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

This lesson will use the Bible, the Bible Discovery Guide and the Lesson 11 Leaflet from the Student Pack. The front cover shows how the artist sees Jesus talking with Peter. Also paper and pencil or crayons will be needed.

Read the Faith Words on page 4 of the leaflet.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Remember that on Easter morning,  the astonished women found the empty tomb, which assures us that Jesus has indeed risen, just as He promised. By His death and resurrection, Jesus gives eternal life to all who believe in Him.

Listen to  the hymn "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name".

Prayer: Good and gracious God, we thank You that Your Son, Jesus Christ, has risen from the dead. As we study how Jesus reinstated Peter, remind us that You also reinstate us through forgiveness of sins for Jesus' sake. Teach us to love You and Your Word, and increase our faith through Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

God Speaks

Read the Bible verses on the Student Page at the end of the lesson.

• Matthew 4:18-20 - Peter, known as Simon, was one of the first of the disciples that Jesus called.
• Matthew 14:28-29 - Peter was close to Jesus and seemed to be a leader among the disciples. He made bold, special requests, such as asking to walk on water.
• Matthew 8:14-15 - Peter received specific blessings, as in the healing of his mother-in-law.
• Matthew 16:21-23 - Peter spoke boldly to Jesus when he denied that Jesus should die.
• Matthew 16:13-19 - Peter boldly confessed Jesus as the Messiah.
• Matthew 17:1-2 - Peter was one of the three disciples who saw Jesus in His glory at the transfiguration.
• Matthew 26:37 - Peter was near Jesus in His anguish in Gethsemane.
• Matthew 26:31-35 - Peter declared he would die before he would fall away from Jesus.

 Review the story of Peter's denial, Read Mark 14:26-72.

How did Peter feel about himself when he realized what he had done? Peter broke down and wept bitter tears of shame, sorrow, and repentance for his inability to stand firmly in faith as he had promised.

Peter was very sad, perhaps embarrassed, and probably angry with himself that he denied Jesus. We might expect someone who was so close to Jesus and who was so strong in voicing his belief in Jesus not to fall away from faith. If Peter couldn't remain faithful, how can we expect to?

This lesson looks at how Jesus responded to, or reinstated, Peter. It will help us understand how Jesus keeps us with Him as well.  Jesus acknowledged Peter and commissioned him to continue to teach what he had learned from Jesus.

Using the map on pages 2-3 in the Bible Discovery Guide, find the Sea of Galilee (Tiberias). The disciples have now returned to Galilee, from where they originally came.

After Jesus' death and resurrection, He appeared many times to His disciples between Easter and the ascension, so they know He has indeed risen from the grave.

 Read John 21:1-19.

Why do you suppose Peter decided to go fishing? Peter fished for a living before following Jesus, so it was natural to return to it once back in Galilee. The manner in which the Bible tells us he decided to go fishing almost implies a nervous energy, as with one who may not know what to do next, anxious because of many uncommon events in the preceding days. Peter's companions agree to go fishing with him. They seem glad for the diversion.

Why weren't the disciples able to recognize Jesus standing on the shore? It was early dawn; Jesus was far away; there could be other reasons.

When did they recognize Him? When their nets were filled and remained unbroken, after casting the net on the other side of the boat as He Instructed them.

Of what other event in the Gospels does this catch of fish remind you? Another miraculous catch of fish. See Luke 5:1-11.

How do you think Peter felt when he realized it was Jesus on the shore? He obviously was very anxious to see Jesus again, since he grabbed his garment and jumped into the water to get to Him.

Jesus had a conversation with Peter. What did Jesus ask Peter? 'Do you love Me?".

Why do you think Jesus asked Peter almost the same question three times? The number of times Jesus questioned Peter corresponds to the number of times he denied knowing Jesus.

Jesus' question is slightly different each time. The first time, Jesus asked, "Do you love Me more than these?" (verse 15), probably meaning more than the other disciples loved Jesus. The Second time, He simply asked, "Do you love Me?" without a comparison (verse 16). The Greek word for "love" used these first two times is agape, which means "sacrificial Christian love”.  The third time, Jesus asked, "Do you love Me?" (verse 17). Here, the Greek word for "love"  indicates the type of love between dear friends.

How did Peter answer Jesus' questions? Each time, Peter said, "You know that I love You”.

The word Peter chose for "love" however, was not the word for sacrificial love that Jesus used but rather the word for the love between dear friends.

Notice the words of Jesus' responses of feeding His lambs and sheep. What did Jesus mean? One thing Jesus likely meant was for Peter to continue to teach others about Jesus and care for them. The image of the shepherd and his sheep is used as an example of a teacher and his students. Jesus also meant that since Peter loves Him, Peter should teach all he has learned from Jesus. Jesus wanted Peter to teach not just new believers [lambs] but also mature believers (sheep].

How did Jesus treat Peter? Out of deep sacrificial love, Jesus reinstated Peter to a leadership position, assuring him that he was forgiven.

Jesus instituted the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper. To institute is to "put into place for a specific purpose". Jesus also instituted, or established, the Office of the Holy Ministry. Jesus called Peter to more than teaching. He gave Peter and the other disciples the authority and power to distribute God's good gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation.

