Lesson 11 – Jesus Appears in Galilee

We are all like Peter in our words and actions, denying our Lord and weeping bitterly over what we have done.  We need the same comfort Peter received – the comfort of sins forgiven and the assurance that even we are faithless, Jesus remains faithful.

Opening

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

Peter is one of the best-known people in the Bible. Here is a list of everything we have read about Peter.

• Peter and his brother Andrew; their father, John; and brothers James and John worked as fishermen at the Sea of Galilee. There, Jesus called the four disciples to follow Him.
• Peter's Aramaic birth name was Simon. Jesus nicknamed him Peter (Greek) or Cephas (Aramaic). Scripture calls him one name or sometimes both.
• Peter confessed to Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God"  (Matthew 16:16). Just moments later, Jesus rebuked Peter when he spoke against the sacrifice Jesus knew He must make in His death.
• The night of Jesus' arrest, He predicted Peter's three betrayals before dawn.

Watch this video that shows an important encounter between Peter and Jesus after He rose from the dead.

Why do you think Jesus specifically told the women at the tomb to tell Peter (Mark 16:7)? Jesus specifically wanted Peter, the leader of the Twelve who had betrayed Him three times, to hear this good news.

Prayer: Jesus, You changed a lowly fisherman from a fearful person to a faithful follower. Send Your Holy Spirit to do the same for us. Chase away our fears and doubts. Strengthen our faith. In Your name we pray.  Amen.

God Speaks

Follow the directions on Student Page 11 at the end of the lesson (paper and pencil will be needed).

 

Read John 21:1-14 read and answer the questions.

CATCH FISH: John 21:1-14

What did Peter and six disciples decide to do at the Sea of Tiberias (Sea of Galilee)? Draw their vehicle on your paper. Go fishing. Draw a sailboat.

Some disciples worked as fishermen before meeting Jesus. Draw in your boat the men who went fishing. Add Simon Peter, James, John (all fishermen), Thomas, Nathanael, and two others, seven in all.

Why do you think Peter wanted to go fishing? Write possible reasons in a speech bubble from a man in your boat. Scripture doesn't say. Peter may have felt bored, wanted exercise, felt tired of waiting, or considered going back to fishing, not knowing what to expect since Jesus died and rose.

List reasons Peter might think Jesus didn't need him anymore along the bottom of your paper.  Peter denied knowing Jesus three times on the night of His arrest. With the other disciples, he ran and hid when Jesus died. Peter probably felt guilty, ashamed, and unworthy.

How long did they fish? Write how many fish they caught on your boat. They fished all night, but caught nothing. Write zero on the boat.

What did the man on the beach say? Write on your boat the number of fish they caught when they followed His directions. The man said to throw the net on the right side of the boat. They did and netted 153 fish.

Who recognized Jesus? The disciple Jesus loved, thought to be John.

What did Peter do when he realized the man was Jesus? He put on his clothes (because he had stripped to work), jumped into the water, and swam ashore, leaving the other disciples to bring in the boat and fish.

What does this reaction suggest about Peter? Peter felt excited to see Jesus. He acted impulsively and without fear, even though he betrayed Jesus. Peter's love for the Lord and the Lord's bigger love for Peter overcame fear.

Jesus already had bread and fish cooking on a fire. Draw Jesus on the shore beside a campfire.

Early in His ministry, Jesus did a similar miracle for Peter, Andrew, James, and John (Luke 5:1-11). Write on your paper reasons Jesus may have repeated the miracle. Scripture does not say. Maybe Jesus wanted to remind them of their early days, remind them that He has power over nature as true God, or remind them to trust Him and believe He really rose.

TEND SHEEP: Read John 21:15-19

Jesus addressed Simon with his birth name. Why do you think Jesus used this instead of his nickname Peter (Greek) or Cephas (Aramaic)?  Jesus may have used it to remind Peter of his identity before Jesus called him, or to use his formal name, like parents do in serious situations.

Twice Jesus questioned Peter, using agape, a Greek word translated as "love, but which means a deep, sacrificial love. On your paper, write Jesus' questions with the word agape. Write Jesus by it.

Twice Peter answered Jesus with phileo, a Greek word translated as "love but which means the love of friendship, affection, and approval. On your paper, write Peter's answers with the word phileo. Add Simon Peter by it.

On the night Jesus was arrested, sincere but overconfident Peter vowed to die instead of denying Him (Mark 14:31). Sadly, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times before morning. How did Peter's answers this day show a different attitude? Peter's reply showed honest humility. He did not exaggerate the love he felt capable to offer.

