Believe and bear witness

Our theme for 2022 is “Begin Again”

This series is called, “Believe Again”

You may have already believed the gospel, but it is time to believe again.

Let’s review what we have covered - the video’s are available on our website and on YouTube.

We began with “Believe in Jesus”

Then we talked about believing in spiritual reality.

We talked about how an encounter with Jesus leads to transformation, living in both realities.

We talked about life - remember the great circle of life - God’s life in us and flowing through us?

We talked about light and how light displaces darkness and exposes what is hidden.

We talked about truth and freedom. - that knowing the truth about God and about yourself sets you free from guilt and condemnation.

We talked about how Jesus shows us the Father as a Good Shepherd who loves us and who has a plan to redeem us.

We talked about God’s power and how true power is found in obeying God.

And abiding in God is consistently dwelling on love, hope and joy.

And we do all this for the glory of God.

Yes, the goal of everything, including our lives is to let God bee see for the great God that He is!

What is left except to be sure that we tell the story!

John wrote his gospel after most of a generation of Apostles had passed away.

He wrote it as a witness, not only to the things that happened, but to declare their authenticity, the impact and the transformative nature of these events.

After almost a century of believing in Jesus, John wants people to believe again.

Today, we are His witnesses to the reality of the gospel, the story of Jesus and it’s power for transformation.

How do you keep you faith fresh, active and alive?

By bearing witness to the reality of Jesus, day after day.

How far back do you have to think to find a testimony of something that God has done in your life?

An answered prayer.

A miracle, big or small.

Something that you learned or heard from God.

Perhaps a scripture that became alive as you saw in in a new way.

Or a word that God spoke to you either through the Holy Spirit or through the Spirit in another person?

How have you been stretched, changed or restored?

Are you entirely the same person you were a week ago, a month ago or a year ago?

The whole purpose of the gospel, the story of Jesus, is to transform people’s lives.

That’s why our tagline is “Encounter God’s Transforming Love.”

Is that happening for you?

Who have you told about it?

We are here to bear witness...

Bear witness to your encounter.

Describe what you have seen.

John 20:1–10 ESV

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.

One of the things that we talk about is having an encounter with Jesus - what is an encounter?

Is it like an alien encounter? - No but its supernatural!

Does it have to be dramatic or emotional? - No, but it can be!

It just means that you experienced the reality of who Jesus is - Jesus is God.

… well, you wouldn’t believe it....

Just start by describing what happened.

Here we have the account of three disciples after the resurrection, just telling it like it happened.

John was one of those - “the disciple Jesus loved.”

He’s writing to an audience decades later who is saying things like:

Jesus wasn’t real - he was just a ghost.

Or Jesus was real, but he didn’t really die, it was an illusion.

Jesus’ followers stole his body and made up the story of the resurrection.

John wanted to tell his side of the story -to set the record straight.

Mary was the first one at the tomb - and Jesus’ body was already gone and the stone was rolled away.

Mary’s assessment was that his body was stolen.

If this was some kind of conspiracy, why would she go to the tomb?

Why would she not know where he was?

Why would Peter and John run to see for themselves?

John is the second eyewitness.

He saw empty grave cloths, but he didn’t go in?

Why would he not go in if he was in on it?

His hesitation conveys emotion, bewilderment not knowing what to do.

It’s responses like that which make a story authentic.

We think we need to explain everything, sometimes people need to hear that we don’t know what to think - just be real!

So then Peter arrives an notices that the face cloth is folded.

This was no accident.

Folding a cloth shows careful intention.

Robbers don’t tidy up after they rob a place.

People who are sneaking around don’t take time to fold a napkin.

This was a little clue left behind by Jesus to let them know it was him.

Do you know what a “God-wink” is?

It’s when something happens and you say to yourself, “only God could have done this!”

Like a flower suddenly blooming on a sad day.

A song playing on the radio that has special meaning when you are missing someone.

Your favorite item shows up at the store - and its on sale!

Sometimes God winks at us, just to let us know He’s there.

You just have to see it.

Recount what you have heard.

John 20:11–16 ESV

11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

Mary didn’t recognize Jesus until she heard his voice.

Maybe it was because her eyes were filled with tears.

Maybe it’s because in middle-eastern culture women are supposed to look directly at men - especially strange men.

It wasn’t until Jesus said her name that she recognized him.

Some people have difficulty hearing God’s voice.

I believe that it is the birthright of every believer to hear God’s voice.

