The Work Building the Second Temple

The Work Begins

Book of Ezra

Six months have passed since we began our study of the Book of John and now, we will spend some time in the Old Testament.

In 539 BC the Persians and the Medes under King Cyrus had defeated the Babylonians in a fierce battle for world domination just as the Prophet Daniel had predicted.

It was Isaiah that had predicted that Cyrus would do these things about 100 years before Cyrus had been born.

Isa 44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

Isa 45:1 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;

Isa 45:2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

Isa 45:3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

It was Jeremiah who had said that Jews would only be in captivity for 70 years.

Dan_9:2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem.

Jer 25:11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

Jer 25:12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.

The Book of Ezra was written by Ezra and Ezra was a Jewish Priest.

There were three groups who returned from Babylon, but not one group included any from the Northern Kingdom. The Northern Kingdom had been carried off by the Assyrians and never returned to the Promise Land during this period.

Cyrus had captured all the lands of the Babylonians which included the land of the Assyrians and any of those Jews who had remained could have the same freedom to return to Israel.

Let's begin:

*****Ezr 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

Ezr 1:2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Cyrus was the son of Cambyses, king of Persia and Mandane the daughter of Astyages, king of Media.

King Cyrus claimed himself to be the liberator of all peoples.

He allowed any group that were captured by the Babylonians to return to their homeland not just the Jews, after all he now ruled all those homelands.

He had first allowed Zerubbabel to lead the first group of the Jews back to Jerusalem. So many things had happened that were against the Word of God that not much work was done in Jerusalem.

It was Ezra who led the second group charged with the rebuilding of the Temple which was financed by King Cyrus and any free will offerings.

Cyrus also returned to the Jews all the valuables stolen from the Temple of Solomon.

Later Nehemiah would lead a third group of Jews back to Jerusalem charged with rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.

By all these things we should have no doubt that it is God that puts in place the leaders of this world!

A lot of things are said about the Jews good and bad, but one thing stands out, they are dedicated builders of their nation when they get the opportunity!

They were cured of their idolatry, that had come between them and Jehovah.

If we ask what is wrong with our world today, it should be obvious that all our problems come because of sin.

We see that Cyrus was a king who believed that all his success came because of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth.

Cyrus was no Christian, but he knew where his power came from, he was not an atheist.

To the Jews, Cyrus was Kuresh, the King of Persia.

We should be able to see that God can touch the heart of any ruler at any time as He says in the Book of Isaiah.

Isa 45:13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.

God knows what is going to happen in this world before it happens!

God knows that the Jews want to see Israel survive even if many of them will never make it back home!

What did Cyrus ask the Jewish people?

*****Ezr 1:3 Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.

Ezr 1:4 And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.

Cyrus did not demand that all the Jews leave, and many did not, but he did allow anyone who chose to go home and be a part of the rebuilding of the Temple and there homes the freedom to do so.

We should understand that these things were all recorded in the history of Persia and are all true.

The Persia we are familiar with are now the nations of Iraq and Iran.

Any Jew that was alive from the time of captivity would remember the preaching Jeremiah and Isaiah and the other prophets that had come true and they knew it was their sin that had brought on all these things.

All these are lessons for the Church. We can see again that God will always do what He says, and it is God who places rulers into power.

Our Holy God still rules this world!

The date of this proclamation of Cyrus was 538 BC the very first year of his reign over Babylon.

Cyrus had a personal reason for these things he did.

He wanted all people to pray to their god for a long life "for him" even after he had stated that it was it was the Lord God of Heaven who had given him the victory.

Just as so many do today, he had thoughts of all people worshiping the same God which is not true. Jehovah God is a jealous God who will not share His worship with others.

What did Jehovah teach the Jews?

Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

Exo 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

Deu 6:15 (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

Many of the Jews were ready, for they knew what God had said to the prophets.

*****Ezr 1:5 Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

Ezr 1:6 And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.

We should clearly understand that the chastening of the Lord is never about punishment it is always about reform. The Jews had been given the task of preserving the Word of God and they could not do this if they ignored the Word of God!

It is much like that today, the chastisement we go through is not about punishment it is about keeping us moving in the right direction toward eternal life in God's Heaven.

God was working on His people all the time they were in captivity! They had been cured of their idolatry! They now rejected all pagan gods!

They longed for the Living God!

They had a new devotion to the Lord's sanctuary, the Temple.

You see we must have a devotion to the House of God!

Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Nebuchadnezzar had captured Jerusalem in 604 BC.

The proclamation of Cyrus was in 538 BC.

Leaving time for the people to gather their belongings and make the long trip to Jerusalem, the work on the Temple began May 534 BC the 70 years had been completed just as Jeremiah had said by the Holy Spirit.

What caused Cyrus to do these things, besides wanting a prayer of thanks from these Jews?

