Jesus forgives and desires to restore fellowship with His own.
Scripture: John 21:1-6,9-17
Central Truth
Jesus met these men in the ordinary place of life—on a shore after a night of fishing. They didn’t have to seek Him out; He went to them. So often Jesus meets us like this too. He meets us in the ordinary parts of life—at school, in our living rooms, on a walk, or when we’re driving in our cars. Jesus wants to reveal Himself to us, and if we are in tune with the Holy Spirit, we’ll see Him.
Key Question
When or how has Jesus met you where you are in everyday circumstances?
Keep in Mind
When we let someone down, it can feel crushing; it leads to guilt and wishing we could undo our bad choices. It can also be hard to admit our fault and ask for or accept forgiveness. Jesus addressed all of this when He restored and forgave Peter. Jesus forced Peter to remember his actions, but then He gave Peter a new purpose of shepherding His people. He doesn’t leave us in our failure but calls us out of it. Some of your students may have messed up badly. Some of them may feel they can’t have restoration with God, but this passage can give them hope. We want to always remember that some students are struggling with intense regret. While godly sorrow leads them to repentance, we want to encourage them to know God isn’t done with them. He has more in store for their lives, and they aren’t defined by their past mistakes.
APPLICATION
Why is it important to allow the lord to restore us when we fail? What happens if we resist this?
THE WIN
FOR THE STUDENT: Our students may be tempted to give up when they fail—they can feel like it’s useless to try again. If we apply this to our relationship with God, then we will miss out on the plans He has for us. Peter, one of the greatest leaders of the church, messed up. Imagine if he had resisted God’s forgiveness! Allowing God to restore us when we sin affects not only our lives but other people’s lives as well.
FOR THE LEADER: If you’ve been walking with the Lord for a while, then you are painfully aware of how similar we can all be to Peter. We’ve all betrayed Jesus in our own way, but we’ve also experienced His kindness and forgiveness. Sharing this truth with our students can remind them of God’s faithfulness to restore us when we come to Him for forgiveness.
