21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
Well this week, we have been in the room with Jesus followers. A gathering of grieving, wounded, disappointed, confused, and fearful disciples who needed comfort and peace and calm. We have noted that Jesus showed up to them, and with his appearance there was a sense of comfort and calm that filled the room because of Jesus presence, and power, and words, and peace and wounds and the overflowing and abundant love of Jesus that was so manifest in the room.
I would like us to end the week by also noting that comfort came upon these followers by the gift of the Spirit. Jesus didn't just speak peace to them, He breathed on them. And as He did, He said, "receive the spirit." And the same spirit that came upon these Easter People in the Gospel, is the same spirit that is poured out on all of us as we receive power to serve Jesus, as we receive power to see our situations and circumstances with certainty and promise, to see the ability of Jesus to bring new life into our most trying and difficult places.
I know I say the following a lot, but it is because it is true and I want all of us to live out of this truth. Whatever you're dealing with there is power through God’s Spirit for you. It's the same power Jesus gave his followers in that room. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead has been given to His followers for abundant living, has been given, so that we can do what we have been called to do. Did you notice in our reading that Jesus said a second time “Peace be with you!” and then offered the words of commission, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” John’s Gospel goes on to record “And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
I believe, even now Jesus is breathing on his people, breathing the Spirit into these moments, breathing life into his word as it goes out from faithful witnesses. And no matter what you're feeling or what your emotional state is like today, can I just remind you again what we have noticed this week, I believe that right now, Jesus is in your room, right where you are. Fear can not keep Him out. Locked doors can not keep Him out. Overwhelming hardships cannot keep him out. Jesus is there with you wanting to breathe his spirit on you, wanting to fill you with power and peace.
LET US PRAY
God, we pray for a fresh breath from heaven, a sense of comfort and calm because of your presence and your power and your peace and your wounds and your victory and your love for us. Amen.
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Now, this is an interesting passage, if you look at verse 20, they saw his wounds and were comforted. He showed them his hands and his side then the disciples were glad, the disciples were overjoyed, their gladness boiled over says one translation, their joy went to a different level when they saw his wounds.
Why would his wounds comfort them? For one thing, it gave them confidence that it really was Him, that He was the person who they saw die on the cross. They were convinced.
In Luke 24:39, it says, Jesus said “behold my hands and feet. It is I, myself.” I am the same Jesus you saw die. See my wounds, same wounds you saw on that cross. Then he says, handle me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have. Look at my wounds. Check them out if you need to.
They were comforted and calmed by his wounds. It occurred to me in reading this story that the last time they saw those wounds; they represented the worst thing that had ever happened to them. I mean think what they have witnessed and the blinding grief they were dealing with. Jesus’ wounds must have replayed in their minds over and over.
Now Jesus brings those same wounds to them and says, you thought life was over because of these wounds. I'm telling you, God has a plan. Frederick Buechner wrote that “Resurrection means the worst thing is never the last thing.”
Whatever we take to be the worst thing imaginable, God has a plan to reconcile all things, even to Himself. He has a plan to redeem it. He has a plan to restore it, and not even death can stop that from happening.
Calmed by his wounds. I believe Jesus was reminding his followers then, and you and me right now, that his focus was/is always on what He has done for us and not on what we need to do for Him. He didn't show up in that room and go, hey, you keeping any of the Ten Commandments lately? No, he said Peace be with you. Showed them his wounds, saying, it's about what I have done for you. Take confidence. Be comforted. My Easter People.
Isaiah 53:5 says
“he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Amen
19 It was evening of the first day of the week. The followers had gathered together with the doors locked because they were afraid of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “May you have peace.” 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. When the followers saw the Lord, they were filled with joy. 21 Then Jesus said to them again, “May you have peace. As the Father has sent Me, I also am sending you.” 22 When Jesus had said this, He breathed on them. He said, “Receive the Holy Spirit."
Yesterday we noted the disciples were calmed by Jesus presence, Jesus being there with them, changed their attitude, changed their situation, changed their behavior, and changed their world view.
The Jesus followers described to us in John 20 also were calmed by his words. For as He opened his mouth, He spoke the words, I give you peace. My peace, I give to you. The disciples were calmed by these words.
