We’re in the Company of the Apostles

If what I have said so far describes you in anyway, you should not feel strange, you are not alone. It was the story of Jesus’ Apostles too. In chapter 20 of his gospel, John documents the resurrection account and how Jesus revealed himself in different settings to his followers after his crucifixion. The sorrow and sadness had now been turned into joy and excitement. The tomb is empty! Jesus is alive again, praise God! But the question was, now that Jesus is alive, what next?

In chapter 21:1-3, we read, “after this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.””

Like most people, after celebrating the resurrection, Peter and his co-apostles went back to their life as usual, back to fishing. A lot of things had become clear, they now understood that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, and this had been proven by his death and resurrection. It was now time to get on with life. However, John records that, “they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.”

Jesus then appears and performs a miracle that enables them to have a bumper catch. He also set-up a fire and they barbecued some of the fish and enjoy a delicious breakfast (John 21:4-13). John adds a little footnote in verse 14 which says, “this was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.” Jesus had walked with his disciples for three years before his death; and within that time, he told them of the reason for his coming and gave them tasks to accomplish. It is therefore interesting that the disciples seemed to have moved on with their lives after Easter. Had they forgotten so soon about all the ambitious plans they and Jesus had together?

Love for Jesus Must Reflect in Everyday Acts of Service to Him

It is for this reason that Jesus’ short interaction with Peter in John 21:15-17 is instructive for all Christians, especially after Easter. This passage is primarily about the restoration of Peter and its implications for his future ministry as the lead apostle. But it is also a reminder that our relationship with Jesus must not end with Easter. He calls us to renew our love for him. An all-consuming love that will cause us to sacrifice our very lives as Peter ultimately did, knowing that the reward will be far more than worth it. In that passage we read:

“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

Three times in this passage, Jesus asks Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Some commentators have opined that Jesus asks the question three times to correspond to the number of times Peter denied him. Regardless of the connection, a repetition is always meant to signify emphasis. Peter, on the other hand felt offended that Jesus would ask him three times if he truly loved him.

I guess you can’t blame Jesus, can you? After all, this is Peter we are talking about. Just before his betrayal and crucifixion, he vowed, “though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away…even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” Yet his 3-time denial of Jesus prior to his crucifixion is forever a part of the gospel account.

In this encounter with Peter in John 21, Jesus teaches us that a love for him must reflect in daily acts of service for him. Three times he asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” And three times, he tells him, “Feed my sheep.” Peter had just celebrated the first Easter and he was ready to move on with his life, but Jesus draws his attention to what it means to say you love him.

The reason why Jesus came was to gather together all his wandering sheep into his kingdom (John 10:1-18). His death and resurrection had accomplished this goal; his charge to Peter as the lead Apostle was to take care of the sheep whom he had purchased with his precious blood. This was Peter’s charge. But the call to serve Jesus and his cause has not only gone out to Peter. All of us who have tasted of the goodness of God through the death and resurrection of Christ are called to lay down our lives for him (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

My prayer is that you would not be so quick to move on with your life after Easter, but the gratitude and affection you feel for the sacrifice and atonement of Christ will reflect itself in daily acts of devotion and sacrifice to him. That we will be committed to sharing the good news with those of his sheep that are still outside the fold, to call them to repentance and obedience. That we will be committed to his bride, the church, for which he died.

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“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

Nothing strikes fear into the hearts of men more than death. The Bible refers to it as the last enemy, and rightly so. Throughout the history of human existence, men have tried to find ways to prevent death yet with all the technological and medical advancements, the cure for death continues to elude the wisdom of men. The reason why death conjures such an emotional and opposing response is that it is not natural. Even though it is the only constant among men, it is the most unnatural phenomenon. There is only one place in the Gospels where Jesus is recorded to have wept, and it was at the tomb of one of his closest friends. As Jesus stood at the tomb of Lazarus, he was overcome with emotions as he witnessed the heinousness of death (John 11:28-35). He knew it was not meant to be this way.

Why is Death Unnatural?

Death is not natural because man was meant to live forever. We are first introduced to the idea of humans back in Genesis 1:26-27, where God the Father, in a heavenly council consisting of the three persons of the Trinity (Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit) verbalized the idea. Contrary to the claims of evolutionary science, Scripture is very clear that man was created by someone. Humans did not just evolve; they were created by God for a specific purpose.

