Removing Doubt and Fear Day 7

8 Day Week

Removing Doubt and Fear

The power of the resurrected Christ

Removes doubt and fear

To turn your negative into a positive

The week end has passed,

fear and sadness filled the hearts of the followers of Jesus.

The disciples were afraid they too might be arrested

and in their mind they must have wondered

what type of delusions they might have been under.

It’s Sunday Morning,

the first day of the week,

a new day - the 8^th day!

The day starts with a violent earthquake

and the stone covering the tomb is removed.  Matthew 28:2

Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Mary the mother of James

go the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus

and discover He is gone.

Angels appear and Jesus Himself

and they are told to tell the other disciples,

which Jesus called brothers.

The disciples don’t believe the women.  Luke 24:11

In the afternoon,

Jesus takes a walk with two men,

they talk about the events of Christ’s death.

When they reach their destination,

they invite Jesus to stay with them.

When Jesus blesses and broke the bread,

He gave it to them and they realized who He was.

Do you recognize Him,

does His Word burn in your heart when you eat the bread

and drink from the cup in communion with Him?  

These two men find the other disciples locked in a room

for fear of the Jews.  John 20:19

Then Jesus appears in the room,

and says, “Peace be with you.”

Jesus asks, “Why are you troubled,

and why do doubts rise in your minds?”

A week later the disciples are still locking the doors,

this time Thomas is there and doubted that Jesus had risen.

Jesus again appears and says to Thomas,

“Stop doubting and believe.”  John 20:26

Jesus says in John 20:29 NIV,

Then Jesus told him,

"Because you have seen me, you have believed;

blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

I have been in hopeless situations

and I have to confess I have had doubts.

Like the disciples, I have been with others

where we talked about how negative and hopeless things were.

But I thank God that He did not let the locked doors

stop Him from coming to me

and removing my doubt and giving me peace.

It is when we recognize Jesus

in our locked room of fear, disillusion, and doubt

that He will open our minds to understand the scriptures

and how they apply to our need.  John 20:45

No matter how bad you think things are:

DON’T DOUBT - HE HAS RISEN!!!!!

PS… Peter is restored.  John 21:15-ff

Scripture Reading

John 20:1-21:1

20:1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark,

Mary Magdalene went to the tomb

and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.

2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple,

the one Jesus loved, and said,

"They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,

and we don't know where they have put him!"

3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.

4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter

and reached the tomb first.

5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there

but did not go in.

6 Then Simon Peter, who was behind him,

arrived and went into the tomb.

He saw the strips of linen lying there,

7 as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head.

The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen.

8 Finally the other disciple,

who had reached the tomb first,

also went inside.

He saw and believed.

9(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

10 Then the disciples went back to their homes,

11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying.

As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb

12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been,

one at the head and the other at the foot.

13 They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"

"They have taken my Lord away," she said,

"and I don't know where they have put him."

14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there,

but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15 "Woman," he said, "why are you crying?

Who is it you are looking for?"

Thinking he was the gardener, she said,

"Sir, if you have carried him away,

tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."

16 Jesus said to her, "Mary."

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic,

"Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).

17 Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me,

for I have not yet returned to the Father.

Go instead to my brothers and tell them,

'I am returning to my Father and your Father,

to my God and your God.'" 

18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news:

"I have seen the Lord!"

And she told them that he had said these things to her.

19 On the evening of that first day of the week,

when the disciples were together,

with the doors locked for fear of the Jews,

Jesus came and stood among them and said,

"Peace be with you!" 

20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.

The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

21 Again Jesus said,

"Peace be with you!

As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 

22 And with that he breathed on them and said,

"Receive the Holy Spirit.

23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven;

if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve,

was not with the disciples when Jesus came.

25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"

But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands

and put my finger where the nails were,

and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."

26 A week later his disciples were in the house again,

and Thomas was with them.

Though the doors were locked,

Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 

27 Then he said to Thomas,

"Put your finger here; see my hands.

Reach out your hand and put it into my side.

Stop doubting and believe." 

28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

29 Then Jesus told him,

"Because you have seen me, you have believed;

blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." 

30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples,

which are not recorded in this book.

31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,

the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

THE PRICE!!!! Day 6

THE PRICE!!!!

Don’t let His suffering and death go in vain.