The shepherd-flock relationship is often used to describe a pastor and congregation. Pastors "feed their sheep" by preaching the Word and administering the Sacraments, as instituted by Christ.  Even though Peter had denied Jesus, Jesus still loved Peter.  Peter repented of his sin, and Jesus forgave him. We are all like Peter when we, in our words and actions, deny our Lord. We deny our Lord, too, when we love ourselves more than God. We are in need of the same comfort that Peter received: the comfort of sins forgiven and the assurance that though we are faithless, Jesus remains faithful.

Read 2 Timothy 2:13.

God demands that we love Him and none other, solely and completely. In sin, we worship whatever pleases us the most. Even when we deny Him or fall away, Jesus continues to love us and forgive us because we are part of His Body of believers. God's love is everlasting, ever faithful. He acknowledges us for Christ's sake. He reinstates us.

We Live

Read Bible Words, Hebrews 10:23, from page 4 of the leaflet

What does it mean to "hold fast the confession of our hope"? To continue to acknowledge that through Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven and we have salvation; to waver is to "be unsure or inconsistent."

Can we hold fast to the confession of our hope on our own? No, it is the Holy Spirit who keeps us firmly in our faith and allows us to confess Jesus as our Savior. Even Peter - who spent a lot of time with Jesus, heard Him teach, ate meals with Him, worked with Him, and so on was unable to remain faithful on his own. We cannot either.

However, because of what Jesus has done by dying and rising for us, we are sure that God is faithful and will not leave us.

Since we are sinful by nature, we can be sure that even if we try not to, we will deny Jesus at some point. What do we do then? We confess our sin and ask for forgiveness.

When we pray in the Lord's  Prayer, "Forgive us our trespasses" we are holding fast to our confession, acknowledging our sin, and asking for forgiveness, trusting in God's mercy. Then, we remember another example of God's faithfulness in 1 John 1:9.

Read 1 John 1:9.

This is Christ's reinstatement of us, His little lambs

Complete the "Feed My Lambs" activity on page 2 in the leaflet.

The correct responses:

• R - Ten Commandments
• E - The Apostles' Creed
• D – Sacrament
• E - Holy Communion and Baptism
• E - The Lord's Prayer
• M – Baptism
• E – Absolution
• D - True body and blood.

Because of Jesus, I am REDEEMED.

Jesus told Peter to feed His lambs. Jesus affirmed the office of pastors. The lambs are the people in the church who are repentant sinners needing forgiveness. What do lambs eat? What do pastors feed the lambs?

 Read the paragraphs in the section "Food for Lambs” on the bottom of page 2 in the leaflet.

Look at the titles--safety, happiness, security-listed under "Always Faithful” on page 3 of the leaflet.

Can you think of items we could list under each heading?  What makes you feel safe? happy? secure?

Some possible answers:

• Safety - Big house, strong government, weapons, physical fitness
• Happiness - Popularity, possessions, wealth
• Security - Good-paying job, insurance, investments, inheritance.

Like Peter, we often want the way of glory, not the way of the cross. That is, we turn to whatever or whoever we think will make us happy.

Read Isaiah 53:6 then write the words of this verse in that box on the leaflet. Also write your name on the sheep in the center of the age.

What does this mean? Like Peter, we deny God by looking to other things or people as our god, as our source of safety, happiness, and security. What happens when we place our faith in someone or something other than God? We are breaking the First Commandment (Have no other gods). We are worshiping whatever pleases us, and in the end, these idols will crumble on top of us

And what does God say we deserve because of sin? Physical and eternal death.

Draw lines from the sheep to each of the boxes. A cross will be formed. It represents the death that we deserve; yet someone else took our place on the cross.

Mark out your name and write "Jesus" in its place. Christ died on the cross for Peter's sins, for your sins, and for mine. He took these sins upon Himself, becoming the sacrificial Lamb in our place.

 Read 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24.

In His faithfulness, Jesus died and rose again, and now the risen Lord sought Peter, not to condemn him, but to restore and comfort him. He didn't excuse Peter's words and actions; rather, He paid for them. Jesus called Peter back to the fold. The faithful Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep now instructed this lamb to comfort others in the flock. Peter went forward to feed Christ's sheep, comforting them with this same forgiveness that he had received from Jesus.

This lesson is about God's grace to Peter and all people, including us. How was God gracious to Peter in our story today? Jesus assured Peter that He forgave him and restored him to a right relationship with God. Then, Jesus commanded Peter to care for the Church: people like Peter who, in their words or actions, deny their Lord, but who repent of their sin and need the same comfort of knowing their sins are forgiven that Peter received for his sin of denying Jesus.

How is God gracious to us? God's love is everlasting and ever faithful. When we deny Him, He acknowledges us for Christ's sake. Jesus forgives us and saves us from sin and death. He reinstates us to a right relationship with God.) After denying Christ, Peter vowed that He loved Christ. We will learn that God helped him so that he confessed Christ until he died.

Closing

On page 4 of the leaflet:

• Review the Key Point of this lesson.
• Read the Bible Words.
• Read the Prayer. 

Listen to the hymn  "I Am Jesus' Little Lamb” again.

 Prayer: The Lord’s Prayer