A paradigm shift occurs when a discovery proves a long-held belief false. For instance, when Copernicus revealed that the Earth revolves around the Sun rather than the Sun around the Earth, the science of astronomy was transformed.
When Jesus told Martha, “Your brother will rise again,”
she said, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Keller explains that even if someone who had claimed to be the messiah died, it didn’t disprove their claim, for adherents believed he would rise on the last day.
No one, absolutely no one, expected Jesus to rise three days after He died, even though He had told them He would. This was certainly a paradigm shift. In today’s passage, Mary Magdalene encounters not just the greatest paradigm shift of her life but of all of human history. And Peter and John are just beginning to try to figure out what is going on.
For many, understanding what a true Christian is may also be a paradigm changer, for they may have equated being a Christian with being a moral person.
Sermon Link:
https://gospelinlife.com/all-resources/?search=Encountering+the+Risen+King
Sunday:
1. How have you experienced the goodness of the Lord this week?
2. Was learning what true Christianity is a paradigm changer for you? For someone you know? -If so, explain.
3. Name three things that helped you believe Christianity was true.
Monday: The Text (Part A.)
3. Read John 20:1-2 aloud (as it is so familiar).
- What stands out to you on first reading and why?
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What happened in verses 1-2, and what did Mary Magdelene assume?
- Note the word “we” in verse 2. Might this show she was with the other women?
Much has been written about the seemingly contradictory accounts of the women on Easter morning. In “The Final Days of Jesus,” which Paige recommended by Andreas Kostenberger and Justin Taylor, they believe that when Mary Magdalene first went to the tomb, the other women were with her to anoint the body. Often, just the most prominent member of a group is mentioned. Then, she immediately fled to tell the disciples, and during that time, the angel appeared to the rest of the women, so she did not know about that. Then she came back alone and met Jesus there.
4. Detectives say that contradictory accounts of eyewitnesses are more likely to be true than accounts where every detail matches. Why is that? How does this dispute the accusation that the disciples stole the body and made up a story?
5. Read John 20:3-10
- When Peter and John run to the tomb what did they see that mystified them?
- Keller explains the word “see” actually means “theorized.” They were trying to figure out what had happened. Why might they have theorized that grave robbers were not responsible for the missing body of Jesus?
- What did they not yet understand, according to this passage? Since it says “they believed,” what is it that they might have believed if not that Christ had risen? (John 20:9)
- Where did they then go?
5. In “The Final Days of Jesus” the authors make a case, based on Luke 24:22-24 that Peter and John did not immediately run to the tomb after Mary Magdalene’s report, but rather waited and heard the testimony of the other women as well. How can you see this from this passage?
6. With both of these reports from the women, why did they not believe the women? (The Greek word Luke the physician uses in Luke 24:11 that is translated as “nonsense” is a medical word meaning the delirious talk of the very ill.”
Tuesday: Text (Part B) and Keller’s Introduction
7. Read John 20:11-18 aloud.
- What stands out to you and why?
- How does this passage show she had not seen or heard the angels earlier?
- Why might she have thought he was the gardener?
- What caused her to recognize Him?
- What words or phrases in verse 17 indicate familial intimacy?
Keller’s Introduction:
If in the mail you got a letter on what looked like a very official letterhead from some law firm, and it said that you had a relative that you did not know about who had just died and left you millions of dollars, how would you react? There are more scams today than there have ever been. You would rightly be, especially if you live in New York City, you would be rightly skeptical, because you get more scams in New York than anywhere. But guess what? You’d probably give them a call. You wouldn’t just say, “Nah, forget it, throw it in the waste bin.” As skeptical as you were, the offer is too great not to look into it a little bit. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is like that. It is very much like that. Most people in New York think it’s a scam, 2 by the way. Most people don’t believe it. You may find it something that you’d be extremely skeptical of, but the offer is so great, I do not know how you wouldn’t want to look into it. The offer is unlike any other religious offer. Other religions offer a certain amount of some kind of material, spiritual, ethereal future, or some kind of afterlife, but only the resurrection of Jesus Christ in Christianity offers you what? Offers you a new body in a renewed world, made perfect, made your true country, the country we’ve all been longing for, in which we live with loved ones, in which we live with God and walk with him. Now, the offer is too great. We really are going to need to look into it, and there’s no better way to look into it than actually looking at this passage. Not that everything there is to say about the resurrection is in this passage, but there’s a lot here. This passage shows that the doctrine, the teaching, the Christian teaching of the resurrection of Jesus is intensely rational, merciful, and personal, and wonderful. Rational, merciful, personal, and wonderful.
