Getting to Know Jesus Through Obedience

John 21:1-14

As we heard last Sunday at Easter, the great holidays of the church are not meant only to recall the miraculous events of the past. Their deeper purpose is to strengthen our faith in the present. Now Easter is behind us, and we have stepped back into ordinary life. This leads us to an important question: how do we carry the message of Easter into our daily routines, and how does it help us remain close to the risen Lord, living from the joy and promise of His resurrection?

The story before us tells of Jesus instructing His disciples to go ahead to Galilee, assuring them that they would see Him there. They obeyed, yet Jesus did not appear. One day passed after another, and still He did not come. Their waiting grew heavy and discouraging, until they were worn down and uncertain. Perhaps He was not coming at all.

This painful waiting especially affected Peter. “I am going fishing,” he said—almost as a quiet confession of disappointment, as if to say, I cannot wait any longer; I will return to my old life. Easter had happened, Jesus had risen, and yet nothing seemed to change. Life looked exactly as it had been before. Jesus was no longer with them, and now they had to find their way on their own. The others followed Peter, equally disheartened, feeling as though the Lord had forgotten them.

Even the fishing brought no success. They worked through the entire night and caught nothing. At dawn, someone called out from the shore and asked whether they had caught any fish. They had nothing to show—no catch, no certainty, no sense of calling, no hope, only failure. “No,” they answered. In that brief reply echoed their exhaustion and despair. Their calling as disciples felt empty, and even the work they once knew so well now failed them. It seemed as though Jesus no longer cared.

Yet Jesus was standing on the shore. They did not recognize Him through the dim morning light or their deep discouragement. Easter had passed, yet their hearts had not changed. They knew Jesus was alive and victorious, and still they remained fearful, uncertain, and without direction. What a striking contrast: the risen and triumphant Christ—and His discouraged followers, who so quickly lose heart when He delays.

And this scene may reflect our own experience of faith. How easily our confidence falters, especially when we need it most. When we pray earnestly and hear no answer. When nights are filled with worry and the morning brings no relief. When we long for peace, comfort, or strength and feel none of it—when God seems distant and silent. Like the disciples, we stand with empty nets.

We may ask ourselves: Where is Jesus now—the One who once calmed storms, healed the sick, and conquered death? Where is His comforting, peace-giving power? Jesus lives, yet His followers feel empty and uncertain. The Savior has overcome death, yet His people struggle to live with hope.

So the question rises in us as well: Is Jesus truly with us? Does He see the situations we are in, and does He care about us?

The answer is yes. Even when hidden from our sight, He is still standing on the shore—near enough to call out to us. In a life filled with uncertainty, this remains our deepest assurance: Jesus is present. His presence is real even when sorrow, fear, or doubt keep us from sensing it. Dare to believe that while you wrestle with worries, failures, and fears, Jesus sees you and remains at work—sometimes allowing the nets to stay empty so that He may later fill them beyond expectation.

But how can we be certain of this? In the same way the disciples were. Jesus called to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find fish.” The disappointed fishermen did not argue or analyze the command. They obeyed. And in that moment, they discovered that Jesus’ word was not empty. The net filled so completely they could barely pull it in.

They did what they had done all night—but now in obedience to Jesus. And through that obedience, their eyes were opened, and the joyful realization spread among them: It is the Lord!

This is how Jesus continues to make Himself known today—through concrete, lived obedience. He speaks into our lives through His written and proclaimed Word. And when we dare to act on it, when we choose to do what He asks, we encounter His power.

Scripture itself, along with the testimony of countless believers, confirms this truth: when we obey—even when it seems unreasonable or hopeless—we experience the living reality of Christ. When we choose love over resentment, forgiveness over bitterness, compassion over indifference, trust over anxiety, something of Jesus’ power begins to shine through.

And in that obedience, we recognize once more: The Lord is here. The living Savior who guides us, strengthens us, and fills our empty nets with His gifts—His joy, His peace, and His love. He lives, and He gives life.