John 10:27 ESV

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

But we don’t all hear the same.

Some people hear God speak in words - lots of words!

Some people hear only a single word or phrase.

Some people hear music - God speaks to them in songs.

Some people have mental pictures or open visions.

Some people get feelings, impressions or dreams.

Let’s do a listening exercise, what is God saying....

Bearing witness is not just telling what God has done, but saying what God is saying.

When you hear someone say what God is saying and it resonates with what you are hearing, it is encouraging!

I may be the preacher, but I don’t want to be the one doing all of the talking - we need to encourage each other.

If you hear God saying something ask...

God, is this for me or for someone else?

Is this something I should say to them, or just pray for them?

Is this for more than just me, are you speaking to the church?

If you have a word for the church, bring it to one of the leaders and let them help you release it at the right time and in the right way.

But maybe you can’t express it in words?

Explain how you felt.

John 20:19–22 ESV

19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

Jesus is appearing behind locked doors in a gathering of his disciples.

Normally “shalom” or “peace” is a standard greeting.

But it takes on new meaning when you might be a ghost.

To prove that he’s not a ghost, he shows them his injuries, which remain as evidence of his identity.

You can imagine what they must have felt...

They were afraid of the Jews. - Thus the locked doors.

They were puzzled at the report of Mary, Peter and John - could this be true?

They were glad when they saw Jesus standing among them!

And then he proclaimed peace again and breathed on them.

Isaiah 42:5 ESV

5 Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:

Jesus imparted the Holy Spirit - the breath of life and of creation.

Talk about living in two realities - they are witnessing Jesus after the resurrection in a body that physically should not be functioning, but is in a another sense, unrecognizable.

Jesus breathes the air of heaven into them.

“Here, have some of what I’m breathing...”

“It’s life, like you have never known it before....”

That’s spiritual impartation.

I can’t explain it to you, but I have felt it.

You don’t always know what you have received, but you know when you have received it.

Sometimes you don’t need to know, just go with it.

Bear witness to the truth.

We tell of what we see, hear, feel and know - why because it all points to the truth.

It all about being real - in both realities.

Spiritual reality is just as real as natural reality.

… and that’s the truth!

The truth of forgiveness.

John 20:22–23 ESV

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Why did Jesus breath on them and then talk about forgiveness?

First, because forgiveness is only possible through Jesus.

We can’t forgive - what most people call forgiveness - forgetting- is just stuffing it.

We can only forgive because Jesus paid the price for our forgiveness.

And He rose again to give us new life beyond the penalty of sin.

Forgiveness is a divine act.

Luke 5:20–23 ESV

20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?

To be able to forgive is no less a miracle that healing a lame man.

We can’t forgive, only God can do that by the power of his spirit.

When Jesus imparted the Holy Spirit to his disciples, he gave them the power to forgive sins.

That is what is going to enable them to live in this new reality.

They are going to need to forgive in order to heal.

They are going to need to heal in order to receive the fullness of the power of the Holy Spirit.

They are going to need the fullness of the Holy Spirit to accomplish Jesus’ mission.

The truth of reality.

John 20:26–29 ESV

26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Jesus does it again, this time for one specific disciple who is having a hard time believing.

This time, they didn’t just see him, but Thomas touched him.

There’s still holes in his hand and in his side.

Jesus shows Thomas that you can have holes and still be holy!

You can have doubts and still believe!

You don’t always have to see it to believe it, but sometimes it helps!

I don’t have a problem with people asking questions as long as they are genuinely interested in finding answers.

Go ahead and deconstruct your faith, just don’t discard any of the pieces when you are putting it back together again.

Christianity is not just something that you can keep the parts you like and throw away the parts you don’t like.

If we are going to keep it real, then lets be really real about whats real!

That’s why I say we need an encounter with Jesus, just like Thomas.

Go ahead, dare God to show up, but be ready, because He is going to show up on His terms - not yours!

An encounter with God leaves you with the realization that He is God and I am not.

An encounter with God impacts you - it changes you.

The truth of impact.

John 20:30–31 ESV

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John plainly states that He could have written more.

He did not record all of Jesus miracles.

He only recorded some of Jesus words.

Why did John write some things and not other things?

He was going for impact!

He tells us his goal - I want you to believe.

Or if you once believed - believe again!

Believing leads to life -spiritual life!

If you are not living like you believe who Jesus is then you are not really living.

If you are not growing spiritually, then you are slowly dying.

