The Breakthrough
Introduction
Have you ever failed so badly that you thought there was no coming back? That moment when everything falls apart, when you hit the bottom and wonder if you’ll ever be whole again? If so, you’re not alone. And here’s the good news—your breakthrough is often just on the other side of your breaking point.
In the fourth message of The Journey series, we explored The Breakthrough—the moment when brokenness meets healing, when failure turns to restoration, and when we finally become who God created us to be. We looked at John 21:15-19, where Peter, after his greatest failure, encounters the resurrected Jesus and is restored.
Discussion Questions
1. The spiritual battle for our lives is a battle of identity. What are some of the more ridiculous ways you have identified yourself over the years?
2. People often get stuck at their lowest points because they let their circumstances give them identity. What are some examples of how people give themselves false identity?
3. We can sometimes confuse physiological causes for de pression and anxiety with spiritual brokenness or sin. How are these things different? How can they be related?
4. Read John 21:9. Peter had to face Jesus over a coal fire, a reminder of his failure. Why is it important that we take responsibility for our brokenness before we can be healed? How is Jesus feeding Peter significant?
5. After breakfast, Jesus led Peter away from the fire before commissioning him. (The context of verse 20 tells us this.) What’s the significance in doing leading Peter away? Why can it be difficult to leave our failures behind?
6. Read the last half of John 21:19. The first time Jesus said this, Peter was just a fisherman. Now, he’s the newly com missioned head of the church. To become who we were meant to be, what steps stand out to you as significant?
7. CALL TO ACTION: Memorize 2 Corinthians 5:17. If you are at the bottom, talk with someone about it. If you are on the other side, share your story with someone.