Steven A. Bush - September 22, 2024
Three Miraculous Fishing Stories
When Jesus' earthly ministry was first beginning, He told His fishermen friends, who'd caught nothing all night, to once again cast their nets back into the water. Despite low expectations, they complied, and their catch was enormous. (Perhaps it was humbling for fisherman to be out fished by a Carpenter!) Then after Jesus' death and resurrection, He encountered His disciples once again on that same Galilean sea. It was early morning and their nets were yet again empty. From the beach they heard a Stranger telling them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. They did and once again the catch was enormous. Immediately it dawned on them the Stranger on shore was Jesus. In between these two miraculous catches came a time where a certain tax came due. This time Jesus instructed Peter to go fishing. He also told Peter to open the mouth of the first fish he caught and behold a coin would be found, the exact amount of the taxes owed by both Peter and our Lord. That Jesus can do miracles involving fish should not surprise us. That He does even greater miracles in making men and women His followers should not surprise us either and yet Him doing so should never cease to amaze us. Jesus still turns fishermen into fishers of men and hopefully you're among those He's caught and made His own!
Scripture References: Luke 5:1-11, Matthew 17:24-27, John 21:1-19