The Love that Leads Us

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me” (John 21:15-19).

Peter is one of the most relatable disciples. He was introduced to Jesus by His brother Andrew… “He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas’ (which means Peter)” (John 1:42). He was skeptical and slow to follow Jesus at first, yielding to the Master’s call at a second encounter… “While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him” (Matthew 4:18-20). The rest of His time with Jesus was filled with challenges from the Master to follow Him more closely, to trust and depend on His word… “So Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘Do you want to go away as well?’  Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life’” (John 6:67-68); to walk with Him in holiness… “He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, do you wash my feet?’” (John 13:6); to trust His sovereignty over the storms and trials of this natural life… “And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’  He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus” (Matthew 14:28-29); to trust Him to defeat his enemies… “So Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?’” (John 18:11). Now, when He is about to return to His Father, Jesus called Peter a little closer. His forgiveness is evidenced as there is no mention of Peter’s denial. Instead there is a thrice repeated probing question… “Do you love me?” In His intimate confrontation and compelling invitation with Peter, Jesus revealed that maturing disciples will be increasingly motivated by the love that leads us.

Peter’s relationship with Jesus is a great illustration of the Master’s relentless invitation to all Christ followers to come closer and become His disciples. Like Peter, we all have followed Christ at a distance. But if we are maturing disciples that are growing closer to Christ, then our hunger for His word, awareness of His sovereignty, and trust in His protection are increasing as we draw closer to Him. Today, our Teacher, the Holy Spirit reveals that above all else, increasing love for Christ testifies that we are growing disciples and motivates us to imitate and reflect His glory to our world.

Love for Christ leads us to Him, as love led Peter back to Jesus… “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23). Love for Christ leads us to serve others, as love for Christ would compel Peter to feed and care for Christ’s sheep… “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Love for Christ leads us to live and die for His glory, as love for Christ would lead Peter to his own crucifixion… “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also” (John 12:25-26).

As we grow up into Christ our prideful, selfish, and worldly motivations are increasingly replaced by…

The Love that Leads Us.

The Work Christ Shares with Us

When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead (John 21:9-14).

I have been truly blessed to share in the work of the Lord for over thirty years now. Looking back over the years I have seen souls come to Christ, disciples grow in Christ, and His church advance in a crooked and perverse generation. The Lord has met every personal and ministry need along the way, though not without allowing the needs to humble me and keep my heart focused on Him. The greatest blessing along the way is that I know Jesus Christ better today than I ever have. I am convinced that if I continue in the special work He wants to share with me, I will know Him better every day until that day when I shall see Him face to face… “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). What is the work that occupies your energies today? Is it the work of God? I believe we all are called to share in Christ’s work… “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you” (John 6:27). In today’s text our Teacher reveals three qualities that identify the work Christ shares with us.

The results of the work are Christ’s… When we give Him the results of our work, Jesus adds to it and shares the harvest with us. The disciples had fished all night without success. When they obeyed the Lord’s instructions they caught 153 large fish! It is interesting to note that 153 is the numeric value of the expression The Passover (Ha Pesach), and also of the words Sons of God (Bene Ha Elohim). We are the sons of God… “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith” (Galatians 3:26). We are called to take the message of Jesus our Passover lamb to all the peoples of the world… “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15).

The risks of the work are Christ’s… The net did not break. The fruitless night did not discourage their hearts. Jesus prepared their breakfast and their hunger was satisfied. It's also amusing to note that the numeric value of the Greek words fishnet and fishing are also both exactly 8 x 153. In the Bible, the number 8 always refers to the Anointed One (Christ or Messiah) and to the anointing of the Holy Spirit. When we trust Him with the circumstances and people who come against His work, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit’s power will bring victory over anything that might oppose it… “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

The revelation of the work is Christ… No one dared ask who He was because they were convinced by the results Christ provided and the risks He handled for them. It is revealing to note that the Tetragrammaton YHWH or Hebrew designation for the personal name of God (I AM) appears 153 times in the book of Genesis. When we fully engage in the work of God, Jesus promises to work alongside of us… “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations… And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). His heart’s desire is to reveal His glory to us and to the world as we serve Him as fishers of men… “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24).

