Are you ready to see the King?
Our last five messages from John have been laser focused on the
King preparing the Way, for you to see Him.
Behold your King, John 19:1-16
The King on the Cross, John 19:17-37
The King in the Tomb, John 19:38-42
The King Out of the Tomb, John 20:1-18
And now today we see:
The Appearance of the King
The same day, Resurrection Day, the
day Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene.
Jesus was busy, this was His fifth appearance of the day.
He will continue to appear over the next forty days and then
ascend into heaven right before their very eyes.
And one day, He will return in like manner, just as He went.
Acts 1:11.
Appearances of Christ from Resurrection Day to
Ascension:
Mary Magdalene, John 20:11-18
Other Mary, Salome, Joanna, and
women, Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10
Simon Peter, Luke 24:34;
Two guys on Emmaus Road,
Disciples <less Thomas>, Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25
8 Days Later
Eleven disciples including Thomas, John 20:26-29
Over Next Few Weeks
Seven disciples by Sea fishing,
John 21:1-23
Disciples and many others on
Mount in Galilee, Matt. 28:16-17; 1 Cor. 15:6
James, 1 Corinthians 15:7
Fortieth Day
Disciples before Ascension from Mount of Olives, Luke 24:49-53; Acts 1:3-11
At evening, Jesus came looking for
His own, who were afraid, and hiding, just like in the beginning when
God came in the cool of the day, looking for His own, who were also afraid, and
hiding.
First day of the week; this
broke a nearly 1,500-year-old tradition, and started a new one that has
continued about 2,000 years, to this day.
From Moses to Jesus, God’s people met on the seventh day of the
week, Sabbath (Saturday).
However, after the Resurrection, God’s people started meeting
on the first day of the week, Son-day.
Doors were shut; the original
text infers the doors were locked up tight
Disciples were assembled; at first,
they scattered, but then they gathered, like sheep are prone to do. This is
good. God likes it. Jesus prayed they’d come together as one. John 17:11, 21-23.
For fear of the Jews; that
sounds funny, they all were Jews.
It’s like when folks talk about religion, when they hear
you’re a Christian. Then, they get that deer in the headlights look when you
say, “I hate religion.” They step back
like lightning is about to strike when you say, “God hates religion, too.”
But then they nod, or at least you pray they do when you say,
“God loves relationship and He loves you, and would love to have a relationship
with you.”
That’s what’s meant by Jew. The religious
hypocrites who crucified Christ.
That’s why you want to identify as a Christian, not religious, not a
denomination. Not a bapti-metho-luther-cath-ocostal.
Jesus came and stood in the midst, and
still does whenever and wherever we gather in His name.
Only this time, He was right there in physical form visible
to their naked eyes. He could be seen and heard and felt; He could eat. Yet, He
just appeared, without even opening the door.
He was in His glorified body.
All matter is made of cells; glorified bodies, like angelic
beings have miniscule cells too small for the human eye to see—so they can pass
through earthly objects like smoke through a screen, or water through a sieve.
However, if they need to be seen to the human eye, they can enlarge their cells
like blowing up a balloon, and voilà, they can be seen.
Not sure if that’s how it works, but it worked as an
explanation for the angelic beings in the novel, The
Voice.
One day, perhaps today, in the twinkling of an eye, we who are
in Christ will be changed, this mortal will put on immortality, we will put off
this body, this earth suit, and put on our heavenly garment our glorified body
and be able to do awesome stuff—superhero stuff—perhaps like walking through
closed doors; like riding white horses from heaven to Jerusalem. 1 Cor. 15:51-55; Rev. 19:14.
Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, or heart imagined, the
awesomeness the Lord has prepared for those who love Him. 1 Corinthians 2:9.
Peace be with you; this
was a common greeting; but this was far from a common meeting. This was a
Divine Appointment on God’s calendar.
Remember, earlier that day, He choose Mary
Magdalene as the first missionary of His resurrection. He told her to, “Go
to My brethren…” That was the first time Jesus called them, brethren.
Now that He’s paid in full “Tetelestai” the penalty of
sin and death; the divorce decree that separated them for 4,000 years, since
the Garden of Eden, has been torn asunder.
Now the family can be reunited, so now, He calls
them, brethren.
Now, finally, once again, we can have peace with God.
So, Jesus steps in, smiles, and says, “Peace be with
you.”
20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side.
Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
He didn’t hide His scars, He exposed them, showed them.
When they saw the scars, they knew it was Him.
Fear and sorrow fled.
The writings of old came alive like front page news.
“He was wounded
for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the
chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are
healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his
own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah
53:4-6.
Jesus chose to keep, to wear, His scars, not in shame, but
honor.
