, but this time Thomas was with them, meaning he was willing to believe that Jesus was not dead, but alive, that his life did not end in his suffering but that he was the fulfillment of God’s word that brings peace and life.  

John writes that Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in the gospel of John. But that he wrote these accounts so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:30). 

Song: ‘John 21’. click play to listen.