Hi boys and girls. This is a story about Peter meeting Jesus at the seaside. They have a BBQ and then Jesus gives Peter a very important job to do.

Get someone to read the story – there are bits for everyone to join in.

If you hear these words:

• Fishing: Pretend you’re casting a fishing line into a river or the sea.
• Grumpy: Make a grumpy face and say a grumpy, ‘Huh!’
• Puzzled: Make a puzzled face and scratch your head.
• Happy: Make a happy face and shout, ‘Yes!’
• Sad: make a sad face and wipe away a pretend tear.
• Jumped: Jump as high as you can.

So, here’s the story:

Peter was fishing. And some of his friends were fishing too. They were in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. But it wasn’t going well. Why not? Because they were fishing but they weren’t catching anything. And that made Peter a bit grumpy! They were ready to give up when someone shouted to them from the shore, ‘Friends! Caught any fish?’

Everyone shouted back, ‘No!’

‘Throw your fishing nets on the other side of the boat!’

That made them a little bit puzzled, but they did, and guess what? They suddenly caught so many fish the net nearly burst!

Then they realised who was on the shore…it was Jesus! And that made Peter very happy. So what do you think Peter did? He jumped out of the boat and swam to the shore. The others came behind bringing in the boat and the fish.

‘Take a seat’, said Jesus. ‘I’ve built a fire so let’s have a breakfast BBQ’.

After a yummy breakfast, Jesus turned to Peter to ask a question. ‘Peter, do you love me?’

Peter smiled and said, ‘Of course, you know that I love you.’

‘Then feed my lambs,’ said Jesus.

Peter was a wee bit puzzled at that, ‘Feed my lambs?’ he wondered. ‘What does Jesus mean by that? I suppose He means take care of His people – that’s okay – I can do that…’

But Jesus turned to Peter and asked again, ‘Peter, do you really love me?’

Peter was more puzzled than ever. ‘Yes, Lord,’ he answered, ‘You know that I love you.’

‘Good,’ said Jesus, ‘Take care of my sheep.’

Peter thought, that’s okay then, but Jesus asked him again,

‘Do you love me?’

And now Peter was even more puzzled and a bit sad too, because Jesus kept asking him the same question. Peter had answered once, he’d answered again….had Jesus not heard what he’d said? Did Jesus not believe him?

Peter wanted Jesus to be sure, so Peter said again, ‘Lord, you know everything, and you know I love you.’

And Jesus replied, ‘Feed my sheep’, and then Jesus added, ‘Follow me!’

And now Peter was happy, because that’s what he wanted to do, he wanted to follow Jesus from that day on…

And Peter did follow Jesus and do the sorts of things Jesus wanted him to do for the rest of his life. And as WE follow Jesus, no need to have a grumpy face, a puzzled face, or a sad face – just a happy face and you can jump for joy too!

You can read this story for yourself in your Bible in John Chapter 21.

Let’s say a prayer together:

Lord Jesus,

You called Peter to follow you. Help us to follow you and do the things you want us to do. Help us to take care of each other by always being kind and helpful. In your name we pray, Amen (say it as loud as you can).