His own advisers had told him of the prophesies of the prophet Isaiah.

If we cannot see the hand of God in all these things, then we do not understand the Lord as much as we think we do!

Just as God had done in Egypt, He had encouraged those who lived among the Jews to make a free will offering to them.

Cyrus would provide the funds for rebuilding the Temple.

Cyrus would provide a military unit for their protection for a time.

These people needed a free will offering in order to sustain themselves until they could get their homes rebuilt and grow their own crops.

We have missions and ministries that cannot survive today without free will offerings.

2Co 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

2Co 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

2Co 9:9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

After a rough start the children of Israel began the work of rebuilding the Temple.

*****Ezr 3:9 Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites.

Ezr 3:10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.

Verse 9 is not part of our lesson, but it is hard to miss that name Jeshua. In Hebrew it means "he will save". In reality it is another form of the name Joshua which in the Greek is Jesus.

Jesus is the foundation of the Church and if you cannot accept the work of Jesus for your salvation, you cannot be saved!

For those who use typology, we can see the importance of this man named Jeshua!

In the Book of Nehemiah this same Jeshua was one of the men who gave the meaning of the Laws of Moses.

Neh 8:7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.

Neh 8:8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

We know that our Lord Jesus Christ has been involved in the safe keeping of the Word of God from the beginning.

Now this man was not Jesus in any way, but he could be considered a type of Jesus.

Even before the foundation of the Temple was laid the altar was repaired and offerings were made to Jehovah God.

A continuous burnt offering was made, and all the feast were kept during the rebuilding of the Temple.

These people had learned by a sad experience that they were dependent upon God!

The materials for the Temple were gathered from many nations such as Tyre and Sidon and the forest of Lebanon.

Have you ever noticed how God utilizes nations to move the Gospel?

The Romans built new roads to move their army quickly, but God used those same roads to proclaim the "Gospel".

Today we see all sort of modern ways to communication but at the same time these things can be used to spread the "Gospel".

We must never be afraid of these things. We must send the "Gospel" out in every way we can use because we know that the Word of God will not come back void and the Word of God cannot be stopped.

Christianity must be a uniting force and not be forced upon anyone like it was during the time of the crusades. God's Word will make a way because it’s He who sends it!

The priests in their apparel blew the trumpets, the Psalmist with the cymbals, there was something going on at God's House and all were invited to lay a stone on the foundation!

You want to build a Church, this is the best way!

There was singing and shouting, and praise being offered to Jehovah God for His true Word.

*****Ezr 3:11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

Psalm 136 which is probably used here, tells of the great power of God but the emphasis is on God's goodness and God's mercy.

Mercy can be understood as compassion for those who miserable! These Jews were in captivity for 70 years. Some fared well, but I suppose many of them were no more than slaves.

God had realized these things from His beginning, and He decided, He would be more like a Father than as a Deity who cared not for His creation!

God not only has "mercy" he also expects us to show mercy even to our enemies.

Mat 18:33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

Mat 18:34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

Mat 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

When we understand the mercy of God, we can begin our climb out of the miry clay of sin and then we will also praise the Lord for His goodness.

A good man knows the difference in right and wrong and he will choose right every time!

Without God's goodness and God's mercy, we would never get to see God's "GRACE".

Today the morality level and the goodness level in America, is almost nonexisting!

Being back home was a great feeling for the Jews.

Many of them had never even seen Jerusalem as they were born in captivity, but during those years their parents had continued to share the Word of God with them.

Many of those who had seen the Temple of Solomon knew that this rebuilt Temple would not possess the grandeur of Solomon's Temple.

The things we will miss if we do look closely are:

1) This became a working church

2) They all worked together

3) They were obedient to the Word of God

4) They worked without ceasing

5) They celebrated singing worship songs

6) They were thankful

We know that today the Bible says we are a Temple of God. How are we working compared to these Jews?

1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

1Pe 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

1Pe 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

What did Paul preach?

1Co 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

1Co 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

We must realize that a Temple that has fallen will never be as grand as it was before it fell and we must remember that today each Christian ia a Temple of God!

The second Temple would not ever reach the splendor of Solomon's Temple. If we allow our temple to fall back into sin and return to the Lord with full forgiveness, we will never be the witness we could have been!

*****Ezr 3:12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:

Ezr 3:13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

The first and the second Temple were built in the exact same place, they had nearly the same foundation, they were both built with the same design.

The Temple that we raise, that our forefathers saw, is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and the Prophets, with Jesus Christ Himself the Chief Corner Stone.

We have the same "gospel", we have the same Savior, and the same Holy Spirit who lives within us for conversion, edification, support, and comfort!

For the Jews the first Temple surpassed the second Temple because it was built with better materials.

