Day 121 (May 1)—The Risen Christ Appears to His Disciples PRAY that you will be open to what Jesus means when He says, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” READ—John 20:19-21:25 OBSERVE—We’ve covered John 18:1-20:19 in our study of the passages common to the Gospels. In the events surrounding Jesus’ death, John parallels the Synoptic Gospels more closely than anyplace else. His account of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances adds a great deal to our understanding of those incredible days! v.19-23—Though R.C. Sproul cautions us against assuming that the risen Christ passed through the door and into the room where the huddled disciples sat (Knowing Scripture, p. 46), it’s hard to see any other intention from John’s language. He seems to be describing a supernatural appearance, though Jesus immediately calms their fears by showing His hands and side. Before the dramatic appearance of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Jesus gave Him to His followers in a quiet, but dramatic, fashion. Their spiritual power and authority as leaders of the infant church would enable them to exercise church discipline. v.24-29—We mentioned earlier that one of the reasons Thomas may not have been with the other disciples is that he was dealing with his own grief at disappointing his Lord (John 11:16). Though Thomas is a pragmatist and empiricist, when proof is offered, his response is perfect, “My Lord and my God!” As a message to future believers, Jesus emphasizes that faith is believing what is not seen (Hebrews 11:1), not requiring proof. v.30,31—As we noted in the introduction to John (Day 96), the great purpose of this Gospel is articulated in v. 31. Every part of John’s Gospel fits into this purpose. 21:1-14—It seems like the disciples weren’t exactly sure what they were to do after they met the risen Lord, so they did what was natural and went fishing. It’s no mystery why John recognized that it was Jesus on the shore. The circumstances were very similar to what they had experienced three years before (Luke 5:5-7). v.15-17—There is a wonderful parallelism in the way Jesus restores Peter. Just as “The Rock” denied Jesus three times when he turned to jelly in the courtyard, he is asked three times to affirm his love for the Master. Christ’s initial question, “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” is difficult to pinpoint. Jesus could mean: 1) Do you love me more than the other disciples love me? It would seem odd that Jesus was asking Peter to compare his love with another person’s. 2) Do you love me more than you love the other disciples? This is possible, for Jesus commanded us to love Him more than anyone else and Peter’s connection with the other disciples seems to be solidly established despite his denial. 3) Do you love me more than you love these boats and nets? It might have been a temptation for Peter to return to the simple life of fishing rather than the complicated path of following Christ. It’s impossible to be sure what Jesus meant, but options 2 and 3 seem more likely. Some commentators make a big deal about the fact that John changes the Greek words for love (from agape to phileo) and sheep (from arnia— lambs—to probata—sheep) in the three questions, but it was his common practice as a writer to vary his language when describing something. For example, his title as Beloved Disciple is sometimes agape and sometimes phileo. The variation isn’t meant to describe someone or something different. Key things to note in this dialogue is that Peter knew who Jesus was— “Lord, you know all things”—and Jesus makes it clear that a way we show our love for Him is by taking care of His children. v.18,19—Jesus predicts that Peter’s life will end as His Master’s did, at a cross. Tradition says that Peter was crucified in Rome in the mid-60s A.D., asking to be crucified upside down because he didn’t feel worthy to die in the same way as his Lord. The verb tense of “Follow me!” has the force of, “Keep on following me!” “Peter had followed Christ, but not continuously in the past. For the future he was to follow steadfastly in the ways of the Lord” (Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, p.877). v.20-24—Jesus doesn’t tell us anyone’s story but our own (a fact C.S. Lewis emphasizes in his Chronicles of Narnia). According to tradition, John was the only disciple who was not martyred, dying in exile on the island of Patmos at the end of the first century. It appears that someone other than John wrote the last phrase of v. 24. It was most likely an elder from the church at Ephesus, where John served for many years. v.25—As we close our study of the Gospels, it’s interesting to consider that these books are only snapshots of the Savior. The Gospel writers selected stories from Jesus’ life that most conveyed the message the Spirit wanted to communicate through them. Jesus’ life was far richer than even these rich portrayals. Maybe we’ll see the videos in heaven! APPLY 20:29—Do you have the faith to believe that God is at work even when you don’t see it? 21:15-17—How does Jesus want you to take care of His sheep? Is there a ministry in the church that you are gifted to fill which involves caring for people? MEMORIZE John 21:25 to remember that Jesus is always bigger than we picture Him. PRAY—Praise God that He is gracious to forgive and restore us; Confess the times you’ve betrayed Him; Thank God for the Gospels and that He provides more than we expect; Ask God to direct you to that caring ministry He has prepared for you TELL someone that you love Jesus without using words, by caring for them. Day 122 (May 2)—The Acts of the Holy Spirit PRAY that you would have a fresh experience of the Holy Spirit as you study Acts. READ—Acts 1:1-26 OBSERVE—Acts is the sequel to Luke’s Gospel. The message of Acts is a confirmation of what Jesus promised in John—His ministry would continue in the church by the power of His Holy Spirit. Though the familiar name of this book is “The Acts of the Apostles,” it is more profoundly “The Acts of the Holy Spirit” because the book records what happens when the Holy Spirit fills people to overflowing. E. M Blaiklock gives a stirring overview of Acts in his commentary. “The story moves rapidly from episode to episode. It shows the church in birth and being, in experiment and action, as devoted minds sought after and apprehended truth, shaping policy and purpose in the process. It reveals the growing vitality of the Christian faith as it outgrew prejudice and limitation. It tells of men, who had known horizons little wider than those of Palestine, conceiving bold projects of world evangelism, and moving out in the strength of indomitable faith to reach the nations with their story” (The Acts of the Apostles, p.11). Dr. Luke probably wrote this book sometime between 60 and 70 A.D. A unique aspect of Acts is the first-person narrative in several chapters (16:10-17, 20:5-21:18 and 27:1-28:16). Luke was an eyewitness to much of what he wrote and would have heard direct reports from Paul, Peter and the other apostles about the rest. v.1-3—Theophilus (“lover of God”) is referred to as “most excellent Theophilus” in Luke 1:4. It’s very likely that he was a Roman official who was either a committed Christian or a serious inquirer. Verses 2 and 3 are a summary of the end of Luke. v.4-8—This is the first time we read of Jesus’ promise that they would be “baptized with the Holy Spirit.” The disciples are still somewhat bound by their pre-Christian worldview. They want the glory of Israel to be restored by her Messiah. Jesus suggests that this will happen at His return, but they should be more concerned about what they do before then. He doesn’t suggest that they consider sharing the gospel. He says, “You will be my witnesses.” They (and we) are to begin where they are (Jerusalem) and move out from there to the surrounding area (Judea) to another area in the same country (Samaria) and finally to the entire world. v.9-11—In Scripture a cloud is a sign of the presence of God. The two men in white might be the same angels who were at the empty tomb (Luke 24:4). They indicate that Christ’s return will be bodily and visible, just as His ascension. v.12-14—The list of the eleven disciples, soon to be apostles (“those sent out”) includes “Judas son of James.” This is a name we haven’t seen before. It is most likely the one called Thaddeus (“big chest”) in the Synoptics. Judas was a very common name. He was probably given a nickname to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot. With the passing of the betrayer, he reclaimed his given name.