Scripture

Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

Observation
On Resurrection Sunday the disciples are meeting behind locked doors. Suddenly Jesus is there in the room!

Jesus commissions them to go in His name and then breathes the Holy Spirit on them. He gives them authority to forgive sins.

Thomas is not with them at this time, and he is sceptical about their report. He says that he won’t believe it unless he sees and touches Jesus’ wounds.

The next Sunday they are together and again Jesus appears. This time Thomas is with them. Jesus invites him to touch the wounds. Thomas believes.

Application
It is exciting when Jesus shows up! How much more for these disciples who did not yet know the full story.

Jesus is alive still, ascended into heaven where He reigns with the Father.

He has given us Holy Spirit to empower us to be His witnesses. He has given us His authority to embody the life of grace.

All power and all authority. There is nothing that can stand in the way of us serving and representing the risen Lord.

Prayer

Hallelujah! Jesus you are the risen Lord! Help me to serve you in all that I do. Amen.

Scripture

“But I, when I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all men to myself.”

Observation

Some Greek-speaking Jews come to Philip with a request to see Jesus. He takes Andrew with him to see Jesus.

Jesus replies that the hour for His glorification is coming. A seed of wheat must fall to the ground and die in order to reproduce. A man must die to his own life in order to live.

Jesus says His hour is come and despite His troubled heart, He must continue. He cries out, “Father glorify your name.” A voice from heaven says “I have glorified it, and I will again.”

Some hear the voice while others think it is an angel or thunder.

Jesus then says the world is about to be judged, and satan driven out. Jesus will be lifted up from the earth and will draw all men to Himself.

Application

Jesus’ death is the death of a seed that multiplies. He is the one who is lifted up and draws all people to Himself. He lays down His life in order to save His own eternal life and to save our lives too.

The Greeks asked to see Jesus the teacher. But when we see Jesus, we see Him lifted up on the cross, His sacrifice bringing billions of people to salvation.

This is the glorious message of Easter- the God of all creation lays down His life to redeem His creation.

If you want to see Jesus in all His glory, look to the cross. Yes the broken, battered Jesus is glorified in His costly suffering.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me a sinner. Thank you for the cross for paying the price of my sin. Amen.

Scripture

God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world but to save the world through him.

Observation
This passage is a part of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus.

Jesus says that just as Moses lifted up the bronze snake for healing, the Son of Man must also be lifted up to give eternal life to all who believe in Him.

God loved the world so much that He sent His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.

Jesus did not come into the world to bring judgement. Yet everyone who rejects Him rejects the light and loves darkness. Therefore they are judged by their actions for loving evil and rejecting truth.

Application
Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Everybody is invited to the Feast of Salvation. There are no prerequisites for eternity.

But we have to choose. Jesus is the way to eternal life. If we reject that way we say that we prefer the darkness, the way of satan.

So, in coming to save the world, Jesus condemns those who reject His way.

There is a very sharp line between heaven and hell, salvation and damnation. That line goes right through Jesus.

The question God will ask to judge us is: Do you follow the way of Jesus?

Prayer
Lord Jesus, today I turn from my sin and I lay down my life to follow you. Amen.

Scripture

John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming.’”

Observation
John is preaching and baptising in the wilderness. The Jewish leaders send people to ask him who he is.

John replies that he is not the Messiah. This perplexes them. John tells them he is the one clearing the way for the Lord.

The Pharisees ask John what right does he have to baptise. John tells them that right there in their midst is one coming after him whose sandals he is not worthy to untie.

Application
John was very clear that his role was to announce the Messiah not to be the Messiah. Everything he did was to point people to Jesus.

This is the core reason for our existence on earth- to point people to Jesus.

Not many of us are called to preach and baptise in the desert, living on locusts and wild honey. But we are all called to bear witness to Jesus the Lord, Saviour and Messiah.

