John – Page 16 – Be Still…

John 20:24-31 – Let Me See

Eight days have passed since the disciples saw Jesus behind locked doors. We learn today that Thomas was not there when Jesus appeared to them before. Thomas wasn’t going to believe his friends without seeing for himself.

How many times have we encountered people who need proof? Maybe it’s us. Maybe we have a hard time truly grasping all we read in the Bible. Maybe we are holding out for some confirmation that what we read is true.

John 20:19-23 – Jesus Visits

Read John 20:19-23

Have you ever been afraid because of your faith? You may have said, “No,” at first. That’s wonderful because there are many Christians around the world who live in fear for their lives. Yet, their belief is so strong that they would lose their life for Jesus. Let me ask it this way– when was the last time you shared your faith with someone?

That’s a wake-up call for some of us. We live a sheltered life, surrounded by other believers, and the idea of sharing our faith may be a bit frightening. We may not fear for our life, but there is some fear or hesitation that keeps us in our comfort zone. I’m preaching to myself here, but you may also relate.

John 20:11-18 – What are You Looking For?

Read John 20:11-18

Seeing white robed angels isn’t a common everyday happening, is it? Yet, our text would lead us to believe that Mary was okay with it. I might be a little shocked to look into an empty tomb only to find it wasn’t empty. How about you – would you have startled at least a little?

I suppose I should keep in mind that Mary was in the throws of grieving. Some may even say she was blinded by it. Especially when it came to recognizing Jesus. But when she heard him say her name, she must have thought she was hearing things. She surely didn’t expect to see Jesus alive! She hadn’t figured out this whole resurrection thing he had talked about.

John 20:1-10 – Where is Jesus?

Read John 20:1-10

Can you imagine how Mary Magdalene felt when she found the tomb empty? What emotions do you think she felt? Surprise. Fear. Anger. Curiosity. Feel free to elaborate in the comments. She couldn’t keep this to herself. She had to find Peter and the other disciples.

Where could Jesus have gone? They had seen him do so many miracles to help others. But he had died. He was buried in the tomb. Somebody must have taken him. Surely, there was no other explanation.

John 19:28-42 – It is Finished

Read John 19:28-42

Jesus’ mission is finished. He gave up his spirit and died. It was a holy moment. The whole earth had to be groaning. Did you feel like John rushed us through the scene? I need to take some time to just be still. If that’s you, too, shut out the distractions and just spend some time with your Savior.

There was no time for sorrow or lament. It was business as usual, just another day of executions. There was some concern for the upcoming Sabbath, and of course, removing bodies on the Sabbath would be work they were not permitted to do. I understand having bodies hanging there overnight was also not permitted.