As we grow up into Christ the results are blessed, the risks removed, and He is revealed through…

The Work Christ Shares with Us.

The Lord Who Blesses Our Work

After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off” (John 21:1-8).

Jesus showed up again. Seven of His disciples had returned to their previous occupation, fishing. There was nothing wrong with their earnest attempt to support themselves by returning to their craft. But a significant thing happened. They were totally unsuccessful. They fished all night and caught absolutely nothing. Then Jesus showed up at daybreak. He asked a penetrating, convicting question… “Children, do you have any fish?” In calling them children, Jesus identified them as His disciples and sought to reassure them that they still belonged to Him. In asking if they had any fish, He forced them to confront the reality of their circumstance and confess their impotence without Him. Then Jesus gave them clear instructions and as they faithfully obeyed His word their nets overflowed with fish. The beloved disciple John was first to recognize the presence of the Lord in this event, and Peter was the first to react. The other disciples strained to bring the overloaded net full of fish to shore and when they arrived they were met by Jesus, the Lord who blesses our work.

What do you do for a living? The question is misleading. Disciples believe that God is our provider… “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). We do not trust our job to provide for our needs because we cannot have two providers. We cannot serve two masters… “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24). But the Spirit exhorts us to work in order to support ourselves and our families… “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living” (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). There is a tension here, a challenge to the earnest disciple to trust the Lord to meet every need while working diligently at the same time. The tension is resolved when we recognize that Jesus shows up in our work and we make Him Lord of our work.

Diligent disciples understand work as a calling or vocation. We define our vocation as the place where God uses our gifts and talents to meet the needs of others even as He meets our needs… “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?” (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25). The Teacher goes on to reveal that apart from serving God with our gifts and talents, there is no real fulfillment to be found in our work… “For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind” (Ecclesiastes 2:26). The Spirit promises that Christ will show up and bless our work done earnestly for Him… “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24).

As we grow up into Christ our jobs are transformed into a kingdom-building vocation by …

The Lord Who Blesses Our Work.

The Gospel that Offers Us Life

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:30-31).

With these words, the Author of the Gospel of John reveals His true motivation for writing this book. I believe He also reveals something of His own character to the earnest truth seeker. We know that the true Author of all scripture is the Holy Spirit… “No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21). The Spirit carefully chose John, the beloved disciple to record the words of this book… “Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?’… This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true” (John 21:20, 24). Working closely together as a perfectly synchronized team, the Holy Spirit and the Apostle John created this gospel to be a revelation of truth that will convict souls and compel belief. They also show serious disciples the importance of relying on the Spirit and gospel truth in our witnessing efforts. We must be faithful to share the truth of the gospel that saved us because it is truly the gospel that offers us life.

The Teacher reminds us today of our responsibility to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the world. The Holy Spirit has an overwhelming burden for the lost… “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). He lives in the heart of the genuine disciple… “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Galatians 4:6). Therefore, we have the same Spirit that anointed Jesus, compelling and empowering Him to seek and save the lost… “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). Those who are filled with the Spirit are also compelled and empowered to reach the lost. Like the disciple John, we are compelled to share His life-giving gospel with others.

What are the faith-compelling truths of the gospel? We find them clearly revealed in this book. The Spirit inspired John to write that God loves the world He has created and He wants believers to live with Him forever… “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The people He loves are separated from Him by sin and because He is holy, God’s judgment rests on them… “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36). Jesus Christ is God and came into the world to pay the price for sin through His atoning death on the cross… “The next day he (John) saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’… I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God” (John 1:29, 33-34). Fulfilling the scriptures, Jesus died… “But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs” (John 19:33). He was buried in a rich man’s tomb… “Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there” (John 19:41-42). He rose from death and calls us to share the gospel… “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’” (John 20:17).