Both times Peter answered, Jesus told him to do something. Write or draw each command on your paper. Feed My lambs. Tend My sheep.

The third time, Jesus asked if Simon loved (phileo) Him (verse 17). Peter answered that Jesus knew everything and knew Peter loved (phileo) Him. Write Jesus' question and Peter's answer with the Greek word.

Why do you think Jesus switched words? We can infer that Jesus accepted Peter's honest answers and used the word admitting the kind of love Peter could honestly offer at that time. Write or draw what Jesus told Peter to do this time. Feed My sheep.

Why do you think this third question made Peter very sad (grieved verse 17)? Jesus acknowledged Peter's inability to love Him in an agape way and accepted the love Peter could honestly offer, phileo. Jesus gave love, acceptance, and forgiveness that Peter knew he didn’t deserve.

Lambs and sheep? What did Jesus really want Peter to do? Add this explanation to your paper. Jesus called Peter to ministry to care for, teach, guide, and love His followers (sheep, lambs).

Why do you think Jesus told Peter how he would die (verse 18)? Peter once said he would die for Jesus, but failed. Jesus said Peter would one day glorify God by dying for Him (verse 19). This encouraged Peter to know he would one day keep his word to die for Jesus.

Firm in His love for Peter and His desire that Peter serve His people, Jesus said, "Follow Me". What do you think Jesus' words meant to Peter? Jesus still loved and wanted Peter. He forgave and accepted Peter. He had work for Peter to do and reinstated him to his office as an apostle.

Church history says Peter died about AD 64 when Roman ruler Nero persecuted and killed tens of thousands of Christians, many by crucifixion. Saying he did not deserve to die the same way as his Lord, Peter was crucified upside down. So, did Peter fulfill Jesus' words about his death? Yes Show this on your paper. Drawings should show this.

Peter could have gone back to fishing and lived a quiet life. But he was reinstated as Jesus' disciple and leader, so what do we know Peter did? He followed Jesus, spoke His Word, and cared for His sheep.

How was Peter able to follow Jesus? Forgiven and loved, Peter followed Jesus. Not long after this, the disciples received the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, enabling them to fully live out the mission Jesus called them to.

Jesus forgives and reinstates all believers when we sin and betray Him. How does He do this? We receive forgiveness of sin and power to live as Christians by hearing God's Word, remembering our Baptism through daily confession of sin and assurance that we belong to Jesus, and eating and drinking the body and blood of Jesus at the Lord's Supper.

Three times Peter denied Jesus. Three times Jesus questioned Peter. Three times Peter confessed his inability to love Jesus fully. Three times Jesus told Peter to continue His work as an apostle.

 

Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Peter loved Jesus by loving and caring for Christ's Church and giving his life for Jesus' sheep.

 

We Live

How would you answer Jesus' question "Do you love Me?" Read 1 John 4:19. We love Him because He loved us first.

What does God's work in us through His Word and Sacraments enable us to do? Read 1 John 1:8-9. Confess our sins and receive God's forgiveness.

How important were repentance and forgiveness for Peter? They restored Peter to Jesus. What sin broke, forgiveness healed and restored.

How does repentance and forgiveness enable us to live as Christians?  We are forgiven, and the sin that shackled us disappears. Separation between us and God disappears. He cleanses and restores us. His loving forgiveness moves us to live as His children in love and gratitude.

What work does God do in us through His Word and Sacraments? Read Colossians 2:12-15. In Baptism, God connects us to Christ, buries us, raises us, and makes us alive with Him. Jesus nailed our sin debt to the cross and triumphed over death to give forgiveness and new life, now and forever.

What work does God do through His Word and Sacraments to help us live for Him? Read Colossians 3:1-2, 5-10, 12-14. Through His Word and Sacraments, the Holy Spirit sets our minds on things above (verse 2): puts away sinful behavior (verses 5-9); and puts on our new self (verse 10), which includes His love and characteristics: compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness for others, love, and peace (verses 12-15).

 In Baptism, we put on the new self, which is being renewed after the image of its creator (verse 10). We can remember our Baptism every day by making the sign of the cross, the mark of Christ we received as ones redeemed from sin, death, and the devil.

Closing

Prayer: Lord Jesus, by Your death and resurrection, through Your grace, forgive our sins. Send the Holy Spirit to work through Your Word and empower us to live for You. In Your name we pray. Amen.