Fellowship Group Notes - 29 April / 1 May

THE QUESTION OF THE RISEN LORD   -    JOHN 21: ‘Do you love me?’

With this chapter, John ends his wonderful gospel. Jesus has instructed his disciples to return to Galilee where he will appear to them.  Peter and half a dozen others return – to their old haunts and habits. Then Jesus reveals himself and issues a renewed commission.

As you read this passage, remember everything the disciples (and Peter in particular) had experienced over the past few life-impacting days.

I. A FRUSTRATING NIGHT   -   the fishing! :  1-3

• Try to imagine the disciples’ feelings at this very unusual period of time after the resurrection. ‘Now we see Him, now we don’t! Now He’s here, now He’s gone!’  How might they and you have felt?
• Why go back to fishing?  Necessity?  Habit?  Nostalgia?  Uncertainty?  Boredom?
• Do you think the events of Mark 1. 16-20 might have come back to mind as they fished?  How might that memory have affected them?
• What do you make of their catching absolutely nothing all night? Part of God’s purpose or sheer coincidence?  How did the Lord use it?  What does it teach us?  Can God use our frustration?

II.  AN AMAZING DAWN   -   the appearance   :   4-9

• The risen Jesus on the shore:  why so uncertain as to who it was?  (v12).  Remember Jesus’ body was his new resurrection body.  Do we learn anything about the nature of a resurrection body from this?
• (Remember, we shall have a ‘resurrection body’ like Jesus’ one day;  1 Cor 15. 35-57)
• What impression do you form of the state of Peter’s heart, from his reactions to Jesus’ presence on the shore?

III. AN UNFORGETTABLE BREAKFAST -  the question   : 9-19

• Why pick out Peter? Why ask that question? Why ask three times? What memories were evoked?  Do you think Peter understood why this was happening?
• What was the Lord’s motive in his dealing with Peter this way?
• ‘Do you love me MORE THAN THESE?’   More than what? Or whom? Do you think Peter did love Jesus, and love him best?
• · Does the Lord ask if we love Him ‘more’? More than what?
• · What did Jesus’ call to Peter to feed His ‘sheep’ and ‘lambs’ involve? Does any such call come in some way to all of us as disciples of Jesus, or was to just to Peter?
• · Does this passage have anything to teach us about the most important qualification for Christian service?
• Final question, if you have time!
• THE END OF THE GOSPEL!   Do you have any thoughts about John choosing to end His gospel with this incident and with the final words of verses 24-25?  Is it a fitting end?
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