December 29

20 –  Mary (Miriam) goes to the tomb for ritualistic reasons – to tend to the body. She isn’t prancing down there and thinking, “oh boy oh goodie, I wonder if He’s up yet…!” No, she arrives and is surprised to find the stone rolled back, the tomb empty, Jesus not there – not anywhere.  And you do realize that the stone rolled away is for our purposes.  If it wasn’t it would lead to eternal ghost stories that skeptics would embrace more than they would Jesus Himself. But back to the original point, we know Jesus doesn’t need the stone rolled away to get out.  And He isn’t Yosemite Sam in there, alive and trapped and screaming, “let me out! Let me out of here!”

When Miriam goes and finds the Disciples, Peter and John bolt for the tomb. Again Peter is bold and stomps into the tomb – reckless as usual. Though John did get there first because he runs faster (and is determined that you know that!)  You gotta love that ‘boys will be boys’ factor.  When we read that the face cloth was rolled up and in place there’s a Jewish culture issue here that westerners don’t see right off.  When a Jewish man departs from a dining setting, if he is done and not returning, he throws his personal cloth (napkin) onto the table and you are free to clear his place setting.  However if he is returning, he rolls up his cloth neatly and lays it beside his setting. In the tomb, Jesus’ face cloth is set by the stone where He was laid to rest because … you guessed it, He Is Returning! John saw that and immediately knew Jesus was alive. But notice that the other disciples went home for they did not understand…  And Jesus told them ?how many times? about his death and resurrection in this last three years?! The disciples are like over-grown elementary kids in this regard; they can listen all day and, in certain ways, not hear a thing. It will hit them all eventually. It is rather touching that Jesus appears to Miriam first. She is going to be the most evangelistic about it so may as well tell her first. Does it strike you that she didn’t know the angels were angels AND she didn’t know Jesus was Jesus? Everyone was so resigned to his death being final. It was that gruesome a few days ago – we would have been the same way too.         Mary realizes that Jesus is Jesus when He calls her name.  btw, When did it hit you? When did you realize that Jesus is Jesus Christ the Savior? When did He call your name? Do you remember?       John records Jesus in two more appearances in this chapter. The Disciples are in a locked room still afraid because of the Judean leaders that would troll, find, and crucify (also!) the followers of the false Messiah that was just crucified the prior Friday. [This is one of the reasons Jesus had to appear to the women first – there was no death threat on them and they were far more free to spread the Resurrection news.   So Jesus appears to most of the Disciples — they are in a locked room and He did not use a door!  And they are happy as kids at a candy store to see Him. They later found and told Thomas who was resolute in his need for proof. We know what happened and we know what Thomas’ reaction was once he saw and touched Jesus’ scars. Careful about accusing Thomas as “the doubter”. His journey to faith came a little tougher than the others. But he never doubted again. And because he once doubted, and wanted confirmation, we never have to.  Thomas went as far as India in his journeys with the Holy Spirit; evangelizing for Jesus. His spirit and joy and soulish resolve to evangelize to the end had him raise up an army of feverish disciples that completed the task of taking the gospel all the way across Asia to where Shanghai is today! And Jesus did so many more miracles. None who met Him ever doubted anything again. Their faith was bolstered enough to invade and infiltrate and transform the Roman Empire – which they did in time. You can visit Thomas’ tomb where he was martyred with spears in Chennai, on the east coast of India.

21 – Later Jesus is found in Galilee.  John mentions seven of the 11 Disciples are up in Galilee (not 12; Judas Iscariot is gone).  They are fishing through the night, catching nothing then get advised to throw nets on the “right side”.  Have they heard this before? Have we? They pull in a record haul and this time the nets don’t tear.  Three years ago, they tore.  They couldn’t handle all the blessing – now they are ready for all the blessing the Lord is going to heap on them.  Keep that in mind: we need to be ready for more blessing before receiving more blessing. God doesn’t pour out so that it is simply wasted because we don’t know what to do with it.     Then Jesus has a necessary conversation that can be condensed to “Peter, you can’t trust yourself – but you can trust me.  You’ve been committed – you need to be surrendered now.”  Jesus tells him, 1] feed my lambs. 2] take care of my sheep.

3] feed my sheep.  Jesus is calling him to comprehensive care of the growing Church.  [1] When young lambs are fed they grow to sheep. [2] When they are full grown they still need to be sheered, taken to pasture/water and kept from wolves. [3] When they are secure in all this and full grown sheep –>they still need to be fed.  Peter is being called to life-long ministry … which he fulfills wonderfully.  And as John finishes his gospel he tells that Jesus did so much more that would fill the whole world were it all to be told.  However, we now know enough to believe with all our hearts and lives.  We also have His Word, this Word to take to the whole world.  Let’s do so.