But we today as sinners who were not fit to be a Temple of God, are built into a glorious Temple of God.

As a Temple of God we must be Holy!

1Co_3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Just as the second Temple was dedicated to God. so we are to be dedicated to God.

This is where the Church of today fails the most!

In fact there are so many that have rejected the truth of God, the Church is tarnished.

We must remember Jesus did not say the Word of God was true, Jesus said the Word of God is the "Truth"!

There is no higher authority anywhere on this planet and there never will be, until the Lord returns!

Joh_17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Ezra is considered to the father of Jewish religion and he gave his life to keep the Jews in line with the Word of God.

This the same period when the Pharisees got started and this began with good intentions to keep the people in line with the Word of God.

It later days, the they begin to add their own interpretation, their own words, making their own words, the words of man, to be greater than the Word of God.

Again this is the same thing happening in our world today. The Church has allowed the world inside the Church and the words of man and politicians to be greater than the Word of God.

Some people today cannot discern the truth from the man-made laws because they refuse to study the Word of God themselves and they depend on some man to lead them in the right way. It is a shame!

When the world gets inside the Church then the work of God will cease.

*****Ezr 4:24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

We must understand that the tactics of Satan and those who reject the only God, Jehovah are wicked!

If they cannot bend the goodness of the Church to their own wishes, they will change their tactics and call the good bad and the bad good.

They will hire politicians to frustrate the work of the Church.

They will seek out men with no scruples who will deliberately use their influence and their pocketbooks, in an evil cause for their own gain!

When we get away from the promises of God and listen to the false promises of the world, the Church will cease to exist.

If not for the Holy Spirit this would take place!

As our world removes more and more of the history of our lives, they gain more control.

As the world takes control of the minds of our young people, they gain more control.

As the world tramples on the Word of God, they gain more control.

We must wake up to these tactics, take our stand on the Word of God, and refuse to move until the Lord comes.

We are not to be timid with the Word of God, we are to be bold!

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

When the Church will not take a stand, the world will roll right over us, as we see today!

Amen

Let's Pray!

Jesus Christ Taught Even in His Glorified Body

Jesus Taught in His Glorified Body

Book of John Chapter 21

As we close out our study of the Book of John. we will get another view of the "glorified body" of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ appeared to the disciples the third time on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

John uses the term Tiberius because of politics. The name this sea had been changed by the time John wrote this book.

Peter had invited the disciples to go fishing and at least 6 of them had gone with Peter.

As the day had dawned the Lord Jesus appeared on the shoreline, while these disciples were several yards off shore at least a hundred yards.

So let's allow our Savior to speak:

*****Joh 21:1 After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.

Joh 21:2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.

Joh 21:3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

After what things?

1) After Jesus had met with Mary Magdalene.

2) After Jesus had met with the other women who had come to the tomb but had left leaving Mary Magdalene behind

3) After Jesus had met the two disciples on the Emmaus rode.

4) After Jesus had met with Peter.

5) After Jesus had met with the disciples without Thomas.

6) After Jesus had met with the disciples with Thomas.

It is after these things that Jesus met with the seven disciples at the Sea of Galilee.

What did Jesus prove to these disciples on this occasion?

Jesus Christ proved that the disciples could do nothing without Him.

This something we all need to know! Without the Lord Jesus Christ we are nothing.

Joh_15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

The men in typology were fishermen but they had labored all night and caught nothing.

When they knew that Jesus was on the shore and told them to throw the net on the other side of the boat which should have no difference at all but with the Word of the Lord, they became true fishermen!

Joh 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Joh 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

It is the same when we witness for the Lord! If we do not have the Words of Jesus, the Gospel of Jesus Christ we will never bear any fruit!

If we cannot be true to the Word of God, we are useless to Him!

The Lord Jesus resurrected from that death to prove He is God and that we must depend upon His strength!

Jesus continued to show Himself for as long as it took to make sure their faith was solid.

Jesus does the same thing today when He test our "Faith".

The body of Jesus was the same body that had died upon the cross, but it was a glorified body!

What is the promise to each of us that believe?

Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

We should be able to see that there will be some differences in our body after physical death. Our Spiritual body will be made perfect while our earthly body cannot be perfect.

*****Joh 21:4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

It should be obvious that even though these disciples could not tell if this body was Jesus, they could still tell that He appeared to be a human being and not a something that was not a man. They were too far out in the sea, to see clearly.

It was just breaking dawn. Jesus walked over to the shore line but still they could not tell until He began speaking loudly.

When Jesus speaks, we will know Him!

*****Joh 21:5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

Joh 21:6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

We should be able to tell by the words, of Jesus that He was expecting "a no" answer. Normally one side of these boats would make no difference in fishing, but the Lord knew exactly where the fish were because He directed them to be there.

