Risen ... So, Rise!

On a Sunday morning, over 2000 years ago, a small group of women went to a tomb outside of Jerusalem. They went to complete the burial rituals of their culture for a man they had followed and loved. You see, he had been crucified by the Roman government on the Friday prior. He had been crucified because the Jewish rulers in Jerusalem considered him a threat to their status with the Roman officials and a threat to their religious heritage and traditions. (It actually took place by the sovereign providence of God). Due to the customs of the Jewish Passover, once sundown on Friday came, no work could be done until Sabbath was over. Therefore, the burial of Jesus had been hurried, incomplete.


When they arrived in the wee morning hours of that Sunday, the stone covering the entrance to the tomb was rolled away, the tomb was empty. In the midst of the bewilderment, 2 angels appeared and spoke to these women: “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” (Luke 24: 5—6) And everything changed—not only for this little band of women—but for you and me!

“He is risen” carries life-altering ramifications for us.
1.  It means that Jesus’ payment for my sin-debt was accepted by the God of all. God is just … and sin must be paid for. It was. Jesus put on my sin as one puts on a coat and God judged it … death … debt paid. The reality that God brought Jesus back from that blackness of death allows me to see that, truly, “It was finished”. What return can I make to the Lord for His goodness to me?

2.  Because Jesus is now forever alive … I can be forever alive as well! Ephesians 2:4 –5: “But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” It may be true that we are outwardly fading, growing a bit more frail year by year. But that has nothing to do with my real life. Because, inwardly, we who are alive in Christ are being renewed day by day, getting stronger day by day, getting more beautiful day by day. We are alive … now and forevermore.

3.  Since we are alive … why not live like it!? Paul tells us in the book of Romans to quit living as if we were still slaves to sin. We are no longer controlled by our sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in us … so rise up … live like it! Paul writes to the Colossian church (and to us) and says, “So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from His perspective.” (Message translation) So … rise up … you are forever alive … so live like it! How do we do that? Go to the book of Colossians and read chapter 3:1—4:6. Paul describes for us what resurrection looks like. He is painfully specific. And a resurrected life being lived out in our own 21st century will carry with it the same characteristics as the ones Paul describes in Colossians. Jesus knows about resurrected living … trust Him.

He is Risen

He is Risen … Indeed!

So … let us Rise Up

Let us live out, in our own lives,

The Reality of our Risen Lord!

Life Source - Week 12 - Day 3 ** Conclusion

We have come to the end of our journey through the gospel of John.  And I can close where I began ... I love this book!  For me, it paints the most beautiful picture of Jesus, Messiah ... my Lord and my God. 

I love to see again His compassion on people in pain.  It genuinely cares about the hurting and the suffering that exist in this old fallen world.  And it reminds me that He has that same compassion toward me ... in the places of hurt ... in the inflicted wounds which I suffer.  I find comfort there.  I find strength there.  That is my Lord!

It thrills me to watch His interactions with the ones closest to Him.  Those interactions are personal, intimate and non-judgmental.  Those interactions are focused on Jesus leading His followers into growth ... maturity ... God-likeness.  And it reminds me that He has has the same desire for me.  He directs me toward growth.  He shows me what it looks like for a human being to behave in God ways.  And He tells me to follow in His footsteps.  Imitate ... imitate as I become.  Copy until those behaviors are as natural as breathing.  That is my Lord!

I am sobered again at the cost He paid to have intimacy and restoration of relationship with humanity ... with me.  It leads me deeper into the place of gratitude and love.  That is my Lord!

As we close this study, it is April, 2011.  Easter will be here in 2 weeks.  This particular blog spot will rest for the remainder of the month.  The next study will be announced later in May.  But I have a suggestion for us for these next 3 weeks.  I plan to read John through again before this month ends ... join me?  There are 21 chapters ... and, beginning today, there are 23 days before the month ends.  Easter is late this year ... so we will be in the middle of the Passion of our Lord when our churches are reflecting on the same life-altering event.  Immerse yourself in the Lord ... let His words wash over you ... let His strength hold you up ... let His love encourage you ... let His gift of Himself save you. 

He came that we might have life ... and have it to the full, abundantly.  (John 10:10)  Jesus truly is the source of life ... the spring from which living water flows ...

His offer is life ... unending and full ... so, LIVE!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.
Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.  In Him was life, and that life was the light of me.  The light shines in the darkness ...
To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.  We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(John 1: 1 - 3, 12 - 14)

Life Source - Week 12 - Day 2 ** John 21: 15 - 25

Read John 21: 15 - 25

Have you ever failed at something?  Have you ever failed at something when you were dead certain that you would never fail at that?  Well, Peter knew such failure.  You read of it in John 18: 1 - 27 and we looked into that failure in Week 9, Day 2 of our study.  So many questions come to my mind as I read John 21.  Did Peter go back to fishing because he knew, after his failure, that he had no place as a disciple of the Lord?  Was he more subdued?  He was willing to go fish alone (John 21:3).  Did he think he only deserved to be alone?  But the others went with him.  Peter did have God-given leadership gifts!  People followed.  I wonder if that scared him now - post failure? 

In our reading today ... other questions surface.

