Daily Devotions
Friday, June 5, 2026
This devotion pairs with this weekend’s Lutheran Hour sermon, which can be found at lhm.org.
Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered Him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. (John 21:2-8)
Two times toward the end of his Gospel, the writer John tells us that what he has written is for the sake of those who hear and read his words, that they might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and have life in His Name. He signs off on his Gospel saying that he was in fact an eyewitness to the things he recorded. In the account of the miraculous catch of fish recorded in John 21, as part of his eyewitness account he includes a small little detail. John tells us that the disciples caught 153 large fish. There’s little significance to that particular number. The significance is in the fact that the number is known. We know it was 153 because John was there when they counted the fish. He wrote his Gospel and included details just like this so that you might know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. It’s not that the fish themselves are important. Rather, it’s the Lord who brought about the miraculous catch. And it just so happens that there were 153 of them. These are the kinds of details eyewitnesses provide, especially those who have witnessed something like a miracle. The center of the story is Jesus, who gave that miraculous catch. Upon hauling the catch to shore, Jesus gathered His disciples around a fire for breakfast.
It’s the same Lord who will gather you around His miraculous Word this weekend, whether it’s three of you, 153, fewer, or maybe more. What happens as you gather is just what John describes throughout his Gospel—the branches remain in the Vine, the sheep hear the voice of the Good Shepherd and follow Him. That is, those who hear these and every other Gospel story receive them with faith and embrace them for the miracle of salvation. And we rely on Jesus that through us, He might continue to bring in a miraculous catch, not of fish, but of people who don’t know Him, that they too might have life in His Name. He blesses us, too, because we, along with John, get to be eyewitnesses of His work.
WE PRAY: Almighty God, pour out Your Spirit upon us and stir up our hearts to hear and embrace the Good News of Your saving work for us in Jesus, and use us to introduce others to Him. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Rev. Dr. Chad Lakies.
Reflection Questions:
- Have you ever been fishing with a guide? If so, did you do better than you expected to?
- There are many opinions as to why John included the number of fish caught. Why do you think he gave a specific number?
- How does God work through us to bring others into His sheepfold?
Today's Readings:
Psalms 101, 103, 108John 15
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