These disciples had to be on the right side, and we are always to be on the right side of the Word of God.

If these disciples did not have enough faith to pull the net in and place it on the other side of the boat, they would have never caught those fish!

John knew as soon as he heard these words that it was the Lord Jesus standing on that shoreline!

We should understand that there is always a reward for being obedient to the Word of God.

Being on the right side of the Word of God is to be "justified"!

The reward for being obedient to the Lord, was not just the amount of fish that were caught, but the Lord had prepared them a meal on the shoreline.

In typology, the ship they were in represents the Church. The right side, points to those who have chosen the Lord, the elect.

Jesus is the first of the elect:

Isa 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

The Church is the true, choosing the "Grace of God" over the laws of man.

Rom 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Rom 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

The casting to the net represents the preaching of the Gospel.

The promise of finding the fish, is the assurance Christ gives of the success of His Word, the Gospel.

Isa_55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

It is Jesus Christ that has blessed the Word of God and carries with it the promises of God!

The Church is to obey the Word of God for the Church to gather the fish.

What's that old saying? "I catch them, but God cleans them", is still the truth!

But, Simon Peter could not wait to see the Lord again.

*****Joh 21:7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

Joh 21:8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.

Joh 21:9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

Joh 21:10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.

Each of us who are genuine will experience the super natural care of the Lord.

Jesus showed to these disciples the reality of His surroundings, so they could believe that He was certainly the "Risen Savior".

The fish upon the fire represents all those who will be tried by the Lord to see if they are true to the Lord.

1Co_3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

Peter dove in the water and swam to shore eager to see Jesus. The other disciples stayed in the ship (the Church) to make sure the fish made it to shore safely.

The message of the Church must always contain the truth of Jesus Christ!

Act 3:13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

Act 3:14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

Act 3:15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

Act 3:16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

Then Simon Peter helped to bring in the fish:

*****Joh 21:11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

Joh 21:12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

Joh 21:13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.

Joh 21:14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

Peter drew in the fish and noticed not one was lost. The Lord will not lose any of the fish caught by His disciples!

Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.

We can find the Gospel in everything that Jesus did when He walked among us!

There are many great thoughts on the number 153 fish. One theory is that the Lord blessed 153 persons during His time upon this earth.

By talking, hearing and eating the Lord Jesus Christ proved He was in a living body of flesh but was a glorified body.

Remember a glorified body is a body of perfection and we do not have any clue of what a perfect body would look like!

A glorified body is real, and it is a perfect body and as believers we will each have one, one day soon.

After worship, and joy, and the peace we get from knowing Jesus Christ, the next great thing we get from the Church is fellowship.

Jesus had prepared a meal, not from the fish that these had caught, but with fish and bread He had gotten Himself.

The Lord is always giving us gifts that we do not deserve!

Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Jesus Christ is everything we need, and He is the only one who knows what we need!!!!!

These disciples began to understand that they knew what Jesus wanted them to know. Not like a brain washing but the truth!

When we understand the Lord, we understand the truth of life!!!!!

John lets us be aware that this was the third time that the resurrected Christ had appeared to His chosen disciples.

We must clearly understand that the success in catching fish or men, comes from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus just wants us to be busy about the Masters, work.

If souls are not coming to the Lord, it is not because there are no fish.

Joh_4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

The facts are that the Church has far too many men ready to put the brakes on the progress of the Church!

Just as the Lord does not relieve us from labor in this world, (he that does not work does not eat), Jesus also will not relieve us the labor for souls until the day we die. Remember it is the Lord that will call us home "when he is ready"!!!!!

We must remember why the Apostle John was writing this epistle!

Joh 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Not till after they had dined did Jesus show us what it is to be a disciple!

*****Joh 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

Joh 21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Joh 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

There are many things we feel in our doings from day to day, but it is the feelings of love that move us the most!

Peter was a natural born leader so in the presence of the other 6 Jesus went straight to Peter. Not so much because he had denied the Lord but to insure Peter clearly understood his mission.

We are never to take worldly objects and love them more than we love the Lord Jesus Christ!!!!!

We are never to have idols we cherish more than the Lord!!!!!

We all have close friends and family and most have spouses, of which I no longer have, but we are to never love them more than we love the Lord.

In fact we will never love them properly until we put the Lord Jesus Christ first in our lives!!!!!

The truth is Jesus loves all of us more than we can ever understand so He is our example to learn what love is all about!

We must always remember the length of suffering the Lord has done to show us what true love is all about.

Jesus Christ gave us the gift of His love while we were mired in sin, showing Him nothing but hatred.

If we are observant as we look out over the world of today, we see more hatred than we ever have, and hatred is the absence of love!!!!!

The leadership of Peter needed to be reinforced publicly before those that gone fishing with him.