Man is too purposeful to have just evolved by mere chance. In Genesis we read, “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

Later on in Genesis 2:5-7, Moses under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit provides more details of how the creation of man took place. He writes, “5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up – for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground, 7 then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.’

It is verse 7 that establishes that man was never meant to die. Even though we are told earlier in chapter 1 that man was created in the image and likeness of God, it is here that we come to appreciate what that statement means. After forming the man from the dust, God breathed into his nostrils, then man became a living creature. That breath from God, is not just a wind or air, no, it was ‘zoe’, life itself. The eternal God who had existed from eternity past, who has no end, breathed into man and he become a living creature. If our source is God, then we were never meant to die because whatever has its source in God cannot die (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Why then do we die if our Source is the Eternal God?

Just as life as a concept originated with God, death as a concept was first introduced to us by God. We are first introduced to the idea of death in Genesis 2:13-14, as a consequence of disobeying God. As he gave man the terms of reference for his existence, he also spelt out the consequences of disobedience. We read in verse 16 “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, v.17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’

This would not just be a physical death, but most tragically, a spiritual death. Death is primarily a life that is disconnected from its source. When a flower is cut from its tree and arranged into a bouquet, it looks nice for a few days, but because it is severed from the root that supplies it life, it is only a matter of time before it physically dies off. Therefore, when God told Adam that he “shall surely die” if he disobeyed, it was spiritual death of being disconnected from the source that he had in mind. The physical death was only a matter of sequence.

That is why when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and were driven away from the Garden (Genesis 3:1-19), they did not immediately experience physical death, but once they were disconnected from the source of life, it was only a matter of time before death as we know it physically became a part of the human experience. The first death is recorded in Genesis 4, when Cain killed his brother Abel, which was the first evidence of a life disconnected from its source.

However, unlike the flower bouquet which dies off and is gone forever, the soul of man lives on forever because he was created by the breath of God. Man was supposed to have an eternal life – a life lived in constant union with God. What we now have after the fall of Adam and Eve is a perpetual life, a life that goes on forever but lived outside of union with God. Such a life is a miserable life! At the time of physical death, it is only the dust part (Genesis 2:7) which disappears but the real person of the soul lives on.Despite attempts by science and technology to make our present world a better place and also to extend our physical lives, our greatest problem which is a severed relationship with the source of life continues and does even after death. What we need as humans is more than just a few more years or even decades in the world in its present form – infested with wickedness and evil of every kind. Our true need is a restoration of our union with God, to have our eternal life back.

Jesus, the Hope for Dead People

It is for this reason that our opening text is such a comfort to all of us dead people. As a matter of fact, that is how the Bible describes all of us in Ephesians 2:1-2, we are dead people! But there is hope even for dead people. In John 11:25-26, as Lazarus’ two sisters, Martha and Mary were overcome with grief and sadness that Jesus wasn’t there to prevent their brother from dying, Jesus once and all held out the solution to our greatest need as humans. He told them, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”

The sisters of Lazarus were at this point only thinking about the physical death of their brother, but Jesus in his response to them helps us to understand that true life is more than the physical one we have now, it is beyond the grave. “Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” Is it possible for someone to live even though he dies? And is it really true that “everyone who lives and believes in me [Jesus] shall never die?”

How do we reconcile these statements with the many faithful and God-fearing people we know who have died? What Jesus is teaching his followers in these verses is that true life is more than staying physically alive, it is rather a life fully restored in union with God and does not matter whether we are physically in this world or the next. What we call eternal life. On that faithful day, Lazarus was physically brought back to life, but we also know that he physically died again. But, once a person believes in Jesus, the power of death is forever broken. So, we can say together with Apostle Paul, “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55).

How Does One Obtain this Hope?

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Three times in this short text, Jesus uses the word “believe.” However, he was not just calling them to believe in something or an idea, rather he was calling for a belief in him as a person. No leading figure of any religion has ever claimed this or called their followers to put belief in them as individuals. All of them spoke of themselves as showing others the way to life, but here Jesus says of himself, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Belief in him is the key to overcoming death. Elsewhere in the book of John, he referred to himself as “the way, and the truth, and the life.”