As we grow up into Christ His Spirit fills, compels, and empowers us to share His gospel because it is…

The Gospel that Offers Us Life.

The Faith that Opens Our Eyes

Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:24-29).

Jesus showed up again, making a special appearance to Thomas, who was not present at His first post-resurrection meeting with the disciples. Thomas was with the disciples on that first resurrection night, according to Luke’s account of the report brought from the disciples that encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus… “And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together” (Luke 24:33). But Thomas left for some reason and did not return until after the appearance of Jesus. Thomas firmly believed Jesus had died. The Master he had followed so closely for three years had died right before his eyes at Calvary. He had trouble believing Jesus was alive because he had not seen him with his own eyes. Eight days passed before Jesus came a second time. And when He came this time, Jesus provided indisputable proof of His resurrection not only for Thomas, but for all of us who were not present that first night. Through the skepticism of the one that became known forever as Doubting Thomas we are shown important truth about the faith that opens our eyes.

We all know people that live by the proverb, seeing is believing. If we stop to think seriously about the logic behind this saying we will recognize its deception. There are many things we believe that we cannot see. I don’t see how all the theories of aerodynamics work together to get and keep a plane flying in the air, but I have often believed that one of them will get me where I need to go safely. Then there is the question about just how much we can trust our own eyes. What do you see in the image to the left, two faces or one vase?

God knows how difficult it is for our carnal minds to grasp and trust spiritual truth. In His providence He had Thomas absent from the original meeting so we all would have at least this one disciple we could relate to. When He showed up for Thomas, Jesus came supernaturally. The locked doors and solid walls could not stop Him. Jesus is God incarnate fulfilling His promise to be found by anyone that diligently seeks Him… “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me” (Proverbs 8:17). In the same way, Jesus promises to show up to anyone who earnestly seeks Him… “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).

The Spirit exhorts us to notice just how specifically Thomas expressed his doubt. He was clear that He had to see and touch the wounds of His Master. He would be satisfied by nothing short of a personal confirmation by Jesus that He was God. And Jesus was just as specific in His supernatural appearance to Thomas. Diligent disciples often need Jesus to show up just as explicitly as Thomas did. Jesus wants us to expect Him to show up and reveal Himself to us according to our need. He wants us to expect blessings beyond what our natural eyes can see. The Holy Spirit echoes this challenge through the pen of the Apostle Paul… “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus exhorts maturing disciples to live by faith that He will show up and show that He is God over the trials of this natural life.

As we grow up into Christ our spiritual insight and confidence increases as we mature in…

The Faith that Opens Our Eyes.

The Spirit that Quickens Us

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (John 20:21-23).

Jesus showed up in the midst of His disciples as they cowered in fear behind locked doors on that dark night and He brought a familiar word of encouragement… “Peace be with you”. He also brought a challenge. This was not a time to surrender to fear. It was time to get to work. There was a lost world waiting to hear good news and to receive forgiveness. The disciples’ time of personal training and orientation had come to an end. They were now to take the gospel to the world… “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). They were to be a reflection of their Teacher to the world… “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40). This was no ordinary task. Nothing like this had ever been undertaken by human beings. If the disciples were being sent into the world just as Jesus had been sent they would need the same power He had exhibited throughout His ministry. They would need supernatural encouragement to overcome the numbing fear that immobilized them. They would need supernatural power to demonstrate the presence and authority of Christ to a disbelieving world. Jesus was the consummate Teacher. He gave the disciples an indispensable gift that night as He turned their pity party into a glorious commissioning service complete with an introduction to the Spirit that quickens us.

To be sent like Jesus, the disciples had to be born of the Holy Spirit. Matthew recorded this basic truth about Jesus in His gospel… “And the angel answered her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God’” (Luke 1:35). Jesus taught the indispensability of this Spiritual birth to His future disciple Nicodemus… “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Disciples are born of the Spirit through faith in Christ… “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13). In that secret room the disciples’ faith in Christ was confirmed upon seeing their risen Savior and just as His Father had breathed the breath (spirit) of life into the first man Adam, the Son now breathed the Breath of eternal life (the Holy Spirit) on His disciples, and they were quickened, brought to life, and born of the Spirit!

