Our current teaching series, "The First Fifty," explores some very important questions: What happened after the resurrection? Where did Jesus go? What happened to his disciples? When and why did the Holy Spirit come? How did the church start? And what does all this have to do with me? Join us as we inquire into the Bible's story of the 40 days from Jesus' resurrection to his ascension into heaven, and the 10 days from his ascension to the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Read John 21:1-14

Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?"

"No," they answered.

He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught."

Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Reflect

There's something intimate and special about sitting around a campfire with those you love. Imagine yourself, sitting around the burning coals, smelling the cooking fish, watching the sun come up, and just being with Jesus.

Respond

Respond to that picture in your mind, because Jesus is sitting there with you right now.