We know when the Lord Jesus called Peter by his full name the conversation was very important!

The most important trait we must have as Christians is the love we have for our Lord and our God, Jesus the Messiah!

We must understand that we are nothing and can accomplish nothing without Christ Jesus!

1) The first question Jesus had to Peter was "did he love the Lord more than he loved these other men".

Jesus could have also been talking about the family of Peter.

One more thing is that Jesus was talking about Peter's love of fishing and his business.

Remember Peter was a business man along with James and John as partners who were also amongst these other men.

Our love for the Lord must be true and must be sincere!

Every true Pastor has loved Jesus more than their family and their career. As disciples we are to be no different!

Jesus ask for "agape" love, but Peter did not respond with agape love but "phileo" love.

You need to look these things up yourself so you will know the difference. We are all to know the difference!

There are even some who have made up their own Christ and not the Christ as described in the Scriptures.

Jesus Christ is the God of the Bible and we had better understand that!

2) The next question Jesus asked Peter was "did he love with God's love".

We are not only to love Jesus more than anyone else in our life, but we are to love everyone else with the same love that God has shown to us.

Our example is still John 3:16 but let’s look at some other passages also.

1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

1Jn 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

1Jn 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

1Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

1Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

It takes time to learn this love and show it to others, but this is what the Lord was asking Peter and the same love Jesus ask of every disciple.

3) The third question Jesus asked Peter was "do you really love Me as your brother".

Jesus now asked with "phileo" love. It takes time to learn the love of God but until then we must be loyal not only to the Lord but also to our brothers and sisters in Christ!

We must be loyal not only to Jesus Christ but also to the entire Word of God.

There is no modern interpretation of the Scriptures. The Scriptures have said what they have always say and God's Word is just as vital today, just as it was in the time of Peter and this was something Peter needed to lock into his heart.

Words are wonderful but if those words do not originate from a heart dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ, then they are meaningless words!

Without the love of God as described here, Peter could never have done the things the Lord has asked him to do.

We owe a lot to Peter today because we know he learned the love that Jesus was insisting on this day on the shore of Galilee.

Peter could now feed the sheep of the Lord!

Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Some of the flock will be one way:

1Pe 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

1Pe 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

1Pe 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Some of the flock will have progressed:

2Ti 2:14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Then there is the special ministry of the Pastor:

1Pe 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

1Pe 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Then the Lord got up close and truly personal with Peter.

*****Joh 21:18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

Joh 21:19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

We need to understand as Christians, the Lord requires a total commitment in following the leadership of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who is that "another".

What do we know about the Apostle Peter?

Peter lived for about 36 more years after this day with Jesus and he was tied to a cross upside down (because he insisted) and when the nails were driven in, he was carried by another to the place he was crucified.

Before Peter was saved, he, more or less did what he pleased, and this is the thing we must give up. We must follow the lead of the Holy Spirit!

If we cannot give the Lord Jesus full control of our bodies, then we are "foolish Christians"

Eph 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Eph 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Tradition says that the wife of Peter served with him in his ministry and she to, was martyred the same day as Peter, right in front of him so the last thing he saw was his dead wife.

Peter was to die the death of a martyr, but not John!

On seeing his wife's death before his own eyes, it is said that Peter rejoiced because he knew she would be waiting on him in Heaven when he got there.

We must understand that the call of Christ will bring some persecution.

We are to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit in everything we do, until the day we go home to be with the Lord!

This was the life that Jesus told Peter he would have, and Peter stood true all his days.

We will all die unless we are among the few will go home at the time of the Rapture.

2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

2Co 5:9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

2Co 5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

2Co 5:12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.

2Co 5:13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.

Jesus said to pick up your own cross and follow Him and this is what Peter did.

Peter turned to see John following and Peter asked Jesus what would John be doing in his ministry.

And Jesus firmly said:

*****Joh 21:20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

Joh 21:21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

Joh 21:22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

Peter may have thought all the Apostles would minister together as a group, but Jesus told Peter that this was not going to happen.

Peter had gone into business with John and his brother James and they were very close for many years.

Peter wanted to know what lay ahead for John.

We know that for some reason, John was spared from a martyr's death and lived a long life.

I believe that since John was to take care of Mary the mother of Jesus, that he did not suffer as much persecution as did Peter and we know the James the brother of John was the first to die a martyr's death when he was beheaded.

We should understand that when Jesus said these things to Peter, it was not a revelation of the will of God for John as some believed.

Jesus was dealing only with Peter as Peter would remain the head of the Apostles till, he died.

If and when we called of God to do anything, then we need to concentrate on that calling and not on what is happening elsewhere or with other ministries.

Not that we are not to help when called upon, but that we are not to allow our own calling suffer for helping others!

