RESURRECTION APPEARANCES

Hello, my fellow pilgrims!  Are you excited to see where our adventures on day 7 of our Holy Land pilgrimage will take us? I continue to pray the places and scriptures come alive so you personally experience the fifth gospel.  Try to take a few minutes to pause, think about, and answer the reflection questions you will find along the way. Enjoy today’s sights, my dear reader, as we will conclude our pilgrimage next week~

 

We ended last week with hearing Mary Magdalene, the first person who saw the Risen Christ, proclaim:

Come experience a couple more Risen Jesus sightings.

 

Our first stop today is to the Church of the Resurrection in Abu Ghosh, one of four possible sites believed to have been referenced in the Bible story of “On the Road to Emmaus.” The exact location became lost in the early Christian era and was made more difficult from conflicting distance calculations mentioned in Luke’s gospel. This is a 12th century, echo-like sounding church that has wall and ceiling paintings (frescoes) remaining from the Crusaders. Notice that there are no faces on the people in the paintings. The Muslims who took over the region had a strict rule of depicting no images of humans in their art. It was seen as a violation of the commandment to not make any graven images.

 

Church of the Resurrection

 

Inside the Church of the Resurrection

 

Art work with no faces for no worship of graven images

 

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast.  One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.  The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him;  but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.  In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.” He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.  Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.  They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” –Luke 24:13-32 (NIV)

Reflection: Do you hear Jesus asking you why you are downcast and how He listens when you share with Him? Does your heart burn with joy when you recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread, Scriptures, and the ordinary of your day?

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We journey now to the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter/Mensa Christi, in Tabgha, located on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. Mensa Christi means “table of Christ.” This is believed to be the third spot where the Risen Jesus appeared to the disciples. Jesus saw the disciples fishing with no success and told them where to put their net. Then He prepared breakfast and ate with them.

 

Steps commemorating where Jesus called to the disciples while fishing at the Sea of Galilee

 

The rock  where Jesus served the disciples the breakfast of bread and fish

 

Touching the over 2000 year old piece of history

 

Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way:  Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.  “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.  Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. –John 21:1-14 (NIV)

Reflection: Do you try to walk in obedience to the Lord and see the fruitfulness it produces in your life? In what ways do you experience the Lord calling you to commune with Him throughout your day?

 

Continuing on in Scripture, we see where Jesus focuses His attention on Simon Peter, who had denied Him three times and wept bitterly after realizing what he did. What a wonderful story of the forgiveness Jesus extends to a penitent Peter. There is a powerful encounter where Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him to counter the three times Peter denied Him. I believe Jesus is testing Peter’s heart. Peter declares his love and faith in Christ and is rewarded for it. Jesus commands Peter to take care of and feed the lambs and sheep, the church that Jesus is leaving to Him because of Peter’s profession of who Jesus is.

 

Commemorating where Jesus reinstated Peter as the Rock because of His faith in Him

 

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 (NIV)

Reflection: Do you love Jesus with the highest form of love, agape love? In what ways do you take care of and feed Jesus’ flock?

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Out of this reality of Jesus’ resurrection, we know that Jesus indeed walked this earth and was also divine! Many eyewitnesses can attest to this truth. To further valid the resurrection, consider how no one has ever unearthed or found any bones or skeleton of Jesus through these 2000 years! Recently, the truth of reflecting on that really struck me, making Jesus more personal to me. What a powerful message Paul shares with us with the following Scripture. Let these words touch your soul.

 

Photo courtesy of Martin LaBar under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC 2.0)

 

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.  He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.  For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.  –1 Corinthians 15:3-9  (NLT)

Reflection:  In what ways do you pass on the Good News of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection? Even though you were born 2000 years after Jesus, how do you see the Risen Jesus in your life?

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To complete our travels in the footsteps of Jesus, we must end with the site of His ascension into heaven. We did not travel to the specific site, but we could see the spot that commemorates it while in Jerusalem. Jesus told His disciples they would receive power through the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses even to the ends of the earth.

We are privileged to have that same Holy Spirit power in our lives!

Keep witnessing for Jesus even to the ends of the earth, my dear reader~

 

Photo credit by FLASHPACKER TRAVELGUIDE under Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Chapel of the Ascension is the tall building in the background

 

After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.  –Acts 1:3, 6-9  (NIV)

Reflection:  In what ways do you experience the Holy Spirit’s power? How does your life witness to the Spirit in you?

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As you reflect on our pilgrimage stops this week, be encouraged to remember to…

…talk with Jesus about everything; He is always listening.

…be obedient to Jesus leading you.

…love Jesus with the agape love He loves you with.

…share the Risen Jesus using the gifts He has given you.

…let the Holy Spirit’s power bear witness in you to the ends of the earth.

 

With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all,  –Acts 4:33  (NIV)