John devotional week beginning 27/3/17 – John 20:1-18 Jesus is risen!

Going deeper week 4 – Personal daily study notes on Jn. 20:1-18

No one believes what Jesus has said about His resurrection! Mary believes that Jesus’ body has been stolen; John and Peter run to the tomb but ‘did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead’.

Slowly, through a number of encounters, Jesus convinces them of the reality of the resurrection. They go on a journey from mourning and fear, to joy and courage; the journey that we are all on as we, daily, allow the truth of the resurrection to saturate our perspective.

Monday: “They have taken the Lord”

Read John 20:1-2, Mark 16:1-8. It is probably the case that Mary Madeline runs back to the disciples, leaving the other women at the tomb who have a meeting with an angel (Not recorded in John). She declares, “They (Jesus’ enemies) have taken the Lord…” She was not expecting a resurrection! Let’s not allow fear cause us to lose sight of the resurrection. “Where is Jesus?” you ask, He is right here with you!

Tuesday: ‘They did not understand’

Read John 20:3-10. Peter and John run to the tomb. Finding it empty we read, ‘They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead’. Neither Peter nor John were expecting a resurrection. Despite all that Jesus had said and the testimony of these women, they fail to grasp what has happened. Are you living in assurance of the resurrection? Ask God to deepen your faith and trust.

Wednesday: “I don’t know where they have put Him”

Read John 20:11-15. Mary returns to the tomb. Maybe she has not heard the testimony of the other woman who remained behind and saw the angels (Matt. 28:5) or she is just overwhelmed with confusion and grief. Either way, she doesn’t recognise Jesus who is ‘standing there… she thinks He is the gardener ‘; Jesus wants to meet us where we are. He comforts us through scripture, friends, sermons, a song etc. Let’s expect and listen for His comfort; don’t dismiss Him as He speaks to you.

Thursday: “Mary”

Read John 20:16. When Jesus calls her name, it finally dawns on her that Jesus is alive. Her grief and confusion are dispelled with the revelation that Jesus is with her. We can know the promises, we can hear of other people’s experiences, but have we met the risen Jesus? And if so have we done so recently? We know that at least three other women were with Mary, but God is focussing on her. God loves you and wants to meet with you personally. Let’s ask the Spirit to fill us today with the presence of the risen Jesus.  

Friday: “Don’t hold on to me”

Read John 20:17, 16:5-7. Jesus is telling Mary, and us, that although He is risen, His will not be with us bodily, but by the Spirit. Mary holds on to Him, and we also may wish that Jesus were here physically; but let’s remember, the physical Jesus could only be with one person at a time! Now He is equally with all of us as our loving God.

Saturday: “I have seen the Lord”

Read John 20:18. Now Mary is convinced that Jesus has risen from the dead as He had promised. Revelation is always accompanied by action – faith and action always go together. Are you convinced that Jesus is alive? How is this being seen in your life and relationships? Pray for grace to live as one who knows the risen, Spirit giving, Saviour.

You can catch up on all the messages in the John series at:

http://www.communitychurchputney.com/community-church-putney--audio---resources.html

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John devotional week beginning 20/3/17 – John 19:28-42 Death and Burial

How can Jesus’ death and burial be a source of boundless joy and hope? In this passage we see, what, on the surface, seems an utter defeat, and many, including the disciples, saw it this way. But, as we look closer we see that Jesus is dying of His own choice – on three occasions in this passage (19:28, 36, 27) John highlights that Jesus’ death is fulfilling prophecies made in the bible! He is choosing to die so that we can go from being thirsty to being satisfied, from being broken to being ‘finished’, from being fearful to becoming confident, unashamed worshippers.

Monday: “I am thirsty”

Read John 19:28, 3:14, 7:37. Fulfilling Ps. 69:21 ‘They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst’ John wants us to see something deeper in Jesus’ thirst. On previous occasions John has pointed to Jesus as the one who satisfies our spiritual thirst. For Isaiah 55:1-2 to be fulfilled – our having our deepest thirst quenched – Jesus becomes spiritually thirsty as He is cursed by God and man for us, on the cross.

Tuesday: “It is finished”

Read John 19:29-30. ‘Hyssop’ connects Jesus’ death to Passover; Hyssop was used to paint blood over their doors bringing victory over death and slavery (Ex.12:22). Jesus dies as our victor. He is in control of all of these events, fulfilling scripture and doing all that is needed for man’s salvation. It is finished! We add nothing to Jesus work; we receive it by faith.  The devil will come and ask, “Is it really finished?” At such times re-affirm your faith, declare to your soul and to demonic powers, “It is finished!” 

