Cast Your Net On The Right Side Of The Boat

Speaker: Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines

May 05, 2025

in Spritual Growth

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May 04, 2025:
Readings: Jeremiah 32:36-41
Acts 9:1-19A
John 21:1-14
3rd Sunday of Easter 2025 – Abp.Hines

When Christ speaks to us, it is to remind us of the life He has given us. Life that was taken away by the enemy through deception, but now has been fully restored. He meets again with His disciples a third time. The first two times happened on a Sunday in a room where He showed His wounds as proof of His resurrection. On the 2nd Sunday, it was to Thomas that He specifically showed His wounds to as Thomas was skeptical about the situation. After these two events have taken place, the disciples went about doing what they had been doing in the past. They did not know what else they were going to do except to return to fishing. All night long they had caught no fish, and this was frustrating them because this does not normally happen. Then, someone on the shore called out to them saying, “children, do you not have any fish? Put out your net to the right side of the boat.” They did not respond but followed instructions and threw the net out into the right side of the boat. When they were trying to pull the net back up, it was filled with big fish to the brim and they had difficulty because it was so heavy. Peter, who was stripped, quickly put on an outer garment and jumped into the sea. Without thinking how far it is to reach the shore, he began swimming towards Christ. That was all he wanted to do. He didn’t mind leaving the 153 fish behind, He just wanted to meet Christ. After meeting with Christ, he went back to the others and helped bring the net to shore. There was breakfast waiting for them as Jesus gave them fish and bread, and they all ate together.

This is like Christ telling us that whatever we do, we need to do it with God. He will guide us in everything we do. So many times, we tend to do things on our own, not thinking first if it’s the right thing to do. 1 Corinthians 15:53 “For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.” All things are under His authority. When we listen to God, we will be able to do things without having to go through that much struggle. Peter was the type of person who always wanted to learn. Jesus had asked him three times if he loved Him. When Peter replied “yes” the first time, the Lord said, “feed my sheep.” The second time He said, “shepherd my sheep.” The third time He said, “tend my sheep.” Christ was sharing to us the life we should be living. We should follow the example of Peter who was so committed. In many cases we keep forgetting how we are supposed to live out our lives. Peter’s action of jumping out of the boat and not thinking how deep the sea was, shows us he had one focus, and that was to see Christ and be with Christ.

Christianity is not Sunday alone. It is an everyday thing. Christ told them to cast the net out into the sea on an ordinary day. And because they obeyed, they were able to catch 153 pieces of big fish. Come, be blessed of my Father. Come sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Why 153 fish? The 100 represented the Jews. The 50, the Gentiles. And the 3 would be the Holy Trinity.