Receive the benefits

and

Tell others of the Good News!

Remember,

“It’s Friday but Sunday is Coming”

https://youtu.be/sB2en_C4KGk

 

If we were to start Day 6 from the evening or night of Day 5,

 we begin to see the price Jesus paid for you and I.

Jesus is betrayed with a kiss by his friend Judas. 

This morning as Sandy and I kissed before she left for work,

I commented to her how wonderful the kiss was.

It is hard to comprehend that someone could use

something so wonderful to betray another.  Luke 22:47 & 48

Peter bold enough to pull the sword

and cut off the servant of the high priest’s ear

to defend Jesus, (John 18:10) 

denies knowing Jesus three times;

when the rooster crows,

Jesus and Peter’s eyes meet

as the last fighting man leaves Christ alone.  Luke 22:61

The temple leaders were not trying to help Jesus

but looking to any means,

even false testimony to find some way

to put Him to death.

When Jesus was brought before the law of the land,

He found no justice

even though found innocent.

When the choice was made to release one of two men,

a murderer was chosen

and the cry for Jesus to be crucified. 

Mocked, flogged, beaten, and given a cross to bear.

Nailed to the cross and hung between two thieves

as His mother watched the cruelty inflicted on her son.

All this was to fulfill the scriptures.  John 19:36

After the sky grew black

and as the last of the life blood of Jesus fell to the ground,

the last ounce of hope was drained from every follower of Christ.

And the lifeless flesh of Jesus

was put into a cold stone tomb.

What would you pay to have every offense you have ever made,

an action, a word that hurt someone else, forgiven?

What would you pay to have health when you are sick?

What would you pay to live forever

where there is no sin, sickness, sorrow, and pain?

What would you pay to have God love you?

FORGET IT - YOU CAN’T AFFORD IT!!!!!!!!

BUT

There is hope - it came on the 6^th day of the 8 day week.

God said,

IT IS FINISHED!

I PAID THE PRICE!

Scripture Reading

Luke 22:47-48

47 While he was still speaking a crowd came up,

and the man who was called Judas,

one of the Twelve, was leading them.

He approached Jesus to kiss him,  

48 but Jesus asked him,

"Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"

John 18:7-14

7 Again he asked them, "Who is it you want?"

And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."

8 "I told you that I am he," Jesus answered.

"If you are looking for me, then let these men go."

 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled:

"I have not lost one of those you gave me."   

10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)

11 Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away!

Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" 

12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander

and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus.

They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas,

who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.

14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews

that it would be good if one man died for the people.

Luke 22:60-62

60 Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!"

Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed.

61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter.

Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him:

"Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." 

62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.

  

Mark 14:55-56

55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin

were looking for evidence against Jesus

so that they could put him to death,

but they did not find any.

56 Many testified falsely against him,

but their statements did not agree.

John 18:38-40

38 "What is truth?" Pilate asked.

With this he went out again to the Jews and said,

"I find no basis for a charge against him.

39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release 'the king of the Jews'?"

40 They shouted back, "No, not him! Give us Barabbas!"

Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.

Matthew 26:65-68

65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said,

"He has spoken blasphemy!

Why do we need any more witnesses?

Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.

66 What do you think?"

"He is worthy of death," they answered.

67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists.

Others slapped him 68 and said, "Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?"

John 19:1-6

19:1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.

2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head.

They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying,

"Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face.

4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews,

"Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know

that I find no basis for a charge against him."

5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe,

Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!"

6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted,

"Crucify! Crucify!"

John 19:16-20

16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.

17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull

(which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).

18 Here they crucified him, and with him two others

— one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross.

It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

John 19:24-20:1

This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said,

"They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing."

So this is what the soldiers did.

25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister,

Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

26 When Jesus saw his mother there,

and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby,

 he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 

27 and to the disciple, "Here is your mother."

From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

28 Later, knowing that all was now completed,

and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 

29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it,

put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips.  

30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished."

With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

31 Now it was the day of Preparation,

and the next day was to be a special Sabbath.

Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath,

they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.

32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man

who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other.

33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead,

they did not break his legs.

34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear,

bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.

35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true.

He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.

36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled:

"Not one of his bones will be broken,"   37 and, as another scripture says,

"They will look on the one they have pierced."  

38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus.

Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews.

With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away.

39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night.

Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.  

40 Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen.

This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.

41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden,

and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.

42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation

and since the tomb was nearby,  they laid Jesus there.

Passing the Baton - Day 5

8 Day Week

Passing the Baton - Day 5

It is now Day 5.

Jesus is preparing His disciples for His departure.

He knew they would need comfort for their loss.

Jesus passes the baton of His ministry.

Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to both comfort and equip.

Are you full of the Spirit of God?

John starts by saying,

Jesus is “now showing the full extent of His love.” John 13:1

Jesus, the Lord and Teacher, demonstrates His love

through serving His disciples by washes their feet.

Jesus said we would be blessed if we served like He did.

After Jesus washed their feet,

they observed the Passover where Jesus

reveals Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial.

The Gospel of John is the only Gospel

not to record the Lord’s Supper.

It is probably because John records

Jesus declaring He is the Bread of Life.  John 6:25-ff

Jesus said, “unless you eat my flesh

and drink my blood you have no life in you.” John 6:53

In verse 60,

many disciples could not accept

His words and left Him.

John now records three chapters of Jesus preparing

His disciples for His departure.

Jesus shares that in the Father’s house, where He is going,

there is plenty of rooms for those who follow Him.  John 14:1-4

For those who follow Jesus,

they will know the way

because Jesus is the (only) way, truth and life.

There are two reasons for believing Jesus;

 the one is you believe what He says,

the other is you believe because of the miracles.  John 14:11

For those who believe,

Jesus said they would do even greater works in His Name

after He went to be with the Father.  John 14:12-15

Jesus makes a promise to the believer

that He will send the “Parakleetos” meaning comforter or counselor

which is the Holy Spirit to teach and remind us.  John 14:15 & 25

Jesus promises to leave the believer with a peace

that is different than the peace the world offers,

His peace is not based on the circumstances.  John 14:27

Jesus tells us that if we remain in Him like a branch to a vine

He will give us whatever we ask for

in order to bear fruit for Him.  John 15:7, 8 & 16

Jesus said He had many more things to say but it would be too much

 so He said He would leave the rest of the info

up to the Holy Spirit.  John 16:12

Again, Jesus tells the disciples

that the Father will give them whatever they ask in the name of Jesus

and our joy becomes complete when we receive what we ask.  John 16:23 & 24

Jesus concludes His word of preparation with:

John 16:33 NIV

 "I have told you these things,

so that in Me you may have peace.

In this world you will have trouble.

But take heart!

I have overcome the world."  

Then we find Jesus close in prayer

for Himself, the disciples and finally a prayer for us.  John 17

Jesus made sure you and I

were equipped before He went to the Father.

He sent us the Holy Spirit,

so we would have peace, comfort, counsel, and power.

Jesus has sent to you and I,

the same Holy Spirit that anointed Him

to preach good news with power.  Isaiah 61; Luke 4:18

We can read in the book of Acts

what the disciples did after they received the Holy Spirit;

and now it is our turn.

Scripture Reading

Selected verses from John 13-17 NIV

John 13:1

13:1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world,

he now showed them the full extent of his love.  

John 13:12-17

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

John 13:33-38

33 "My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

34 "A new command I give you: Love one another.

As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." 

36 Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?"

Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later." 

37 Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."

38 Then Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for me?

I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

John 14:1-4

14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.

2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.

I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

4 You know the way to the place where I am going." 

John 14:5-7

5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going,

so how can we know the way?" 

6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.

 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well.

From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

John 14:11-21

11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;

or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.

12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.

He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father,

and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.

But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me.

Because I live, you also will live.

20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father,

and you are in me, and I am in you.

21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them,

he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father,

and I too will love him and show myself to him." 

John 14:25-27

 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,

will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 15:1

15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

John 15:5

5 "I am the vine; you are the branches

John 15:7-8

7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish,

and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory,

 that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

John 15:12-16

12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

John 16:5-14

5 "Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' 6 Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief.

7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away.

Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me;

10 in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father,

where you can see me no longer; 11 and in regard to judgment,

because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

12 "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.

13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.

He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears,

and he will tell you what is yet to come.

John 16:23-24

23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything.

I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.

Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

John 16:33

33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." 

John 17:15-16

15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world

but that you protect them from the evil one.