John 21:1-13
Peter and some of the other disciples were together at the Sea of Tiberias. They were no longer locked up in fear, but had gone back to the place of two great miracles; this is where Jesus fed the five thousand (John 6:1-15), and where He walked on water (John 6:16-24). Imagine the excitement of following Jesus each day, not knowing what miracle He might next perform. Imagine the emptiness the disciples surely felt when He was no longer there leading and teaching them.
And so we see the fisherman Peter, at the sea, back to doing what he had before Jesus chose him as His disciple - fishing. The others climb into the boat with him and spend the night casting their nets, but catching nothing. And as they fished, perhaps they reminisced. Peter himself had walked on these very waters! They had all seen the wind and waves obey Jesus as He calmed the stormy sea! Though Jesus wasn't with them, He had given them many experiences to think about, teaching to remember, a new way to live.
Daylight breaks, and on the shore Someone shouts to them, "Children, have you any food?" No fish, no food - empty nets and empty stomachs! The One on shore calls to them again, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." They don't know who this is yet - and since they've been fishing all night you can imagine that they probably have cast that net to the right a few times! But they cast it out anyway - after all, what do they have to lose? The net is so full of fish when they try to pull it out that they can't bring it all the way back into the boat!
What may have started as a dismal day is suddenly full of excitement! John realized Jesus was on the shore, Peter jumped out of the boat to get to Jesus as quickly as he could, the rest joined him as the boat came near. Jesus had breakfast ready - bread and fish.
Jesus didn't forget about His disciples. He appeared to them time and again, strengthening their belief.
Because we don't see Him, we sometimes forget Jesus is near. That He cares about us. That He provides what we need, especially when all our own efforts leave us empty!
Our lives are like the disciples' nets- empty when we forget Jesus and go our own way, full when we listen to His instruction for us!
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Believing, Though You Haven't Seen
John 20:19-30
Jesus is alive!
Mary has seen Him. Now Jesus would appear to His disciples!
Who are assembled behind closed doors, fearful of the religious leaders...
Think about the disciples situation for a moment. They were being blamed for Jesus' disappearance from the tomb. The religious leaders wanted Jesus to die...and stay dead. The disciples are in danger, they will be persecuted. And then Jesus walks into their midst, shows them His hands, His side, and gives them peace.
Peace from the anguish of fear, doubt and unbelief...
An absent disciple, Thomas, refuses to take the disciples' word that Jesus has appeared to them. Unless I, "...see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.", states Thomas. He wants to know for sure, to be given the same opportunity for belief that the other disciples were given.
Eight days later, the disciples are shut up again, and Thomas is with them. Jesus walks into their midst offering them peace. Then He turns to Thomas and says, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." Jesus was fully aware of the anguish of unbelief that Thomas was struggling with. He knew that Thomas wasn't satisfied with hearing about the experience of the other disciples, but rather wanted to see for himself. Jesus met Thomas right where he was, He wanted Thomas to be free of doubt and full of belief.
Thomas was! "My Lord and my God!", he exclaimed to Jesus. Thomas had seen and believed.
Then Jesus proclaims a blessing, "...Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
What is keeping you from the peace of Jesus?
Is it fear...doubt...unbelief?
Jesus knows. He knew what Thomas was struggling with, He knows the anguish you are feeling. And He wants you to believe every bit as much as He wanted Thomas to believe. You are precious to Him. The scars from crucifixion He allowed the disciples to touch - well, those represent what He did for you, too!
Jesus has left earth. After He spoke with His disciples one last time on earth, they watched as He was taken up into Heaven. (Acts 1:9-11) We do not have the opportunity to see His scars and believe. But that is not a bad thing.
To those of us who believe, even though we haven't seen, Jesus calls us "blessed"!
Jesus is alive!
Mary has seen Him. Now Jesus would appear to His disciples!
Who are assembled behind closed doors, fearful of the religious leaders...
Think about the disciples situation for a moment. They were being blamed for Jesus' disappearance from the tomb. The religious leaders wanted Jesus to die...and stay dead. The disciples are in danger, they will be persecuted. And then Jesus walks into their midst, shows them His hands, His side, and gives them peace.
Peace from the anguish of fear, doubt and unbelief...
An absent disciple, Thomas, refuses to take the disciples' word that Jesus has appeared to them. Unless I, "...see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.", states Thomas. He wants to know for sure, to be given the same opportunity for belief that the other disciples were given.
Eight days later, the disciples are shut up again, and Thomas is with them. Jesus walks into their midst offering them peace. Then He turns to Thomas and says, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." Jesus was fully aware of the anguish of unbelief that Thomas was struggling with. He knew that Thomas wasn't satisfied with hearing about the experience of the other disciples, but rather wanted to see for himself. Jesus met Thomas right where he was, He wanted Thomas to be free of doubt and full of belief.
Thomas was! "My Lord and my God!", he exclaimed to Jesus. Thomas had seen and believed.
Then Jesus proclaims a blessing, "...Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
What is keeping you from the peace of Jesus?
Is it fear...doubt...unbelief?
Jesus knows. He knew what Thomas was struggling with, He knows the anguish you are feeling. And He wants you to believe every bit as much as He wanted Thomas to believe. You are precious to Him. The scars from crucifixion He allowed the disciples to touch - well, those represent what He did for you, too!
Jesus has left earth. After He spoke with His disciples one last time on earth, they watched as He was taken up into Heaven. (Acts 1:9-11) We do not have the opportunity to see His scars and believe. But that is not a bad thing.
