And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” Luke 5:10
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. John 21:3
For the better part of 2025, I spent time going through the Book of John. Some weeks and months were more consistent than others, but it was my goal to read the entire book last year. And it was my goal to go slow and only read a few verses, a passage, etc. at a time and then reflect upon those verses and journal about them. I shared several blogs and podcasts which were pulled from texts in John and you can go back in recent history and find some of those. But today I wanted to write from one of the last reflections I had as I ended my reading in 2025. I believe it is a great kick-off for a brand new year.
As John finishes his gospel, we read about a few key events (from John 21): the disciples go fishing and Jesus feeds them breakfast. Jesus has a restorative conversation with Peter. And Jesus conveys that Peter and John will have perhaps differing paths when it comes to serving out their mission for Christ. Within these interactions, something struck me that I hadn’t picked up on previously: Peter tells the other disciples that he is going fishing. The rest then follow him.
I wasn’t struck by it before. I guess I had always assumed Peter was a fisherman by trade and he did what he knew best: fishing. But did he ever fish throughout the 3 years he walked alongside Jesus in ministry? I tend to doubt it. I believe he was full-time walking with Jesus. In fact, Jesus tells him when He calls him in Luke 5, “Peter, from now on your fishing will be for men.” (my paraphrase). So was Peter disobedient? Was he going back to what was comfortable? Was he embarrassed for having denied Jesus and didn’t really know what to do now? Quite possibly yes to all of the above!
Today’s blog addresses the belief that all of us need this reminder: don’t go back to the nets. Don’t go back to a former way of life. Don’t miss out on your calling. Don’t trade what you think is good for what truly is great in Christ. What God started in 2025 (and perhaps before), keep working on. There is much that can be taken away from this simple but profound encounter in John 21. Let’s dive into some main points once again!
1.When Jesus sets you free, you are free indeed
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:34-36
One thing I want to be clear about in this discussion: I am not saying it was sinful for Peter to go back to fishing. It never appears that Jesus addresses Peter in that way. But I can extrapolate from Luke 5 to John 21, that Peter was off-course in where he was supposed to be going (and probably where he knew he was). For any of us dealing with disappointment and feeling disillusioned, there can be a feeling of “What next, what now?” I believe Peter was feeling that and Jesus came to restore him and redirect him. But for any of us, that temptation can arise: maybe it would be better to just slip back into that old sin/past life…even for just a moment?
Our freedom in Christ means we don’t have to be slaves to sin — ever! If we’ve followed Christ, we’ve laid down those nets and don’t have to go back to them. It might be tempting to go back especially when life throws some curveballs. There can be a level of comfort, even if just for a season, that we find in something sinful. That doesn’t mean the comfort sticks around. It does not. And we are left with more shame, guilt, and remorse than if we had just said “I will wait upon the Lord. I won’t run from His presence.” In 2026 we must be thinking about what sin burdens we’ve been released from and how we continue staying unburdened moving forward (hint: it’s walking closely with Christ!).
2.Finding comfort in the familiar isn’t how we grow
Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:13,14
Let’s be honest: faith is a tough road. There’s no promised “best life now,” as we journey with Christ. Even the disciples knew this, but they still wanted to go back to something familiar, something they could control. So they got back into the boat, put down their nets, and hoped for a good haul of fish. But what does the text say happened? That night they caught nothing. The weight of that moment had to have felt heavy. Did any of them feel like it was right to go back to the nets? Did they feel like they were walking in the call Jesus had given? I’m sure after a night of catching nothing, they felt an overwhelming sense of “What are we doing?” Seeing Jesus on the shore cooking them breakfast must have been the lightbulb moment for many.
When I think about comfort vs. calling, I think of verses like Matthew 7:13,14 which talk about the wide and the narrow gate. Our calling will often make us uncomfortable. It will often bring with it inconveniences and at times, set backs. But comfort will never get us out of the boat (or in the case of John 21, puts us into the boat). Comfort keeps us safe and keeps us between the lines. Jesus is poking at the comfort we so easily cling to and says “Follow Me.” No questions asked, no reservations on our part. To grow in Him, we have to be willing to take that risk.
3.The urging to Peter is the same urging we must feel
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” and he said to Him, “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.” John 21:17
John 21 really is the chapter in which we see true heart change and transformation in Peter. Up until this moment, Peter’s denial of Christ is still the “elephant in the room.” It was this big, unresolved event that probably still kept Peter at arms-length from his Savior. But in seeing Jesus’ response, we see that Jesus went out of His way to make sure Peter was restored and would be ready for what was to come. Jesus’ heart beats with love and we read this all throughout the interactions with His disciples; especially immediately before His ascension. He wanted them to be positioned for where the Gospel would know take them: Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.
Jesus told Peter 3 times, “Feed My lambs…tend My sheep…feed My sheep.” This urging to Peter is an urging we must feel also. If we are too busy looking at comfort and considering the “nets” we could go back to, we’ll miss the mission we are destined for. We’ll forgo what Jesus has placed before us. Certainly, Peter is a changed man from this encounter. We read his letters (1 Peter, 2 Peter) and we see his boldness in the early church in Acts. He is no longer the impulsive, often self-seeking, rough-around-the-edges guy who is prevalent in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. He has a true encounter here with Jesus in John 21 and it sets him on course to live a life on-fire for the Good News!
What about us? What will be different about 2026? Or perhaps, what was different about 2025 that needs to continue being practiced and evident as you begin a new year? One thing’s for certain: we can’t go back to those old nets. We can’t stop short of what we are supposed to do because we find this life too hard or too uncertain. We may stumble at times and thank God for His grace. But we cannot allow those hiccups to keep us off-course. Keep turning back to Christ. Keep running after Him.
One final note: my last blog in December was titled “What’s God Leading You To Do?” It really was a setup for 2026 and a charge to say “Make some plans for this new year. Keep going with what God’s already been doing.” I’d urge you to read that blog (or even reread it, if you’ve read it already). Consider what dreams God is laying on your heart. Consider the lost around you. Take all of these things to heart and allow the Lord to lead your steps.
As always, I love walking this journey with you guys! I hope your year is off to a great start. I’m looking forward to what God has planned for AS BOLD AS LIONS this year and I’d love to have you alongside for the journey.
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Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Ephesians 5:15-17
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