Episode 249: John 20

Today's meditation is on John Chapter 20

It was still dark that early Sunday morning as Mary Magdalene made her way to the tomb. When she arrived, she found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance and the tomb was empty. She quickly ran to find Peter and John and told them Jesus's body was gone.

They both ran to the tomb. John outran Peter, and got there first. He stooped and looked into the tomb, but didn't go in. He saw the linen in which Jesus had been wrapped. Peter caught up to John and went inside the tomb. The linen wrappings were lying there, and the cloth that had covered his head was folded up and lying separately from the other wrappings. John entered the tomb and looked as well.

Suddenly, the scriptures and the prophecies Jesus himself had spoken to them, were clear. They had been mourning his death. But he had risen, just as he said he would.

I try to put myself in their place. It certainly would have been difficult to comprehend. Even now, with all of the historical evidence, and the biblical testimonies, so many people still do not believe.

Scripture simply tells us they went home. I wonder if they talked about what they had seen and what it meant. And I'm sure they wondered what would happen next.

Mary was still standing outside the tomb crying. She stooped and looked in, I'm sure expecting to see, as before, an empty tomb. But to her surprise, she saw two angels in shining white robes. One was sitting at the head of the place where Jesus had been lying, the other at the feet. They asked her why she was crying.

She was still convinced that someone had taken Jesus's body. Scripture doesn't say whether or not they answered her. But as Mary turned to leave, someone was standing there. The gardener, she assumed.  He also asked her why she was crying and who she was looking for. She thought perhaps he was the one who had moved Jesus's body. 

Then Jesus spoke her name.

Instantly, she recognized him. I imagine she fell at his feet as she cried "Teacher!"

Her sorrow was instantly turned into joy. Jesus was alive!

He told her to tell the disciples that he was ascending to Father God.

So Mary ran and found the and told them the wonderful news.

It was a difficult and frightening time. The disciples met behind closed doors for fear the Jewish leaders would come from them. As they sat there talking that evening, they suddenly realized that Jesus was standing there with them. 

It must have startled them, because he said, Peace be with you and showed them the wounds in his hands and the wound in his side. When they realized it was Jesus, they were filled with joy. Again, he bid them peace. As Father God sent Jesus, he was sending his disciples. He breathed on them and invited them to receive the Holy Spirit. 

Just as Father God breathed the breath of life into Adam when he created man, now Jesus breathed the eternal life-giving Spirit on his disciples. 

Thomas wasn't there that night. When the other disciples excitedly told him what had happened, he said he wouldn't believe Jesus was alive unless he put his fingers in the wounds of his hands and his side. 

Eight days later, he got his chance. The disciples were meeting in a locked room as before, and suddenly Jesus stood there in their midst, saying "Peace be with you." Then he looked directly at Thomas, I'm sure with compassion, and invited him to look at his hands, and touch the wounds, and look at his side, and feel the wound there. "Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” And Thomas believed. 

Jesus said, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

There is a special blessing on me because I believe in Jesus even though I was not alive when he walked this earth and did not see him. I wasn't a first-hand witness to his miracles and his resurrection. But I believe that God's Word is true.

John tells us that they saw Jesus perform so many miracles beyond what he recorded in the Gospel of John, that if they were all written, there wouldn't be space enough in the world to contain all of the writings. But he wrote these so that I could continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and because I believe in him I have life by the power of his name.

Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing. 

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