Category: John

He has reinstated all of us…

John 21:15-25 (NIV)

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.

Peter was such a feeler. He was a fixer, and a feeler. He was both. He could fly off the handle at any moment, but was beautifully humble at times as well. I love Peter and his humanity. I identify most closely with him. What a beautiful soul. Jesus knew this as well.

As broken as Peter must have felt at this time, he never failed to tell and show Jesus how much ed he loved him. But these verses are not just about Peter. These verses are about the second, third, fourth, and many more chances that we are given to express and show our love for Him. He asks Peter three times if he loved Him. The answers grew emphatic and emotional as the same question came time and time again. Jesus was providing Peter and opportunity to feel the forgiveness, not just say it. Peter was a feeler you remember, and Jesus knew exactly what Peter needed.

We are given His forgiveness every day of our lives when we believe. We are forced to live in a world that is harsh and cruel and filled with death. As we walk this place, our great Advocate in Heaven watches us and is able to explain to God just how difficult this place is to be a human in. He is ever vigilant in His explanation to the Father about our sin. You see, Jesus lived as a man and knows what we feel and do. He knows how hard it is to battle this world of sin everyday. That is why He cane you see. He came to rescue us from sin. We no longer have to fear. We do have to battle, but we battle with armor and weapons that He gave us, not our own.

So rest tonight, knowing you are forgiven. Take comfort in knowing that this Friday, Jesus will lay down His life for you in forgiveness of sin. All of it. Past, present, and future sins. All wiped clean. Go to sleep knowing you are saved. Go to sleep knowing that no matter how far off you stray, even to the point of denial, He will be waiting for you. He loves you. He has plans for you. #JesusSaves

He is waiting for us…

John 21:1-14

Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.[a] It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus[b]), 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.[c] 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 was feeling something. He was feeling unworthy, for as you remember he had denied Jesus three times. He threw himself into the water.

Jesus asked them to join Him, they were weary of course. After all, was it really Jesus? What a scene!

Fish and bread. That is how Jesus incited them in. It was fish and bread. The symbolism is not lost, although it is the Son of Man that delivers this great meal, much the way He had done for over 5 thousand people previously. Now what?

Jesus instructed them to take the fish and bread and eat. There will always be more than enough. We are His children. We will always be taken care of.

Soon we will see.

Amen
Dk

BELIEVE!!!!

John 20:30-31(NIV)

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[b] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Life in His name. Life in the name of Jesus Christ.

Another translation called The Message, has the verse this way:

John 20:30-31 (MSG)
30-31 Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.

Just a portion, a percentage if you will, is written down for us to read. So many more miracles must’ve occurred in the lifetime of Jesus, but all we know are those that are written in the Bible. Imagine…ealing this earth knowing that you have seen the Messiah. That you have spent time with Jesus.

John, a best friend of Jesus, writes for us an account that enables us to get to know Jesus and understand His Gospel. Jesus is here for us. He was here in the beginning. He is with us now. He will be with us again soon. John wrote this Gospel for us to know He is coming.

Amen
DK 

Be still…

John 20:24-29 (NIV)

24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), 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.”

Is it OK with Jesus to doubt? If we go by the way that He treated Thomas, the answer is yes. Just tey and remember how many times you have asked God for a sign and as sure as the Sun shines…He answered. I know you must have at least one.

Sure, there are those times that you have asked and not been given what you ask. But I know this to be true…if you ask enough, eventually your want will meet His will. At that moment, all of the what is and why not go away. Now I am not saying that Faith plays no part in your life. It does. But so does doubt.

I have heard it said time and time again that it takes much more Faith and resolve to doubt than it does to take God for granted. Make no mistake about it, God knows your heart. It is this reason that Jesus returned to see Thomas and show His hands and scars. There was no anger. No rebuking. No chastising. Just love.

Thomas gives us a glimpse into how Jesus loves those who believe. Yes and even those that believe and doubt. Mark said it as well when he wrote “I believe, but help me with my unbelief.” Regardless of how sure you are that Jesus gave His life for us and rose from the dead, there is an area of your life that is still hungry to believe.

Faith the size of a tiny seed is enough for you to physically move a mountain. If so, then why aren’t we moving mountains today?

This week, ask God to give you time to move towards a higher level of Faith. Not through works, or deeds , or activities that you think are right because you see others doing them. Take time to be still, and realize what He has done for you. Be still. Be still. Be still. Love God. Love yourself. Love your neighbor. #JesusSaves

Amen
DK

Forgive others and Peace will come quickly.

John 20:19-23 (NIV)

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.”

Peace and Forgiveness. Forgiveness brings Peace, and Peace brings Forgiveness. That is the word of our Father, and His Son Jesus Christ.

The ultimate act of forgiveness was acted out through the gift of Jesus to us. He lived and died as a man. He now is our great advocate in Heaven, seated next to the Father. In this position, Jesus speaks on our behalf every day of our lives. He speaks to the Father in order that we can walk in freedom. Freedom from sin.

As He breathed the Holy Spirit onto the Disciples, He gave us the power of God. We were given all of His abilities and gifts, plus more. With this gift of the Holy Spirit, we are to walk empowered and righteous. We are not to walk in fear.

Our knowledge of this world does not matter. It is only the knowledge that we know not of God’s plan that brings us Hope, Faith, and Love.

Everything rides on Hope now.
Everything rides on Faith somehow.
When the world is bringing me down,
Your Love sets me free. #JesusSaves

Amen
DK

Let go of the flesh…

John 20:11-18 (NIV)

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 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.

At this time, Jesus had not yet ascended. His instructions were not to hold on to Him…yet. Once He ascends, we are then to hold tight to Him. That time is now!