8. Listen and read the above.
A. How is the offer of Christianity different than the offer of other religions?
B. Do you think most people today realize this? If not, what is our responsibility?
C. What question might you ask to possibly initiate a discussion with someone who might not understand true Christianity?
Wednesday: Christianity is Rational
Now, first of all, what I mean by rational? Why is the Christian teaching of the resurrection rational? Well, the first part of the passage talks about Mary who goes to the tomb, finds that Jesus’s body has gone, runs back and tells Peter and John, the other apostle, they run to the tomb. We’re told that John when he gets to the tomb first, (he’s a bit faster), he bends over, looks into the tomb, at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. It says, “He saw the strips of linen lying there as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’s head.” The cloth was still lying in its place separate from the linen. That word “saw,” When it says, “Simon Peter saw,” the text doesn’t use a Greek word, they’re like the normal Greek word for saw which is blepo, it’s a Greek word that you actually will recognize, it’s the word theoréo, from which we get our word, “theorize.” And, it’s a word that means to observe, intently looking for an explanation. To observe evidence intently and seeking to find an explanation. It’s actually a very scientific word. It means reasoning. In fact, look at the description of exactly where the grave clothes were and where everything was. And, what it shows us is that when Peter got there, and John got there, they looked at what they saw. They looked at the evidence and they began to furiously reason. So maybe, Peter was saying things like this. He was saying, “Wait a minute, wait a minute here. If just normal grave robbers had come and taken the body, they would never have left all the spices which were in the grave clothings and they would’ve taken off the grave clothes. They would take the time that the grave robbers. Besides that, the grave clothes keep the body from stinking. But, if disciples had come to take the body, why in the world would they have decided the body By taking it out naked? Wait a minute, they’re thinking, they’re thinking. And what do we learn here? And, Mary too, (we’re going to look at this in a second), exactly how they needed evidence in order to believe in the resurrection, hear that? They needed reasoning and thinking in order to believe in the resurrection. I say that because many people think, if you’re a Christian, and you believe in Jesus, you just decide. You just say, “I decide, I’m going to believe.” You don’t need reason, you don’t need thinking, you just decide. That’s just not true. In fact, I go so far as to say that if you have a Christian faith that is not shot through with reasoning and thinking, that faith will not last through the ups and downs of life. Peter, John and Mary, were not able to believe in the resurrection without a lot of evidence, without a lot of thinking. And therefore, today, if you’re going to get all the great things that the resurrection offers, I said in the very beginning, the resurrection of Jesus Christ offers us a great deal, but if you’re going to get that, you’re will have to have to think, you can have to look at the evidence. And you say, “Well, wait, wait, how do you do that? I mean, they, you know, they were there. How do we have any evidence? Well, there actually is a fair amount of evidence and I’m going to ask you to go look for it. It’s out there. However, let me just show you two bits of evidence, historical evidence that you can look at and think about that are right here.