Richey got married in a whirlwind. Deployed before the ink
dried.
His wild bride was no military wife; she fled, not knowing she
was with child. She named the boy Ricky and said his dad was dead. Then, she
died in a wreck.
Ricky, became a ward of the state.
Richey became a war hero; wounded inside and out.
Through a Divine Connection, Mac, the boy’s grandpa, figured
it out and slid the wrinkled napkin across the table toward his son. “Call
him.”
Richey plucked his cell phone off the clip on his hip and
reached for the napkin and froze.
He looked at his hand. Three and a half fingers started to
shake. He felt beads of cold sweat on his forehead—his war-scarred and burned
forehead. He shook his head. “I can’t”
“Why not? God opened this door.”
“What gives me the right to step in and say “Surprise! Guess
what? I‘m your long lost one-eyed, three fingered, one and a half eared, freak
of a dad—miss me?”
Mac stood up fast.
“Stop it, Richard MacArthur Johnson, Junior! I’ll not allow anyone,
especially you, talk about my son like that. I love you more than life,
son. You are the most handsome man I
know. Those scars are only ugly to you. To me and to anyone who knows you
they’re badges of honor, of courage, of character and integrity and everything
else that is good in this world—even a blind man, or woman can see that.”
Richey made a small laugh, “It’s not a blind man—or woman—I’m
worried about.”
Richey stood, and dad and son embraced, and the angels in the
room smiled, and the Father in heaven smiled; and a little boy five hours away
wondered about the old grey-haired man he’d just met with the ocean blue eyes,
just like his own…and he smiled. (From The Voice. Chapter 25).
Scars may identify us, but they don’t define us.
The only manmade thing in heaven, are the scars on Jesus; the
ones we gave Him. He kept them, He wears them, as a badge of honor, in honor of
His great, amazing, unending, Love, for us.
We all have scars. Own them, don’t be owned by them.
21 So Jesus said to them
again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
Peace to you, He says a second time,
this is much more than a greeting, it’s an impartation.
He’s driving home the newest Truth. For the first time since
the fall of man, there can truly be peace between God and man.
Tetelestai. Sin debt, paid in full. Death,
defeated.
Without pausing He adds, “As the Father has sent Me, I also
send you.”
In other words: Welcome to the family, now help Me with
chores.
His plan is not to do everything for us—but through us.
He made a Way of escape, by way of His cross.
However, He didn’t pray to take us out of the world but to
keep us from the evil one, John 17:15.
In a way, we’re back to the beginning when He said, be
fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, Genesis 1:28.
Only this time it sounds like: “Go into all the world and
preach the gospel.” Mark 16:15.
22 And when He had said
this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the
Holy Spirit.
Notice, the repeated phrase:
20 And when
He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side.
22 And when
He had said this, He breathed on them,
His Words and actions flow as seamlessly as breathing, weaving
one after another.
He just gave them a commission; 21 As the Father
has sent Me, I also send you.
Jesus never sends us without equipping us. That’s what He does
here. Receive the Holy Spirit.
Speaking of the Holy Spirit He says in Luke 24:49; Behold,
I send the Promise of My Father (Holy Spirit) upon you; but tarry in
Jerusalem until you are clothed (endued) with Power from on high.”
Endued (Greek: enduo): to clothe
or be clothed with (in the sense of sinking into clothing; a garment).
Once again, He weaves us back to the beginning.
By breathing on them and saying “Receive the Holy Spirit”
we see Him in Eden, breathing the breath of life into Adam, and clothing
him from the inside out with His Spirit. Genesis 2:7.
Alas, sadly, it wasn’t long before Adam and Eve, shed His Presence,
His covering, His Holy Clothing, and found themselves empty, naked, ashamed and
hiding. Gen. 3:7.
Gen. 3:8, God came walking in the cool of the day, like Jesus
came walking into the room in out text today.
Gen. 3:9, God then asked, “Where are you?” because they were
separated from Him.
However now, Jesus states, “Peace to you” because they’re
united again.
What Jesus is doing, is restoring what Adam lost.
Adam took what hung on the cursed tree and we all became
naked, and ashamed.
Jesus became naked to hang on the cursed tree, so we all could
be clothed, and unashamed.
23 If you forgive the sins
of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they
are retained.”
Only God can forgive sins. Period. No pope. No priest. No
people. God only. Jesus is God.
Context is king when interpreting Scripture, and this verse must
be viewed in context with the prior two verses.
In context with the prior two verses, and in keeping with the
original grammatical structure, this verse is saying:
As we are
sent (21 As the Father sent Me, I also send you) by the
Holy Spirit, (22 Receive the Holy Spirit) we will lead
some to repentance, the forgiveness of sins, they are forgiven.
