Closing out our journey through the Gospel of John

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter,”Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, ”Feed my lambs.”

16 Again Jesus said, ”Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, ”Take care of my sheep.”

17 The third time he said to him, ”Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ”Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, ”Feed my sheep.18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, ”Follow me!”

20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”)21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

22 Jesus answered, ”If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, ”If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

I like how Jesus waited until they finished eating before ‘reinstating’ Peter.

Peter was welcome at the table to dine with Christ even before declaring his love or responding to any call to feed his sheep

I’m not sure if Peter fully understood what Christ was telling him about the consequences of following him – but it couldn’t have sounded like good news.  Sometimes we need to go where we do not want to go.

“Lord, what about him?” – This is our question as we’re following Christ and things are tough.  We want to live out our unique divine calling, but we often get lost in comparing and wondering about others.

How about you?

Continuing our exploration of the Gospel according to John

1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.  It happened this way:2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymust), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.3 ”I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

5 He called out to them, ”Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No,” they answered.

6 He said, ”Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.  9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

10 Jesus said to them, ”Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.12 Jesus said to them, ”Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Peter went back to fish.  After following Christ for three years and being taught to be a ‘fisher of men’, Peter went back to fish.  To what he knew.  And he brought his friends back along with him.

But even has Peter returned to the familiar he came up short.  Ever been in this spot?

“Friends, haven’t you any fish?” – Jesus’ sense of humor once again – almost taunting them.

It was when they saw the great number of fish that they recognized it was Christ.  Seeing the miraculous reminded them of the God they once walked with.

While the disciples were out waiting for fish, it seems as if Jesus already had some on the fire.

Beaten, ridiculed, mocked, abandoned, and left on a cross to die.  Next scene – now we see him cooking up some fish.  Who kind of person or God is this?

Continuing our journey through the gospel of John

30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name

Two huge truths in this passage.

First, there is so much more to Christ than what is recorded in the Scriptures.

The gospel of John also ends with this statement

21:25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

Even in Christ’s short physical life on earth the world cannot contain all that Christ accomplished (though I wonder how that would apply in a digital age)

How much more would there be to the God of all eternity that is not recorded in the Scriptures alone?

Secondly, without taking one bit of the Scriptures importance away, John says that what is written in this book is that you may believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that you might have life in his name.

The Gospel of John is a story of the life of Christ so that you might believe and in turn find unending abundant life.  * note this doesn’t refer to life some time later only, but life right here right now.

Continuing our journey through the book of John

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.

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.23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymust), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.

25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. 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; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Then Jesus told him, ”Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Of all the words the resurrected Christ would have for his followers – it’s peace that he declares upon them, twice.  If we could imagine for a moment peace being the centre of Christ’s message – how does that shape you and the way you live your life?

It’s interesting that the Holy Spirit was breathed on them.  Very much like the Genesis account of humanity itself.  If the Holy Spirit is to be ‘received’ though – could it be denied?

v23 is also troubling as it elevates the importance of our own capacity to forgive.  Could we literally be damning others by our lack of forgiveness towards them?

Thomas couldn’t believe until Christ showed him his scars.  Maybe we need to begin showing our scars too.

Continuing our journey through John

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15 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.”

16 Jesus said to her, ”Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

17 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.’”

18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Okay – Peter and the other disciple ran into the tomb and didn’t see the two angels in white?  Or did they not appear until afterwards?  Maybe some sightings of the divine only occur when you wait awhile.

This is also one of the few accounts where angels are encountered and people aren’t in fear.  Mary just continues having a regular conversation with them – could it be her state of sorrow with Christ being missing?

Jesus asks ‘Who is it you are looking for?’ – Is this Jesus’ sense of humor piquing through, or does he just love asking leading questions?

At the moment Mary’s name is uttered – she realizes.  There’s something profoundly powerful about our name and those we love.

“Do not hold on to me” Christ declares – could there possibly be something better than holding on to Christ?  How many of us continue to cling to him while disobeying him?

Continuing our journey through the gospel according to john

1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there,7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

What an odd account.