What is it about Jesus that makes him unique and gives him the audacity to make these astonishingly outlandish claims about himself? And how does he cure those who believe in him from death anyway? It is because Jesus is God himself. As we saw back in Genesis 1:26-27, the decision to create man was made in a divine council consisting of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This is what Christians refer to as Trinity. The God of the Christian is one God consisting of tree persons. They worked together to create the world, and they worked together in bringing about the redemption of man after the fall. The Father planned our salvation, the Son accomplished it, and the Holy Spirit applies it to the individual.

In his role as the Accomplisher of salvation, the eternal Son of God took on the nature of man, what theologians refer to us the incarnation. The writer of Hebrews in chapter 2:17, says, “Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” The only way Jesus could qualify as an acceptable substitute for the sins of men was if he is like them.

But unlike Adam and Eve, Jesus was tempted in every way, yet did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). He is the only man who obeyed the Father perfectly and this qualified him to receive all the promises of God. Even though he is the sinless one, he chose to take on himself the punishment that all humanity had incurred through our willful disobedience of God. This punishment was what he bore when he was crucified on that Good Friday some two thousand years ago. What an irony, the only one who obeyed perfectly is also the one who suffered the most gruesome death.

But praise God, Jesus did not remain dead. On the third day, he was raised from the dead and God has declared his substitutionary atonement – his payment for the sin of mankind acceptable. And has declared that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). This is what it means to believe in Jesus. A turning from self-reliance to complete reliance on the finished work of Christ for your right-standing before God. This is how one moves from death to life. This is the only hope for dead people like us.

The reason why politicians and diplomats are crisscrossing the globe and scientists are doubling efforts in search of cue to some of the deadliest diseases is because we all acknowledge that something is quite not right with our world today. But the brokenness we see today is only but a faint echo of what is in store for this world and anyone who who doer not believe in Jesus. Luke, in Acts 17:30-31 writes, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Even if humans were allowed to live a million years on this earth, no amount of scientific and technological advancement will help us overcome death. Our only hope is in Christ and that is why Easter is such a joyous occasion for Christians. Because on this day two thousand years ago, our sins not in part but the whole was nailed to the cross. God the Son came down that we may be raised heavenward. Christ is Risen Indeed!

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Palm Sunday

As the Week commenced, Jesus made a triumphant entrance into Jerusalem amid the resounding cries of “Hosanna!” His arrival atop a humble donkey symbolized the fulfilment of Messianic prophecy, igniting hope and anticipation among the people. This initial moment marked a promising beginning, with Jesus poised to accomplish the ultimate act of salvation for His people. The atmosphere was electric as the City recognized Him as the long-awaited King, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Yet, as the Week unfolded, the atmosphere within the City would undergo a dramatic shift, foreshadowing the tumultuous events to come.

• Scriptural References: Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19.

Monday to Wednesday

As the initial excitement of His triumphal entry subsides, Jesus sets about preparing the stage for His ultimate glorification. On Monday, Jesus initiates His mission by cleansing the Temple, which had deviated from its sacred purpose of being a House of Prayer, as mentioned in Isaiah 56:7, to become a den of robbers. The once vibrant fanfare begins to dim, overshadowed by the sobering reality of Jesus’ confrontations with the religious authorities, gradually intensifying the atmosphere. On Tuesday, Jesus cursed a barren fig tree, hinting at the impending narrative of judgment and consequences on God’s people, who in the Old Testament are often symbolically depicted as figs or a fig tree (Hosea 9:10; Jeremiah 24). Throughout this period, Jesus imparts profound teachings through parables, underscoring the imperative of repentance, faith, and obedience for attaining salvation. Amidst these developments, a lingering question arises: can the situation deteriorate any further?

• Scriptural References: Matthew 21:12-25:46; Mark 11:12-13:37; Luke 19:45-21:38.

Thursday

This day marks the pinnacle of solemnity in the Holy Week. While much of Jesus’ ministry has unfolded in public settings, on this day, He turns His focus to His disciples in a deeply profound manner, culminating in the intimate gathering known as the Last Supper. During this sacred meal, the disciples remain unaware of the spiritual forces at play, even as Jesus, aware of the betrayal to come, quotes from Psalm 41:9; signalling the meticulous unfolding of God’s sovereign plan. It is during this meal that Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper, a profound symbol of the impending sacrificial death He was to endure as the Paschal Lamb. It was also at this time that Jesus humbly washed the feet of His disciples, demonstrating the selfless love and servanthood that epitomized His ministry. As the evening progresses, the weight of the impending sacrifice is palpable, culminating in Jesus’ agonizing prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Here, the Son of God submits fully to the will of His Father, laying the foundation for the redemption of the elect. The scent of blood is as thick as ever as Jesus prepares to fulfil His mission.

