Another Fish Story – April 19, 2026 – Eddington Presbyterian Church

Psalm 67, John 21:1-19
April 19, 2026

We all know what a “fish story” is, don’t we? It’s something that sounds a little too good to be true. Or it’s something that’s exaggerated a little more each time it’s told. You know, “I caught a fish this big!” Or maybe you’ve heard the joke about the one-armed fisherman who caught a fish this big. (One hand out!)

In John we have “another fish story.” Here, the disciples caught this enormous number of fish. And as you know, I was excited to learn a few years ago that the Greek word for the amount of fish they caught was the word “Plethos.” They caught a “plethora” of fish! (Which is one of my favorite words!)

Whatever word you use, this was a huge catch for these disciples. And that’s saying something, because they were fishermen by trade! It was so big they couldn’t get the net into the boat! Did you catch that? They rowed to the shore, dragging the net full of fish. That alone would have been considered very unusual! And it would have taken some time to get there! They were about a hundred yards away! But then, John is careful to point out that there were one hundred and fifty-three fish, and he tells us, that “though there were so many, the net was not torn.” The implication was that their nets could not ordinarily hold that many fish!

So this was a huge catch! It was seen as an amazing “fish story,” right? And I think we could say that this was the “ultimate fish story.” Although maybe Jonah might argue that one! Anyway, as I would remind you, this is not the first time this happened! If we set the “Way Back Machine” to three years, we find the disciples at the beginning of Jesus ministry. And there again, they were fishing and they caught nothing. And Jesus came along and told them to let down their nets again, and they caught a huge amount of fish. Again, they caught a “plethos!”

Now, do you think the disciples, at this point, would have remembered that story? Of course they would! They were fishermen! They had probably been telling that “fish story” for three years now! “We caught fish this big – and a lot of them!” Well now, here at the end of the story, it’s happened again!

Of course, the other thing to remember is that the first time this happened, it was when they were first being called to be disciples. Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Do you remember that? Well they would have remembered it! Especially Peter! Because in that first “fish story” he was the one who was annoyed with Jesus. “Cast the nets again?” he said. “We’ve been fishing all night and we’ve caught nothing!” And then, do you remember what he said when the miracle happened? He said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”

Well, now this is a time of them being called again! And it’s also a time that Peter is being reconciled to Jesus. It wasn’t all that many days earlier, he had denied him three times. And I’m sure the guilt of that still “hung in the air!” If it hadn’t been talked about it that day, it would have been like the elephant in the living room! Now, in this story, Peter is given this three-fold chance for redemption. “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Now he’s being called again, and he’s starting down the road to being a great leader in the early church! Our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters consider him to be the first Pope. And I think that’s saying something, whether you hold to that or not!

But remember! It wasn’t just Peter! He wasn’t the only guilty one here! All of the others had run away that evening in the garden! They who pledged to fight for Jesus if the time came, fled in fear. If Peter was still feeling the guilt for his actions, I’m sure the others were, too. And maybe each of them was thinking, “I’m glad he’s not singling me out like this!” Maybe they were like one of the kids in the school yard who had done something bad together, but only the “ring leader” got yelled at!

Well, I love this story, because it speaks of our own times of reconciliation. Because, we have them, don’t we? We all have those times we blow it. Don’t we? I think you know the answer to that question! And maybe sometimes we do like the story of Peter being called out for what he did, because it minimizes our own times of failure! People do that, you know. “I may be bad, but I’m not as bad as that other guy!”

This story reminds us of our own times of reconciliation. And we can have multiple times of reconciliation, can’t we? And let me ask you this. Can we even be leaders in a church, but then have times of failure, or times of falling away, and then be called back into service – like Peter? I think you know the answer to that question, too! After all, that’s what Easter is all about! Reconciliation! That’s why we have Prayers of Confession in our services. That’s not about telling God things he doesn’t already know. It’s about acknowledging our need for reconciliation!

So, the disciples were learning that day that the story of Jesus wasn’t over. Because it was now to be their story! Their time of following his teachings and being leaders was certainly not over. It was only just beginning. And fast forward now – in your “Way Back Machine” – to our time. And the story of Jesus is now our story! The ministry he that began by the sea with his disciples, is our ministry today! And it’s a ministry that is led, yes, by certain people, but it’s a ministry that’s shared by all!

I’ve been in churches where they have, printed in their bulletin, the word “Pastors.” And then under that, they have the names of their “Pastors.” But then they have the word “Ministers.” And under that it says, “All the members of the congregation.” That’s a good way of thinking about this!

So, we are all “in the same boat” as these disciples. We’re all sitting with them by the sea, listening to Jesus saying, “Feed my sheep.” And no matter what we actual “Pastors” do in the ministry, it’s all for nought if the people of the church are not the “Ministers.” That is, if the people of the church are not “doing the ministry” of the church. Or worse, if the people of the church are doing things that hurt the ministry of the church! We always need to remember that everything we do or say reflects on that ministry – positive or negative!

The disciples were learning that day that Jesus wasn’t just “another fish story.” He was for real! And there are those who would like to say that he was “just a fish story.” But no! Jesus was who he said he was! He is now the risen Lord! And now he was entrusting to them – and to us – the ministry he began – way back at the time of “another fish story.”

So, we are all part of this “story.” We are entrusted with that same ministry. And we may not have statues made of us in some great cathedral somewhere like those disciples. But that doesn’t diminish the importance of our witness. And as we think about that, may we know for certain, that Jesus is not just “another fish story?” He is something more! – a lot more!

Prayer

Eternal God, help us to know we are indeed part of the ministry of the Jesus we follow. Help us, in our thoughts and actions, to further the peace and Grace and reconciliation he taught and lived. And help us to be aware of his kingdom in our midst, and our part in it! For we pray in his name, Amen.