Mary’s first reaction – Jesus must have been taken.  After all that time with Jesus and listening to his teachings, and seeing glimpses of his Godly nature, resurrection was not a sound possibility for her.

Peter and the other disciple’s are shown here as they make a mad dash to see if Jesus is really missing.  Sometimes we do need to ‘see’ to some degree before we believe.  Is there something you’re waiting for to take that extra step of faith wherever you are in your journey?

The oddest part is the way this passage ends – the disciples simply went back to where they were staying.  Could there be a more anti-climactic response?  Could it be the key here is that because they ‘believed’ that led them to returning to the task at hand?

The burial of Jesus

38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away.39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.t40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

God in human flesh is dead and buried here.  Some call this the holy Saturday, situated between the death and resurrection of Christ.

Too often we quickly skip over this awkward moment.  The moments between glorious sacrifice and victory.  How do we embrace and live fully in these moments of silence?  Of grief?  of death?  Of despair?

This passage seems to suggest a respect of what was and what is left.  Could you do that in times of hopelessness?  Could you do that as you cry out to a God who seems dead or lifeless?

Sometimes we need to finish what we started, much like Christ did.

Continuing our journey through John

28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ”I am thirsty.”29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips.30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ”It is finished.”With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other.33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,”t37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”

“It is finished”, Jesus declared.  What exactly was finished, was it simply his life?  Or was something far grander far most cosmic accomplished upon the cross?  Does his death line up with what he spoke of and the way he lived his life?

The Jewish leaders did not want bodies left on the crosses during Sabbath – It’s amazing how we can get particular about the wrong things.  Here was a human being (regardless of whether they believed he was divine or not) who was just crucified at their request – and yet in this very next moment they are still hung up on keeping their religious ways.

Blood and water flowed.  This is bursting with possible metaphors.

It’s interesting the way John records his account of Christ’s death.  Quite often in scripture you’ll see the writer talking about how a current event was fulfillment of something written in the scriptures in the past.  I wonder if they missed any other tie backs from their times to the old testament accounts?

And more importantly, I wonder if we miss how scripture is fulfilled daily in our own lives?

Continuing our journey through John

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).18 There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read:jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews.20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek.21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”

22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

24 “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,
“They divided my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.”t
So this is what the soldiers did.

25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, ”Woman,t here is your son,”27 and to the disciple, ”Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

Pilate made an honorable gesture in fastening the notice that Christ was the king of the jews.  I don’t think he meant it mockingly, but he actually believed it in some ways.  However, he still played a role in the death of Christ.

I wonder how often we do the same.  We acknowledge him with our lips, all the while, denying him by our actions.

You could say the chief priests had more integrity in some ways – they believed crucifying Christ was the right thing to do, and followed through on it.

I can’t even begin to imagine what this scene was like for Mary mother of Jesus.  How must it have felt to have your own flesh and blood, your own child you’ve nurtured into adulthood, wrongfully tortured upon a cross to the point of death?

Yet, upon the Christ you don’t see him ever looking for pity, or playing victim, his concern was for his family, or others, for the forgiveness of those who sought to kill him.

Is there something we can learn from Christ’s example?  When we’re hung out to dry?  when we’re suffering?  when we’re blamed buy not at fault?  when we respond to those who seek to hurt us?

Continuing our journey through John

1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.

4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”

6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”

7 The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”

8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid,9 and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer.10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

11 Jesus answered, ”You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”

13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha).

14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.
“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.

15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.

16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

It’s a bit odd the way the soldiers mocked Jesus.  I could understand someone just carrying out orders, but this was above and beyond.  There was hatred here.  The only other human emotion I could think of them having is some type of shocking disbelief of who Jesus was claiming to be.  They ridiculed him in order to express the insanity of such a claim.

Christ also seems to display a peaceful form of control and rebellion here.  His silence and his attributing of Pilates powers to God the Father shows a remarkable composure.

“We have no king but Caesar” – today we might think that the Jews here were outrageously misguided to have Jesus before them and pledge allegiance to Caeasar instead – but I’m guessing we pledge our allegiances in all sorts of places through our actions, our sins, and our desires, even when we know Christ is in our midst.