If you are not living in both realities, then you are passing away, like this world is passing away.

1 John 2:17 ESV

17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

It’s time to ask yourself, are you really believing?

Does your faith have an impact on the way that you live?

Does your life have an impact on the world around you?

Are you living and impacting the world in both realities?

Believing is all about transformation...

Bear witness to transformation.

Chapter 21 is an epilogue to the book of John.

John has made his point about believing and transformation.

But he wan’t to tie up a few loose ends, especially regarding key characters and how things turned out.

Recognize a miracle.

John 21:4–8 ESV

4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

Luke tells a similar account of a miraculous catch of fish at the beginning of his gospel.

Luke 5:4–6 ESV

4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.

That miraculous catch of fish led to Jesus calling Peter, James and John - Jesus’ closest three- to be His disciples.

John describes another miraculous catch of fish as a bookend to the whole story.

This time John recognizes the miracle.

And he recognized Jesus by the miracle.

And Peter tries water walking again.

This time the large catch of fish is to remind them of what He told them they would be doing.

Luke 5:10 ESV

10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

If you believe, then recognize a miracle when you see one.

And know this, that the miracle isn’t just some random event - God means to tell you something.

Chances are, He wants you to do something with what you have heard and seen.

For Peter especially, things were a bit strained.

Peter had been tested and had not fared so well.

Coming back to the miracle and the fish was a prelude to reinstating Peter in his calling.

God will sometimes revisit experiences of the past, especially ones that haven’t gone so well.

It’s like the children of Israel wandering around the mountain.

If you don’t pass a test, you are likely to repeat it.

But when God brings us back around to the same place, recognize that a miracle is happening.

God is going to show up in a way that you never saw Him before.

Receive correction.

John 21:15–17 ESV

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Jesus was undoing what Peter did and the lies that he believed about himself.

Jesus hates me.

Jesus will never trust me again.

I’m not fit to be a disciple.

God will never use me again.

Three times Peter denied Jesus.

Three times Jesus asked Peter to affirm His love.

There’s some word play in the Greek between the words for love.

Jesus is asking Peter if he really loves Him unconditionally.

Probably because Peter claimed he would lay down his life for Jesus.

John 13:37 ESV

37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

Peter did lay down his life for Jesus.

He died as a martyr in Rome, upside down on a cross in around 65 A.D.

The way John tells the story, it seems that Jesus’ comments to Peter foreshadowed that event.

The point is that Jesus gave Peter a chance to make things right.

That Peter laying his life down was not because Peter was such a great lover of Jesus, but that Peter was simply following the example of His Lord.

I’m glad John told us this story about Peter, otherwise, I’m not sure that history would have been so fair with Peter.

Jesus corrected Peter and he received it.

That’s another way to bear witness, let people know how God has corrected you.

And they will know that God is a redeeming God and that its never too late...

Remain faithful.

John 21:20–24 ESV

20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

Crazy little story at the end here, but its important to John’s readers.

The early church thought that Jesus was going to come back in their lifetime.

By the time John is writing this, Peter, Paul and most of the original Apostles have already died as martyrs.

John has been exiled and has suffered numerous attempts at execution.

it seems John and Peter always had a thing between them.

When Peter was being reinstated by Jesus, he had a moment of comparing himself to John.

“What about him?”

Jesus shifts the focus back on to Peter.

What’s it to you? You, follow me!

You won’t be judge by your mistakes, you will be judged by your faithfulness.

1 John 4:17 NLT

17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

Does your life bear witness to what you say you believe?

We like to tell our story in a way that makes us look good.

What looks good is not how you begin your story, but how you finish it.

The thing about your story is that when it is finally told, you won’t be the one telling it.

I’m sure John is looking back on all of that, perhaps with a bit of survivors guilt and wondering, “why me?”

There’s an implicit answer to that question - “what’s it to you?” - just hang in there.

Just be faithful.

John may not know why he is still alive, but he is alive to tell the story.

He is alive to bear witness.

Questions for reflection:

When was the last time you encountered God? Can you think of a “God-wink” moment? Or maybe something God spoke to you? Or a special impartation from God? Who have you shared this with?

What truth is God revealing to you? Is it about forgiveness? Is there anything that God is making especially real to you? How does your faith impact your life to produce growth?

Who is writing your story? Are there some things that need to be resolved for a better ending? Perhaps just another miracle to remind you of how things began? How does your story bear witness to who Jesus is?