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The Ascension

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Jesus led his disciples near Bethany. He lifted his hands up and blessed the disciples. During his blessing, he rose up into the heavens and went to sit at the right hand of God.

The disciples spoke words of praise and worship and then returned to Jerusalem, overflowing with joy.

When they weren’t blessing God in the Temple complex, they preached the message of Jesus everywhere they went. The Lord worked with them and confirmed their message by the accompanying miracles.

MK 16:19-20, LK 24:50-53

John’s Epilogue

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This disciple is the one who speaks the truth about these events and who wrote them down. We confirm the truth of his testimony.

Jesus did many other things which were so numerous that, if they were written down, would fill up so many books that I believe there wouldn’t be enough room for them throughout the world.

JN 21:24-25

What about him?

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Peter noticed John, the disciple Jesus loved, following along behind them. That was the same disciple who had leaned in and asked Jesus at the supper which one of the disciples was going to betray him. Noticing him, Peter asked Jesus “What will happen to him, Lord?”

Jesus replied “If I want him to stay until I come again, what concern is that of yours? Your task is to follow me.”

So this message spread throughout the community of believers that John would not die. Yet Jesus did not say that, but only “If I want him to stay until I come again, what concern is that of yours?”

JN 21:20-23

Feed my sheep!

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After they ate breakfast, Jesus asked Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than the others?”

“Of course, Lord,” Peter replied. “You know that I love you.”

“Feed my lambs.” Jesus said.

Then a second time he asked, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter answered “Yes, Lord. You know I love you.”

“Shepherd my sheep.” Jesus said. Then Jesus asked him for the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was upset and even a little sad that Jesus had asked him three times if he loved him. He said “Lord, everything is revealed to you! Surely you know that I love you.”

“Feed my sheep.” Jesus said. “Listen to me closely. When you were young, you could do anything you wanted to do however you liked, but when you grow old you will reach out your hands and others will take you where you don’t want to go.” In saying this, Jesus indicated how he would die that would glorify God.

Then after saying this he said to Peter “Follow me!”

JN 21:15-19

Jesus appears on the shore.

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Jesus also revealed himself to his disciples by the Sea of Galilee. This is what happened: Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, James and John (Zebedee’s sons) and two other disciples were together. Peter announced “I’m going fishing.” The rest of them decided to go with him. They caught nothing that night.

At daybreak, Jesus stood on the shore, but they did not recognize him. He called out to them, saying “Boys, don’t you have any fish?” “No,” they replied. He said “If you cast your net on the right side of the boat, you’ll find some.” They cast their net as he said, and the net was so full of fish they were unable to haul it in. John, the disciple Jesus loved, said to Peter “It is the Lord!”

When Simon Peter heard this, he tied his tunic around him (he was bare-chested) and jumped into the sea to swim ashore. The other disciples decided to steer the boat ashore instead, since it was only about a hundred yards away. They dragged the net full of fish with them.

When they came ashore they saw a charcoal fire with fish cooking over it, along with some bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring over some of those fish you just caught.” Simon Peter got up and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish – 153 of them – but even though there were so many fish, the net did not tear.

Jesus invited them to have breakfast with him. None of them were brave enough to say “Who are you?” to him. They all knew it was Jesus. He then served them the bread and fish.

This was the third time he had revealed himself to his disciples after he had been raised from the dead.

JN 21:1-14

Men who control women

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My grandmother wanted to continue to work as a translator and a teacher after she got married but it would shame Papa. He said “No wife of mine will ever work.” Mama’s mother wanted the same thing, and had the same problem, for the same reason.

These men were embarrassed that others would think they could not provide for their families. Perhaps they were also concerned that their wives would be independent from them and develop power, money, ideas. They wouldn’t need them. As if they stayed in the marriage because they had no other choice. Not out of love, but economic stability. Leave and be homeless, jobless, powerless.

This is economic shackling, foot binding. This is transforming a perfectly able person into a dependent cripple, having to be hand fed. Some entire cultures do this as a matter of course. This is enforced dependence. They fear their wives will leave them. They fear that their wife’s love is tied to their wallets. The women stay only because the alternative is worse. An unmarried or divorced woman is invisible and powerless in some societies.

Independent women frighten men, so they try to shame them or worse, they try to frighten them with sex. They threaten to either remove it, saying “we won’t date you” or impose it, saying “we will rape you” if you don’t get in line, which means under a man’s control and authority.

Awareness is the first key to unlocking the jailhouse door.

Doubting Thomas

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Thomas, the disciple known as “Twin” was not with the others when Jesus appeared before them. They kept telling him “We have seen the Lord!” He kept saying “I’ll never believe unless I see the nail marks in his hands with my own eyes and touch them with my own fingers and put my hand into the spear wound on his side!”

Eight days later the disciples were again indoors, but this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but then Jesus suddenly stood among them, saying “Peace to you!”

Looking at Thomas, he said “Look at my hands – touch them! Put your hand into my side as well. Don’t be without belief – be a believer!”

Thomas replied “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said “Have you believed only because you have seen? Blessed are those who believe without seeing.”

JN 20:24-29

The great commission

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The 11 disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. They worshiped him when they saw him there. Then Jesus approached them and said “Peace to you! My Father has given me authority over all the earth and heaven. As my Father has sent me, so I send you.”

Then he breathed on them, saying “Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive their sins, they are not forgiven. Go preach the gospel and disciple everyone throughout the world, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, instructing them to follow everything I have commanded you to do. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved, but anyone who does not believe will be lost. These signs will follow believers – they will cast out demons in my name, they will speak new languages, they will handle snakes and not be harmed if they drink poison, and the sick will be healed when they lay hands on them. Look! I am always with you, to the end of this era.”

MT 28:16-20, MK 16:15-18, JN 20:21-23

Jesus appears before them.

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That same evening, the disciples were all together behind locked doors, because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities. Jesus suddenly appeared among them saying “Peace to you!” They were terrified, convinced that they were seeing a ghost.

“Why are you upset?” he asked. “Why do you doubt that I’m real? Look at my hands and feet. Touch me and know for sure that I’m real. A ghost doesn’t have a body like I do.” He then held out his hands and feet for them to look at. Even though, they still had a hard time believing that he was really there because they didn’t dare believe it was true. He then asked if they had something to eat, so they gave him some broiled fish and a piece of honeycomb, and he ate it while they watched.

Then he said “Here is what I told you before, about how everything written about me in the Scriptures must come to pass.” He then opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He then said “It was written that the Messiah must suffer and then rise from the grave on the third day, and there would be repentance and forgiveness of sins declared in his name, beginning in Jerusalem and spreading to the whole world. You are all witnesses of these facts. Behold, I will send to you what my Father promised. But for now, stay here in Jerusalem until you receive that heavenly power.”

LK 24:36-49, (MK 16:14, JN 20:19-20)