Question #1:  Why did Jesus ask the same question 3 times?  There are different words used for "love" in this exchange.  Jesus uses agapao first ... then agapao again ... then phileo.  In Greek agapao is the word for God-like love ... the most supreme form of love ...  the selfless kind of love.  Phileo means love for brothers ... love for others ... brotherly kindness.  Peter uses phileo in all three of his responses to Jesus.  Commentators are divided about the significance of such word analysis.  In Greek you see these differences ... in Aramaic, the common language of the day ... there were no such differences.  So perhaps the questioning 3 times has another significance.  Perhaps Jesus asked Peter the same question 3 times to take him back to the the 3 times he had denied his Lord.  Perhaps it was Jesus giving Peter 3 opportunities to heal, to confirm his loyalty and faith.  Peter responded to the first question with boldness ... typical Peter ... "of course I love You!"  Same response second time.  At the third question, Peter submits himself, finally, to the wisdom and knowledge of God.  His SELF-CONFIDENCE had to be exchanged for GOD-CONFIDENCE.  Now he is ready.  Now the Lord can commission him to the task of church building. 

There are two possible responses to our failures ... we can wallow in self-pity over the failure ... or we can arrogantly deny that it happened or take any responsibility for its happening.  God wants neither response from us.  He would have you confront the failure, in all its pain, and allow the Lord to heal and bring relief.  Do you need to talk to Him about a failure in your past that is coloring your present?  If you do not allow His healing touch ... it will spread its ugly colors into your future.  Take it to Him today ... now.  No more waiting or hiding.

Question #2:  The second question that interests me from these verses is the question Peter asks Jesus.  After Jesus explains to Peter some things about his future, Peter wants to know about John ... "what about him?"  Was it just ordinary curiosity?  Perhaps it was a competitive spirit that existed between the two of them?  Jesus' answer is so enlightening!  In essence, Jesus says, "It's none of your business."  The lesson that screams from the page at me is ... Stop wasting time speculating about others!  Stop comparing yourself ... or your ministry ... or your circumstances to others!  That includes others that you love.  Stop comparing! 

Jesus' message to Peter ... and to me ... and to you ... is:

Your business, Peter ... your business, Gail ... your business, (your name) ... is to follow Me!
Your business, Peter ... your business, Gail ... your business, (your name) ... is to be faithful to Me! 

May you and I pay more attention to "our business" today.

There will be one final posting to conclude our study of John.  It will be Week 12 - Day 3. 

Life Source - Week 12 - Day 1 ** John 21: 1 - 14

We have moved into the final chapter of this splendid gospel of John - John 21.

It is interesting to note that some commentators believe that this chapter was not penned by John himself.  They believe that John died before his gospel was circulated to the churches.  In their view, the prologue (John 1: 1 - 18) and John 21 were added to John's gospel record by John's disciples.  And that John closed his writing with the words from 20:30 - 31 "Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.  But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."  Maybe so ... maybe no.  What we do know is that the prologue and Chapter 21 have been attached to the earliest manuscript fragments that we have.  And they do bookend this gospel account beautifully!

Chapter 21 has two primary foci:  first is the apostolic mission of the church and second is the restoration of Peter. 

Today we will consider the first.  Read John 21: 1 - 14.

In Palestine, on the Sea of Galilee, the best time for fishing was in the wee morning hours ... before sunrise.  Usually the fishermen would use two nets:  a trammel net or compound net.  This net had cork floaters on top and stone or metal sinkers on the bottom.  It would be cast into the sea.  Once a school of fish was surrounded, the men would then throw a cast net.  This net was about 10 feet across with lead sinkers.  It would settle over a school of fish and the fishermen would then tighten the net around the school and begin to haul the catch to the boat.  If in shallow enough waters, a fisherman might dive into the water to help manipulate the cast net.  (Could be why Peter did not have on his outer cloak.)  Very often, in the pre-dawn light, a school of fish would be visible to someone farther away than to the men right on top of the scene.  Perhaps that is why we don't find Peter and his companions questioning the stranger on the shore when he suggested that they try the other side of the boat. (verse 6) 

Was the catch miraculous?  Perhaps God pulled that school of fish together at that place and that time.  What we know is that it was abundant!  In Judaism, an abundant catch was a sign of God's favor and blessing.  I think Jesus was having a good time watching all this happen!  I can imagine him laughing out loud as the fishermen strained to manage the huge catch of fish - thoroughly enjoying the enormity of the blessing for these men.

Have you seen abundance in your own life?  You most likely are one of two kinds of people:  those who view the world through the lens of abundance and those who view the world through the lens of scarcity.

 O, Lord, how I want to be able to see the abundance You have provided in my life!  Help me, help us, never to focus on what we think is "missing" and focus on the plenty, the blessedness of "enough" that is from Your hand.

If there is symbolic significance in the number 153 (verse 11), its meaning has been lost.  There is speculation ... but no one is certain of any significance. 

And we watch our risen Lord cooking a breakfast for ones that He loves.  Such an ordinary task.  Such a daily task.  Can we watch Him doing this mundane thing and learn anything?  How do you view the food prep that you do for your family?  I want to transform my view from "burden" to "privilege".   It is a precious privilege ... to help provide sustenance for people you love.  Let's learn from the example of Jesus. 

I see a primary lesson in this first section of chapter 21.  And that lesson is:  "Church, cast the net ... let God draw in the fish."  Have you ever been guilty of pre-deciding who will be receptive to the message of Jesus and who will not?  Sometimes we prejudge people on appearance or lifestyle or demographic or a myriad of other criteria.  Let's commit ourselves to just casting the net ... always remembering what we learn from Isaiah 52:7 ...

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

Have beautiful feet this week!  And that has nothing to do with pedicures!!