The first one is Mary Magdalene herself. The first person here to see Jesus Christ is Mary Magdalene. Now Celsus, who was a Greek philosopher in the second century, he was one of the first great intellectual enemies of Christianity. He wrote, a book that attacked Christianity, trying to show that it was philosophically intellectually and rationally specious, that you shouldn’t believe in Christianity. He attacked it. And one of his main lines of attack, to prove the Christianity didn’t, couldn’t, you shouldn’t believe Christianity was Mary Magdalene. And let me read to you what he said. You New Yorkers, now you got to get ready for this. This won’t be easy to hear, New Yorkers. He says, “How can anyone expect rational men to listen to the testimony of hysterical female?” Now, that was one of his main lines of attack because, we know that in that time, an era that we would call misogynist, when women were held in very low esteem, and they had a very low place in, a very low social status, and we also know that every single one of the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, every single one of them, all of the original eyewitnesses to Jesus are women. And therefore, it’s completely understandable that in that day Celsus would have said, “This proves that Christianity is intellectually not credible.” So, it’s one of the great weaknesses in the early days in what was considered the case for why Christianity was true. Interestingly enough, today, the fact that all the original witnesses were women, including Mary Magdalene, is actually one of the strengths of the case. Isn’t that interesting, the one of the strengths of the intellectual case? How so? Well, here’s the point. If you were making up stories about the resurrection, if you were writing them just because you wanted to write them, you would never in that day have made women be the first eyewitnesses; you would have been inviting this kind of attack. So you never would have made it up. Therefore, historians across the spectrum, all grant this, that the, by far, the most historically plausible explanation for why the gospel accounts have women as the first eyewitnesses, by far, the most historically plausible explanation is that they were; by far, there’s really no other good reason why they would be. And what this means is this: When Paul says that in 1 Cor 15, 1 Corinthians was a letter that everybody understands, all historians understand, was written by Paul less than twenty years, twenty years, not minutes, twenty years, (it’s early), twenty years after Jesus died. He said, there were literally hundreds and hundreds of people who had seen Jesus Christ, eye witnesses, scores of times, hundreds of eyewitnesses, scores of appearances. And he says, those people mostly are still alive. They’re still out there, you still go talk to them. And so, here’s one bit of evidence, everybody. How do you account for that? Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people said, “I saw Jesus Christ.” And they live their whole lives saying that, and they died for that. You say, “Well, people were different back then. People are more likely to believe stories like that.”
Here’s the second bit of evidence, and it’s here too. Why was it that Peter and John needed to think in order to believe in the resurrection? In fact, why is it that Mary has to actually see Jesus? The fact is that Jesus Christ has said, “I am the light of the world.” He had said, “I’m going to come back and judge the earth.” He said, I’m going to die and rise again. He’d said all that. If you read the first part of the book of John, you see it all. And yet until he actually shows up, and doesn’t even just start talking to her, but actually points out to her who he is, she doesn’t believe it. Why was it so hard? I mean, if those people back then weren’t, didn’t believe these kinds of things? They’re not modern, scientifically minded people. No, no. Here’s what you have to understand. Very important. In the days of Jesus Christ, before and after Jesus, the decades before and after Jesus, there were a number of what you could call, messianic pretenders. A messianic pretender was someone, a Jewish leader who came along and said, “I’m the Messiah, I’m going to lead the Jews and I’m going to bring about liberation, I’m going to throw off the yoke of the oppressor.” There were a number of them. One example, for example, was one called Bar Kokhba, not as famous as Jesus of course, but nevertheless, very famous and he led a revolt. But he like Jesus, every one of these messianic pretenders during the Roman era, they were all killed. Every one of them was killed by the Romans, the people, you know, the Messiah was supposed to, you know throw, the Romans whose yoke was, the job of the Messiah, to throw off. And every other person, every other one of those messianic pretenders when they were killed, everybody immediately said, “Uh, that means he wasn’t the Messiah.” Bar Kokhba, for example, people thought he was the Messiah, and then he was killed. They said, “Well, that proves he wasn’t.” Why? Because those some Jews believed in the resurrection. Some did. A few Jews believed in the resurrection, but they believed in a final resurrection at the end of time. And therefore, the idea number one, that a human being in the middle of time would be resurrected all by himself. Way ahead of everyone else, was actually just not something that would have occurred to anybody, not known. And secondly, that this person will be the Son of God that we should worship was inconceivable, and yet something happened, (everybody), something happened immediately after Jesus’s death. Because we know that from the earliest days, the Christians who are largely Jewish followers had begun to worship a human being as God, though the Jews were radical monotheists that were taught against that in every way. And they also were saying that there was an individual who was raising the dead ahead of everybody else. It was just like an overnight change in the worldview. What did that? Their worldview was totally changed overnight. There was no debating back and forth. It took, you know, years, no, no, just like that something happened to them. And then they spent the rest of their lives willing to die for it. There’s a Japanese writer, a Catholic Japanese writer named Shūsaku Endō who said this: “If you don’t believe in the resurrection, you will be forced to believe that something hit that the disciples that was every bit is amazing, maybe different, yet of equal force, it is electrifying intensity. For if we try to explain the changed lives of the early Christians, you will find yourself making leaps of faith as great as if we had believed in the resurrection to start with. If you don’t believe in the resurrection, something else, every bit is electrifying, every bit is category busting, every bit is paradigm destroying, as the resurrection must have happened to them. You can see it, they weren’t willing that, you know, it wasn’t their idea, something overwhelmed their categories. Look, that’s not the only evidence. Here’s what I’m trying to say. There’s evidence; those are just two pieces. How do you account for that? There’s other evidence. So, go find it, and think. And if you do, and if you begin to say, “Maybe I believe in the resurrection.
