Jesus Restores Peter Sunday School Lesson for Kids

This free Jesus Restores Peter Sunday school lesson teaches kids that Jesus gives new starts. After He rose again, Jesus stood on the shore, filled the disciples' empty net with great fishes and gave them bread and fish by a fire of coals. Then He asked Peter three times, "lovest thou me?" and said, "Feed my sheep" and "Follow me" (John 21:1–19). It comes in four age levels, each a separate printable teacher lesson, plus one take-home sheet for families. Pick the one that fits your class. Everything is in the order you teach it.

Choose your age level

• Preschool (ages 3–5), 20–30 minutes, 2 pages: a short story with hand motions and repeat-after-me lines (row the boat, pull the net!), a which-side game, three simple questions, a shortened memory verse ("thou knowest that I love thee") with a motion, and a fill-the-net game.
• Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 45 minutes, 3 pages: the story in simple words, five recall questions with answers, the Fishes in a Row verse game with six cards, and a Fill the Net counting game.
• 3rd to 5th grade, 45–60 minutes, 4 pages: kids look up verses in their own Bibles during a fuller story (Peter's denial as background, the net on the right side, breakfast on the shore, the three questions), five thinking questions and three recall questions, and a Bible look-up race.
• Preteens (ages 11–12), 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: students read John 21:1–19 out loud themselves, then compare Peter's two fires of coals and his three answers, and discuss why Jesus asked about love. Six discussion questions and a journal page.

Lesson at a glance

• Bible passage: John 21:1–19 (with John 18:15–27 for Peter's denial)
• Main point: Jesus asked Peter, "lovest thou me?" We show we love Jesus when we follow Him and care for others.
• Memory verse: John 21:15 (KJV)
• Ages: preschool to preteen, in four versions

Lesson outline (the same in every version)

1. Opening game: a which-side game, a second-chance toss, or a talk about comebacks.
2. Bible story: a night of catching nothing, the net cast on the right side, Peter jumping into the sea, the fire of coals with fish and bread, the hundred and fifty-three great fishes, "Come and dine," the three questions and "Follow me." Every fact has its verse reference so you can check it.
3. Questions to ask: with answers, at the right level for each age.
4. Memory verse: a game or motion to help kids learn John 21:15.
5. What this means for us: loving and following Jesus, the gospel Peter himself preached (Acts 2:38), and a challenge for the week.
6. Activity: the Jesus Restores Peter word search, a fill-the-net game, a drawing, a Bible look-up race or a journal page, depending on the age.
7. Prayer.

Tips for teaching Jesus Restores Peter

• Teach Peter denies Jesus the week before if you can; this story is the happy ending.
• The Bible doesn't say why Jesus asked three times. Let kids notice that Peter denied Him three times (John 18:17, 25–27), without adding a reason the text doesn't give.
• Paper fish make the fill-the-net game cheap and easy: cut 20 from colored paper and reuse them.
• Short on time? Do the story, three questions and the memory verse. That is a solid 25-minute lesson.