“This disciple is the one who testifies to these events and has recorded them here. And we know that his account of these things is accurate.” —John 21:24
John 21 brings us to a tender and restorative moment between Jesus and Peter — a moment that reminds every believer that failure is never final when grace is present. The chapter closes the Gospel not with a dramatic miracle or a public teaching, but with a quiet conversation on a beach, where the risen Jesus gently rebuilds a broken disciple.
Peter’s story had begun on a boat, so it is fitting that Jesus meets him again in the same setting. Luke 5 tells us that after a long, fruitless night of fishing, Peter was cleaning his nets when Jesus stepped into his boat. The crowds pressed in, hungry for Jesus’ words, and Peter found himself unexpectedly hosting the Teacher. After speaking to the people, Jesus told Peter to go out once more and lower his nets. The catch was so overwhelming that the nets began to tear. It was a miracle that marked the beginning of Peter’s calling.
Now, in the final chapter of John, the scene repeats. Peter and six other disciples had returned to Galilee, perhaps unsure of what came next. They fished through the night but caught nothing. As dawn broke, a voice from the shore called out, telling them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat. The moment they obeyed, the nets filled to bursting.
John recognized the familiar pattern. “It’s the Lord!” he exclaimed. And Peter — impulsive, passionate, wholehearted Peter — didn’t wait for the boat to reach shore. He plunged into the water and swam to Jesus.
On the beach, Jesus had already prepared breakfast. The risen Lord, who had conquered death, now served His friends a simple meal. After they ate, Jesus turned to Peter with a question that pierced deeper than any rebuke.
“Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Peter answered quickly, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”
Jesus replied, “Feed my lambs.”
Two more times Jesus asked the same question. Two more times Peter affirmed his love. And two more times Jesus entrusted him with a shepherd’s calling: “Take care of my sheep.” “Feed my sheep.”
This was not repetition for the sake of emphasis. It was restoration. On the night of Jesus’ arrest, Peter had denied Him three times. Now, on the shore of Galilee, Jesus gave Peter three opportunities to declare his love. Grace rewrote the story. Failure did not have the final word.
Jesus also revealed that Peter’s future would be costly. “You will stretch out your hands,” He said — a quiet reference to crucifixion. Church tradition tells us that Peter indeed died in Rome, giving his life for the One he once denied.
Yet the heart of this passage is not Peter’s death, but his restoration. Jesus did not discard him. He did not shame him. He did not remind him of his weakness. Instead, He called him forward — into purpose, into leadership, into love.
A Moment for Reflection
This chapter invites us to pause and ask:
- Where have I felt like Peter — aware of my failures, unsure if Jesus could still use me?
- What parts of my story need the healing repetition of grace?
- How is Jesus inviting me to “feed His sheep” — to care, to serve, to love others in His name?
- Am I willing to follow Him even when the path is costly?
John 21 assures us that no failure is too deep for Jesus to redeem. As long as we have breath to confess and repent, restoration is possible. Jesus meets us on the shores of our disappointment, prepares a place for us, and calls us back into His work.
He forgives. He restores. He entrusts us with purpose.
And like Peter, we are invited to rise and follow Him.
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