We are to focus our energy and our efforts on fulfilling the will of God for our own lives.

We must also understand our motivation to serve must remain our love for God, and not our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are to do the same.

We are certainly to love one another, but Jesus Christ is the one who is to the first in our love.

Our power to serve comes from the Holy Spirit, and we need to pay close attention to Him!

The one more thing we are to understand being a Christian in the full will of God, this will not keep us from growing old or from suffering as we grow old.

We must understand that Paul was a great Apostle only because of that thorn that caused him so much misery.

If we become too rich in material things or physical comforts, we may forget that it is the Lord who will provide.

If we become rich, then those most of those riches are to be used in the ministry or the ministry of the Church.

As Christians we are to live without the favor of this world.

We cannot do without devoted followers.

What would happen to the Apostle John was to be no concern of Peter's.

What was said to Peter about John was misunderstood. Remember it is John who has given us these passages by the Holy Spirit, and we can believe what John is saying.

*****Joh 21:23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

Joh 21:24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

Since John did live the longest of all the 12 Apostles, then he could give the Church the truth of how the early Church withstood the world around it.

The Church is like a ship on course through this world, taking the message of Jesus Christ to all ports of call and the Church will sail boldly as long as the world is not allowed into the ship (Church) that would cause the Church to sink.

We can see that many a ship are sinking, or struggling today because they have allowed the world inside the Church doors!

In truth, as Christians we should forward to death. Not to rush our death in any way, but to know the joy of a job well done and going to the one place that has no part of the world and that is Heaven!

We can understand that the specific form and the manner of our death is predetermined and arranged by God Himself!

The death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ has made a dramatic change to this world we live in.

We can only imagine what this world would look like without the Church or our own nation without the Church.

If we were to understand a miserable future, then the Church would have been useless all these years.

The Lord has promised an eternal life in Heaven. A place where we cannot even imagine the beauty of, where God accepts His adopted family and we will eat as His table for an eternity!

John could not tell us somethings because the Holy Spirit did not require them.

*****Joh 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

Amen

Let's Pray!

Jesus Appeared Many Times After He Had Risen

Jesus Appeared After the Resurrection

Book of John Chapter 20:11-31

When all the disciples were hiding in fear of the Jews, Mary was not. Mary was bold in her devotion to the Lord. A lot of things have been said about Mary Magdalene but she was a woman who was devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ and was willing to the show the world that she was!

We know by the Gospels that Peter and John had left and all the women but this Mary who had stayed behind trying to find her Savior.

*****Joh 20:11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

Joh 20:12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Mary had something that many a church lack today:

1) Mary was devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ.

2) Mary had courage, she was not afraid to show the world her love for Christ Jesus.

3) Mary had patience, she knew her Savior had rose from the dead and she waited on Jesus to show Himself.

No doubt Mary understood the first commandment of the Lord.

Mar_12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Above all other commandments we need to understand what Jesus is saying here!

We must understand that those who love Jesus Christ the most are the same ones who receive the greatest benefit from Him!

We must also understand that those who are conscious of their own guilt and who are convinced that without Christ Jesus they would sink into hell, are the same ones who will cling to the Lord Jesus Christ and His commands.

2Co 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

2Co 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Mary also saw something the others had not seen, two Angels.

We must understand that there exists a spiritual world around us all the time and many times we may have had Angels around us and not recognized them.

Heb_13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

If you do not believe in Angels, you will never see one!

These two Angels could see the misery of Mary and they reacted

*****Joh 20:13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

Mary had done two things that none of the others had done.

1) Mary had lingered at the tomb of Jesus taking it all in and what His death meant.

2) Mary was contemplating what an empty tomb would mean to the world.

Why was this Mary the first to see Jesus? It was because she had the greatest faith on that day!

These two Angels were not sitting around wondering at what was happening. Angels are messengers of God and at this time they had a message for Mary Magdalene.

They were also there to show the enormous power of God!

The fact they were dressed in white, signified the purity of God!

Here again we see this word "woman". This word implies tenderness and courtesy and not disrespect.

The woman may be the weaker vessel in some ways, but a good woman will stand beside her husband such as Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel did.

As far as Mary was concerned these two Angels were nothing compared to her Savior and she spoke to them as if they were only humans also realizing that they may have some answers.

Notice she said "my" Lord and the "I" meant all the other women had gone and she was alone at the tomb.

All these things being true, this Mary was the first to see the resurrected Jesus.

Mar 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

Mar 16:10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

Mar 16:11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.

*****Joh 20:14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Joh 20:15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

Joh 20:16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

Mary failed to see Jesus even with Him so close, which is the story of the Church today. We will never recognize Jesus until He has that permanent place in our heart!

Mary could not recognize Jesus because she was torn apart by His death.