Take note, the circumstances didn't change. They were still very much in danger, and almost all of them, would go on to die deaths because of their commitment to Jesus. So, their fears actually came to pass, but they no longer had a reason to fear it. So, what they were facing didn't change, but the resources of his word in them was what changed them. He gave them the word peace.
The word Shalom is the idea Jesus is tapping into, and the idea of Shalom is a wholeness of well-being that comes from God giving you every good gift. Someone said that's how you could best define Shalom. When Jesus says, may God's peace be with you, Jesus is saying, may God give you every good gift, may God give you every good thing, may you be totally well spiritually and physically, may you in every way receive God's wholeness.
So far this week we have noticed that Easter People, WE, are calmed by his words, comforted by his presence.
May you welcome God’s presence into your life, and may God’s “Shalom” be yours. Amen.
19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
I like how the J.B. Phillips translation puts verse 19. It
says, in the evening-- so that means it's also dark. When it's dark out, it's
scary. When it's dark out, it's foreboding. So, when it was dark, when this
says they were met together with the doors locked for fear-- there was fear in
their hearts-- Jesus came and stood-- notice-- right in the middle of them,
right in the middle of them. They're huddled up, and He appeared right in the
middle of their circumstance and said, peace be with you.
What comfort Jesus’ presence must have brought to his grieving,
fearful, and disappointed followers. Jesus, their loving Lord, inserted himself
in the middle of their mess. It was messy, don’t you think? I really believe this
is a word from God for our country and for this world and for our church in
this moment, and for you personally that right in the middle of what you are
facing, of what we are going through is where Jesus shows up. Like He did when
the disciples were on the sea, he's going to show up right in the middle of
what you are facing. And when He shows up, I really want you to hear this, When
Jesus shows up you can expect to be calmed. You can expect to know peace. Jesus
will always speak those words “Peace be with you” and they will calm you.
The Bible says that Jesus showed up and the outcome was the disciples
were calmed by his presence. I want you to see in this text that the presence
of Jesus made all the difference, for how they went out was the exact opposite
of how they came in. They came in afraid. They came in all hunched over. And they
went out triumphant. They went out bold. They went out comforted.
Because Jesus is the Prince of Peace. What that means then
is Jesus doesn't give peace. He is peace. Jesus doesn't give us peace.
He is peace, and that's how He could speak to the situation in our gospel, the
words of promise: “I give you my peace.” In Ephesians 2:14,
Paul tells us, “Jesus, Himself, is our peace.” Peace is the presence of God. If
Jesus is the Prince of Peace and He is present in a situation, then even in
trouble, you can have peace. Amen?
So right now, right there in the midst of your situation,
Jesus offers his perfect peace because He is your peace. What I have discovered
is that in growing closer to Jesus, we are always moving closer to peace, and
we are calmed by his presence.
24 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5 The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. 6 Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to the hands of sinners and be crucified and on the third day rise again.” ... 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19 He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 and when they did not find his body there they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.”
36 While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 They were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see, for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 Yet for all their joy they were still disbelieving and wondering.
I read the following, “if you don’t have serious doubts about the Easter story, you’re not paying attention.”
What do think?
I mean, just read the story. All the stories. For while the four gospels have many variations in their account of Jesus’ resurrection, they are absolutely consistent on one thing: no one believes the good news of Jesus’ resurrectionwhen they first hear it. No one. And that includes Jesus’ own disciples, the ones who were closest to him and spent the most time with him.
The disciples doubt the women’s testimony. Look closer it is not just their testimony, they doubt; it’s even Jesus. In Luke’s account, the disciples hear and dismiss the women’s testimony, Peter ran to the tomb and confirmed that it’s empty, two disciples on the road to Emmaus were encounter by Jesus and have returned to tell their tale, and now… now Jesus has appeared among them and invited them to touch him to dispel any doubts they may have that he is real. And then Luke writes, "Yet for all their joy they were still disbelieving and wondering."
Isn’t that marvelous? That even after all this they still don’t believe. What is even more remarkable is that they can be both joyful and disbelieving at the same time.
You see, Doubt is not the opposite of faith. Doubt, in fact, is probably a necessary ingredient to faith. So, when we talk about Easter People, Resurrection People, “us”, we are not talking about the gathering of those who’s faith/knowledge is definite or certain. We’re talking about those people who have all kinds of questions and doubts but still find joy and wonder in this message of good news about new life.
