Here is a readers’ theatre setting of John 21: 1-19,
where the resurrected Jesus appears to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee.
Readers’
Theatre: John 21: 1-19
Narr: Jesus appeared again to the disciples
beside the Sea of Galilee.
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,
Peter: I’m going fishing.
Narr: We’ll come, too,” the other disciples 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,
Jesus: Friends, have you caught any fish?
Peter: No, none at all.
Jesus:
Throw out your net on the right-hand side
of the boat,
and you’ll get some!
Narr: 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, 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.
Jesus: Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught.
Narr: So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the
net to the shore.
There were 153 large fish, and yet the net
hadn’t torn.
Jesus: Now come and have some breakfast!
Narr: 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.
After breakfast Jesus asked Simon
Peter,
Jesus: Simon son of John, do you love me more than
these?
Peter: Yes, Lord, you know I love you.
Jesus: Then feed my lambs.
Narr: Jesus repeated the question:
Jesus: Simon son of John, do you love me?
Peter: Yes, Lord, you know I love you.
Jesus: Then take care of my sheep,
Narr: A third time he asked him,
Jesus: Simon son of John, do you love me?
Narr: Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the
question a third time.
Peter: Lord, you know everything.
You know that I love you.
Jesus: 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.
Narr: Jesus said this to let him know
by what kind of death he would glorify God.
Then Jesus told him,
Jesus: Follow me.
