The Water’s Edge

Focus Scrpture: John 21:7-14

The Invitation: Jesus welcomes the disciples to a breakfast on the beach

The Mood: Looking at Jesus

• Excitement: Jesus did another miracle of 153 fish. Now Jesus is calling them to Him again.

  • It feels like another chance - The Word hasn’t changed regardless of their failures

• Nostalgia: Echoes of past miracles - the initial calling to ‘follow me’ to fish for men. But probably more precious is the simple act of sharing another meal together

The Mood: Looking at Self

• Dejected: Disciples with heads hung

• Ashamed: Unable to make eye contact, hesitant to accept His hospitality.

• Consider the atmosphere: These are his friends, and they know how horribly they failed Jesus.

  • Would Jesus really draw out their pain or welcome them back to Him?

Discussion: Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)

• Opening Question: What word or phrase catches your attention in this passage?

• Core Question #1: Who do the characters symbolize in this parable? With which character do you most identify? Why?

• Core Question #2: What does this parable teach us about God’s love?

• Closing Questions: Based on Jesus’s description of God in this parable, how do you picture the breakfast on the beach depicted in John 21? How would Jesus treat the disciples? What would they talk about? How would the disciples respond to Jesus? What would their moods be like? How long do they linger by the fire?