Cast Your Nets On The Other Side

< Left-hand side of the boat or right-hand side: What’s the difference?>

In life, there are moments when all our efforts seem fruitless—much like the disciples who toiled all night fishing and caught nothing. Yet, the story of Jesus instructing them to “cast your net on the other side” reminds us that success often requires faith and a willingness to trust in unconventional guidance. 

This Bible lesson challenges us to listen, act, and believe in possibilities beyond our understanding, offering the promise of abundant rewards when we step out of our comfort zones and embrace divine direction.

John 21:3-6 KJV – ³ Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. ⁴ But when the morning has now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. ⁵ Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. ⁶ And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

The Fishing Dilemma: Left vs. Right

The left-hand side of the boat vs. right side (or port vs. starboard):

What’s the difference? Ten feet? Twenty feet?

To a professional fisherman, Jesus’ directive probably sounded silly. After all, they were pros—they knew the waters, they knew where to fish, and they knew all the best spots. They also knew how to use their tried-and-true equipment.

Jesus, on the other hand, was a religious teacher with a background as a carpenter. What advice could He possibly provide about fishing?

However, this was not the disciples’ first encounter with Jesus’ fishing advice.

Yet, this moment demonstrates how faith and obedience can transform hopeless situations into miraculous outcomes. For those facing challenges, studying biblical stories about overcoming adversity can provide both guidance and inspiration.

Luke 5:1-9 KJV – ¹ And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, ² And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. ³ And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. ⁴ Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. ⁵ And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. ⁶ And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. ⁷ And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. ⁸ When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. ⁹ For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

The Challenge of Trusting Jesus

I can see them rolling their eyes and shaking their heads. Maybe chuckling among themselves.

Maybe they were annoyed or even angry.

After all, they’d been up all night… and caught nothing! Tired, hungry, irritable. Maybe anxious wondering how they were going to pay their bills. Frustrated, feeling like they wasted all their time.

And now this know-nothing, would-be fishing novice is telling them to launch out, confidently telling them to prepare for a big haul.

Peter speaks up and apprises Jesus of the situation with one caveat… “But since it’s you asking, I’ll do it…”

If I extrapolate a little from this, I paint a picture in my mind.

Maybe Peter has heard of Jesus and some of his teachings and his miracles.

I can see Peter shaking his head and saying, “If this were anyone else I’d tell them to get lost, but just because it’s YOU who asked, I’ll give it a shot.”

SIDEBAR:
Do YOU have a testimony like Jesus that your words carry weight?
Do you have a reputation for providing good counsel that brings good results to people?
Remember Samuel whose words did not fall to the ground? (1 Samuel 3:19)

It was probably no small feat to toss the nets into the water, or over to the other side. These weren’t just little butterfly nets stuck into the water. I imagine they were big, heavy-duty, professional-grade nets that could haul a LOT of fish. No doubt it was a gigantic inconvenience and a lot of work to reposition the nets.

Have you ever watched the reality show “The Deadliest Catch” and the nets these fishermen use? Giant industrial nets lifted in and out of the water with mechanical winches and cables. The bigger the net, the more fish you can catch.

Faith in Action: The Result of Casting the Net

No sooner than they get the net in position and the net is FILLED with fish!!! This reflects the truth of “Ask and it shall be given,” showing that faith and obedience bring results.

So, was Jesus more of an expert fisherman than they all realized? Was he just showing off?

What was the point?

1. Jesus was testing THEIR faith. On the one hand, he wanted to know if they would trust him and take action in his direction. Remember, at this point, he had not yet invited them to follow him as disciples.

2. He also was showing his potential disciples that he was trustworthy, that if he told them to do something it would pay off, and that it would bring positive results.

3. In using the catching of fish method to show his power, Jesus also showed his disciples that he would CARE for their material needs too!!!

In just one moment he provided for the needs of these men and their families. He provided more than they could have provided in maybe a week’s worth of fishing (maybe a month) using all of their time and fisherman’s knowledge.

Maybe we think we need to spend all of our time laboring at our jobs, endless toil, efforts, tools, learning… BUT… If we “drop our nets” (proverbially) and FOLLOW JESUS, he is able to provide exceeding abundantly more than we ask or think!!!

Jesus knows that we need to eat. He knows our needs… and even our wants and deepest desires.

Remember the 3 Hebrew children and Daniel? They were taken captives into slavery into Babylon… and rose to positions of POWER, AUTHORITY, and LEADERSHIP in captivity!

God gave them FAVOR.

He can do the same for YOU if you FOLLOW HIM!