Wednesday: ‘His testimony is true’

Read John 19:31-35. John stresses that Jesus is fully man (against false teaching that He was not human). His incarnation means that He was both fully God and fully man. He died for humans as a human. The flow of blood and water, is also a significant piece of evidence on the authenticity of John’s testimony. A. Metherell M.D, P.H.D.  Interviewed by Lee Strobel (The case for Christ) said, “John’s description is consistent with what modern medicine would expect to have happened…the hypovolemic shock caused sustained rapid heart rate that would have contributed to heart failure, resulting in the collection of fluid…around the heart…as well as around the lungs...”

Thursday: “That scripture would be fulfilled”

Read John 19:36-37, Num. 9:12. God rules over these events. It’s reassuring that even when God looks dead to us, even when He looks defeated, He is reigning in victory! Take a moment to reaffirm your trust in Jesus over the events of your life.

Friday: Joseph and Nicodemus take Jesus’ body

Read John 19:38-39, 2 Tim. 1:8. Here we see both Joseph and Nicodemus growing in their boldness and devotion: Joseph had followed Jesus ‘secretly because of fear’ and Nicodemus who had ‘visited Jesus at night’ are now going public. Pray that God would give you grace to be ever more open about Jesus.

Saturday: Jesus laid in the tomb

Read John 19:40-42. Have you ever wondered why it was not Jesus’ eleven disciples or His mother or brothers, but these comparative strangers that boldly and generously bury Jesus? Jesus invites all of us, no matter if we feel like outsiders in some way, to serve and worship Him as if we were His closest brothers.

You can catch up on all the messages in the John series at:

http://www.communitychurchputney.com/community-church-putney--audio---resources.html

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John devotional week beginning 13/3/17 – John 19:1-27 Jesus is crucified

The wrath of Jesus’ enemies is let loose upon Jesus as He is beaten, humiliated and crucified. It seems that evil is stronger than the good; the only partial supporter, trying to release Him, is Pilate!

Yet, despite all the atrocities that are filling this scene, Jesus is portrayed as the true king, Son of God, suffering, through choice, to save the world.

Monday: “Hail king of the Jews”

Read John 19:1-3, Matt. 27:27-31. Jesus is ‘flogged’ twice. The first was a lighter form, for those committing less severe crime. Pilate hopes this will appease the crowd and secure Jesus’ release. Later, He is ‘scourged’. This was inflicted by a whip of thongs loaded with pieces of bone or metal, making pulp of a man’s back.  John wants us to see, behind the mockery, that Jesus is the King, being cursed for us.

Tuesday: Crown of thorns and purple robe

Read 19:2-7. ‘Crown’ - stéphanos – was a wreath (garland), awarded to a victor in the ancient athletic games. Jesus’ suffering is a glorious victory! He is given a purple robe – purple was the colour of royalty – Jesus is the true king yet taking such mockery.  This is not defeat, this is Jesus, the Son of God’s greatest triumph on our behalf – He is gaining the victory over hell, death and the curse of our sin – Let’s crown Him our victorious king.  

Wednesday: “You would have no power if it were not given to you”

Read John 19:8-11, Acts 2:23. It was God, not Caesar who had put Pilate in this position of authority (Rom. 13:1) – in the mystery of God’s will (providence) Pilate’s self-serving cowardice is just what is needed for Jesus to be crucified! How is your trust in God’s absolute, perfect control? Mysterious yes, but a great comfort also.

Thursday: “The day of preparation for the Passover”

Read John 19:12-16, Ex. 34:29-31. Behind Pilate’s irony is John’s message that Jesus is indeed the King about to die for us – to save sinners. At the first Passover the first born of Pharaoh dies due to the sin of his father. At this Passover, the one to which the original points, God’s only Son dies for the sin of the people, to set them free.

Friday: ‘Carrying His own cross’

Read John 19:17-24, 1 Pet. 2:23, 1 Jn. 2:2. ‘Jesus, carrying His own cross…’ He carried the cross for you and me; salvation is bought by His suffering alone, we contribute nothing!  Pilate’s notice on the cross read, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews’. He is the true King, the Christ, suffering to save. It’s multi-lingual nature – written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek, point to Jesus as King and Saviour of the world.

Saturday: ‘Here is your mother’

Read John 19:25-27. Even over His own brothers, Jesus gives John the undertaking of caring for His mother. This causes us to think of how Jesus might trust us with caring for our families, friends, new Christians etc. Are we trustworthy? Are we faithful friends and leaders? Let’s pray that God would give us grace to be outstanding mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and friends to those God brings into our lives.

You can catch up on all the messages in the John series at:

http://www.communitychurchputney.com/community-church-putney--audio---resources.html

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