Prayer
Father, may all of my words and actions speak to others about the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Scripture

When he had said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Observation

Jesus appears to the disciples (minus Thomas) and at night time. The disciples are meeting in a locked room out of fear of the Jewish leaders.

Jesus greets them and shows them His wounds. He commissions them and breathes on them to impart the Holy Spirit. Those whom they forgive will be forgiven.

Application

It was a dark and fearful time for the disciples until they knew that Jesus had risen from the dead.

Jesus comes to them bringing hope, joy and the Holy Spirit. Everything changes.

The Holy Spirit is given for the mission of the church. He propels us into the world- Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth- taking the message of forgiveness and grace to all people.

Prayer

Lord, you send out your people into the world. Where are you sending me? May I walk in the grace and the power of the Holy Spirit today. Amen.

Scripture

“If you love me, obey my commandments.”

Observation

Jesus tells His disciples that their love for Him will be shown by their obedience to Him.

Jesus will ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit, another Advocate, who will never leave them.

The Holy Spirit will lead them into all truth and will never leave them. The world cannot receive the Holy Spirit because it doesn’t want Him.

When Jesus is raised, they will know that He and the Father are one.

Application

Jesus’ promise is that the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, will come and continue Jesus’ work in His followers.

Following Jesus means more than a particular spirituality or religious tradition. The true followers of Jesus are those who obey His commandments.

If we say we love Jesus but continue to sin we are deceiving ourselves.

Likewise, we cannot claim to have the Holy Spirit if we live unholy lives.

To love Jesus is to obey Him.

Prayer

Holy Spirit come and fill every part of my life. Show me those things that I do which are not obedient to Christ. May I love you more and obey you more. Amen.

Scripture

Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him.

Observation

Word comes to Jesus that Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, is sick. Knowing that Lazarus has in fact died, Jesus stays where he is for two days before leaving for Bethany. By the time He arrives there, Lazarus has been dead and buried for four days.

Jesus proceeds to the tomb and orders it to be opened. He prays and then, in a loud voice, calls out, “Lazarus come out!”

To everyone’s amazement, Lazarus emerges, wrapped in grave cloths.

Application

Jesus is the resurrection and the life. He has defeated the power of death.

Death is a part of life which it was never God’s intention for us to suffer. It came in with the sin of Adam and Eve. But now God has reversed the curse so that everyone who follows Jesus will live for ever.

This is not something for the distant future or a religious theory with no present relevance. It is a promise for right now.

Death has lost its sting.

Prayer

Thank you Father for your promise of eternal life. I do not have to fear death, for you have promised I will live for you for eternity. Amen.

Scripture
“If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

Observation
Jesus and his disciples come across a man born blind. The disciples ask who sinned for this man to be blind. Jesus replies that it is not about sin but for the purpose of glorifying God.

Jesus spits, makes some mud with the saliva and rubs it on the man’s eyes. Jesus tells the man to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam, which he does and he is then healed.

The Pharisees investigate the healing, questioning the man and his parents. The man testifies that he doesn’t know much about Jesus but he does know that he was once blind but now he can see.

Application
Religion makes us blind to the activity of God. Like the Pharisees, we can be so intent on protecting God’s reputation that we miss what He is actually doing.

Healing a man born blind was one of three miracles that only the Messiah could perform. The Pharisees needed to make sure that this healing was authentic. But their fear of promoting a false Messiah prevented them from seeing what the true Messiah had actually done. They rejected the man’s testimony and they rejected Jesus.

Some Christians are so afraid of being misled by counterfeits that they discount all miracles, healing and spiritual gifts. They then miss out on what God is doing all around them and run the risk of attributing God’s works to satan.

Jesus is still healing people and He is still performing all kinds of signs for those who will see them. We need to open our eyes, using spiritual discernment to separate God’s works from the devil’s.

Prayer
Show me Jesus what you are doing in the world now. Let me be open to the works of your Spirit. Amen.