On the other hand, others will not accept the Holy Spirit’s
offer (through you) to have their sins forgiven, and their sins will
be retained.
So, when you pray with someone to receive Jesus into their
heart, you can say with authority, “Your sins have been forgiven.”
On the other hand, if a person rejects Jesus, you can say with
authority, “Your sins have not been forgiven.”
We pray, for much of the former and none of the latter.
24 Now Thomas, called
the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
Thomas was gone.
Who was his twin?
You? Me?
Did we ever doubt? Did we ever skip Church?
He skipped, and missed seeing Jesus.
25 The other disciples
therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So, he said 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.”
The disciples tell Tommy. Man, you should’ve been there, it
was awesome, Jesus showed up in our midst.
Which is what we can say, every time we meet. Jesus
promised, where two or more gather in My name, I’m there, in their midst. Matt.
18:20.
Tom said, unless I see, unless I feel… I will
not, believe.
He made a decision to doubt. I will not believe.
You can choose, to believe, or doubt.
Thomas skipped Church one time, and the result was doubt. Now
he’s branded, Doubting Thomas.
If he hadn’t missed that meeting, he might’ve been known as Honest
Thomas.
In John 14:1-6; Jesus said, I’m going to My Father’s house to
prepare a place for you. And where I go you know, and the Way you know.
Thomas was honest enough to say, “We don’t know where You’re
going, so how can we know the way?”
We’re glad Thomas was honest enough to say that because Jesus
responded with these wonderful words: I AM the way, the Truth, and the Life.
No one comes to the Father but by Me. John 14:6.
Or, perhaps he’d be known as, Loyal Thomas, or Courageous
Thomas.
In John 11:7-8, Jesus said, let’s go back to Judea. But
the disciples said, no the Jews there want to kill You.
However, Sir Loyal, Courageous, Thomas said, “Lets’ go and
die with Him.” John 11:16.
But now, Tommy plays hooky one time, and is forever branded,
the doubter.
Forsake not the assembling together of yourselves, especially
as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:25.
26 And after eight days His
disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being
shut, and stood in the midst, and said,
“Peace to you!”
Eight
days.
A whole week of listening to the banter.
Tom really, it was Him. It was Jesus. We saw Him.
Was not.
Was so.
Was not
Was so…
Finally, a week later, same scenario, they’re together, doors
locked, voilà, Jesus appears and takes His favorite place—in the midst
of them.
Tommy’s jaw hits the floor.
Jesus nods, “Hey Tom”
Tommy squeaks, “Hi”
Actually, Jesus opens with His new favorite phrase: Peace
to you!!
27 Then He said to
Thomas, “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
had heard the words of Tommy Boy and repeated them back to him.
How’d you like to hear Jesus repeat your words back to you?
In front of everyone?
By your
words you will be justified, by your words you will be condemned, Matthew
12:36-37.
Jesus looked at Thomas and commanded him to believe.
Therefore, believing is a command.
Doubt, is deciding to disobey (remember, doubting
Thomas said, I will not, believe. He, willed, not to
believe.
Doubt is a deadly choice. *2
Thessalonians 2:9-12*.
28 And Thomas answered and
said to Him,
“My Lord and my God!”
Now honest Thomas soars from doubt to declaring the Lord’s Deity.
My Lord and my God!
Can we honestly say those words to Him?
My Lord. My God.
This is the climax of the gospel of John, the gospel in
general.
This is way better than feeding the multitudes,
healing the sick, walking on water, calming the sea, signs and wonders and
miracles, this, is the purpose of all that—to change a doubter to
a Believer.
29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me,
you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen
and yet have believed.”
Because you have seen…
It appears, to believe, Thomas only needed to see, not
touch, not feel.
Also, there’s a blessing tucked in here for you. If you
believe, yet, having not seen.
So, we receive this blessing by making a quality decision from
this moment out, to say with our words and deeds and life and heart, without hesitation,
without doubt, I believe. I believe. I believe.
30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence
of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but
these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
There it is. The purpose of the Book.
That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the
Son of God, and that believing you may have LIFE in His name.
Not just believe intellectually like the religious and devils,
but completely clothed from the inside out, with an intense, intimate,
passionate, belief in Him, that can only be described as…Love.
Let’s pray.
Lord thank You for Your Life giving Word that is
forever settled in heaven, and ever timely on earth. Thank You for bridging the
canyon, between our fall and Your resurrection, with Your cross. Thank You for
paying the price, and making a Way for us to be family again. Now, we humbly
ask one thing, that You will use us, shine through us, scars and all.
We love You, forever.
Amen.
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This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you to
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