• Scriptural References: Matthew 26:17-56; Mark 14:12-52; Luke 22:7-53; John 13:1-18:1.

Good Friday

As the coils of the serpent tighten, victory appears elusive. From a human vantage point, all hope seems lost, exemplified by Peter’s impulsive attempt to intervene forcibly. Judas’ betrayal, sealed with a kiss, ushers in a sequence of five distinct trials—both religious and secular—as authorities interrogate the Son of Man. Before the pseudo-king Herod Antipas, the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy unfolds as Jesus, resembling a silent lamb led to slaughter, refrains from defence. Led to Golgotha, the hill of crucifixion, the Lamb of God endures six agonizing hours upon the cross. There, he drank the cup of God’s wrath and, though sinless, bore the weight of sin itself. The apex of redemption arrives as the Suffering Servant echoes the Psalmist’s lament, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The viper’s strike pierces his hands and feet; he is surrounded by mocking dogs and encircled by a band of villains. Those who gaze upon him, the one they have pierced, mourn bitterly, their sorrow akin to that of an only child or a firstborn. The Author of Life is laid to rest among the wicked donated by Joseph of Arimathea. How can the death of one man suffice to atone for the sins of many?

• Scriptural References: Matthew 26:57-27:66; Mark 14:53-15:47; Luke 22:54-23:56; John 18:1-19:42.

Holy Saturday

The cacophony of chaos simmers down. The exuberance of the triumphal entry and the fervour of teaching in the Temple now feel like distant memories. Silence reigns supreme within the confines of the tomb—a Sabbath unlike any before. Just as God rested after completing His work of creation, so too does Jesus rest, following the fulfilment of His salvific mission. A created stone is used to seal up the Rock of Ages. Yet amid the stillness, anticipation builds as the dawn of the greatest day in history approaches…

• Scriptural References: Matthew 27:57-66, Luke 23:50-56

Easter Sunday

Christ, the Son of God, emerges victorious over the shadowy dominion of death, neither abandoned to the abyss nor succumbing to decay. His Resurrection stands as the cornerstone of the Christian faith, a resplendent affirmation of His emphatic triumph over Sin and Death. In this divine act, God’s redemptive design is unveiled, showcasing His sovereign authority to vanquish death’s grip and extend the promise of New Life to all who would believe in the Son.

Through the Resurrection, Jesus substantiates His divine identity and affirms His role as the conduit of eternal life for believers. As He emerged from the tomb, so too are we, united with Him in His Resurrection, elevated to heavenly realms in Him. This historic event stands as the linchpin of salvation, a resounding declaration that the Battle has been decisively won.

As the apostle Paul affirms, the Resurrection is not a peripheral doctrine but the very essence of faith. Without it, our faith would be futile, and we would remain ensnared in the bondage of sin. Yet, through the Resurrection, we are infused with a Living Hope—a hope that transcends the temporal confines of this life and extends into eternity.

In the words of our Glorious Lord, Jesus Christ: “I am the Resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” This profound invitation beckons us to run to Christ and receive the transformative power of the Resurrection and anchor our hope in the eternal promise it embodies.

Do you believe this?

• Scriptural References: Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-20; Luke 24:1-53; John 20:1-21:25.

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Here is an offer of a collection of articles compiled in 2017 from this blog pointing to the work of Christ which we celebrate in this season as Easter:

Table of Content

1. Confounding Easter
2. Christ Our Sin Bearer
3. Jesus Paid It All
4. Christ Our Passover Lamb
5. Christ And Him Crucified
6. The King Is Risen
7. The Certainty of The Resurrection

Kindly follow this link to download a copy:

https://thegospelnetworkgh.com/2017/04/14/christ-our-sin-bearer-the-lamb-of-god/

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John 20

Christians worldwide are celebrating the commemoration of the resurrection of Christ today. The resurrection is a fundamental Christian doctrine upon which Christianity stands or falls. Without the resurrection, Christianity has no hope to offer. Paul makes that point clearly in 1 Corinthians 15:11-19.

In the gospels; the events leading to the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Christ are well documented. But for the purpose of this article, we would look to the gospel according to John and specifically, Chapter 20. We will consider five points about the resurrection clearly taught in the text.

The Resurrection Is historical.