To be sent like Jesus, the disciples had to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Luke makes special note of this truth about Jesus at the beginning of His ministry… “And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness” (Luke 4:1). Truth seekers note here that although He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Jesus was also filled with the Holy Spirit. Since disciples are becoming like our teacher, it follows that like Jesus we are born of the Spirit, and like Jesus we must be filled with the Spirit too. Jesus promised this filling was available to disciples that earnestly seek it… “And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Notice how carefully the Teacher chose His words to paint a vivid picture of the kind of Spirit-clothed life He wants for His disciples. To be sent as Jesus was sent we must be anointed or covered with the Holy Spirit (see Luke 4: 18-19). In another post-resurrection encounter with Jesus, He promised His disciples that were willing to wait for and seek this filling of the Holy Spirit would be baptized or immersed in the Holy Spirit… “And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, ‘you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now’” (Acts 1:4-5). Jesus made it clear that this lost world will be conquered by quickened, enlivened, empowered disciples who like Him are born of and fully clothed with the Holy Spirit.

As we grow up into Christ we share His gospel with a lost world as we are born of and clothed with…

The Spirit that Quickens Us.

The Savior that Still Seeks Us

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord (John 20:19-20).

It had been a very busy day for the Lord. He was raised from the dead, He left the tomb, He showed Himself to Mary, He commissioned Mary and the women with her to be His first evangelists, and He revealed Himself to two pilgrims at Emmaus. But His work was not finished. He had one more appointment to make, one more promise to keep. Nothing would keep Jesus from this very important meeting with His disciples. Though their fear moved them to huddle secretly behind locked doors, Jesus’ love for His disciples compelled Him to show up, enter into their fellowship, and encourage them. Today the Spirit of Truth leads us to a wonderful illustration of the Savior that still seeks us.

When we reflect on the basic truth of the gospel, that Christ left Heaven, put on flesh, suffered and died a criminal’s death, and rose again, we are impressed anew at the amazing lengths our Father went through to reach out to us. We are amazed by the truth that simple faith enables us to receive the benefits of His great work. We are forgiven and restored to fellowship with God through repentance and faith. We often forget that we are to continue to grow in our fellowship with Christ through faith too… “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him” (Colossians 2:6). We tend to create rules and rituals that we begin to trust to keep us close to God. We tend to neglect fellowship, replacing it with religion. Diligent disciples avoid this trap by nurturing our relationship with Christ because we know He still seeks us and longs to fellowship with us… “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me” (John 10:14).

Dictionary.com defines religion as a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects. Notice the perspective is on the persons and the beliefs and practices they adhere to or perform. Religion is about performance. Christian discipleship is about relationship and fellowship with Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit inspired John to introduce this truth at the very beginning of His gospel… “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Jesus came to offer a new religion but a restored relationship with our Father… “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13). Our original fellowship with the Father had been broken by sin… “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36). Although He fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies and promises of the Messiah, Jesus did not come to establish a new religion. He came to abolish the religious efforts of mankind by entering into our sinful world, paying the price for our sin, and seeking our hearts with an invitation to be restored to fellowship with God through Him… “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

It is interesting that Christ followers seem vulnerable to returning to the old familiar pattern of religion. Through the pen of the Apostle Paul, the Holy Spirit exhorted Christ followers in the Galatian church to avoid the sin of distorting the gospel with religious ritual and practice… “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel” (Galatians 1:6). Jesus taught His disciples to seek Him through God’s word… “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me” (John 5:39) and through prayer… “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). Jesus emphasized the foundational truth that He seeks intimate fellowship with earnest disciples by showing up and entering into the troubled lives of His fearful followers on that resurrection evening long ago.

As we grow up into Christ our faith will mature not by religion but by investing in fellowship with …

The Savior that Still Seeks Us.

The Gospel that Saves Us

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her (John 20:17-18).

