If today's final devotional after 50 days
left you a little hanging, here is a little reflection based on John 21,
modified and expanded from my "Gospel of John, One Day at a Time".
(see https://johnoneday.blogspot.com/p/john-chapter-21-memory-verse-and-there.html
)
After the resurrection, the angels as well as Jesus told the
women that He would appear to the disciples at Galilee (see Matthew 28:7–8;
Mark 16:7).
So why didn't they go to Galilee?
Perhaps the disciples were too afraid due to Jesus's brutal
death and stayed behind locked doors in Jerusalem, even after hearing about the
empty tomb and His appearing to the women. Jesus even appeared to two disciples
on the road to Emmaus on the day of His resurrection (see Luke 24:13–32). The
Bible also indicates that Peter ran back to the tomb AGAIN, this time without
John (see Luke 24:12), and Peter apparently saw Jesus then (Luke 24:34). When
the two return from their aborted trip to Emmaus, Jesus had already appeared to
Peter but not to the rest. Then Jesus, who always "meets us where we
are" then appears to them all (except Thomas) in Jerusalem Sunday evening
after the Resurrection.
After this, they went to Galilee, taking “Doubting Thomas”
along with them. John 21:1 says that “Jesus showed Himself AGAIN to the
disciples at the Sea of Tiberias,” indicating that the appearance to Thomas
found in John 20:26 was also in Galilee.
Jesus went to Galilee because He had been so well received
there. People would have been most anxious to see Him alive. Therefore, today's
reading found in John 21 is the third appearance of Jesus to the disciples, but
not the last.
But didn’t Jesus also tell them to remain in Jerusalem? So,
which was it, Jerusalem or Galilee?
There appears to be a 40-day gap between Luke 24:43 and 44,
explained by Dr. Luke in his sequel, commonly called "The Acts of the
Apostles". Acts 1:3-4 explains, "Jesus showed Himself alive to His
apostles after His sufferings by many infallible proofs, appearing to them
during forty days and talking about the kingdom of God. And while He was with
them, He told them not to leave from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s
promise— 'of which you have heard Me speak,' He said."
Mark 16:9 says that Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene.
I think it is interesting that she appears in all four of the gospels but then
never in the rest of the New Testament, including Acts 1:14, where Luke
specifically mentions Jesus’s mother and brothers. 1 Corinthians 15:5–7 says he
was then "seen by Cephas [Simon Peter], then by the twelve [this must have
meant to include Matthias, see Acts 1:26, since Judas was already dead, and of
course Thomas, a week later].
"After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren
at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen
asleep.
"After that He was seen by James, then by all the
apostles."
Why James?
After He appeared to the 500, He went to His own brother,
James, who would later become a strong leader in the church. Although the Bible
never tells us specifically, He surely appeared to His own mother, Mary, and
the rest of His brothers, who are next seen in Jerusalem with the 120 disciples
in Acts 1:14 after Jesus ascended to heaven.
Who are "all the apostles"?
In Luke 10:1, Jesus sent out 70 "sent out
ones". “After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also
and sent them two by two … where He Himself was about to go.” The verb “sent
them out” in Luke 10:1 is “apostello” from which we derive the noun “apostle.”
Wouldn't you like to have seen the resurrected Lord? Read
Hebrews 9:28 about how Jesus will appear to those who look for Him:
“Christ…will appear a second time for salvation…to those who eagerly await
Him.” Hebrews 11:6 says, “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
James, the Lord's brother, wrote, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to
you.” (see James 4:8).
If you want to see the Lord spiritually, you must seek Him,
and He will come to you.
Pray this prayer to God:
“Father, I want to draw nearer to You, and have You come
nearer to Me. Reveal Yourself to me today as I seek You. Thank You for
rewarding those who seek You. Amen.”
/For all of the Fifty Days of Devotionals by FBC Killeen, go to https://fbckilleen.com/march2res/