To those of us who believe, even though we haven't seen, Jesus calls us "blessed"!
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Why are You Weeping?
John 20:1-18
Sabbath is over. The gentle light of dawn is just replacing dark on the first day of the week after Jesus' crucifixion and burial. Women, followers of Jesus, who left the tomb to observe the Sabbath, make their way back.
It was the last place they had seen Him, and they couldn't stay away.
The stone is gone, and Mary Magdelene runs to tell Peter and, "the other disciple whom Jesus loved", that Jesus has been taken away. The disciples run to the tomb and see for themselves that Jesus is gone, the linen burial cloths lying there empty. The handkerchief that had been around His head, folded and placed neatly by itself. Jesus is gone...the disciples go home.
But Mary stays. She weeps. She stoops to look in the tomb and sees two angels sitting where Jesus has lain. The angels know where Jesus is. They know He is alive...
"Woman, why are you weeping?"
Because Jesus is gone, and she can't find Him. As she stands there, sad and alone, she has no idea that Jesus is alive, or how close Jesus is! And then He calls her name, "Mary".
Jesus is close to us even when we aren't sure where to find Him. He calls our name, wanting us to turn and believe that He is alive. To rejoice, as Mary did, when she saw Him risen from the grave!
Jesus told them He would, "be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." (Luke 24:7)
Mary, and then many others, would tell you He certainly did!
Sabbath is over. The gentle light of dawn is just replacing dark on the first day of the week after Jesus' crucifixion and burial. Women, followers of Jesus, who left the tomb to observe the Sabbath, make their way back.
It was the last place they had seen Him, and they couldn't stay away.
The stone is gone, and Mary Magdelene runs to tell Peter and, "the other disciple whom Jesus loved", that Jesus has been taken away. The disciples run to the tomb and see for themselves that Jesus is gone, the linen burial cloths lying there empty. The handkerchief that had been around His head, folded and placed neatly by itself. Jesus is gone...the disciples go home.
But Mary stays. She weeps. She stoops to look in the tomb and sees two angels sitting where Jesus has lain. The angels know where Jesus is. They know He is alive...
"Woman, why are you weeping?"
Because Jesus is gone, and she can't find Him. As she stands there, sad and alone, she has no idea that Jesus is alive, or how close Jesus is! And then He calls her name, "Mary".
Jesus is close to us even when we aren't sure where to find Him. He calls our name, wanting us to turn and believe that He is alive. To rejoice, as Mary did, when she saw Him risen from the grave!
Jesus told them He would, "be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." (Luke 24:7)
Mary, and then many others, would tell you He certainly did!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Finished, But Not Over!
John 19:25-42
Christ hangs on the cross...
Beaten, bloody, feeling pain most of us have no way of imagining...
And in the midst of His crucifixion commends the care of His mother to one of His disciples, tells one of the thieves hanging next to Him on a cross that He would see Him in Paradise that day...
Caring about people like us to the very end.
With His last breath He cried out to God, and it was finished. As He yielded up His Spirit, the veil in the temple tore in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, rocks were split, bodies of dead saints were raised out of their graves and appeared to many in the holy city! The centurion and those guarding Jesus with him proclaimed, "Truly this was the Son of God". Courageous Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked for the dead body of Jesus, then wrapped Him in linen and placed Him in his new tomb. A tomb of hewn rock, a large stone rolled over the opening. The stone was sealed. A guard was placed at the tomb, just in case His disciples came to take Him away - the religious leaders remembered Jesus' words, "After three days I will rise", and wanted to make sure Jesus stayed where He was! Women - followers of Jesus, took note of where He'd been taken.
The scene is dismal and dark. For many this is where the story ends. Jesus came, lived an exemplary life, and gave us an example to follow. Like prophets before, and those some would say came after, He died and was buried. It was finished.
Yes, the crucifixion was over. Yes, Jesus died. Yes, Jesus was buried. Jesus' obedient act that redeemed mankind from sin, allowing our relationship with God to be restored, was finished.
From the finished work of Jesus we have our beginning! "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:11)
The death of Christ brought us life!
It is finished, but it is not over!
Christ hangs on the cross...
Beaten, bloody, feeling pain most of us have no way of imagining...
And in the midst of His crucifixion commends the care of His mother to one of His disciples, tells one of the thieves hanging next to Him on a cross that He would see Him in Paradise that day...
Caring about people like us to the very end.
With His last breath He cried out to God, and it was finished. As He yielded up His Spirit, the veil in the temple tore in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, rocks were split, bodies of dead saints were raised out of their graves and appeared to many in the holy city! The centurion and those guarding Jesus with him proclaimed, "Truly this was the Son of God". Courageous Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked for the dead body of Jesus, then wrapped Him in linen and placed Him in his new tomb. A tomb of hewn rock, a large stone rolled over the opening. The stone was sealed. A guard was placed at the tomb, just in case His disciples came to take Him away - the religious leaders remembered Jesus' words, "After three days I will rise", and wanted to make sure Jesus stayed where He was! Women - followers of Jesus, took note of where He'd been taken.
The scene is dismal and dark. For many this is where the story ends. Jesus came, lived an exemplary life, and gave us an example to follow. Like prophets before, and those some would say came after, He died and was buried. It was finished.
Yes, the crucifixion was over. Yes, Jesus died. Yes, Jesus was buried. Jesus' obedient act that redeemed mankind from sin, allowing our relationship with God to be restored, was finished.
From the finished work of Jesus we have our beginning! "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:11)
The death of Christ brought us life!
It is finished, but it is not over!
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