“Faith isn’t the ability to believe long and far into the misty future. It’s simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step.”

“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”--Mother Teresa of Calcutta: (1910 – 1997: Founded the Missionaries of Charity)

Gospel Text: (JN 21:1-14)

Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.

He revealed himself in this way.

Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,

Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,

Zebedee's sons, and two others of his disciples.

Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing."

They said to him, "We also will come with you."

So they went out and got into the boat,

but that night they caught nothing.

When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;

but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to them, "Children, have you caught anything to eat?"

They answered him, "No."

So he said to them, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat

and you will find something."

So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in

because of the number of fish.

So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord."

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,

he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,

and jumped into the sea.

The other disciples came in the boat,

for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,

dragging the net with the fish.

When they climbed out on shore,

they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.

Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you just caught."

So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore

full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.

Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.

Jesus said to them, "Come, have breakfast."

And none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?"

because they realized it was the Lord.

Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,

and in like manner the fish.

This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples

after being raised from the dead.

Some people don’t catch fish because they refuse to go into deep water.  Jesus told Simon, “Let’s leave the shallows and go to the deep.”

Everybody knows the schools of big fish are in the deeper water.  And the first rule of fishing is you’ve got to go where the fish are.  But we shouldn’t limit this to fish only.  Jesus was teaching a spiritual principal.

We could substitute fish for abundance or wisdom or love, healing or peace.  All those things we want in abundance.  Some people don’t catch these things because they simply refuse to go deep.

Deep water is where the increase is.  Deep water takes faith.  Deep water is a risk.  Focus of mind and heart are needed.

The visibility in deep black water is next to nothing.  You’ve got to trust the words and directions of others who have passed through deep water to make it there. Jesus is always inviting people to the deeper end of things. But shallow water is pleasant.  It tickles our ankles when we walk in it.  The minnows and the half-grown fish gather there.  You can see all the way to the bottom in shallow water.

Staying in shallow water is such a temptation.  Shallow water doesn’t cost much; it doesn’t take a whole lot of courage.  But Simon knew the minnows couldn’t feed him.  They couldn’t fill him.  The minnows weren’t the desire of his heart.  The deep water of faith is where those things we say we want are swimming around.  The shallow is where we begin the adventure, not where we finish.

Deep water is where we have to go to get what God has for us.