Here are notes I had for that cheeky message I had yesterday:
Recap on the 7 Last Words last Friday:
Ptr Paulo – Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.
Ptr Alvin – Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.
Ptr Mavin – Woman, behold your son. Behold, your mother.
Ptr Poppo – My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?
Ptr JB – I thirst.
Ptr Val – It is finished.
Ptr Steve – Father, into Your hands I commend my Spirit.
We place so much significance on His last words before He lay down His life and gave up His Spirit… Now, shouldn’t we also put some emphasis on the words He spoke to us, starting the day the tomb was found empty?
Just as the 7 last words were in chronological order, so we’re handling the 7 first words the same way.
‘Mary.’
15 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.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).John 20:15-16
At the cross, He tells Mary and John: Woman, behold your son. Behold, your mother.
Here, in His first dialogue, He inquires to Mary, calling her, ‘Woman’… and then eventually, lovingly, calling her – ‘Mary.’
He didn’t say ‘Woman’ anymore, nor did she say ‘Mother’, ‘Hey’, or anything else: He called her by her name.
The resurrected Jesus may know us by so many titles, but He emphasizes that He knows us by name.
‘Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?’
That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”
25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.Luke 24:13-27
They may have heard His words as He suffered and died, yet they still had their own hopes ‘that He was the One to redeem Israel’ – that may have been why Christ rebuked them sharply – graciously, but sharply.
Christ suffered and died, and rose again – He entered into His glory. This means that just as He rose from the dead, He was also relocated from death into everlasting life.
‘Peace be with you.’
19 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.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”John 20:19-21
I wanted to take that last part (on forgiveness) because I thought you can put it in line with ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do’ – Well, in fact, I could say that the next time, now that I’m writing about it, no? At the cross, Christ asked the Father to forgive them. Here, the resurrected Christ tells us we can now forgive… as we have been forgiven. Something for next time.
But yesterday, what was on my mind was that if He called Mary by name, the first thing He tells the disciples, and on more than one occasion, is ‘Peace be with you’. We may not hear Him calling us by name, but one thing is for sure – however we encounter Him, He gives us peace.
‘Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’
38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them. Luke 24:38-43
27 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.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:27-29
Again, I was tempted to put ‘Have you anything here to eat?‘, in line with ‘I Thirst’… but I pointed out that just as the scars were proof of His suffering, I suppose His eating the fish was proof of Him, flesh and bones.
No, I think it was more appropriate for us to go with the line for Thomas… because it refers to all of us, here and now. I remember that one song, that one line we sing – ‘Though I have not seen Him, I love Him completely‘; That’s something only we can say and sing here and now, for we have not seen but yet believed.
I also pointed out that I believe Christ intentionally wanted to keep the scars on His hands, feet and side, just as we wear rings for engagement and then for marriage: They’re symbols of His love for us. The scars on His hands and feet are a remembrance of the once-for-all offering of His body, while the scar on His side reminded us of His blood. This was something only the begotten Son of God could do, and He did it willingly.
‘Come and have breakfast.’
4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 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. 7 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. 8 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.
9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 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. 12 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.John 21:4-12
Once He thirsted, now He feeds. The resurrected Christ, who has done His primary mission, still cares for us – guiding us to miracles, sure, but more importantly, caring for our daily needs. The One who gave Eternal Life cares so much for us that He ministers to our existence.
It wasn’t one time big time, it was once for all; and the miracles and the daily care are emphasis of ‘for all time’.
“Feed my lambs.” “Tend my sheep.” “Feed my sheep.”
15 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.” 16 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.” 17 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.John 21:15-17
It is Finished. Now what? Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep. Feed my sheep.
I just fed you. Feed each other. Care for each other, but do feed each other.
Love one another.
‘You follow me!’
20 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?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” John 21:20-22
You have a commandment. Come together, by following Him. Let’s stop bickering about each other but focus on the Living Word, that leads us to Life and the Word.
The Cross: ‘It is Finished’
The Empty Tomb: ‘It has Begun’
Praise God… because next week, I feel we’re going to be talking about 7 Last Words again… Christ’s words before His ascension.
Fast forward to Christmas, or maybe on the New Year: That’s when we can talk about the 7 First Words of Christ, in the first parts of the Gospel.
This is nice.
Until the next post, God bless us all.
Let’s continue to have a good, safe, efficient, effective and productive week ahead.
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