The empty tomb of Christ points to a true historical event. Christ was crucified. He was buried. And he resurrected. Dr Simon Gathercole of the University of Cambridge in an online article noted that,

The historical evidence for Jesus of Nazareth is both long-established and widespread. Within a few decades of his supposed lifetime, he is mentioned by Jewish and Roman historians, as well as by dozens of Christian writings. Compare that with, for example, King Arthur, who supposedly lived around AD500. The major historical source for events of that time does not even mention Arthur, and he is first referred to 300 or 400 years after he is supposed to have lived. The evidence for Jesus is not limited to later folklore, as are accounts of Arthur.

[1] To establish the historicity of the resurrection, let\’s look briefly at three points worth considering.

(i) It happened on a specific day.

The resurrection is recorded to have happened on the first day of the week which is a Sunday. Jesus was crucified and buried on a Friday. He rose on the third day. The disciples will further adopt this day as the Lord’s day—the day of worship. That day became the believers “solemn assembly” when they met to worship (Deut. 16:8, Jn 20:19; 26, Acts 20:7).

ii) There Were Eyewitness Accounts

Jesus didn’t vanish into thin air when he resurrected. He showed himself to people as proof of his resurrection. Mary Magdalene (vv. 1-2; 11-18), Peter, John and the other disciples (vv.3-10; 19-20), Thomas  (v.26). In Jewish tradition, witnesses must be two or more to be admissible and the events met that criteria (See Deut. 17:6; 19:5).

(iii) The Resurrection Wasn’t A Hoax.

Before Christ resurrected, there were fears his disciples will steal his body and feign a resurrection (Matt.27:62-66). However, firstly, the disciples were not expecting a resurrection to go to the extent of faking one (vv. 2; 9). They had also locked themselves up for fear of the Jews and there was no indication they had the capability of stealing the body (v.19). Moreover, the tomb, according to Matthew was under security guard (Matt. 27:66). Finally, the folded grave cloths defeats a robbery. What grave looter has the luxury of time to nicely fold grave cloths?

(iv) There Was An Empty Tomb

That there was an empty tomb is evidence for the resurrection. If Christ didn’t resurrect, then his body must have been seen in the tomb. However, all who came to the scene looked into the tomb and didn’t see Christ’s body. Mary Magdalene thought the body had been stolen. Peter and the other disciples looked into the tomb and saw nothing. There was simply no body in the tomb. A very informative article from the gospel coalition by Paul Rezkalla, titled 4 Reasons to believe in the empty tomb is worth our attention in this discourse. These four points are (i) The empty tomb predates the gospel, (ii) the body was buried in Jerusalem, (iii) the empty tomb was discovered by women and (iv) there were claims of a stolen body. [2]

A Fulfilment Of Scripture

John speaks of the resurrection in relation to Scripture: “for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead” (v.9). Jesus, while he was with them also spoke of his death and resurrection (John 2:19-22). Paul also speaking of the resurrection says it is “in accordance with Scripture” (1Cor.15:1-3). The resurrection happened as Scripture prophesied. On the road to Emmaus, Jesus rebuked the disciples for not believing what was spoken of him about the events in Scripture of his death and resurrection:

And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself (Luke 24:25-27).

We see Christ walking them through Scripture—the Old Testament— and opening their eyes to the truth of what was written about him.

The Resurrection Is The Foundation Of The Great Commission 

When Christ appeared to the disciples, he charged them with the great commission: “Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (vv.21-23).

Christ sends the disciples, gives them his very breath of life — the Holy Spirit and puts authority in their proclamation of the gospel which when believed brings life, and damnation to those who will not believe. Because Christ rose, the disciples had the power and basis upon which to witness about the gospel (1Jn. 1:1-3, 1Pet. 1:16-20). Paul says  “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1Cor.15:14 ff). Christ rose from the dead and that\’s the hope of believers and sinners who will run to him in faith. Matt Permann in an online article titled Historical Evidence for the Resurrection points out seven reasons for which the empty tomb gives credence to the resurrection. And he mentions preaching of the gospel as the first. He wrote:

The Resurrection Teaches Christ’s Divinity.

