Days After the Resurrection / Los Días Después de la Resurrección
Notes
Transcript
Introducción
Introducción
Most fairy tales end with “…and they lived happily ever after.”
Sometimes we spend days, weeks, and months, watching a Netflix series, only to realize that the ending was such a disappointment.
We are left with a feeling of “what happens next”…?
We have to wait months for the next season.
…or we will just never know.
When you think about the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, as it’s recorded in the four gospels, we know:
The story of his birth
We encounter him when he is 12 years old.
We meet him again when his is approximately 30 years old, as he’s being baptized by John the Baptist.
We see his life and ministry through the course of three years.
We witness his arrest, his trial, his crucifixion, and eventual death.
We witness his glorious resurrection.
…however, we are not left wondering about “what happens next...”.
Our desire today is to consider specific events that occurred after Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
Last week we celebrated resurrection Sunday, remembering the day that Jesus Christ rose from the dead 2,000 years ago.
We celebrated that his is not in the tomb, but that he is risen from the dead.
He lives for evermore.
He lives today.
He is our living and risen savior.
Today, we will consider three post-resurrection scenes, and see Jesus:
Jesus and Peter
Jesus and Thomas
Jesus and his disciples
Jesus and Peter
Jesus and Peter
Peter has denied the Lord three times.
Jesus had prophesied to Peter, that Peter would deny him, not once, not twice, but three times.
Peter had been nearby during Jesus’ trial.
In fact, Peter had been seen by various people who asked him whether he knew Jesus or if he was one of his disciples.
Peter answered:
Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”
He denied it, saying, “I am not.”
One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.
Simón Pedro estaba de pie, calentándose, y le preguntaron: «¿No eres tú también uno de Sus discípulos?». «No lo soy», dijo Pedro, negándolo.
Uno de los siervos del sumo sacerdote, que era pariente de aquel a quien Pedro le había cortado la oreja, dijo*: «¿No te vi yo en el huerto con Él?»
Y Pedro lo negó otra vez, y al instante cantó un gallo.
Peter had failed Jesus.
When Jesus told Peter that he would deny him, Peter answered:
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”
But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.
Jesús le contestó*: «En verdad te digo que hoy, esta misma noche, antes que el gallo cante dos veces, me negarás tres veces».
Pero Pedro con insistencia repetía: «Aunque tenga que morir junto a Ti, no te negaré». Y todos decían también lo mismo.
Peter had made a bold promise, but we see him falter.
We seem him not only deny Jesus, but to convince those who asked, he curses Jesus’ name to make it clear that he did not know Jesus.
So now Jesus has risen from the dead and Peter has gone to his tomb.
What would the risen Lord and Savior Jesus tell Peter on their first encounter?
Try to imagine Peter’s worry, anxiety, concern, that he had denied Jesus, he had broken his promise, he had failed, he had gone back on his word, and now Jesus had risen from the dead.
Surely, Peter felt ashamed.
He had sinned.
He had betrayed the master.
The disciple had turned his back on the Lord.
The moment that Peter had been dreading had finally arrived:
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.”
Cuando acabaron de desayunar, Jesús dijo* a Simón Pedro: «Simón, hijo de Juan, ¿me amas más que estos?». «Sí, Señor, Tú sabes que te quiero», le contestó Pedro. Jesús le dijo*: «Apacienta Mis corderos».
How would Peter answer Jesus’ question, after all he had denied him three times.
Jesus asked him the same question three times. Some commentators think that he asked the question three times corresponding to the three times that Peter denied him.
Peter knew that Jesus could see right through him.
Peter had abandoned the Lorde and had not remain faithful. How could he claim love for the Lord?
Finally, Peter breaks down and answers the Lord:
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.
Jesús le dijo por tercera vez: «Simón, hijo de Juan, ¿me quieres?». Pedro se entristeció porque la tercera vez le dijo: «¿Me quieres?». Y le respondió: «Señor, Tú lo sabes todo; Tú sabes que te quiero». «Apacienta Mis ovejas», le dijo* Jesús.
Jesus knew that Peter had betrayed him.
Jesus knew that Peter had cowered in fear.
Nevertheless, Jesus knew that Peter was in need of forgiveness.
Peter had sinned against the Lord and Jesus was reaching out to him.
It is not the healthy who need a physician. Jesus comes to those who are sick and recognize their disease.
Jesus comes to those who recognize their helpless estate and reaches out to them - he knows we need grace and mercy, we need forgiveness.