Notice Peter’s response when he saw the net filled with fish.

He KNEW it was a miracle. He knew Jesus didn’t just display his advanced fishing prowess.

How do we know this?

He said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.”

Peter understood that he was in the presence of a holy man. He felt ashamed and unworthy even to be in this man’s presence.

Peter recognized Jesus as “Master,” as a holy man, as having power over the sea.

Jesus’ words were backed up with results, with POWER.

It’s one thing to be a good orator and to be a powerful, motivating, knowledgeable, exciting, and encouraging speaker. Flip the channels on your television and you’ll come across some pretty charismatic teachers who can connect the dots for you, who can provide some good history, shed some light on the culture of the day for you, explain the significance of some aspect of the Bible and make it relevant to your life today.

But it’s an entirely different thing to raise someone from the DEAD with your words!

The results of your words followed up with positive results… or MIRACLES, really give you credibility.

SIDEBAR:
Q: What is the common denominator of EVERY person for whom Jesus performed a miracle?
A: They’re all DEAD!
So what was the point? So that they would BELIEVE his words !!!
Jesus could have simply come to Earth, told us the new deal, and new covenant, and gone back to heaven. But the miracles he performed removed ANY DOUBT about who he was and the truth of his words.

So…

How are YOU doing?

Are you passing the disciple test?

What is Jesus asking you to do?

1. Are you simply IGNORING Jesus and don’t even hear him?

2. Do you hear him, but don’t trust his counsel? Do you have a better way?

3. Are you REBELLING against Jesus? You know what he’s asking, you believe his words, you know from past experience that his words are right and results in the best possible the outcome for your life (in THIS life, and in the world to COME)… you just don’t want to.

You like the pleasure you experience from sin. You want to hold on to your petty Grievances.

4. You’re just stuck in your comfort zone and are too lazy to get out. It’s just the way you are. Jesus made you that way and you’re not willing to expend any energy to change.

Casting Your Net on the Other Side

The story of casting the net on the other side is a nice Bible story—we’ve all read it hundreds (maybe THOUSANDS) of times.

But what about US right here TODAY?

What’s the “net” Jesus is telling YOU to throw over on the other side?

You know what he’s been telling you to do.

What IF…?

Let’s play “what if…”

• What if you did everything Jesus told you to do?
• What if you just put away your excuses, resistance, FEAR, and outright REBELLION?
• What sort of MIRACLES would Jesus perform in your life?
• What sort of CONFIDENCE would you gain?
• What sort of DISCIPLE would you become?
• What sort of WITNESS would you be?

Peter went on from being a sinful man feeling unworthy to even be in the presence of Jesus to become a powerful witness and apostle of truth… a holy man of God that people placed their sick loved ones in the path where he walked in the hope that Peter’s SHADOW would pass over them and their loved one would be HEALED!!!

Acts 5:12-16 KJV – ¹² And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. ¹³ And of the rest, durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. ¹⁴ And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) ¹⁵ In so much that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. ¹⁶ There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed, everyone.

Jesus can (and wants to) USE you in a POWERFUL WAY!

Will you let him?

We have all tasted the goodness of God.

How many of us have expended all our efforts in the world and walked away feeling like the disciples in the boat on those two occasions?

“We have toiled all night and caught NOTHING.”

The world’s wisdom/ways will leave you overworked and destitute. Note: Even after they had worked hard, put in the hours, expended their knowledge, invested in the necessary equipment, in short, done EVERYTHING the world tells you will bring success, they still FAILED!

They still couldn’t feed their families.

Couldn’t make their boat payment, pay their taxes, etc…

How many have invested in college, worked hard to get a position in a good company, been diligent to learn your job, and worked hard… but you still can’t pay your bills? Or are not fulfilled? Or are disillusioned?

Is Jesus telling you to cast your net on the other side?

I look around and see a lot of empty chairs.

We have the TRUTH of the gospel that can save souls!!!

Why are we not more successful at “catching souls” (being “fishers of men”)?

Is Jesus telling us to cast our nets on the other side?

What is Jesus telling us to do right now???

Do we even hear him?

Are we ignoring him?

Are we REBELLING against him?

Maybe we don’t need another strategy meeting.

Maybe we don’t need a bigger ad budget.

MAYBE WE JUST NEED TO BE STILL AND LISTEN TO JESUS AND DO THE (SEEMINGLY) RIDICULOUS THING HE’S ASKING US INDIVIDUALLY TO DO.

Cast your nets on the other side. And be prepared for the greatest reward you can imagine.