120. Beginner Bible Course: Jesus' appearances after the resurrection, and his ascension

EPISODE 120:  A simple Bible overview of...JESUS’ APPEARANCES AFTER THE RESURRECTION, AND HIS ASCENSION

In this episode, we wrap up the gospels. Matthew Mark, Luke and John we'll look at John chapter 21, Matthew chapter 28 and Luke chapter 24. We'll also look at the first few verses of acts. Luke's second book of his two volume set. Jesus had told the disciples to go meet him in Galilee. John 21 tells us about this first meeting. Peter goes back to Capernum it's his home turf. It's the home turf to James and John to all three fishermen. They bring Thomas Nathaniel and two others with them. I'm guessing Matthew is one of them. Capernum was his home turf to Peter says to the guys I'm going fishing.

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They think that's a good idea and join them. He probably just meant I need to get out on the Lake for the day. But as the events unfold, you have to wonder if there's not something a little deeper than that in Peter's statement, something a little more permanent. They go out fishing at night. If you're a fisherman, you know, that's not a crazy idea. I grew up near one of the best walleye lakes in Minnesota. And on some nights it looks like a traffic jam out there. Peter takes all the guys with him, but these seven guys can't catch a cold out there. Finally, the sun peaks over the horizon. When it does a guy from the shore ask, Hey guys, you hungry out there.

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Got anything to eat in that boat. The stranger on the shore seems to be missing with them. Nope, it's the dead sea. The stranger calls out again. Maybe you're throwing the net on the wrong side. This reminds me a little bit of what people say to guys laying side. Hey, green side up. But Peter and the fishermen toss it to the other side. Maybe just to disk the stranger on the shore. When they do it's like fish leaping into the net. It fills up so fast and furious. They can't draw the net in. They're worried. It's going to tear. It's deja VU for John, the fishermen. He gasps it's the Lord. John tells us.

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Pete was in his skivvies. He'd stripped down to fish. Peter grabs his outer cloak, puts it on and jumps into the water. But John tells us they're only a hundred yards from shore, Peter swims or wades to shore. And when he gets there, the stranger has built a fire and it's already down to glowing coals and there's fish on it. And the smell of fresh baked bread. Jesus says, you must be famished. Go get a couple more of those fish they're hauling in. Okay. John tells us how many fish. There were 153 and he brags about how big they all are. Typical fishermen, Jesus then invites them to have breakfast. John notes.

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This is the third time Jesus revealed himself to the disciples. After breakfast. Jesus has a conversation with Simon, Peter, three times he asked Simon, do you love me? And three times Simon, Peter applies. Lord. You know, I do. Each time he asks and Peter affirms his love. Jesus gives Peter an assignment. The first time feed my lambs. The second time shepherd my sheep. The third time, feed my sheep more than one person reading. John 21 is noted. Jesus has Simon. Peter affirm has loved for him three times and notes that Jesus commissions Peter. Once again to continue his task, it's hard not to tie these three repetitions to Peter's denials.

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Jesus then explains to Peter, the cost of that love and tending his lambs and sheep. When you were young, Pete, you girded yourself up and went wherever you want it to go. But when you're old, others will gird you and take you to where you do not want to go. Both Peter and John understand what this means. The kind of death Peter would die. Peter then notes. John eavesdropping. Jesus. What about him? What's going to happen to him. Why does that matter to you, Pete? If I let him live until I return, what does that matter to you? You follow me. John tells us a rumor began that day. The John would not die before Jesus returned, but John clarifies Jesus' statement.

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He emphasizes the, if the story then moves from the sea of Galilee and is picked up by Matthew in chapter 28, Jesus appears to the disciples on a mountain in Galilee this time, it sounds like all 11 were there. It makes a stunning statement when they saw him some worshiped, but others doubted let that soak in for a moment. Here are the 11 disciples. Who'd spent three years with Jesus. In some cases, maybe the better part of four they'd seen as miracles heard his teaching, saw his death and have seen him at least twice in the upper room. Some of them three times, and yet they're still having a difficult time grasping.

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He is the son of God, the suffering servant who'd substitute for their sin. And one day the returning King of Kings that should encourage any believer or seeker of Jesus. This is a big deal. It's hard to get one's arms around and it reaffirms Jesus teaching about the helper, the Holy spirit, how essential the Holy spirit would be for us to understand and to have confidence in the teachings and claims of Jesus on this mountain in Galilee, Jesus gives them a reminder of their mission. He had been with them. That was part one of his mission. And now he was sending them forth to proclaim part two. He says, men, your mission is to make apprentices for me.