It was a woman that had previously delivered the words of the serpent that brought death… “The man said, ‘The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate’” (Genesis 3:12). It was a woman that first brought the words of the gospel that brings life… “Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord” (John 20:18). What exactly was the message we call the gospel? Notice the carefully chosen words of our risen Lord. The Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle John to write very carefully… “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God”. These are words only the Christ could have spoken. These are words of hope and redemption. These are words of truth worth embracing and holding onto. These are the words of the gospel that saves us.

The One who descended was ascending. He conquered death by satisfying sin’s penalty… “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” (1 Peter 3:18). He loosed the grip of death and became the first to be raised to new life… “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep… For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:20, 22).

His Father was now our Father. Our broken relationship is restored… “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13). Our severed fellowship is reconnected… “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God” (Galatians 4:6-7).

His God was now our God. Because Jesus had so clearly demonstrated God’s sovereignty over death we can confidently surrender to and enjoy the blessings of the rule of God over our lives by declaring Jesus Christ to be our Lord… “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). The blessings of citizenship in God’s kingdom are now ours to enjoy… “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

The good news Jesus commissioned Mary to share with the disciples was that hope in life beyond the grave, intimacy with our loving father, and the benefits of being subjects in God’s kingdom are available to all who would hear and believe His gospel… “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:8-10). The Holy Spirit exhorts those saved by this gospel to live a life that reflects its power and glory to others… “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27). Following the example of Mary, the first evangelist, earnest disciples appreciate the benefits of the gospel and we are diligent to reflect its power to the unsaved world around us.

As we grow up into Christ we enjoy the blessings of and strive to be a witness to …

The Gospel that Saves Us.

The Love that Leads to Revelation

Then the disciples went back to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher) (John 20:10-16).

There was a very simple yet profound conversation between Mary Magdalene and Jesus early that resurrection morning. The encounter climaxed in a two-word exchange… “Mary” and “Rabboni”. This Mary was the first evangelist, first to share the gospel with the world. She is an excellent illustration of the journey from Christ follower into disciple. The Holy Spirit inspired John the Apostle to record this, the first encounter between the risen Jesus and Mary Magdalene in order to teach and encourage earnest disciples in every age. Loving Christ is the indispensable first step toward knowing Christ. Mary’s love for Christ compelled her to linger, look, and long for her Savior well after others left the empty tomb. Jesus met her there and revealed Himself to Mary because of her compelling love for Him. The Teacher exhorts us today to examine our hearts and to rekindle the love that leads to revelation.

Mary’s love for Jesus compelled her to faithfully minister to the Lord and kept her close to the cross where she witnessed Jesus’ death… “There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee” (Matthew 27:55-56).  Mary’s love drove her to accompany His body to the tomb… “And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb” (Matthew 27:60-61). Mary’s love for Jesus made her the first to discover the empty tomb on resurrection day… “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb” (John 20:1). The other disciples came, confirmed the empty tomb, and went away. But Mary stayed.

Mary did not receive supernatural power to do miracles like the male disciples… “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you” (Luke 10:19). Mary was instead known as one of the faithful women who served the Lord and His disciples out of their humble resources and personal energies. Mary was among the women who washed clothes and prepared meals for Christ and His disciples. These women got little visible return for their investment into the ministry of Christ and His disciples. Mary’s unconditional love for Christ was a beautiful illustration of God’s love for us, love in action meeting the needs of others, unconditionally… “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The habit of lovingly caring for the personal needs of Jesus brought Mary to the tomb before anyone else on resurrection morning. She was there to clean and tend to His body before its permanent burial. Responding to such a precious demonstration of the love He taught by word and deed, Jesus revealed Himself to Mary through an intimate declaration of her name and He further revealed His plan for her to be the Church’s first evangelist as He commissioned her to go tell the disciples the incredible good news that He had been raised… “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’” (John 20:17).

As we grow up into Christ we see and know Him better because our growing love for Christ is…

The Love that Leads to Revelation.