From Storms to Empty Nets: Learning John 21 Faith

From calming storms to filling empty nets, Jesus is teaching us what real faith looks like.

After hearing Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 4:23-7:29), the disciples witness Jesus healing the leper, the centurion's servant, and many people at Peter's house. Then Jesus gets into a boat to travel to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.

And, His disciples follow Jesus!

That alone is a great witness of obedience for all of us.

What happens next is not what the disciples expected. It is so much more!!!

A strong wind sweeps across the sea. The waves rise high, crashing into the boat, tossing it back and forth, and stirring up a growing anxiety in the hearts of the disciples.

"But, He (Jesus) was asleep." (Matthew 8:24b, NIV)

Asleep. Still. Peaceful. Comforted.

They wake Jesus up.

Why? Because they know who He is.

"Lord, save us! We are perishing!" (Matthew 8:25, NIV). They call Him Lord, and yet Jesus begins a teaching lesson they - and we - must lean in and hear, even over the roar of the wind and waves (the noise of this world).

He replies, "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?" (Matthew 8:26, NIV).

Let's pause here. Imagine you are one of the disciples. You are accustomed to storms on this sea, but this one is bad. You are surrounded by other seasoned fishermen who also know these waters. Yet none of you saw this storm coming.

Except there was One in the boat who did!!!

What Jesus does next should move us from lukewarm faith to 'walking-on-the-water' faith.

"Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was dead calm." (Matthew 8:26b NIV).

Mic drop. This is a mouth-wide-open, mind-blown, faith-shaping moment of divine power, glory, amazement, and wonder!

And, this is the same Jesus - the resurrected Jesus - we meet in John 21. There, He calls the disciples who have fished all night and caught nothing, and tells them to cast their net on the right side of the boat. They obey, and the catch of fish is so great it was nearly too much to haul to shore.

Jesus is Lord over creation.

Jesus is in the boat with you.

He is inviting you to trust, obey, and follow Him so that, in every storm and every empty-net season, you can know His peace, comfort, and stillness in your soul!

May the Lord meet you in every storm and empty net experience.

May the Lord over creation quiet your fears with His omnipotent presence, expose the limits of your own strength with gentleness, and open the eyes of your heart to His transformative, nourishing voice.

And as you listen and obey, may you come to know Him not only as the One who calms the waves, but as the One who fills empty nets and strengthens faithful hearts.

Amen!