Jesus then tells Peter:
Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
Esto dijo, dando a entender la clase de muerte con que Pedro glorificaría a Dios. Y habiendo dicho esto, le dijo*: «Sígueme».
Peter had failed.
Peter had denied him.
…but Peter was a child of God.
…Peter was bought by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
For this reason, Jesus demonstrates his forgiveness by telling Peter to follow him.
If you find yourself having sinned against God, please listen to Jesus’ voice:
Come to him, confess your sin, and he will forgive you!
He will not deny you, rather he will tell you, follow me.
Jesus and Thomas
Jesus and Thomas
In another scene, the disciples are sharing the news that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead, but there was one disciple who could not believe the news without evidence.
Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Tomás, uno de los doce, llamado el Dídimo, no estaba con ellos cuando Jesús vino.
Entonces los otros discípulos le decían: «¡Hemos visto al Señor!». Pero él les dijo: «Si no veo en Sus manos la señal de los clavos, y meto el dedo en el lugar de los clavos, y pongo la mano en Su costado, no creeré»
It isn’t that Thomas was simply being difficult.
He was being reasonable in what he was asking.
We wanted to see evidence that Jesus Christ had indeed risen from the dead.
Eight days later, Jesus appears before them, and knowing what was in Thomas’ heart Jesus speaks to him:
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Ocho días después, Sus discípulos estaban otra vez dentro, y Tomás con ellos. Estando las puertas cerradas, Jesús vino* y se puso en medio de ellos, y dijo: «Paz a ustedes».
Luego dijo* a Tomás: «Acerca aquí tu dedo, y mira Mis manos; extiende aquí tu mano y métela en Mi costado; y no seas incrédulo, sino creyente».
«¡Señor mío y Dios mío!», le dijo Tomás.
Notice how Jesus allowed Thomas to simmer in the doubts that were in his mind and heart for eight days.
Jesus could have just as easily appeared before him on day 1.
However, Jesus allowed eight days to go by before he would appear before Thomas.
Jesus does not rebuke Thomas for his unbelief.
Rather, Jesus gives him evidence that it was truly him.
Jesus helped Thomas unbelief by demonstrating that he had truly risen from the dead.
Jesus Christ condescended to Thomas’ unbelief by demonstrating that he had truly risen from the dead.
In the same way, the risen Lord Jesus Christ gives us evidence that he has risen from the dead.
It’s unfortunate that we tend to forget the many times that God has given us evidence that the risen Lord is truly alive:
…for he has healed us when we have fallen ill.
…for he has blessed us beyond what we deserve.
…for he has provided when we have lacked resources.
Jesus and his disciples
Jesus and his disciples
The last scene I want us to consider is in Matthew 28.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Acercándose Jesús, les dijo: «Toda autoridad me ha sido dada en el cielo y en la tierra.
»Vayan, pues, y hagan discípulos de todas las naciones, bautizándolos en el nombre del Padre y del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo,
enseñándoles a guardar todo lo que les he mandado; y ¡recuerden! Yo estoy con ustedes todos los días, hasta el fin del mundo».
A few days prior to this event, Jesus had been arrested in Gethsemane.
Jesus had been tried before Jewish and Roman authorities.
Jesus was condemned to die crucified upon the cross.
The disciples were separated from their beloved Teacher.
However, three days later, Jesus would rise again and appear before his disciples.
His beloved disciples rejoiced at seeing Jesus once more; more alive than ever!
Jesus had risen from the dead and would rejoin his disciples.
However, Jesus would once more depart from his disciples.
In Acts 1 we read how the Lord was taken up to heaven.
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
Después de haber dicho estas cosas, fue elevado mientras ellos miraban, y una nube lo recibió y lo ocultó de sus ojos.
Once more, the beloved Jesus of Nazareth would leave his disciples.
Once more his disciples would be separated from him.
…however, in preparation for this event, Jesus gives his disciples this promise:
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
enseñándoles a guardar todo lo que les he mandado; y ¡recuerden! Yo estoy con ustedes todos los días, hasta el fin del mundo».
Jesus would no longer be with his disciples physically, but his presence would continue to be with them every step of the way.
Jesus would be their comfort, their guide, their protection, their sustainer, their healer, their provider, their Lord and Savior until the end of the age.
This is the same promise that we as disciples have received from the Lord.
This promise is what sustains us amidst the struggles of live.
This promise sustains our faith when we are prone to doubt.
This promise sustains us as we fail and falter in this sinful world.
It is because of his promise to be with us to the end, that we press forward knowing that his promises are faithful and true.