How might we live differently if we acted like God’s promises were true? Maybe its just me, but I think, the promises of God are so familiar to most of us, we have heard them frequently enough, and therefore we don’t think about them and so don’t act as, or live as if they are true.
Think with me. If it’s true that God raised Jesus from the dead… If it’s true, that God promises to renew the whole creation and grant us new life… If it’s true, that nothing – nothing we’ve done or that has been done to us – can separate us from the love of God… If it’s true that God will not turn his back on any of us but always reaches out to us in grace, mercy, and forgiveness… If any of this (let alone all of this) is true, then how might we live our lives differently this week?
"At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
He asked her, 'Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?'
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.'
Jesus said to her, 'Mary.'
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, 'Rabboni!' (which means 'Teacher').
Jesus said, 'Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’' "
Something that we notice about Mary Magdalene is that 8 times out of the dozen or so times she is mentioned in the New Testament, she is surrounded with other women. "When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body." (Mark 16:1) She is always the first in the list. I may be making too much of this, but I wonder if Mary Magdalene was a leader in the early Jesus community. There is a tradition, in historic Christianity that Mary Magdalene, after the resurrection made her way to southeastern France and there continued to announce the Good News as an evangelist of Jesus.
Through her eyes, we learn more about who Jesus was. He found her in her darkest place and healed her miraculously. She was one of His friends and a faithful follower, supporting Jesus’ ministry with all she had to give. Then we read about Mary Magdalene following Jesus to what she thought was the bitter end. The beautiful part of her story is found in her not knowing that her Savior stood before her near that empty grave. There she was so overwhelmed by her grief that she didn’t realize Jesus was standing before her.
"At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
He asked her, 'Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?'
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.'
Jesus said to her, 'Mary.'
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, 'Rabboni!' (which means 'Teacher').
Jesus said, 'Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’' " John 20:14-17
Jesus says, Mary. She instantly turns at the sound of Jesus speaking her name. I want to tell you there will be nothing more powerful in your life or mine than when our ears are tuned to the sound of our shepherd's voice. John 10:27 says “my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they will follow me.” What could be more important than tuning our ears to hear our shepherd's voice, who each day calls us out and gives us the capacity to follow him?
Mary Magdalene showed the way, and she showed gratitude, she showed up and followed her Lord. Mary was someone who we see was invested in the story, the story of redemption, story of salvation, continuing to be told. May this always be the strength of our church, belief in this story, the story of Jesus, the story continuing to bring hope and transformation to our world.
8 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
Maurice Casey, the author of Jesus of Nazareth, supposes Mary
must have suffered from severe emotional or psychological trauma to deem an
exorcism necessary. She was battered and bruised, injured and in agony from the
suffering demon possession entailed.
We can only speculate what it was like when Jesus looked at
Mary in her state of desperation. Only He could have seen who she really was,
what she could become, regardless of her possessed state. He commanded the
demons to leave her. Though not many details are recorded about this event, her
name is among the few mentioned in the Gospels of those Jesus healed.
Yesterday we looked at Mary’s devotion and the way she
followed Jesus in faithfulness. That faithful devotion led to an amazing spiritual
experience and revelation. Today I want to point out that this faithful
devotion she showed was the grateful response for the healing, and new life she
received from Jesus.
It has been my experience that grateful people seek to be a blessing
because they've received a blessing. It is said that gratitude is never silent.
It's never invisible. It's never, well you don't know my heart. I'm a grateful
person on the inside. What I have witnessed is, if you're grateful, you'll
speak up. If you're grateful, you'll show up. If you're grateful, you'll stand
up. Mary didn't just say thanks to Jesus. She said, how can I help? What can I
do? What needs to happen? You obviously have needs. You need resources? I can
do that. I have gifts. I have blessings. I have means. I couldn't save myself. So,
I'm going to use what I do have to help you set others free too.
That’s been our response to God’s marvelous grace in our
lives as well. We say, don’t we? Here I am Lord, use me, and all that I have,
so that others may experience “New Life” in you too.
And early in the morning, through the dark, through the
risk, Mary shows up at the tomb with spices in her hand to care for her Lord
and rescuer. Why? She is so grateful.
And we, if we follow her story, recognize that gratitude can be seen all over
her life.
16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’
8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.
