Unfinished Business

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

John 21:15-19

Easter is the annual apex of Christian joy. Gathered with the largest crowds we’ll see this year, we shout, “He is risen!” and “He is risen indeed!” We sing praise before celebrating with feasting and fun for the little ones and then …

We go back to work. Back to the same old routine. Back to our unfinished business.

The story of Peter isn’t that different. Easter came. Jesus rose. Peter rejoiced. And when all the excitement died down, Peter went back to work. Back to his unfinished business.

Peter was a fisherman, but his unfinished business wasn’t fishing. He cast his net racked by guilt. In the hour of trial, when the Lord’s life was on the line, Peter denied knowing Jesus thrice.

Peter wasn’t expecting the Lord to come to his workplace that day. Jesus came anyway. He called to Peter from the shore, and Peter swam to him. Then, on the shore, Jesus and Peter talked about this unfinished business. 

It’s tempting to think Peter was right: that the unfinished business was the shame of his denial, that the Lord had to remove that by giving Peter the opportunity to thrice proclaim his love. But the truth is that guilt was removed by the cross. Those things that weighed Peter down came not from the reality of his standing before his Lord, but from his misperception thereof.

The unfinished business the Lord had in mind wasn’t finished on the shore that day. The true unfinished business was the feeding of the lambs, which symbolized Peter’s role in building up the church, caring for the body of believers, and spreading the good news of God’s grace.

Our unfinished business is much the same. Easter behind us, we must realize that the guilt of our sin is gone and that the Lord has work for us to do. It’s the same work he had for Peter: build up the Lord’s church, care for the body of believers, and spread the good news of God’s grace. 

The Risen King

Mark 16:1-8

Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went to anoint Jesus after his death. Upon arriving at the tomb, they encounter a number of overwhelming surprises. 

• First, the stone is rolled away. 
• Second, instead of Jesus’ body, they find a stranger in a white robe sitting in the tomb. 
• Third, the stranger tells them that Jesus is risen. 
• Fourth, they are to go and tell the disciples that 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' 

In fact, just two chapters earlier, Jesus did say, “But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” (Mark 14:28). In the midst of predicting Peter’s denial, Jesus tells them the future. Now the future is pressing in on the present. Now the words of Jesus are about to come true. What exactly does this mean?

There is a pile of evidence growing before their very eyes. Who will they say Jesus is? Later on they will have the opportunity to see Christ with their own eyes. In fact, Christ appears to his disciples on multiple occasions but their time with him in Galilee is a historic moment. For it is there that Christ will issue to them their greatest mission – to go and make disciples of all nations. The evidence and mission now lie before us. Who will we say Jesus is?

                                                                                                                   Pastor David White

He Is Risen! - God Moves Out of the Tomb

ApriL 16 -                EASTER SUNDAY

The resurrection of Jesus, as an historical event, is proof that God wants to be “on the move” in your life as well.

Read Luke 24:1-12 and reflect on the passage.

Even the grave could not still Jesus. He moves beyond death—the greatest obstacle any of us will ever face. He is alive and active and moving in our lives and our world. His power to overcome all obstacles is available to us today.

Stations of the Cross

Station 15: The Resurrection of Jesus (Mark 16:1-6)

Three days after Jesus was buried, some women went to His tomb to anoint His body. They were very sad because they loved Jesus very much. When they got to the tomb, they were surprised to see an angel sitting there. The angel told them that Jesus was no longer dead. God had brought him back to life, and Jesus would now be with us forever. This was the very first Easter Sunday morning!

Read and reflect on the passage.

1. How would you feel if you were one of the women who had this experience? You would have known that Jesus had died and was buried, but when you went to His tomb, you would have been greeted by a man—dressed in white—who told you, “He has risen. He is not here.”

2. Why do you think Jesus had to be raised from the dead?

3. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we have new life. What could you do this week to celebrate your new life and “walk in Jesus’ steps?”

—Catherine Scurria

Indeed!

Matthew 28:2 (NIV)
 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 

The Miracle happened before the violent earthquake. Jesus came back to life, rose from the dead, before the earthquake. The quake merely opened the tomb so the followers could get in and look around not so Jesus could get out.  He had already risen and He stood outside the tomb!

Why is this important, what difference does it make? Perhaps not that much at first glance, but upon further consideration this is significant. The angel had nothing to do with Jesus' resurrection, the miracle took place before the angel's arrival.

The Heavenly Being was a messenger, an important part of the greatest and boldest announcement of all time.  "He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay." Matthew 28:6 (NIV)  

This angel was the first to share the Good News. We have an empty cross and an empty tomb! He is Risen!  He is Risen indeed!

Matthew 28:1-10