P9. Listen and read above:
- What stood out to you and why?
- What thoughts might have Peter and John had when they saw the grave clothes there? And why?
- Celsus thought Christianity was not credible because women were the first witnesses — but why is that actually evidence for Christianity?
- Why would they have been hesitant to believe in the resurrection that happened so soon after death? And yet, why did they?
Thursday: Christianity is Merciful
Here’s the second thing we find in the resurrection, we see mercy there, that the resurrection, the teaching of the resurrection is not just intensely rationalist, intensely merciful. Look at Jesus, first of all. Notice how he comes after Mary. Mary, as much as she’s an admirable character, as much as she’s filled with love for Jesus, she’s going around weeping. You know, Peter and John, they didn’t even come to start with. I mean when they go, they say, (uh … uh … uh) and they go back, and she’s what, she runs, “I miss him,” “I want him,” where is He? How could they do this? I mean, she’s all together an admirable character, filled with passionate love for Jesus Christ. And yet, she’s clueless. And yet she actually has too smaller view of Him. She’s looking for a dead Jesus. She’s looking for a human-only Jesus. Her categories, just like yours and mine, make it extraordinarily difficult for her to believe what’s actually happened. And therefore, He has to come and reveal Himself to her. But let me just show you two things about that. The one is, look how gentle He is. Don’t you love how gentle He is? He comes up and He says, “Why are you crying? Who is it you’re looking for?” He’s asking questions. And counselors certainly know that if you know that something’s messing up your counselee, the best thing you can do is, rather than just say, “Well, here’s what’s messing you up,” best thing to do is ask questions to get the person to discover it for him or herself; to own it from the inside, not just to have it imposed on the outside. It’s all right, all right. No, no, to own it, to understand it. Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor, see the gentleness of Jesus. But the point is, He does have to come. The point is that if there’s anybody here who loves Jesus as Mary Magdalene, is passionate for Jesus, and yet she’s clueless, and she would never have found Him unless He found her. She would’ve never discovered who He was unless He had revealed Himself to her. Humanly speaking, faith is impossible (everybody). I know that sounds like I just contradict to myself. I said, “You got to think, you got to think, you got to look at the evidence.” It’s got to be rational. And yet, in the end, when you find Him, you’ll know He was helping because in the end, humanly speaking, faith is impossible, unless He comes and opens our minds and opens our hearts. And by the way, He’s doing that right now. He’s doing that right now in this text, He’s doing that right now through the Holy Spirit, present in this gathered assembly. He’s doing it right now. See the gentleness of Jesus, see the grace of Jesus, see that He initiates. He’s the one that comes to us. In some ways, the story of Mary encapsulates the whole message of the Bible. And what is that message? Well, the message is, especially if you realize who she is, because He doesn’t show up to Peter and John. He could have; He shows up to Mary. And then He says, after He reveals Himself, “Go and tell my brother,” do you realize at that moment, He’s Jesus? There’s only one person who’s ever met the risen Christ, and now has the message of the gospel to send into the world, only one person and you don’t think Jesus did that deliberately? Who was Mary Magdalene? Luke 8:2 and 3 says, “She had seven demons cast out of her.” And by the way, the word “seven” is symbolic, you know, right in the Bible, and it means “a host.” And, if you know anything about demoniac, I mean, let’s not talk too much. I don’t have time to go into all that. But you know, if you go to Mark 5, you’ll see another description of a demoniac. A demoniac is someone who’s running around half naked, crying out, talking to himself or herself, social outcast. And that was Mary Magdalene. And so here’s Jesus Christ, has everybody in the world He could reveal Himself to, and make the first as it were messenger, the first ambassador, and He chooses a woman, not a man. He chooses a reformed mental patient, not some seminary graduate. He says, “You are my ambassador of the world.” How much more vividly powerfully and clearly, could Jesus Christ say to us? “My salvation is not based on pedigree, it’s not based on moral attainment, it’s not based on talent, it’s not based on good works. “I save by my work, not by your work, I save, not those people who think they’re strong, but only those who know they’re weak and they cast themselves on me.” See, resurrection faith, the content of it, and the cause of it is grace. You only believe because He’s been Grace. He comes to you, and the content of it, what does it mean to believe in Jesus Christ? It’s to believe that He saves you, not you save yourself. He has done everything.