During this Easter season I have been doing a great deal of thinking about one “Easter Person”, that is Mary Magdalene. So, I would like to ask you to join me in looking at Mary Magdalene over the next couple of days.
Mary was a Jewish woman from the fishing town Magdala on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. Mark and Luke recorded the healing of demons from Mary’s life in their Gospel accounts. Luke 8:1-2 for example records the following, “Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. There Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out…” The healing that took place in her life through Jesus’ miraculous presence moved her to dedicate her life to follow Jesus. She knew she would not have the life she had, if not for Him. It seems to me, that Mary Magdalene lived daily the faith we all strive to achieve.
Mary Magdalene was a prominent figure in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. She is mentioned several times in the Gospels as a devoted follower of Jesus, Her name is mentioned 12 times in the Gospels, more than most of the apostles. She was present at his crucifixion and burial. On the first Easter morning she is also the first witness, evangelist, to the resurrection of Jesus. Mary was a woman of strong faith, and her allegiance to Jesus was unwavering. Her story serves as an example of faith and dedication. Mary’s desperate longing to be close to Christ and serve Him in any way she could became how she lived her life and is an example to all Jesus followers.
What strikes me in the Easter accounts is that the Risen Jesus could have appeared to any of the other disciples, but its Mary Magdalene who was the one to carry the resurrection message away from the tomb. What do you think, Lucky Mary, Lucky women happened to be in the right place at the right time? Was this experience some fluke thing?
I do not believe for one moment that Mary Magdalene’s experience was “right place, right time” or just “luck” or some crazy “fluke.” I believe this whole experience at the tomb and beyond was the victorious outcome of a faithful and devoted life to Jesus. She got to be the one to say, "hey world, Jesus is alive!"
So here is what my reflections have been leading me to think. I wonder if the outcome of faithfully following Jesus, is to put us in a place, giving us eyes to see, the signs of resurrection all around us. By that I mean to be able to identify the moments that the Risen Jesus shows up. Believe me, Jesus does show up!!
What is it we say in worship sometimes
“Surely God is in this place, Help me notice, Help us notice together. Amen"
24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and
who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.
25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did,
which, if every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the
books that would be written.
These are the final words of John’s Gospel. He wrote guided
by the Holy Spirit, he wrote knowing every word to be true (v. 24).
At many points in the Gospel of John, we see its purpose
stated outright. He tells us plainly that he recorded these things so that we
would believe and, by believing, have life in Jesus’ name. The very first verse
of John describes Jesus as the very Word of God. So, in a very real sense, to
read these words is to encounter Jesus. Above, at the very final verse (v. 25),
we see the results.
You know the fact that you are reading the Gospel of John at
all is quite amazing. Jesus sent His disciples out and put them to work doing
things like, well, writing the Gospels. He even prayed first for His disciples
and then for everyone who would believe because of their testimony (John 17)!
That means Jesus was praying for you, reader of John’s Gospel, in that moment!
Upon sending this writing out into the world, the disciple
became a teacher, a rabbi, in his own right and put his readers to work just as
Jesus had put him to work. So, the mission and purpose of John’s Gospel is a
cycle. Jesus put John to work. John puts us to work. People believe John 3:16,
and the cycle continues through to today until it now engages with you. So, what
now? Does this cycle end with you?
We have inherited a costly and precious truth. People risked
and lost their lives so that we could know it. Spread the word of Jesus’
resurrection yourself. I wonder if the reason the books of the world could not contain
all the miracles of Jesus’ ministry (v. 25) is because He is alive and still miraculously
changing lives today!
Know this, you are one of the miracles described in verse
25. Thanks be to God!!
18 “Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.” 19 He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.”
20 So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”
22 “If I want him to remain until I come,” Jesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”
23 So this rumor spread to the brothers and sisters that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not tell him that he would not die, but, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”
Historical tradition maintains that Peter was crucified upside down. This is likely what Jesus was describing in verses 18 and 19. How profound that the purpose behind this gruesome death was to glorify God (v. 19). Take that truth and compare it to your understanding of your experience of personal affliction. Have you ever been angry at God over the pain or difficulties in your life and wondered why He would allow you to face it? I am going to suggest something to us all in my next question which may not be what we want to hear. Here goes, have you ever considered that affliction, pain, difficulties may be part of what God uses to shape you into his faithful follower? That instead of looking for a way to escape the uncomfortable challenges we experience in life, we are invited to surrender, to lean in and patiently wait for God to do his shaping in our lives?
