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Posts Tagged ‘John 21’

The “These”

Posted in Bible Characters, Loving Christ, tagged on July 25, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught.” … After breakfast, Jesus said “… do you love me more than these?” – John 21:10-13 (Message Bible)

After the whole ordeal — three years of discipleship, the crucifixion, the resurrection, the emotional highs and lows — the disciples decide to go back to their normal lives.

Then Jesus appears and asks an important question — not just, “Do you love me?”, but “Do you love me more than these?” What are the “These”? The fish, the food, the fellowship, life as we want it to be.

Fishing was all many of the disciples ever knew before Christ. It was their trade, their hobby, their comfort zone.

Jesus wanted them to love him more than these — it’s the same call to us, the same question, “(insert your name here) do you love him more than these?

How would he know?

— fritz@langgang.com

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Jesus Still Visits

Posted in Christ, Explanations, Recognizing Christ, tagged on July 24, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Jesus appeared again to the disciples … but they didn’t recognize him … He said, “Throw the net off the right side of the boat and see what happens.” They did what he said. All of a sudden there were so many fish … [John] said to Peter, “It’s the Master!” Jesus said, “Breakfast is ready.” Not one of the disciples dared ask, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Master. – John 21:6-12 (Message Bible)

A strange little story here in the Gospel.

Jesus has resurrected and the disciples just go back to their normal lives of fishing, but with no success. On the shore a man shows up no one recognizes but when he tells them where to catch fish they knew this was no ordinary man — it was Jesus.

Though they could not recognize Christ by sight they did by his acts — and it is similar today. Jesus continues to show up! We go through our routines when suddenly we recognize God’s grace and provision.

You can tell it’s Jesus, it brings peace to a storm, supply to great need, true wholeness to great loss.

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for showing up in unexpected ways in my life. You always meet my needs when I obey you! Amen.

— fritz@langgang.com

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Resurrection of the Body

Posted in resurrection, tagged , , , , , on July 6, 2010| Leave a Comment »

“Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” – Jesus after his resurrection (Luke 24:39)

Jesus’ resurrection was not “spiritual” as we, today, define the term. He didn’t become a ghost and he doesn’t live in our hearts and minds like our departed loved ones; he was bodily raised from the dead.

This has always been a part of the faith. When the Bible says in Psalms 16:10, “neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption”, it’s declaring the Christ’s body would not decay like everyone else’s; pretenders can’t make it past the grave1.

Certainly the resurrected body is different than when it died; it could materialize anywhere2, was not always recognized3, is no longer subject to illness or death4, and is “spiritual” in the sense that it is not limited to this earth’s physics5. But it is a new dimension of physical that can still eat6, be touched7, and interacted with like any other physical object8.

The resurrection of Christ defeated our last enemy, Death9, and when Jesus returns our mortal bodies shall change to be like his.10

That is the classic “hope” of the resurrection, not being some disembodied ghost somewhere but wholy redeemed individuals in an actual place Jesus has prepared for us.

– fritz

1 – Romans 1:3-4
2 – John 20:19
3 – John 21:4
4 – Romans 6:9
5 – 1 Corin. 15:44 Not “a spirit” but “spiritual body”
6 – Luke 24:41-42
7 – Luke 24:39
8 – Acts 1:3
9 – 1st Corinthians 15:26
10 – Philippians 3:21

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