Doubt will not let us get close to the Lord. All the disciples and family and even Mary had doubt that they would ever see Jesus again.

Doubt will cloud our eyes to the truth. None of the disciples of Jesus were prepared for His resurrection!

They could not believe that He could die and gave no thought to His resurrection!

Mary was still seeking a dead Savior as so many are today. Our God is alive!

While Mary was still hopeless, the Lord Jesus was standing right next to her.

Mary may not have recognized Jesus in His resurrected state, but she knew who He was when He mentioned her name.

When Jesus calls our name, we will definitely know it is He who is calling.

We can never miss out on the Rapture of the Church because we will know it is time to go home.

Many times we Christians grieve when we should be rejoicing!

The Lord is always near us when we are going through tough times in fact, He is with us all the time!

We need to serve the Lord while it is still time.

When the Lord returns there will be millions who will want to serve Him, but it will be too late for them.

Isa 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

We must focus on the work of the Lord and focus our eyes upon Him at all times.

Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

*****Joh 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

No doubt that Mary was so excited that she wanted to cling to Jesus but there was still work, to do. Jesus sent Mary to do one thing while He did something else.

Mary had not yet understood the message of the resurrected Savior.

You will never find a time that Jesus is not busy with His Father's business.

He will hold us forever when we get to Heaven!

Mary would have held on to Jesus for days had not Jesus told her that there are things that had to be done.

Jesus would never allow any of us to interfere with the plans of His Father!

Mary needed to be obedient the Words of Her Master, now her God, in His glorified form.

What did Paul write?

2Co 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Notice also the Church had begun. The disciples were no more called disciples, but all believers are in the brotherhood and sisterhood of Christ!

*****Joh 20:18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

Mary Magdalene was the first eyewitness to our resurrected Savior!

Mary was seeking the same relationship she had before the crucified Christ, but this was impossible.

By the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ requires a knew, relationship. A relationship that could not be established until Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit would descend to begin the Church of the Living God and this could not take place until after Jesus ascended back to Heaven.

Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

We still need to study the other Gospels to get the complete story of the things that happened that day.

Another thing we should mention is when Mary the mother of our Lord was given over to the care of the Apostle John, then being the mother of the Lord was not as important as being a believer in her resurrected Son, and the salvation that was offered to be just as it is to "whosoever" will believe in the work of Christ.

Mary the mother of the Lord could not be saved just because she was the Mother, she had to be saved because of her faith. She certainly is not to be worshiped.

It was Mary Magdalene who became the first witness because she had the greatest faith!

*****Joh 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Joh 20:20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

As we see the disciples of the Lord were sealed behind locked doors because they were afraid the show themselves in public.

But no amount of security could stop the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. He just appeared inside the room where these disciples were hiding.

The Lord's appearance first brought fear, but His words brought peace.

You see we must first have that reverent fear of the Lord before we can be at peace with God! After all our God is the sovereign God of everything we can see and of all things we cannot see!

For those who think the Lord only appeared as a spirit should be able to see that even in His glorified state the Lord did have a material body.

There was no blood left in His body. No blood was required in His glorified body. There was no food required but the Lord Jesus could still eat if He so desired. All this being was because He was Jehovah God.

Luk 24:41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

Luk 24:42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

Luk 24:43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

Luk 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Luk 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

Luk 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

Notice the Lord did all He could to assure these unbelievers that He was certainly the resurrected Christ!

These disciples became believers this day, but they would still not understand all things until they received the Holy Spirit.

They could not receive the Holy Spirit until their faith was solid and real and from the heart!

*****Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Joh 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

Joh 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

We should also understand that once Jesus returned to Heaven, it was the job of these Apostles to carry the "Good News", the "Gospel" to all the world.

Some of them had not first believed even when they saw the Lord.

They had not believed the words of the women who had seen the Lord.

They had not believed Mary Magdalene who was the first witness of our risen Savior.

The disciples had remained in Jerusalem as they were told to do, and they now believed the truth of the Lord.

Even doubting Thomas was now a believer.

These disciples began to go through a great change. They began to understand that all life can come only by the Lord!

The truth of our Lord began to sink in. The Lord Jesus does exactly what He says He will do!

Jesus had said He would give His life so we could be saved, and He did.

Jesus had said He would resurrect from that death to prove He was God, and He did.

Sin and death are now conquered

Jesus Christ is the "Good Shepherd" who gave His life for His sheep!

Jesus Christ did defeat the works of the Devil!

Jesus Christ was lifted up for all the world to see!

Jesus Christ did say that greater love has no man but a man who would lay down His life for His friends!

Jesus Christ did say if I depart, I will send the Comforter to you, who will never leave you!

Jesus Christ did say "my record is true" and it has proven to be true!

Jesus Christ did say, "as the Father has sent Me, I will now send you!