In Jeremiah 18, in the Old Testament, there is a beautiful image of God’s care and purpose. There we read:
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me. 6 He said, “Can I not do with you, … , as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand.
We walk the path that God has laid out for us purposely. I am not sure about your reaction, however, when I hear Jesus voice in verse 22 as He speaks to Peter, it sounds harsh in my imagination. What is it to you, Peter, if Jesus wants John to live his whole life until I come? Note Jesus words “as for you” in verse 22 as they focus completely on Peter.
Then, in verse 23 come these words, Peter, “Follow me.” The words to Peter in vs 21 are an interesting challenge to all Jesus followers. Do not, as Peter did, compare your life situation to another believer’s. Do not complain to God that you are suffering more than some other follower. No matter the cost, “as for you” Jesus says follow me, remembering “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand,” declares the Lord.
9 When
they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it,
and bread. 10 “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus told them. 11
So Simon Peter climbed up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish—153 of
them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 “Come and have
breakfast,” Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are
you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread, and
gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third
time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 15 When
they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you
love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love
you.” “Feed my lambs,” he told him. 16 A second time he asked him, “Simon, son
of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love
you.” “Shepherd my sheep,” he told him. 17 He asked him the third time, “Simon,
son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved that he asked him the third
time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I
love you.” “Feed my sheep,” Jesus said.
I remember
from childhood that charcoal fires take time. The beachside barbecue described
in verse 9 could be one of the most overlooked miracles of Jesus’ ministry.
Look at
the intimacy in this text. The resurrected Jesus knew it was a priority to eat
a meal with his disciples. He blessed them with overwhelming abundance that was
dragged in despite the fact that it was beyond their nets’ capacity to handle
(v.11). He lovingly confronted Peter and then restored Peter. It must has been painful
for Peter to be reminded of the three times he denied Jesus and failed to come
through on his bold promise, made that very same night, to die before he would
forsake Jesus. According to Luke 22:61, there is this little detail that always
moves me, it tells us that Jesus looked directly at Peter the moment Peter
denied him for the third time the night before the crucifixion. This act of
denial broke Peter. At this beachside breakfast, however, Peter is restored. Back
in his proper place. That’s what saving and restoration is, it means to be reinstated, to
be returned to your proper place among God’s people.
Notice that with each
confrontation and confirmation was a commission. Peter was put to work in
ministry. This is deliberate on God’s part. We are not to feel sorry for ourselves
over our failures, forever!! Rather, as I see the Bible's promises, we are to “rise
up and be healed” and then go about the work God has prepared for us in freedom.
Don’t we believe those beautiful words from John
8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” So, arise, Jesus
Followers, get to work, “serve the Lord with gladness and with praise. Amen.
After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples by
the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas
(called “Twin”), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others
of his disciples were together. 3 “I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter said to
them. “We’re coming with you,” they told him. They went out and got into the
boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 When daybreak came, Jesus stood on
the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus. 5 “Friends,”
Jesus called to them, “you don’t have any fish, do you?” “No,” they answered. 6
“Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” he told them, “and you’ll find
some.” So they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large
number of fish. 7 The disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the
Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer clothing
around him (for he had taken it off) and plunged into the sea. 8 Since they
were not far from land (about a hundred yards away), the other disciples came
in the boat, dragging the net full of fish. The whole scene had to be familiar
to Peter, the sons of Zebedee, and the other disciples.
This Gospel reading is similar to the moment at least three
of the Disciples were first called to be Jesus’ disciples in Matthew 4:18-22.
They were fishing when Jesus said to them, “Follow me.” You may recall they
just dropped their nets and followed. It was no small thing for these fishermen
to drop their nets.
For fishermen, to drop their nets was to drop their means of
making a living and take a huge step of faith to follow Jesus. In John 21,
though, we are told that they pick up their nets and go back to the things they
were doing before they met Jesus. It leaves us with the impression that it was
almost as though Jesus’ ministry had never happened. That the things they had
heard and seen had become a faded memory.
I wonder, does that sound like your life right now?
Have you picked back up the things you first put down to
follow Jesus? It happens in tough, painful moments in life doesn’t it? We return to what we know, what has helped us cope in the past.
