Breakfast with Jesus: What John 21 Teaches About Second Chances

Jesus didn’t simply rise and ascend—and then vanish forever. No, He came back again and again, not in grandeur and thunder, but in soft dawning light. And today, He’s still showing up in the quiet places of our pain, confusion, and weariness.

In John 21, we encounter the risen Christ—not on a heavenly throne, but by an unremarkable seaside, cooking breakfast over a charcoal fire. It begs the question: Why there? Why like this?

Because Jesus always comes back for the broken. He seeks out the confused, the weary, the those ashamed or doubting. And He never arrives empty-handed—He comes with breakfast, miracles, and mercy.

• For Peter—who denied Him three times in a moment of fear.

• For the disciples—who returned to fishing, their old routine, after Jesus rose.

• For you and me, when we’ve messed up, felt disqualified, or wandered off.

🛶 When You Fish All Night and Catch Nothing

The disciples are back in their element: the sea, the boat, the nets. They’ve worked all night, as they often did, hoping for a return, only to haul in empty nets. Can you feel their disappointment? Their exhaustion?

How often do we find ourselves in that place? We pour our energy into relationships, into responsibilities, into our spiritual disciplines…but come up empty. Our nets—dreams, purposes, connection—bring nada.

That’s when Jesus comes near. He calls from the shore:

“Children, do you have any fish?” – John 21:5

He already knows the answer. But the question matters. It’s not to shame them. It’s to invite honest, vulnerable communion. He meets them in the moment of failure—and that space becomes holy ground. That simple question cracks open the door for miracle.

🎣 When Jesus Fills What You Couldn’t

Then He gives them direction:

“Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” – John 21:6

They obey. And the result? 153 large fish—a net so full, it strains. What they sought all night arrived in moments, through Jesus’s guidance.

It’s the same for us. What we can’t produce in our own strength, He provides in His. He is still the Lord of abundance. He still fills empty nets, restores hope, replenishes weary hands.

Maybe number 153 is just numerical fact. But in this sacred story, it feels significant—precise provision tailored to their need. A reminder that God’s supply is personal and abundant.

Obedience to Jesus still turns our futility into fruitfulness.

🔥 A Fire of Restoration, Not Judgment

When they reach shore, Jesus is already waiting—with a charcoal fire, fish cooking, bread warming. That fire is not incidental.

It’s the same kind of charcoal fire mentioned earlier, in John 18. Where? Around Peter, warming himself, denying Jesus three times.

That detail is huge. Once, that charcoal fire was linked to Peter’s fear and failure. Now, Jesus invokes another charcoal fire—a new beginning.

• One fire leads to shame, guilt, separation.

• The other brings fellowship, restoration, recommissioning.

• One was Peter’s downfall. The other is his divine renewal.

  
  

Jesus isn’t erasing Peter’s past—He’s redeeming it.

🍞 “Come and Have Breakfast”—Grace Served Warm

There’s no demand for apology. No crisis sermon. Instead, the invitation is simple, familiar, unhurried:

“Come and have breakfast.” – John 21:12

It’s one of Scripture’s most intimate moments. The King of Glory humbles Himself, kneels, cooks, serves. He doesn’t lecture. He nourishes.

This is grace incarnate:

• Grace that meets us in our failure.

• Grace that picks us up, tenderly.

• Grace that restores before it rebukes.

• Grace that loves without waiting for us to be perfect.

There is nothing we can do to earn this. Only to show up, and receive.

💪 Your Calling Remains

Do you remember Luke 5? When Peter first heard Jesus call him, and his nets overflowed at the edge of obedience? This scene echoes that first miracle, but with deeper meaning.

• Yes, Peter had messed up.

• Yes, he had denied his Master.

• But Jesus? He hadn’t changed His mind.

God does not revoke your calling because of your weakness. On the contrary—He reaffirms it. He rebuilds your heart, retrains your hands, and re-sends you out.

He starts with:

1. A fire that warms and welcomes.

2. A catch that reminds you of His power.

3. Breakfast that nourishes body and soul.

4. A fresh purpose that says: “Get back in the boat. The work’s not done.”

👣 Jesus Is Still Waiting on the Shore

Perhaps you’re reading this feeling dry, drained, or ashamed. Maybe your nets are light—or even snapped. Maybe you, like Peter, have denied Him, or like the others, drifted back into old routines.

Listen for His voice:

• He is calling.

• He is guiding.

• He is preparing a meal.

• He is waiting—ready to do again what you can’t do in your own strength.

He says, “Come and have breakfast. Let’s begin again.”

🔁 Final Reflection

Jesus didn’t appear in a temple. He didn’t launch into heavenly speech. He came to a mossy, common shoreline. He lit a charcoal fire. He cooked simple fish and bread. He looked toward broken hearts—restored them.

And today, He’s doing the same for you:

• Meeting you in your failure.

• Providing exactly what you need.

• Restoring your calling.

• Recommencing your journey with grace and purpose.

  
  

Friend: you are loved. You are forgiven. And you are still called. So rise, walk to the shore. He’s waiting—with breakfast, restoration, and mission.