The truth is that until we know the peace of God and reconciled to Him by the works of Jesus Christ, we cannot represent God in this world!

We have a specific mission but many a church has forgotten how specific is the mission that the Lord has given to us, and have taken up many things, many of them being good things but have veered from the mission given to us by the Lord.

Jesus Christ breathed upon this whole group, just as He did to bring the life of Adam into existence symbolizing that the Holy Spirit must dwell in the entire church body for the church to be the "Bride of Christ".

1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

We should understand that verse 23 does not suggest that any man can forgive the sins of another.

If one has accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, we can say their sins are forgiven and if not then we can say that their sins are not forgiven.

Joh 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Only a believer can tell another believer that their sins have been forgiven a non-believer cannot know the truth!

The day Jesus first came unto the disciples Thomas was not with them.

*****Joh 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

Joh 20:25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

Joh 20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

Thomas refused to accept the Lord Jesus Christ had arisen from the grave unless he could see Him with his own eyes.

Today many are just like Thomas who refuse to believe that Jesus the Messiah died and then arose from the grave.

Thomas would not believe these ten men who he had been with for as much as 2 years.

By forsaking the Lord Thomas became frustrated.

Thomas had missed the proof of Jesus because he was not gathered with them.

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

It is the same today. We do not know what we miss when we do not gather with the Church.

Another thing we see is, when we speak out against the Lord we may have to eat our own words. Everything we say is heard by the Lord and this is true today also!

Thomas acted foolishly but the Lord Jesus acted with mercy and grace!

Eight days later would have been the next Lord's Day, the next Sunday and this time they were all gathered together.

Again Jesus came right in through locked doors and stood in the midst of the 11 disciples.

Again saying "Peace unto you".

We can only wonder what Thomas thought as Jesus recited back to him his exact words!

The world fails to understand that Jesus is much more than some great prophet.

Jesus is much more than some great teacher.

Jesus is much more than some great man.

Jesus is much more than the founder of Christianity.

Jesus is even more than the greatest man that ever lived!

Those that see Jesus as only these things, see only some man who lived and then died.

The non-believing sinner sees Jesus as only some man, because it brings our Savior down to their level.

If Jesus was truly some man, then He could not be perfect and could not be worthy to sacrifice Himself for anyone sins.

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

This was the feelings of most of the world then and we see that most of the world today has gotten worse!

2Ti_3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Jesus said to Thomas come, I will show you the proof you seek after.

*****Joh 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Joh 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

When the Lord returns, He will also show the world the proof they seek.

Jesus knew that Thomas had a momentary loss of faith because Jesus can look into the heart and it was necessary for Thomas to be a true believer in order for all the Apostles to do the work that lay ahead of them.

Today Jesus knows not only our heart, but our doubts, our fears, our despair, our hope, our love and every other thing about us.

God sees everything we do every day, and records them in His books, and these are the things the non-believer will be "judged" by on the "Day of the Lord"!

And the believer on the day of the Rapture, at the judgment seat of Christ.

1Sa 2:3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

The Lord Jesus Christ is our Lord and our God whether we believe it or not!!!!!!!

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

If we have no faith, then we are not a Temple of God!

Jesus Christ is truly our risen Savior!

Jesus Christ is certainly the Sovereign majesty of the universe!

Jesus Christ is the One who came to reveal our God to us!

Jesus Christ is the One who we are to worship!

Jesus Christ expects an open and public confession.

Jesus Christ expects the same from us as He did from Thomas even though we have not seen Him in person.

By the Holy Spirit we have all His words of truth!

*****Joh 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

We are to believe even when we do not see the evidence and proof!

We are to believe because of God's love!

Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Through the Scriptures we see the need for us to be Christian because we know the "character" of God!

We are to believe because of the billions of witnesses have gone on before us or how can we believe that our loved ones who knew the Lord are in Heaven.

We are to believe because when the Lord moves in our heart tells us so!

Thomas had chosen his own path until he saw the proof of our Savior and then these things were settled within him, just as they should be in us!

Jesus made sure they all understood the truth!

*****Joh 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Immediately we see that there are many things that these disciples saw that were not written down for us.

So even after He arose Jesus was ministering to the needs of the believers.

The signs that Jesus chose to use brought great results because we can see the evidence of that by the results of the lives of these Apostles afterwards.

His character, His behavior, His preaching, His teaching, His miracles, His control of the environment, and His power proved that the Lord Jesus Christ is truly the Messiah.

We should know that in the life of our Savior upon this earth He did not have a secret He could not openly show!

What we have in the Book of John are the things selected by the Holy Spirit to keep in our remembrance on our Savior!

We will end our study in the Book of John next week knowing that we could not cover everything in this series of lessons!

Amen

Let's pray!