One thing we cannot miss in John’s gospel is Christ’s divinity. John opens his book with: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”. (John 1:1). Thomas’ response to Christ in v.28 is instructive: “My Lord and my God!” Being a Jew, that would have been a blasphemous statement if Christ was not God. And knowing who Christ was, he would have rebuked Thomas if his assertion about him was inaccurate. Again, we will note in the text that, when Thomas first told the disciples he would see the marks on Christ’s hands before believing, Jesus wasn’t present. But in Christ’ second appearance to the disciples, he showed Thomas his crucifixion marks:

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe. (vv26-27).

Christ’s omnipotence and omnipresence is displayed in that event. He knew Thomas’ doubts though he wasn’t physically present when Thomas expressed those doubts. All things are bare and naked before God (Heb. 4:13). Christ is God. Peter tells us it was impossible for death to hold him down  (Acts 2:24).

Faith And Eternal Life In Christ

John ends his account by saying:

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God , and that by believing you may have life in his name (vv. 30-31).

To John, this is his overarching motive for writing his gospel account; that people will come to faith in Christ. The end goal of Christian ministry is leading people to faith in Christ by the preaching of the gospel. Anything else apart from this has no grounds. All we do as Christians and ministers of the gospel must have this one goal: that people “may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God , and that by believing [they] may have life in his name.” Anything else is, borrowing Paul’s words, to be counted as dung.

Notes:

1 Dr Simon Gathercole, What is the historical evidence that Jesus Christ lived and died https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/14/what-is-the-historical-evidence-that-jesus-christ-lived-and-died.

2. Paul Rezkalla, 4 Reasons To Believe In The Empty Tomb, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/4-reasons-to-believe-in-the-empty-tomb

3. Matt Permann, Historical Evidence for the Resurrection, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/historical-evidence-for-the-resurrection

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While some avoid it altogether, others have a problem “accepting” it, appealing to reasons such as it being unfair, or inconsistent with the nature of God. Regardless of our feelings, there is no denying that this doctrine is nonetheless taught in Scripture. It behoves us therefore as faithful bible students to confront it, and contemplate it. After all, Paul wrote this epistle, not to bible scholars or theologians, but to the Church at Ephesus — most of whom would have had no background in theological training.  The recipients were gentiles, formerly alien to the sacred writings of the Jews. In addition, the contents of practical instructions given towards the latter part of the epistle shows that some of them were probably slaves, with no formal education. Yet Paul undoubtedly expected that they would read and contemplate these doctrines, and revel in them! So should we, if we indeed believe that all Scripture is God-breathed.

It all starts and ends with God

Paul in the third verse of Ephesians  chapter one mentions special blessings that are the Christian’s in Christ. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places”, he exclaims. But how do these spiritual blessings, which are in the heavenly places, become ours here on earth? This is the question Paul addresses in his next statement in the fourth verse.

It is instructive that Paul does not start with our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He does not even start with the work that the Lord Jesus Christ himself has done, or with the work of the Holy Spirit in applying these blessing to the believer. He starts with God the Father! This is a repudiation of the man-centred kind of Gospel which is becoming very popular in our day. To Paul, Christianity starts and ends with God! It was the Father who thought up the plan of salvation; He it is who sent Jesus to die for us whilst we were yet sinners and enemies against Him in our minds. Paul tells us elsewhere that even the faith to believe unto salvation is a gift from Him, so that boasting on the part of man is totally excluded as far as salvation is concerned. And He does all this according to the great counsel of His will, for His good pleasure! The truth is, what Paul does here is in perfect agreement with the entire biblical teaching, which we can sum up as a revelation of all what God has done in Christ with regards to the salvation of man.

Election, Paul’s first argument

Paul’s explanation to how these spiritual blessings have become ours is, we are what we are because He (God) has chosen us!

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love (Ephesians 1:4).

This is what Paul puts in the first place. The recurring phrase in this chapter is “to the praise of His glory” in various forms — “according to the purpose of His will”,“according to the riches of his grace” etc. Surely, this is to emphasise the point that the decisive action in salvation, and therefore all the glory belong to God. The doctrine of election reveals to us the Sovereignty and love of God like no other.

Ultimately in time, the believer will in response to the Gospel choose to place his faith in Christ Jesus. However, in the words of our Lord Himself, we did not choose Him, but He chose us and appointed us that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide (John 15:16). God’s action in election comes first, faith unto salvation follows. Herein is a reason why every Christian should isolate and contemplate this doctrine – the fact that both Paul and our Lord put it in the first position in explaining the Christian position. As if to remind us that our salvation is not an after-thought, Paul starts with the divine perspective. The awe-inspiring truth of all this is that He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world; in spite of us. This is the humbling truth of the election of the saints.

