Author: Danny Panter

Re:Verse passage – John 21:15-25 (day six)

There’s little doubt Peter was carrying a heavy burden. He knew this moment was coming. I imagine he both longed for it and dreaded it, like a child who longs for reconciliation with a parent; longing for their nearness again, but fearful of facing what you have done, along with their disappointment.

To Peter’s surprise, his burden would be lifted, and his identity forever changed with just a few moments alone with Jesus.

The death and resurrection of Jesus assured that his identity would no longer be defined by his greatest sin, but by the very righteousness of God. Peter was given new life and a new purpose.

And so have we.

Re:Verse passage – John 21:1-14 (day six) 

⁵ And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” Revelation 21:5

In the resurrected body of Jesus is the promise of a new creation. We tend to over-spiritualize the mission of Jesus, as if God is not concerned with our bodies and the rest of the material world. Jesus’ resurrection loudly says otherwise! Our salvation will only be complete with the re-creation of our bodies at the resurrection of the dead when Jesus returns. Paul describes Jesus as the “first-born from the dead;” all those in Christ will follow.

As the disciples marveled at the resurrected Jesus, I imagine they began to conclude that he was doing something brand-new, and although the law and the prophets had always pointed to a new creation, they could not have fathomed it until those moments of revelation (John 21:1) with Jesus.

Let me encourage you not to be short-sighted in your hope in Jesus. Marvel that Jesus is “making all things new!” The work he began in your life will be completed when he returns.

Re:Verse passage – John 20:19-23 (day six)

“Peace be with you.”

This was a customary greeting, but these men heard it in a new way. Each of them had abandoned Jesus; they had fled for their lives, save, maybe John. Now, he was with them in the flesh. They were fearful of the authorities, but I imagine at that moment they were afraid of Jesus too. (In more ways than one.)

His greeting was intended to put them at ease, as if to say, “We are okay. I don’t hold anything against you.”

Up to that very moment, they must have carried so much guilt and sorrow, but with just one greeting, they were at peace. Can you imagine?

Is that not what Jesus says to us when we come to him in faith? “Peace, be with you.” Aren’t you grateful for peace?

Re:Verse passage – John 20:1-18 (day six)

“Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” John 20:17

We are not sure what to make of this. Is Jesus alluding to some mystery about his glorified body? I believe it is far simpler than that. It might have sounded something like this,

“Mary, you need to let me go; I still have work to do, and so do you. Now go tell my disciples…”

Could it be that is what Jesus intends for us to understand? That we can’t stay in the garden holding onto him. That we have a story to tell.

“Now, go and tell…”

Re:Verse passage – John 19:38-42 (day six)

This is a remarkable little story of two men coming out of the shadows to honor a man they secretly admired. With much at stake, and not a lot of time before sundown, they tend to the broken body of Jesus. As much as possible they honored Jesus’ body with the sacred traditions that accompanied the dead.

It is in this moment that we most clearly see Jesus’ humanity; a broken body, wrapped, and placed in a rich man’s tomb.

Jesus’ brokenness (in his crucifixion) is not what made him human; he became broken in his body so we could become whole, complete, and incorruptible in ours.

Re:Verse passage – John 19:31-37 (day six)

(This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also may continue to believe.^[a]) John 19:35

How else would we know apart from the testimony of the Apostles? All the gospel writers, but especially John, longed for us to believe. He knew, and so did Jesus, that what was required was the reliable testimony of others (John 17:20). All along the road to the cross, John wanted us to see how Jesus fulfilled the prophets, he wanted us to see that the cross was God’s plan all along, and he wanted us to see that Jesus really suffered, and really died.

It was important for John to make clear there was no way Jesus could have survived, thus the spear, and blood and water. He wanted to leave no doubt as to the outcome of the cross.

Why? Simply, so that all who read his testimony would believe that it is not a sham, but in fact it is the real deal; to those being saved the message of the cross is the power of God to save sinners (1 Corinthians 1:18).

Re:Verse passage – John 19:28-30 (day six)

Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. John 13:1

This is the preface to Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, but it also captures, at least in part, Jesus’ sentiment when he declared “It is finished.” He had been faithful to the very end to care for the men the Father had entrusted into his care. In fact he says as much in his high priestly prayer in John 17.

Why does it matter? Have you faithfully loved all the people entrusted into your care? I, for one, am thankful Jesus’ righteousness becomes my own (2 Corinthians 5:21). He loved his neighbor as himself to the last breath of his life.