We are to hold on to Jesus with all of our sttength. A strength built through Faith in the Risen Son of Man. The risen Son of God. He was instructing us to not hold on to the flesh. Instead, the Holy Spirit is what we should hold on to. The Risen Son seated at the right hand of the Father. The great arbitrator for us. The great communicator to God as to who we are.

It was Jesus that cane down from Heaven to rescue us from sin. That work was done when He gathered all of our sins and removed them from is forever. It is Jesus that commands us to let go of not only His flesh and bone, but our own. We are to release and surrender ourselves to Him. It is His great gift by which we are redeemed and made whole and pure through the belief in His death and resurrection.

He knows it is hard. He sits with us as we wade through the long tangly weeds of sin. He understands our pkight. He went through the thickest of it and has come out the other side with wounds to prove it. This is not an easy life. It is a life filled with equal measures of pain and blessedness.

Hold on to His instruction. Hold on to His gift. Hold on to our Savior Jesus Christ. His work is finished. Carry the burden as He did, forever knowing that His plan is perfect and tailored made for each of us. Believe that….#JesusSaves

Amen
DK

He is Risen…

John 20:1-9 (NIV)

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.

Running. Running to see what had happened at the tomb of Jesus. The questions must’ve been bouncing in their heads as they ran to where He was laid to rest. We cab be sure that doubt was accompanying them on their way.

Jesus had told them, but was it true. As men, as mere humans, they doubted. They did love Jesus with all of their hearts, but could this actually be? Could Jesus truly have been the Messiah. All through their walk with Jesus they had questions and made mistakes. The Disciples had stumbled and fallen, tripped and fumbled, doubted and cried, yet could this have really happened?

I can see them scratching their heads standing at the tomb, staring at each other in amazement or perhaps dumbfounded. Who knows truly what they felt. God does.

The plan was being fulfilled right before their eye. The stone rolled away not for Jesus to get out, but for man to believe. Sight is a powerful thing for us you see. Sight can rule us, if we let it. You must know, however, that Jesus did not wok in the rational human world. Jesus was active in the strongest faith to ever exist. He was God on earth. Creator in the flesh. His plan is perfect. 

Jesus is Risen! He lives now. He sits at the right hand of the Father, in preparation for His coming. He is coming. As this world edges closer and closer to His arrival, it will begin to fall apart. But do not be afraid and do not let your sight deceive you. The Son of Man returns for all who believe. #JesusSaves

Amen
Dk

Are you ready to help?

John 19:38-42 (NIV)

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.[e] 40 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.

The special care and preparation of Jesus’ body for burial is amazing. Even more amazing, it was done and taken care of by two men who secretly loved and believed in Jesus. Two men strategically placed around Jesus at this very time to ensure that the Son of Man would be taken care of properly in accordance with prophecy.

These two men, Joseph of Aramatheia and Nicodemus must have felt inadequate, unqualified, less than sure and pure believers in Jesus, and a bit wretched that they dizzy nothing to tey and stop what had just happened. Yet, they were chosen for one the most important jobs in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. These two men, ordinary men who struggled with belief and faith in Christ. Men who questioned the motives and truth of Jesus, we’re chosen by God to be a part of the most amazing event ever recorded in history.

So, let’s shift our attention to you and your job in the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Have you ever felt inadequate? Unqualified? Like a wretch? Join the club. We all have. But here is the beauty of that feeling. It means that Jesus has plans for you. That He is ready to use you to spread Kingdom Love. Ultimate and infinite forgiveness for all sin, provided you repent and believe in Him. It’s that easy. Joseph and Nicodemus did it, and they were under far more pressure than we could imagine. You ready?  #JesusSaves

Amen
DK

John 19:28-37 (NIV)

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,”[c] 37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”[d]

The scene is incredible. In order for us to truly believe, we have been given accounts. We have been given the testimonies of those that saw Jesus die in the cross. The testimonies come from all walks of life. Family, friends, and onlookers have played a part in this life saving act performed by Jesus Christ. Jesus is dead at this point. His body lifeless hangs on the cross.

In order for prophecy to be fulfilled to the letter of the Word contained in the Old Testament, Jesus had to die. He knew exactly what would happen, and where it would happen. He knew how it all would start. He knew how it would end. What a great Finisher Jesus is. He went through with it. Temptation after temptation were thrown His way, and He prevailed. He prevailed for all of us.

The only requirement…is our heart. We must love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind. We must love ourselves, and we must profess that love for ourselves through the way that we love our neighbors. That is the requirement. Love.

As we love and believe in Jesus, He takes us and leads us for the rest of our lives. He will bring people to help you and for you to help. You are to be a conduit of His love for you. You become a mighty link in the Christian chain of human existence. You then have real purpose. Begin today to walk with the love of the Father through Jesus Christ. He gave His perfect life for you and me. #JesusSaves

Amen
DK

Love…like Jesus!

John 19:16b-27

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.”[a]
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,[b] here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

Jesus, as God on earth, felt the love for His mother. So strong was this feeling, that He placed her in His most trusted man. A man that would care for her for the rest of her life. This feeling was strong. As strong as any longer He had felt. So strong that even as He was dying, He felt the need to have her taken care of.

The lessons He continues to teach on His way to death are amazing. Without a his presence as man on earth, He would have never fully understood our plight. Through this visit to earth to save us, He was able to understand the feelings of man. And as He did, He shared with us what we must do. We must love beyond what we thought possible. We must love more than we can ever understand. We must love like Jesus loved.

As He was sentenced to death He appointed someone to care for His mother. That is human. As human as it can get. The good news is that Jesus knows us, and as horrible as we were to Him, He saved us anyway. His love is our model. His love is our compass. His love should be our goal. Love like Jesus. Because…#JesusSaves

Amen
DK