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,  so that no human being[b] might boast in the presence of God. (1Cor1:28-29).

Election, The Joy and Security of the Saints

Further, this doctrine is the basis of the surety and certainty of our salvation. If God’s salvation plan was conceived and executed by Him in spite of us, then we can be assured that He will carry it out to completion. If I am saved by His Grace and not by anything in me, then I can be assured that He who has began a good work will bring it to a perfect completion. Oh what joy to know that nothing can separate those whom God has elected, called and justified from the love of God!

Those He saves are His delight
Christ will hold me fast
Precious in His holy sight
He will hold me fast
He’ll not let my soul be lost
His promises shall last
Bought by Him at such a cost
He will hold me fast

He will hold me fast

He will hold me fast

For my Savior loves me so

He will hold me fast”

~ Ada Habershonnew, 2013

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Romans 10:3-9

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.
~ Elvina M. Hall; 1865

Imagine this scenario with me. A man who owes the creditors a huge sum of money is dragged before the court. He admits that even if all his property were sold, it wouldn’t be enough to clear all his debt. Suddenly, a ‘good Samaritan’ offers to settle all the debt to the last penny. If it were you, what would be your reaction? Now imagine further, if instead of accepting the good Samaritan’s benevolent offer, this debtor rejects it; choosing rather to make up for his debt by suffering a lifetime of hard labour in prison.

Who would do such a thing? Sounds outrageous doesn’t it? Yet in the passage from Romans 10 above, Paul suggests the actions of the Jews amounted to just that. They, to whom God gave the Law had spurned God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and rejected His offer of salvation through faith. In his description, Paul writes, “For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness” (Romans 10:3). The phrase “seeking to establish their own righteousness” (in the authorised translation, “going about to establish their own righteousness”) connotes a strenuous effort to establish one’s own righteousness instead of relying on God’s.

The Law and Man’s Inability

God gave the Law to man with this caveat “…the person who does the commandments shall live by them.” (Romans 10:5b). Which means one could attain righteousness and eternal life by fully obeying the law without faulting at any point (Deuteronomy 30:15-20, James 2:10). In our fallen state, God’s verdict is that no one could keep the law no matter how hard we try. The Jews were therefore wrong in thinking that they could work out their own righteousness before a holy and perfect God. God requires sinless perfection. Jesus in Matthew 5:20-48 clearly teaches that the benchmark is not 99% but a 100%.

It is therefore tragic that anyone would try to attain righteousness by their own effort and good works. Many today go to great lengths to be good, fast, pray and obey the 10 commandments — all in an attempt to save themselves. God demands perfect obedience with all of one’s heart, mind, soul and strength, and one ought to continue doing so unfailingly in order to maintain righteousness (Matt 22:36-38; Rom 10:5). The plain truth is that none of us is equal to such a task.

The law points to the fact that we need God’s help in order to be saved. It shows us how inadequate we are in terms of fulfilling God’s Law; yet offers us no remedy. On this, John Bunyan writes, “To be under the law as it is a Covenant of Works, is to be bound, upon pain of eternal damnation, to fulfil, and that completely and continually, every particular point of the Ten Commandments, by doing them.“¹

Paul, recounting his own experience wrote:

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans‬ 7:15-16, 18, 24-25‬a ESV)‬.

John Bunyan further comments,

So long as people are ignorant of the nature of the law, and of their being under it – that is, under the curse and condemning power of it, by reason of their sin against it – so long they will be careless, and negligent as to the inquiring after the true knowledge of the Gospel.”²

If we truly understood what the law required of us in order to be saved, we\’ll come flying to the foot of the Cross.

The Good News: Christ, The End of the Law

Jesus, as the last Adam, was the only one who was able to wholly and completely obey God’s Law. This is what Paul meant by saying Christ is the end of the Law. Not that He abolished it; but rather because He fulfilled all its righteous requirements. But He is the end of the Law only to those who believe in Him. To these, the law is no longer binding in justifying sinners before Christ. Through faith in the finished work of Christ, sinners are freed from the guilt of the Law and from God’s wrath. Christ’s life of sinless obedience and His death on the cross fully satisfied God’s wrath against sin for all who believe in Him.