I loved Keller’s point about Jesus acting like a good counselor here, helping her discover the truth. I remember telling my grief counselor that I wish I knew what Steve would say in a hard situation. All she said was, “Don’t you?” And I realized I did.
10. Listen and read the above
- What stands out and why?
- If you have ever been in counseling, how did the counselor get you to discover a truth for yourself?
- How does Jesus help Mary Magdalene discover His identity for herself? Why is this important?
- Why was Mary such a good candidate to show the heart of Christianity?
Friday: Christianity is Personal and Wonderful
So, the resurrection is intensely rational, it’s intensely merciful, but lastly, it’s intensely personal. Look how He reveals Himself in the end. It’s amazing what He does. Now, you know, He’s returned. He’s back. How does He reveal Himself? Not the way Superman Returns. You know, Superman does it the way we think it should be done. He returns by saving a jetliner in the middle of a stadium, the cheering crowds, and of course on cable TV, so millions of other people see it too. That’s how Superman Returns. That’s not how Jesus returns. He doesn’t even say why didn’t He say it’s me? Wouldn’t that be what you would do? I mean, she’s saying, “Are you the gardener that I’m looking for?” “Hey, it’s me.” Instead, He says, “Mary!” He gets her invite. This is what He’s saying. He doesn’t say, “It’s me.” That’s abstract. He says, “Mary!” He, by the way, He also doesn’t say Miss Magdalene. Here’s what He says. I think. He says, “I am not the dead founder of an ethical religion that you get to know over the centuries by following my rules. I am a living Savior, and I’m alive now. And you can have a personal relationship with me. I can come into your life. You can have personal communion with me. And as you do that, you will discover the deepest secret of who you are.” So, He uses her name to reveal Himself because those things come together by the way. What? We live in a culture that’s more obsessed with identity than any culture that have ever been. Our culture says, what you do is, you look inside yourself, and decide who you are. And then you assert who you are, no matter what anybody else thinks. So, you look inside, you decide who you are, you assert yourself no matter what anybody says. And that won’t work. And the reason it won’t work is that we are social beings. We need someone we adore, to adore us. We need someone we respect to respect us. We need someone outside who we love to love us. And then we have a secure identity and only then, and Jesus Christ says, “I am the ultimate great person in the universe. And I love you personally expensively, (at the cost my own life), and eternally. “Know Me and you’ll know yourself. Connect with me, the risen Lord, and know my love on your heart. And you will find the deepest secret of who you are and what I made you to be.” And you know, when she grabs Him, it literally says, “Don’t hold me so tight.” And He says, “because I’m going to, I’m ascending,” and here’s what I believe He means. He’s saying, “Mary, I can see why you grab me hard. You’re afraid of ever losing me. But I want you to know, I’m about to go to heaven. I’m going to be at the right hand of the Father. I’m going to send the Holy Spirit and when the Holy Spirit comes into your life, you will have Me forever, and you’ll have a sense of My love, even deeper than you have right now. And nothing, not even the deepest dungeon will not be able to separate me from you or you from me. Annie Dillard, Pulitzer Prize winning novelist said once, “I’d been my whole life a bell, and I never knew it till I was picked up and rung.” To have Jesus Christ the risen Christ, not just someone you believe in abstractly, but someone who you believe in by putting faith in His death and resurrection, as your salvation, and then a sense him come into your life. As He tells you who He is, you will learn who you are. You’ll be like a bell picked up and rung. And you’ll say, “So, this is what I was for.” Let us pray. Our Father, thank you for giving us all that we need in order to know and love You through your risen Son. And we pray that you would help us on hearing these words, to know the riches of the offer of the resurrection because we have taken them by faith. I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.
11. Read and listen to the above
- What stood out and why?
- What was Keller’s point about how Superman would make himself known?
- Why does Keller say that Jesus simply says: “Mary.”
- Why does Jesus tell Mary not to cling to Him?
- Can you identify with Annie Dilliard’s quote: “I’d been my whole life a bell, and I never knew it till I was picked up and rung.” If so, explain.
