He has risen indeed!
The other day we drove past a local church with a banner that read:
Easter is for Everyone!
(No religious experience necessary)
We chuckled, paused, reflected… It’s accurate, but does it feel like an odd thing to say? I’m still thinking about it, so at least that makes it effective advertising…
Easter is for everyone. John 3:16 affirms that God loves the whole world so much that He sent His one and only Son to live and die and rise from the dead to bring us back into right relationship with our Creator. Jesus didn’t sacrifice Himself only for those with religious experience, but for the whole world.
Jesus came to redeem our lives from sin and death. To restore our relationship with the God who loves us. To give our lives meaning and purpose. To reconcile us with one another and with this great big beautiful Planet Earth.
Even those of us with religious experience forget the vast significance of what Jesus did for us. We need regular reminders.
Today Tween and I will teach the 4-year-olds that God sent Jesus to be our forever friend. Because John 3:16. Yesterday I saw our co-teacher and admitted that I hadn’t read the lesson yet. But really, what we want these precious littles to know is that God is good and that God loves them. This sweet man exclaimed, “That’s what I need to know, too!”
Yes. God is good. God loves us. Love God, and love one another. It’s that simple.
But not easy. Even the disciples struggled. Jesus died and He rose. They saw Him in His resurrected body, and they still didn’t know what to do next. So they went back to what they knew. The former fishermen went fishing.
They failed at this thing they’d been doing all their lives. Enter Jesus. Jesus redeemed their failed experience beyond imagination. He restored their discouraged hearts. He reclaimed their vision for what He wanted to do in and through them. Jesus loved them fully and graciously. No judgment, no condemnation, only love and direction for the future.
Thank you, Jesus!
Resurrection Sunday 2017
John 21:1-17
Connect
In which ‘regular’ activities do you engage to distract yourself from discouragement?
Study
Read aloud John 21:1-14.
How did “the disciple whom Jesus loved” recognize Jesus (vv. 4-7)?
Imagine you are Peter. Why did you get dressed and jump in the water (v. 7)?
Why do you think Jesus helped the disciples catch fish (v. 6) and asked for some of the fish they caught (v. 10) when He already had fish (v. 9)? What might that tell us about Jesus? About us?
How do you understand the disciples’ reaction to Jesus in v. 12?
Read aloud John 21:15-17.
Why does Jesus connect loving Him with feeding and caring for His sheep?
Live
How do you recognize Jesus when He shows up in your life?
Where in your life do you need Jesus to show up with His miraculous power?
Jesus helped discouraged fisherman haul in a noteworthy catch, and He also called Peter back to his true calling as a disciple. How might Jesus want to redeem and transform your life?
Do you truly love Jesus? How do you show it?
What is Jesus saying to you through this study, and how will you respond?
Pray
Pray for God to do more than you can ask or imagine in and through your life.
