The Reason We Always Need Jesus. Friday Octave of Easter

Breakfast with The Word: Friday Octave of Easter

 

John 21:1-14

 

Do you know we always need Jesus in everything that we do? Do you know that despite how rich, skillful, knowledgeable, and intelligent we feel we may be, we always need the grace of God?

 

 In today’s gospel, we can find the reasons we always need Jesus in our lives and in everything that we do. What we are today and what we shall be tomorrow is not by our power or might but by the grace of God. Many people today have what you have and do what you do but are not where you are. 

 

There are times in life when some people think they do not need God. Some people do this because they feel they have everything they need.

 

 

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The Gospel of Today.

 

 In today’s Gospel, Peter and other apostles like Nathaniel, Thomas and the two sons of Zebedee went from their hiding place to a fishing spree. They suffered all through the day and got nothing until Jesus came to the scene. 

 

Today’s encounter gives a glimpse that the apostles are no longer in Jerusalem. They obeyed Jesus’ injunction to go to Galilee and wait for Him after the resurrection. 

 

The sea of Tiberias is also known as the sea of Galilee. So, it was at this sea that Jesus appeared to His disciples today. 

 

When they obeyed His command to put their net on the right side of the boat, they had a great catch. He later ate with them and none of them could ask who He is,  because they know that He is Jesus Christ. 

 

Reasons You Need Jesus

 

 

1. Without Jesus We are Empty.

 

Among those who went on the fishing spree today are Peter and the sons of Zebedee. These groups of apostles are well-known experts in fishing. Remember that It was while they were fishing that Jesus called them to be His apostle (Matthew 4:18-22). So, they are experts in fishing.

 

Despite their expertise, experience, skills, talents etc, they could not catch a single fish. They did what they thought was the right thing but failed.

 

 It is not that there is no single fish in the river. It may also be that they have tried the place Jesus asks them to put their net before or maybe they have not but all ended in futility until Jesus came to the scene. 

 

The point of this post-resurrection experience is that Jesus is using this to teach them one thing in life: “Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing ( John 15:5). 

 

We need His grace, we need His power, we need His ever-abiding presence.

 

You could imagine that before this experience, the apostles could not go out of their hiding place, but the appearances of Jesus since the day of the resurrection is gradually strengthening their faith. 

 

Do you know that there are moments we may think that God has no place in our lives? Since we feel we can do a lot on our own, many times we are tempted to relegate God to the background. 

 

Some people, owing to their positions and wealth may think that the presence of Jesus is worthless, but at last, they discover there is still something seriously lacking in their lives and their joy seems incomplete. 

 

There are times many of us may have everything, yet they are restless because of a particular problem that is beyond their control. Some people truly have everything they need but still have no rest of mind. 

 

The truth is that despite anything we think we possess, we need Jesus. Only in Him, can we find true joy and completeness. 

 

I have seen many people who while they are strong think that God is nothing until at that point when they are faced with the reality of death. Their nothingness then became a reality to them.

 

The gospel of today in John 21:1-14 is a graphic portrayal of barrenness and nothingness without the presence of Jesus. Jesus is telling the apostles “you need me despite how experienced and skilled you are”. 

 

In John 15:5, Jesus says “ I am the vine and you are the branches if you can remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing”. Jesus is using this encounter to remind us of this. 

 

 

 

 

 

2. He Knows Your Plight more than You do.

 

The second reason we always need Jesus is that He knows us more than we do. Jesus knows our plights, He knows the root causes and the solutions. He knows what you can do and be relieved of that problem you are passing through.

 

 In today’s gospel, immediately He directed His apostles where to put their net, it took the apostles only a few seconds to have a great catch. We need Jesus to guide us on what we can do. 

 

Wake up every day early in the morning and use the time to meditate. Work according to God’s inspirations and not according to what you think. You will begin to see a change in your life. 

 

 

3. We need His Presence.

The third reason we always need Jesus is that His presence can work wonders. The apostles were struggling but immediately Jesus came to the scene, things changed. 

 

Therefore, We need His presence in everything. Always pray for God to be with you. David prospered in everything that he did because God was with him (1 Samuel 18:14). Hence, the presence of God is all we need. 

 

 

What We have to do.

 

1. We have to admit our nothingness, our weaknesses, lack and seek God’s help always. We need to submit ourselves wholly to God. This is what the disciples did today. 

 

They did not try to pretend or to hide their needs, they opened their hearts to Jesus. When we go in God’s presence, let us open ourselves entirely to Him. Whenever we raise our hands like Peter in Mathew 14:22-33, God is always ready to help us. 

 

2. We have to keep His word. Let the word of God be our guide. The apostles obeyed Peter today and got nothing. 

 

They followed Peter because they know he is an expert, but yet they got nothing. But immediately Jesus says ”throw your net on the right side of the boat and you have a lot of fish” they did not disobey, they did not try to question the command, they simply obeyed. Hence, there was a massive result. 

 

The primary point here is that we should take Jesus always as the Lord we call Him and obey Him even when things seem to not work. 

 

Peter could have disobeyed after trying many times but failed. Yet He and other apostles obeyed even when all hope is lost and their obedience paid. Without Jesus in our lives we are nothing, we are empty, we are in lack, our joy is always incomplete. 

 

3. We have to recognize when God is working in our midst and give Him the chance to do the work perfectly. Remember that this type of miracle also happened during the public ministry of Jesus in Luke 5:1-11. 

 

So, when the apostles experienced this again in the post-resurrection event, they became fully aware that only the Lord can do this. Therefore, there are things only God can do.

 

Always acknowledge God’s mighty power and presence in your life. Invite His mighty power to be with you all the days of your life and in everything that you do. Always pray for His grace. Everything about you will begin to change.

 

We need Jesus, you need Jesus, the world needs Jesus.

 

May God bless you dearest and abide with us and give us the grace to overcome all our challenges today Amen