By: Undre Griggs, Jr.
You recall when Jesus was speaking to a few disciples who were fishing. The disciples had spent the night fishing without success, and when coming ashore Jesus asked them if they had any food (John 21:5). When the disciples replied that they did not have any food, Jesus told them to cast their net on the right side of the boat (v. 6). At this point the disciples were not aware the person they were speaking with was Jesus Christ. This occurrence would be the third time the disciples would have encountered Jesus since His death and resurrection. As far as they were concerned, this request came from a complete stranger. Having spent the night fishing, the disciples were most likely hungry and tired. They probably felt they had cast a net over every inch of water, and were confident there was not a fish to be found. Yet when a stranger asked them to cast their net on the right side of the boat, they did so without question or complaint.
John 21:6 (NKJV): And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.
The disciple’s faith and humility was rewarded and they caught one hundred and fifty-three large fish in their net (v. 11). God’s grace works much in the same way. We cannot do anything to earn one hundred and fifty-three fish, but that does not exonerate us from participating.
James 2:18 (ESV): But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Grace is tied to our faith, and while the work we do cannot earn us our salvation, the work we do is a sign of our faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
The expression of faith is what makes us different than the demons and unbelievers. Many know Jesus Christ and believe He is the son of God, but they do not express their faith. There are demons in theBible who fear the sight of Jesus, asking Him if He came to judge them before the appointed time (Matthew 8:29). Though the demons have faith in God and the final judgment, they are not expressing their faith for God on a daily basis. Since they are being disobedient to God, they do not have God’s grace. Therefore, let us be faithful to cast our net when commanded so that God’s grace may abound.
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