Author: Rick Henderson

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

Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you [phileo] Me?” John 21:17

In English, we really only have one word to describe deep connecting feelings for another individual: love. Our word for love can be used in varying contexts though. I love God, I love my wife, I love my youth group, and I love tacos. All four of those are different types of love, and the Greek language would have a different one for each one. Here, Jesus asks Peter twice, “Do you agapao (unconditional love) Me.” Peter’s response is always, “You know I phileo (brotherly love) you.” In the final occurrence, Jesus uses Peter’s term, phileo. This one was the final straw. Peter was unable to tell Jesus that he loved Jesus as much as Jesus loved him, so Jesus dumbed it down to something like, “Do you really even love me like a brother?”

Do you love Jesus? It is impossible to be able to love Him as much as He loves us, but can you at least say that you love him with all your heart? Or is He just another person that we say we love and put on the same level as tacos?

Re:Verse passage – John 20:24-29 (day seven)

There are plenty of Thomases walking around these days. They appear as skeptics who claim to follow logic and applaud themselves for being openminded. More and more, there seems to be an increase in these types of skeptics. Bolstered by the internet and waves of “research,” they dissuade themselves from believing what they ultimately know to be true.

Yet, is it so bad to be a Thomas? For it is Thomas who makes the first claim of deity in Jesus post-resurrection in his statement in verse 28, “My Lord and my God!” It is also Thomas who convinced the other disciples in 11:16 to follow Jesus to His death. Thomas had deep conviction. Thomas was loyal. Thomas went on to do great things for Jesus.

It is the Thomases even our world today who will do great things for Jesus. Once a skeptic converts to Christianity, they are fully invested and ready to defend their faith. Just imagine if someone had given up on C.S. Lewis because he was a skeptic. Let us be the ones to reveal the Risen Lord to the doubting Thomases in our midst.

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

as the Father has sent Me, I also send you. vs 21

This is the Johannine great commission. Though Matthew’s account is the most recognized one, each Gospel has a moment towards the end of the book where Jesus commissions the disciples (and us as well) to Go and Tell. Here we find the disciples huddled together in fear behind a locked door. There is beauty in this picture though. As often as we critique these individuals for their fear, we lose sight that they were together. They knew they were Better Together. Jesus had commanded and prayed that this group would stand together and grow together. This objective had been completed. Now it was time to Go and Tell His story together. It was time to open the door and go do something.

As we move our rally cry from Better Together to Go and Tell, we can know that our strength is in our cohesion, we are stronger and Better Together. Imagine how strong we can be as we Go and Tell His story together. It is time for us to open the door and go do something.

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

Jesus said to her, “Mary!” vs 16a

Mary didn’t initially recognize that it was Jesus who was talking to her. Perhaps she was still in shock, stricken by grief. How could it have been Jesus? She was there at the cross. She watched Him die. But when He said her name, it was unmistakable. She knew His voice. She knew this was real.

To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. John 10:3-4

Do you know His voice? Have you heard it? When you hear the voice of the Lord calling out your name, it is unmistakable. He calls each of us by name to trust Him as our Savior. Yet, it doesn’t stop at salvation. You will often hear it when you are running too fast in the wrong direction. You will hear it when you need encouragement. You will hear it when He is calling you to a special task. Maybe even now you will hear him calling out your name. When you hear it, you will know His Voice. When you hear it, you will know this is real. You will know, because you are His.

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

Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. vs 41

In a garden an Innocent Man was arrested. In a garden an Innocent Man was put to death. In a garden an Innocent Man was laid to rest.

For He was there when it all began, in another garden in another land. He watched as Satan spun a curse on man.

In a garden that curse was lifted. In a garden death was put to death. In a garden death was laid to rest.

For He was the Adam we were supposed to be. It was our sin that put Him on that tree. Yet, He bore it all to prepare a garden for me.

In His garden Eden will be restored. In His garden there will be no more death. In His garden we will all find rest.

Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life. Revelation 22:1-2

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

A command from the very first Passover and reiterated by the psalmist:

He keeps all his bones,
Not one of them is broken. Psalm 34:20

This may not mean much to us, but to John and the other followers looking on, this is a moment of hope in day of despair. This is where it begins to click. This is the Passover Lamb. This Passover Lamb is The Lord. Even if our heart stops beating, He can bring dry bones to life.

Thus says the Lord God to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life.’ Ezekiel 37:5

His body may be broken, but His bones tell a different story. Sunday is coming. He will bring His own dry bones to life. There may be scars on His hands, but He will run out of that grave on unbroken legs!

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

... knowing that all things had already been accomplished. vs 28

Jesus was born to die. This was the reason for the incarnation. God offered His Only Begotten Son to earth so that His people could become His children. As fully God, Christ could not accomplish what needed to be done. He could not die for sinners. He had to be born a man. Fully God, fully man. This was the only way it could be accomplished. Jesus was born to die.

Jesus was born to die so that we could live. The cloud of sin that prohibited us from having communion with God was lifted as the veil was torn. As the prophecy goes, His name will be called Immanuel. He became God with us so that He could always be God with us. Jesus was born to die so we could live with Him. Mission Accomplished.

Hebrews 2:14-15

Re:Verse passage – John 19:17-27 (day seven)

They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. vs 17

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Luke 9:23 

This was probably the moment it all began to sink in for the disciples. Here is Jesus, taking up a heavy cross and dragging it to the top of the mountain. Those who were watching were probably reliving these words in their mind saying, “Is this really what He meant? Is this what He was calling us to do?” It was, and they did. Extrabiblical sources would tell us that many of them did take up a cross or something similar as all of them but John (exiled) were martyred for their belief in the Risen King.

How will you take up your cross? This burden is not light. That daily act of self denial is difficult and goes against the sinful nature that is pushing back inside of us. As we enter into this new year, how will you follow Jesus more closely? Will you take up your cross daily? Will you deny yourself and submit to Him every day? Let us all instill habits now that will lead us closer to Jesus in 2023! Happy New Year!

Re:Verse passage – John 19:5-16 (day seven)

The Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.  1 Samuel 8:7

We asked The King for another king, and he delivered, but another king could not be The King that we needed. The imperfection of mankind does not lend itself to being capable of true Kingship. The Perfect and Sovereign King knew our plight, so He sent His Son to be our King.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;  for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  Luke 2:10-11

Immanuel! God with us! This was the Perfect King. The very King we needed, but even this King was rejected because He was not the King we expected.

Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” John 19:15b

If the chief priests believe they have no other king but Caesar, then they have not only rejected Jesus as the Messiah, but they have rejected The Lord as their King.

Today we celebrate the birth of a King as the angels proclaimed in Luke 2. There are still those who reject Him, but we do not. We perceive His power. We worship His wisdom. We praise His Holy Name. We have no King but Jesus!

Re:Verse passage – John 19:1-5 (day seven)

“Hail, King of the Jews!”

The actions of the Roman soldiers in this passage makes me believe that this was not the first time they had quelled a “rebellion.” Their actions were swift and rehearsed. Their props were ready and nearby. The goal was to make the “king” appear weak and defeated in hopes that his followers would scatter.

“Behold, the Man!”

Pilate hoped this would be sufficient for the crowd. He thought he could present Jesus as a defeated king. He thought they would have sympathy and be satisfied by Jesus’ scourging. He thought it would end there.

Could it have ended there? Sure… all Jesus would have had to do was claim He was not the Messiah. If He stood before the religious leaders, a defeated king, and admitted His defeat and rebutted His claims, He probably could have been freed. Yet, Jesus stood His ground. He was the Messiah, He is the King and He will not be defeated. The battle has just begun!