March 1st, 2026
Intimacy: The Language of God
Part 4: Breakfast at Galilee
John 21
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
March 1, 2026
Memory Verse:
“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.”
John 15:9 NLT
Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today we are in week four and in the conclusion of our series called "Intimacy: the language of God." The word "intimacy" is not explicitly used in the Bible but it is clearly expressed as a description of what our relationship with God should be like. "Intimacy" is defined as "closeness" with God.
How is God close to us? Can we know certainly that God is close? Today we will dive into one of the most intimate conversations of man with God and it happened during a breakfast in Galilee.
Main Pointers:
“Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter,Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied. Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread. “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn. “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.” John 21:1-14 NLT
1. Jesus is intimate even in times of weakness and fear.
A. This was the third time that Peter must've seen Jesus since He was resurrected. The first couple of times Jesus appeared to them but did not speak to him directly. The last time Jesus spoke to Peter was when He told him that he would deny Him three times.
B. How strong can a relationship last after a betrayal? This is the weakness of our human capacity. It is hard for us to forgive and to let go of the hurt. Jesus is different. In our weakness and in fear Jesus stays close.
C. “Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed. Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly."
Matthew 26:74-75 NLT
2. What do we mean when we say that we love God?
“After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep. “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”
John 21:15-18 NLT
A. This must be one of the most if not, the most intimate conversation recorded in the Scriptures of God speaking to the one who betrayed Him while still serving Him breakfast.
B. Jesus did not have to reaffirm His love for Peter. He loved Peter before He met him, He loved Peter when He met him, He loved Peter even after he betrayed Him.
C. “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”
Luke 22:31-32 NLT
3. Each time Peter answered, Jesus commanded.
“After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.”
John 21:15-17 NLT
A. It is remarkable that after the three denials came the three questions of "Do you love me Peter?" What is most interesting is the use of the word love by Jesus compared to Peter's.
B. Jesus asked Peter if he loves Him unconditionally (agape) and Peter replied by saying yes he loves Jesus (phileo) brotherly or relational love. Jesus wanted to move Peter from phileo love to agape love, that's why He followed up every question with a command.
C. “If you love me, obey my commandments.”
John 14:15 NLT
Conclusion:
The intimacy of God to us was in full display when Jesus came and spent His final years with His disciples. He ate and dined with them. Traveled to different places together and even spent His last night with them. The disciples got to see for themselves the intimacy of God in their lives. No wonder after they have seen the resurrected Jesus they all suffered and died for Him.
Part 4: Breakfast at Galilee
John 21
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
March 1, 2026
Memory Verse:
“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.”
John 15:9 NLT
Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today we are in week four and in the conclusion of our series called "Intimacy: the language of God." The word "intimacy" is not explicitly used in the Bible but it is clearly expressed as a description of what our relationship with God should be like. "Intimacy" is defined as "closeness" with God.
How is God close to us? Can we know certainly that God is close? Today we will dive into one of the most intimate conversations of man with God and it happened during a breakfast in Galilee.
Main Pointers:
“Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter,Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied. Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread. “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn. “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.” John 21:1-14 NLT
1. Jesus is intimate even in times of weakness and fear.
A. This was the third time that Peter must've seen Jesus since He was resurrected. The first couple of times Jesus appeared to them but did not speak to him directly. The last time Jesus spoke to Peter was when He told him that he would deny Him three times.
B. How strong can a relationship last after a betrayal? This is the weakness of our human capacity. It is hard for us to forgive and to let go of the hurt. Jesus is different. In our weakness and in fear Jesus stays close.
C. “Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed. Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly."
Matthew 26:74-75 NLT
2. What do we mean when we say that we love God?
“After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep. “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”
John 21:15-18 NLT
A. This must be one of the most if not, the most intimate conversation recorded in the Scriptures of God speaking to the one who betrayed Him while still serving Him breakfast.
B. Jesus did not have to reaffirm His love for Peter. He loved Peter before He met him, He loved Peter when He met him, He loved Peter even after he betrayed Him.
C. “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”
Luke 22:31-32 NLT
3. Each time Peter answered, Jesus commanded.
“After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.”
John 21:15-17 NLT
A. It is remarkable that after the three denials came the three questions of "Do you love me Peter?" What is most interesting is the use of the word love by Jesus compared to Peter's.
B. Jesus asked Peter if he loves Him unconditionally (agape) and Peter replied by saying yes he loves Jesus (phileo) brotherly or relational love. Jesus wanted to move Peter from phileo love to agape love, that's why He followed up every question with a command.
C. “If you love me, obey my commandments.”
John 14:15 NLT
Conclusion:
The intimacy of God to us was in full display when Jesus came and spent His final years with His disciples. He ate and dined with them. Traveled to different places together and even spent His last night with them. The disciples got to see for themselves the intimacy of God in their lives. No wonder after they have seen the resurrected Jesus they all suffered and died for Him.
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