Verse: John 21:1-3
After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others 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.
Devotional Thoughts:
Easter is exciting. At the very core of what we believe as Christians is the Easter story. We look forward to Easter, hold special events for Easter, and genuinely celebrate Easter in a big way.
But my question is – After Easter is over, what’s next?
For Peter, the answer to that question was fishing. He, and several of the disciples, head back out fishing again. Jesus has already appeared to them – we know this because v. 1 says Jesus revealed himself again, and John 20 tells of his encounters with the disciples. But Peter still goes fishing. Now, the passage implies that this isn’t simply some weekend fishing trip getaway with friends. No, this is a career choice. He’s heading back to his old career.
But if you read the rest of Peter’s story, you’d know that he didn’t stay in his old career. He couldn’t.
After Easter’s over, what’s next?
The death and resurrection of Jesus changes everything. Easter changes everything.
Our society is constantly changing. What was popular yesterday is dated today. Not many people today are sporting mullets or playing Words with Friends. No one is planking anymore and Pokémon Go isn’t as big as it once was.
Perhaps you don’t know what any of those are. But I think most will agree that exciting things often turn into routine things. Think back to the excitement of getting your driver’s license. The wait was finally over – you could now drive by yourself. As exciting as that was, there was a point where the new and exciting became the routine and regular. And that leads me to this point:
Familiarity can easily breed indifference.
And I’m afraid this happens too easily with the Easter story. Many of us have heard the life-changing story of the death and resurrection of Jesus literally hundreds of times. But even though the story may be familiar, we can’t allow ourselves to grow indifferent to it. We must still allow our lives to be shaped by it, because the reality of the story truly does change everything.
Familiarity doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It doesn’t have to breed indifference. In fact, familiarity can bring a deeper joy than when what is familiar was new.
Many hunters would say that, while they’ve been hunting for dozens of seasons, their trips into the woods are just as enjoyable, and perhaps even more so, than when they first began. While seeing a deer amble out into the field might not bring the shakes that it once did, or hearing a turkey gobble over the next ridge might not raise the goosebumps like it used to, many would say that their hunts are just as joyful and satisfying as they’ve ever been.
In a similar way, many married couples have experienced the joy, newness, and excitement of being newlyweds, yet would still say that their marriage is richer and more rewarding now after years of marriage than it’s ever been before.
Familiarity can be deeply rewarding.
Easter’s over. The Sunday celebration has come and gone. We’ve all heard the Easter story, the story of the Gospel. What’s next? Let’s not let indifference until next Easter be what’s next. Let’s continue to pursue a deeper relationship with the Lord. It will be rewarding. Why? Because Jesus says it will:
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
– John 10:10
Points to Ponder:
Have you let familiarity with the good news of Jesus’ resurrection lead you to indifference toward the message?
Do you regularly thank the Lord for what he did on the cross?
I’ve said that Easter weekend changes everything. How has it changed things for you?
Blessings,
Zac