Like Peter, drop all “your nets” once more.
Like Peter, swim the length of a football field (vv. 7-8)
just to be with Jesus again.
Here is what I know. Jesus loves you. He has plans to restore you. Thanks be to
God!!
24 But Thomas (called “Twin”), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples were telling him, “We’ve seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.”
28 Thomas responded to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Tradition
has it that Thomas was likely the missionary who first brought the gospel of
Jesus Christ to India. When I think of that I think of the surprise of
Christian missionaries who thought they were pioneering new territory in this
subcontinent only to find that believers were already waiting for them.
Today, Thomas’ body is buried in India.
The first words
of verse 26 are crucial to grasping the purpose of this bible passage. Why
would Jesus wait a week before proving His resurrection to Thomas? Certainly,
Jesus could have appeared to Thomas at any point over the course of those days,
but He chose instead to give Thomas the chance to believe his
friends.
Picture the
moment the other disciples told Thomas that they had encountered the
resurrected Jesus, only for Thomas to shoot them down with disbelief. I was reading
recently where Jesse Campbell says “This was arguably the first instance of
evangelism in the New Testament and it was initially a failure!”
Let’s notice
something about Jesus appearance to Thomas in our reading, again he does not
scold his follower for needing proof of his resurrection, rather he says “Put
your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my
side.” It us like Jesus was saying “Thomas here is the evidence you have been
wanting for.”
This is one of
those teachable moments though. At the end of verse 27 above Jesus offers a
challenge to Thomas, “Don’t be faithless, but believe.” Thomas does indeed
believe. In verse 28, Thomas responded to him, “My Lord and my God!”
I wonder
about the days between Thomas first hearing from his colleagues about Jesus
resurrected appearance, and the day of the big reveal. What might Thomas thought
life have been like?
I suppose we will never know that, but here is something
that we can know. With each day that passed Thomas missed out on a blessing.
Jesus words indicate as much: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet
believe.”
Today, we have
the opportunity to experience the very blessing Jesus described in verse 29. We
who believe without having physically seen Jesus are blessed. This, according
to verse 31, is the whole purpose to the Gospel of John in the first place!
Read, believe, and come alive in His name.
LET US PRAY
Jesus you did not abandon Thomas in his unbelief, and we are thankful that you will not abandon us to ours.
Our Lord and Our God, we confess our preoccupation with Proof. We confess our frequent failure to trust you. Hear us and help our unbelief, we pray.
19 When it was
evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together
with
the doors
locked because they feared the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to
them,
“Peace be with
you.”
20 Having said
this, he showed them his hands and his side. So the disciples rejoiced
when they saw
the Lord.
21 Jesus said
to them again, “Peace to you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.” 22
After
saying this, he
breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins
of
any, they are
forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Note the first
words Jesus spoke to them. Consider their purpose and remember their
background. Jesus knew (of course) that they had betrayed and abandoned Him. He
even knew about Peter’s three denials of Him the night of His trial, but He did
not bring up any of it. I’m not sure I wouldn’t have. We would not have been
shocked if Jesus had immediately rebuked them, but His first words were, “Peace to you.” In
fact, He said it twice (vv.19, 21)!
You see this
reminds us that Jesus’ heart toward us is full of mercy and grace and affection.
Look to verse 21 and see Jesus lovingly put His disciples to work. He is now sending
them out just as He was sent.
Then, verse 22
says that He breathed upon them. I want you to know that when God breathes this
way, the dead are brought to life. It is by the breath of God that the universe
was spoken into existence out of nothingness. This same holy breath brought the
vision of the valley of dry bones to its feet in Ezekiel 37.
Ask God for
this same breath upon your life today, well, everyday!
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
We prepare our hearts in anticipation of Easter. We reflect on the cross
and its significance. We feel the long, heavy pause between Good Friday and
Easter Sunday, waiting for the discovery of an empty grave and a risen Savior.
And then it comes. He comes! HE IS RISEN! ALLELUIA we say.
And then it’s Monday. Now What?
It
is a temptation to let down spiritually after Easter when the events and the
excitement are over. We are drawn back into the routine and commonplace
repetition of our jobs and responsibilities.
Sometimes,
even unintentionally, we tend to put Easter carefully back on the shelf as a
holiday until next year kind of like we do with the Christmas Nativity sets.