God therefore offers righteousness to all who believe in Christ alone, free of charge. This does not require any strenuous effort from us — only faith in Christ and what He has done on our behalf.

There’s no need to strenuously seek to establish your own righteousness. Jesus paid it all — all the debt we owed God for disobeying His Holy Law and its repercussions; eternal death. This is the reason for the Cross. Celebrate this season with understanding. If you haven’t already, come to saving faith in Christ now; He is willing and ready to save you.

Notes:

1: John Bunyan, The Doctrine of the Law and Grace Unfolded

2:ibid

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1 Corinthians 15:19-22

Today, Christians worldwide are gathered to celebrate our hope in Christ — Easter Sunday. It is the day our hope in Christ was secured. The grave could not hold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, he defeated death and therein is our hope.

In Luke 24, there is a story about two disciples on their way to Emmaus when Jesus joined them. They were lamenting over their dashed hope of the deliverance of Israel. They longed for deliverance from Roman rule through Christ. However, Christ their deliverer a few days ago was brutally murdered on a cross–the most humiliating way to die. With His death, went their hopes. But as the narrative progresses, we see a hope that is higher than deliverance from Roman oppression. They encountered the Resurrected Christ. He is alive! The grave couldn’t hold Him.

The believer’s hope is tied to the resurrection of Christ. It is a hope that is beyond the grave. Hope that makes us endure suffering because  we know the glory that awaits us. The hope that made Paul count all his achievements as garbage.

What is this hope?

Paul gives us a hint in 1 Corinthians 15:19-22: “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”

In this passage Paul was responding to those who deny the resurrection of the dead. He started by saying if there is no resurrection of the dead, then among all people we are the most to be pitied as Christians.  He points to Christ’s resurrection as the basis for his certainty. Christ is the firstfruit, and once you have the firstfruit it signifies that the rest of the harvest is going to come in.

This is the Christian’s hope, it is the hope that our present life is not the end of the story. The hope that our mortal bodies will be changed to the same glorious body of Christ. The hope that God is going to wipe away every tear from our eyes — there will be no more death, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore. In Revelations 22:4, we are told we will see the face of God and we will be with him forever. That has always fascinated me, because I know most of us are looking for something great, many of us are on a wild goose chase for something that will blow us away. We are always looking for that experience that will take our breath away. This is it, to see the face of God and still be alive.

But sadly, this hope is not for everybody. In 1 Corinthians 15:21 & 22 we are told that sin  entered the world through one man and with this came death as well. In Genesis the bible tells us that God created the world, and he said everything he created was beautiful. There was no death, there was no pain, there was no chaos. He then created man in his own image to have dominion and authority over everything he has created. Just as he gave authority to man to rule, he also wanted man to know that he did so under authority and so he gave a command not to eat from a particular tree. God told man that the day he ate from the tree he will die.

This was not only a physical death, it was spiritual death first and foremost. A life lived in separation from God in pain and torment forever. Man disobeyed God and sided with the devil, believing the lie over the loving and gracious care of God. Through Adam’s disobedience sin entered the world, and with sin came death. Man became an enemy of God.

There are some who vehemently protest why Adam’s sin should become their sin. But my answers to that is, really? Every personal sin we commit is actually rebellion against God. We sin because that’s who we are.

We are sinners, not because we sin. Rather, we sin because we are sinners.¹

But that is not the end of the story, John 3:16 tells us God looked at the depravity of man, and his loving heart was moved with compassion. He sent his Son into the world to reconcile the run away man to Himself. There are two things Jesus accomplished. He lived a perfect life as a man. He obeyed perfectly all the commands of God. The one we could not obey. Then he also went on to pay the penalty that was hanging over our heads as enemies of God.

So here we have two things, the perfect life of Jesus, and the payment for sin. And God has said anyone who will come, Jesus’ payment will be credited to them and His perfect record will be theirs as well. What an awesome invitation!  However, this invitation is not open ended, because God has appointed a time when everyone will give an account of all that they have done with their lives. We will all appear before the judgment seat of God, and at that time Jesus will not be a saviour, he will be a judge (John 3:36).

Christ has risen and it is the reason for our hope. To those who have come to know Him as their Saviour, He will return not to die again but to receive us to Himself and we will be with Him in all eternity. To those who don’t know Him, that day will be a day of terror and gnashing of teeth. He will come as a judge. Are you ready to meet Him?

1: R.C. Sproul, Essential Truths of The Christian Faith

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