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If you didn't listen to episode 88 on what an apprentice of Jesus was, please do that. How are they going to make these Jesus apprentices? Jesus tells them as they go into all the world, they'll baptize people and they'll teach them to observe all he's commanded. We'll learn in the new Testament letters. Baptizing is going public with your all-in commitment to Jesus as they go share the good news and people go all in and believe they're in a baptize, them in the name of the father, son, and spirit. And then they are to take what they learned from Jesus as his apprentice and apprentice others to live like Jesus. And as we'll learn with the power of his in dwelling helper, the Holy spirit, Jesus also tells them where they're to go baptize and teach to all nations.

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God had told Abraham the one who comes from you will bless all nations that God wants all of his kids that he made and who strayed back. Jesus explains the are to do this going baptizing and teaching in the authority of the father, son and the Holy spirit. And Jesus finishes his commissioning by promising. He will be with them until the very end. The gospel writer, Luke picks it up at this point in chapter 24, Jesus appears to the disciples again, back near Jerusalem. He's actually just outside of Bethany, interesting that he would pick the hometown of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, his precious friends for this conversation.

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Presumably Lazarus is still alive and hasn't been murdered by the religious leaders with these folks near Bethany. Jesus goes through the message. Again, the message they are to take to the ends of the earth. And that's this, the promise Messiah must suffer and die, be raised on the third day. And that repentance that is a change of mind about him and forgiveness of sins through Jesus is to be preached in all nations, starting in Jerusalem. Jesus then makes it crystal clear. The first thing they are to do in going is to stop. They are to stop and wait until the Holy spirit. The helper is fully sent at the beginning of Jesus' ministry.

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John promised that one day Jesus would baptize them in the Holy spirit, just as John had immersed them or baptize them in the Jordan river. Jesus puts the red light on until this event, perhaps one of the disciples raised his hand to the teacher. He asks a question, the disciples were all thinking, Lord, when are you going to do the Messiah King thing that restoring all things, King thing, Jesus replies. It's not for you to know the time or even for that matter, the Epic we might translate it. The millennium that's the father's call, but here's what you can know. You will receive power when the Holy spirit comes upon you.

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And you'll be my witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and Sumeria and to the ends of the earth. There's one more passage about Jesus post resurrection, appearances that need to share with you. Paul gives it in first Corinthians chapter 15. Here's what Paul says. This is the gospel, the good news which you received and by which you are saved, Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day, according to the scriptures and that he appeared to Cephas that's Peter. And then to the 12. And after that, he appeared to more than 500 brothers and sisters at one time. Most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep.

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Then he appeared to James. That would be his little brother then to all the apostles. And last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared to me also Luke reports, after Jesus said these things, he levitated into the clouds. We title it. The Ascension Jesus had come to planet earth approximately 35 years earlier. He'd come to the human stage as a baby on that first Christmas, Jesus now has to exit the stage. I suppose he could have dissolved in front of them. Star Trek, like going down into the earth, just didn't send the right message. He could have exited left or right over the horizon, but then certainly people would have went looking for him or thought he'd be coming back.

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So I'm guessing his real option was to go up. There's another reason he exited that way. And Luke tells us as he levitated into the clouds, two men and white stood beside this group of people, mouth agape, as they watched Jesus disappear into the clouds, they said, people of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come in just the same way as you have watched him go into heaven. Jesus said as much to the religious leaders, when he was condemned, you shall see the son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with great power and glory. We'll get into this several more times in the new Testament letters and the concluding book, the revelation.

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I'm not sure how long they stared up into the sky, but eventually they had to get on with life and get on with their mission. Going back to Jerusalem and waiting for the helper. Luke reports, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy and they waited. And with this, we reached the end of the gospels, the gospel writer, John gets the last word. He got the first word in the gospels with his gospel trailer. If you didn't catch episode 82 on his gospel trailer, please listen to that. John ends his gospel by saying folks, the testimony of this book is true. There were many other things Jesus said and did. In fact, if they were written in books, I'm not sure the world could contain them, but these things were written that you may believe Jesus is the Christ, the son of God.

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And that believing you may have life in his name before we leave the gospels. I need to circle back and make sure we all understand what John meant by that word. Believe the word that he repeats over and over and over again. What does it mean to believe in Jesus and what do we need to believe about him? We'll get the important answer to that in our next wordpicture.