Returning to our Rhythms After Easter

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

There is an obscure passage in John that always makes me laugh out loud. 

John 21 tells us about the appearance of the risen Christ to the disciples. Jesus has revealed himself to them, and afterward, the gospel mentions six of them as being together (v. 2). I imagine their conversation went something like this: 

Wow, that was amazing. 

He really does live! 

Now, what should we do? 

Then Peter says (v. 3), “I am going fishing.” And the rest of the guys say, “We are going with you.” 

The humanity of the apostles is comical and slightly comforting. They were just with the risen Christ, who had commissioned them to go out and make disciples. Yet in their awe-stricken and unsure state, they returned to fishing— not for men, but for fish. 

They went back to doing what they had done before. 

They went back to what brought them comfort. 

Think about it: they had been with Jesus Christ for three years. They had seen and done amazing things. Most recently, they saw the greatest miracle of all time, the resurrection of Christ and the justification for sins. Yet they don’t know what to do, so they return to the mundane and comfortable actions, which, frankly, were off-mission. 

It was only a matter of hours before their nets showed up empty, and Christ appeared to them to set them back on course (vv. 3-14). Jesus could have scolded them, yelled at them, or even moved on from them, but he didn’t. He called them in for breakfast and pricked their conscience with a few pointed questions (vv. 15-19). And with that, he reinstated their mission: “Follow me.” 

Let’s not forget the calling to follow Christ 

After the adrenalin of Resurrection Sunday, it can be easy to forget our first calling. We are to be pastors who follow Christ year-round. That is our mission, no matter what the circumstances. We are to follow Christ, not just the waves of the ministry calendar. 

Getting back up after an emotional ministry high like Easter must be only a taste of what the disciples felt after the resurrection of Christ. Yet, we could fall into the same mistake they made— just going back to what is comfortable, known, and even slightly off. Christ says follow me. Our first calling is to draw near to the Lord. As we do, we keep our perspective that this ministry is not a sprint of highs and lows but a marathon with an eternal reward. 

Let’s not forget the basics of following Christ

Now that the drive toward Easter has passed, let’s return to the basics of our Christian walk. We are Christians, too, who need discipline, community, and purpose. Let’s return to these rhythms: 

1. Establish a daily quiet time with God – Make time each day to spend in prayer and Bible study to stay rooted in the Word of God. 
2. Connect with other believers – Having relationships with other believers can help encourage us on our journey and provide accountability for walking out our faith. 
3. Aid gospel growth, not just program structure – We need to serve others for the sake of their spiritual growth. When we serve others, it helps put our focus back on what matters most—loving people and pointing them to Jesus Christ.

What we value will show up in our priorities 

Pastor Joey Rozek wrote, “You must care about pleasing the Lord in all areas of your life and desire to make the right choices regardless of how you feel. Your choices matter to God, so His values should matter to you. Although every choice does not carry the same weight of consequence, your choices should always be governed by the values you hold. Your values determine your priorities.”¹

In pastoral ministry, it is critical to keep our priorities in check. As followers of Christ, we must remember that our ultimate mission is to draw near to the Lord and follow Him .(James. 4:8)

It can be easy to lose sight of this truth amidst the hustle and bustle of church programming around the holidays. Following Christ means prioritizing community with Him and with other believers while also taking time to serve those around us. As we do this, our calling and purpose will remain energized. 

Following the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, pastors need to remember their calling to follow Him year-round. To ensure this remains a priority, pastors should establish daily quiet time with God through prayer and Bible study and foster relationships with other believers for accountability, support, and discipleship. Refocus on serving others for the sake of their spiritual growth. Let’s not just return to the mundane or comfortable but remember our ultimate mission of drawing near to God. If we do, we can remain energized in our pastoral calling to follow Christ every day in between the sweet seasons of Easter, year after year. 

1.   Rozek, Joey, Are we Doing What God is Calling Us to Do? https://calvarychapel.com/posts/are-we-doing-what-god-is-calling-us-to-do/ accessed on 03/23/2023 ↩︎

©2023 Josh Weidmann. All rights reserved. Used with permission.