Central Scripture: John 21
The disciples are at Gallilee. Peter decides to go out fishing. Jesus, on the shore, appears to them in His resurection body. They don't recognize Him at first.
He calls them to shore and fixes them a meal. He asks Peter if he loves Him three times, and each time He tells Peter to "feed my sheep".
He then commissions them to go. I think this is the last appearance of him before he ascends.
Jesus sent them to Gallilee to await him. They were where Jesus told them to go. It's not because they were frustrated and didn't know what to do, as some preach. Jesus sent them there for a reason.
I believe that He sent them there because that was the site of their original commissioning. Who knows, maybe He even took them to the same spot where the initially had the fishing miracle.
He brought them there again, to reaffirm their commission. The first time, they were to become His disciples, but this time they were to go out and be what they had become.
This is the final push into their destiny.
Jesus seems to be saying to them, "Hey, remember what happened here three years ago?" That was real, and there's more of that to do.
Peter had come to be a leader among the disciples. But he had just denied Jesus three times, even with curses, and the disciples knew it. Did they think less of him? Were they going to follow him? Perhaps this is why Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him. He reaffirms Peter and restores him to God's work, and in the eyes of his brothers. After Jesus saying three times to him, "feed my sheep," there could be no doubt that Peter was a part of the work that Jesus wanted to do on Earth in the years to come.
Remember back when the risen Jesus tells Mary M. to go back and tell the disciples and Peter about Him? That was deliberate. He wanted everyone to understand that Peter was not "out."
God often reminds us of a time when He spoke to us in a particular way. We need to be reminded of our destinies some time. When we've had a rough time of it, sometimes all that keeps us going is knowing that God called us to it.
When we have communion, we need to go back to that time when we gave our lives to God. We should reaffirm ourselves to His purposes. It doesn't matter if we've denied Him, or abandoned Him. He just wants us back in relationship with Him. It's not too late to accomplish what He has for us.