So what is
next for those who believe in Easter, in resurrection?
If there was ever a time for significant life changes, it should be the
Monday after Easter. Because Easter is a beginning, not an ending. That is essentially the theme of Easter Sunday worship.
It’s THE beginning, the fresh start all our hearts long for. It
is about the radical death, relentless love, and revolutionary power of our
God. The cross, the empty grave and the resurrected Jesus not only give us a
reason to hope for change, they give us the power to change. Resurrection
changes us.
In Romans 8 Paul reminds us: “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from
the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give
life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” And in 2
Corinthians 5:17, Paul writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he isa new
creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Perhaps
Frederick Buechner’s words are helpful, he wrote:
In
the end, God’s will, not ours, is done. Love is the victor.
Death is not the
end. The end is life.
His life and our lives through him, in him.
If Jesus’
death on the cross has been defeated by the empty tomb at Easter, what other
victories is God working on?
How
is God working in your life and in mine to bring resurrection and new life in
those “dark, dead places”?
Where does God keep showing up in our daily
walk now?
LET US PRAY
Risen Savior, may the power of your
resurrection, fill me today and for the rest of my earthly life. May the memory
of your sacrifice never be far from my mind. And May I be an example of your
unselfish love and care for all, today and every day. In your most glorious
name, I pray. Amen.
62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 "Sir," they said, "we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise again.' 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first." 65 "Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how." 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
This passage is the only text that speaks of the Saturday between Crucifixion (Good Friday) and Jesus' Resurrection (Easter Sunday).
Sometimes, I feel we rush to Easter Sunday and the celebration of Resurrection. I don't know how you feel about it, but I have found in my walk with Christ, that lingering a while at the cross, and the moments of Good Friday has become good practice to be reminded of Jesus sacrificial love for each all, and that this pause prepares me for resurrection celebration.
I want to invite you to watch and listen to the video below as a way to linger at the cross and the stand outside the sealed tomb and somehow by the Spirits presence step into the experience of the followers of Jesus. These moments today may just serve in GETTING READY FOR EASTER.
Look for things you may have overlooked in
the past.
Isaiah 53:4-9
Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
MARK 14:53-15:41
53 They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. 54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.
55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. 56 Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.
57 Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’” 59 Yet even then their testimony did not agree.
60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.
Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
63 The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. 64 “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
They all condemned him as worthy of death. 65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.
Peter Disowns Jesus
66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him.
“You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.
68 But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.
69 When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” 70 Again he denied it.
After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”
71 He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”
72 Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
Jesus Before Pilate
15 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.
2 “Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate.
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
3 The chief priests accused him of many things. 4 So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.”
5 But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.
6 Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. 7 A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. 8 The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.
9 “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, 10 knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.
12 “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.
13 “Crucify him!” they shouted.
14 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
16 The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. 17 They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. 18 And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 19 Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
The Crucifixion of Jesus
21 A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. 22 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 23 Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.
25 It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. 26 The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews.
27 They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. 29 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 come down from the cross and save yourself!” 31 In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! 32 Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
The Death of Jesus
33 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”
36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.
37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
40 Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome. 41 In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.
13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
“Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
On Maundy Thursday the church remembers the last evening Jesus shared with his disciples in the upper room before his arrest and crucifixion. Maundy Thursday marks three key events in Jesus’ last week: his washing of his disciples’ feet, his institution of the Lord’s Supper, and his new commandment to love one another.
The name “Maundy Thursday” comes from the Latin “mandatum novum”, referring to the “new commandment” Jesus taught his disciples (John 13:34). In other words, this is “new commandment Thursday.”
“A new commandment I give you, that you love one another.” Jesus, speaking to his disciples, continues, “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (John 13:34). When Jesus commands his disciples to love another, he chooses the Greek work “agape”, which refers to self-sacrificing love, like of a parent for their child, like God’s love toward us, “agape” also carries the promise of an ongoing and permanent welcome.
Jesus commands his disciples, then and now, to act in a loving way, to care for and serve each other as he has cared for and served each of us.
LET US PRAY
God of love, it is because of your immense love for us that you came among us to serve and to willingly suffer to give us life. For that love we give you thanks.
You have given us a new command to love each other. We ask that in all our thoughts and actions may we be your servants and reflect your love. We pray this in the name of your Son, Jesus. Amen
