Series: Blessed Be
John 20 Events
*John 20:29 ESV
Philippians 4:4-7 ESV
Philippians 4:13 ESV
I don’t think we can begin to imagine what Jesus’ disciples and followers went through in the before and after days when Jesus was arrested, tried, convicted, and crucified. We can’t imagine what it was like after Jesus was arrested and crucified. Everything had been wonderful and then the bottom dropped out..
The “and” time in-between the before and the after would have been excruciatingly painful.
To begin with the last time they were all together before Jesus was arrested because Jesus had an idea about what was about to happen, and he was trying to prepare them.
John 17 is known as the High Priestly Prayer that Jesus prayed with them. In John 17:10-12a the verbiage always seemed like it was part of a song but it’s really very meaningful. Jesus said, “All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me.”
Also in John 17 Jesus made it really clear that of their own would betray Jesus.
Even though Jesus clearly said that, they didn’t understand what it could mean.
They did not see it coming.
The disciples had no idea that Jesus was about to be arrested. I would have been thinking, ‘how could they arrest someone who had healed the sick and fed the multitudes’?
Beyond the arrest, how on earth could the disciples have thought that Jesus could be actually put on trial and subsequently convicted after loving and caring for everyone he met?
It seems like an impossibility that the Roman authorities could have been so very threatened by one man that they built a case to end his ministry and life.
Why did they perceive him as such a threat to their culture?
Why was he a ‘danger’ to Rome?
Ultimately from our perspective we know everything that happened WAS used for good. We know if Jesus would not have been crucified, there would not have been a resurrection.
If there would not have been a resurrection Jesus would not have conquered sin and death.
If Jesus would not have conquered sin and death we would not have the promise of eternal life.
Without the sequence of events we would not today wrestle and struggle and decide to come to faith in the resurrection and the life that Jesus made possible.
If we did not wrestle we would not grapple with the events laid out in the Gospel of John.
Because we were not present when they took Jesus away and crucified him and we were not there after the resurrection, we are told the story and we believe. We believe it did happen. We believe Jesus was arrested, tried, and crucified.
We believe he died and was laid in the tomb.
We believe he conquered sin and death and he arose again.
Today, millions upon millions have believed Jesus conquered death and in doing so gave us the opportunity to have eternal life in Jesus.
So, really, in John 20:29 when Jesus said, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Because we believe but we did not physically see the event, we are called blessed.
I have to admit I didn’t used to see it that way. I used to think I believed it because others believed it and so I should believe it as well, but I no longer believe the event was just part of a story I was told when I was young.
That’s because when I personally walked through the fire, I was not alone.
When times got really tough Jesus stood with me.
When I should have ‘gone down’ Jesus raised me up.
Through the hard hard trials of life I came to realize that Jesus IS there. Jesus
DID conquer death. I know today Jesus really really does carry me when I can no longer walk on my own.
I guess I’m saying the hard hard trials were the real blessing because that’s when I knew beyond any shadow of doubt that it was Jesus who was carrying me.
Looking back I realize Paul’s words in Philippians 4:4-7 are true when he wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Because I have seen the face of Jesus at work in my my life I know, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
We CAN do!
Spiritual Practice: Hard Thing
Name one hard thing God has helped you with and be thankful for the helper!
In God, Deborah
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