Saturday:
11. What is your take-a-way and why?
121 comments
Sunday:
1. How have you experienced the goodness of the Lord this week? – I was at a ladies retreat this past week, and it was held at the Ark Encounter in Kentucky. The massive ark that was there and seeing what may have been the set up inside was amazing. Also, down the highway a bit was the Creation Musuem which we were also able to go and see. To see the intricate account of a fetus at conception in the Wonderfully Made exhibit was just incredible. To see how God has worked in us from the very beginning was outstanding to see. And at the conference itself, the music from Michael O’Brien and hearing over a thousand women singing hymns was awesome. To hear that many women coming together as one as we praised our heavenly Father was very moving.
2. Was learning what true Christianity is a paradigm changer for you? For someone you know? -If so, explain. – I guess in a sense now that I’m thinking about it, it was. I always knew God and always thought I would be going to heaven, but once I realized that I needed a relationship with Jesus to be an heir of Christ, I gave my life to him. It was no longer just being a good person, it was so much deeper to me. I wanted to know everything I could about Jesus and live my life in a way that would not diminish his sacrifice on the cross.
3. Name three things that helped you believe Christianity was true. – The sacrifice on the cross for me that Jesus made. His unconditional love that I will always have, even when I fail him. The continued blessings he pours on me when I cry out to Him in prayer. He hears me, he sees me, and he cares enough to provide all that I need. Time and again, He always comes through for me. I know now that He will continue to always provide what I need.
I am so glad you got to go to the Ark and the Creation Museum. I have not been there yet but heard about it from some of my friends. It is so good to read your answers to #2 and #3.
What a wonderful women’s conference! I also cannot imagine the joy and beauty of singing hymns with 1000 women’s voices. Just a glimpse of the joy to come in Heaven when we will all praise the Lamb that was slain together, from every tribe and nation. I also loved your brief testimony of the paradigm shift you experienced when you realized that being a Christian was not about your own goodness, but the goodness of Jesus instead. “I wanted to know everything I could about jesus and live my life in a way that would not diminish His sacrifice on the cross.” How beautiful, Julie!
What a great place to have a women’s retreat!
What a wonderful place to have a women’s retreat Julie and the experience of being among 1000 voices praising our wonderful Savior…awesome❤️
Julie, thank you for sharing this incredible experience! It all sounds wonderful! Our God of Creation is so beyond our comprehension! The music sounds amazing too!
For many, understanding what a true Christian is may also be a paradigm changer, for they may have equated being a Christian with being a moral person.
Sunday:
1. How have you experienced the goodness of the Lord this week?
I have been praying for the Lord to bring someone my husband and I can delegate the kids ministry to—one who loves kids and is called by God. I have approached a few women in our church for several months now, and no response. Not that I am disappointed because I truly know God will provide, and it was just a matter of His timing and provision. And what do you know? After my husband announced a free small church ministry conference for kids, I was pulled aside by a mom who told me she was interested in attending it! And what blessed me was when she said, “I have been praying about this, and I think I am ready!” What an answer to my prayer. She has helped me some with our Parents Night Out Wednesdays and was very good with the kids. God is good!
2. Was learning what true Christianity is a paradigm changer for you? For someone you know? -If so, explain.
For me, a head to heart transfer of the truth that I do not have to perform to gain God’s love for me. And it seems like this is the same for a young mother I have been meeting with lately. She is doubting her love for God because of her anxiety, given her family’s situation right now. I am praying that God will give me the right places in His Word to point her to the truth
3. Name three things that helped you believe Christianity was true.
Scripture
The conviction of the Holy Spirit
Creation
Wonderful answer to prayer!
Amen Bing! God is good and His timing is perfect.
Such a great and timely answer to your prayers, Bing! I will pray as you work with this young mother, dealing with doubt. Lord, you are aware of all of our doubts and fears. How I pray that you will give Bing wisdom and guidance, as she points this sweet mother to Jesus.
Oh Bing, what a blessing in God’s timing with this young woman.
1. How have you experienced the goodness of the Lord this week? This week started out especially hard when Travis’ brother asked me if he could come to meet with me last Sunday. Travis and his brother were dropped off on my doorstep, literally, when they were ages 9 and 10. I only saw the mother’s taillights as she drove away from my house. The boys stood at my door with a plastic bag with one change of clothes. I had been caring for them for 5 years already, off and on, and I couldn’t turn them away now. They came from a very dysfunctional home, but their mother knew I would provide love and care and safety for her boys. I brought the boys to church 3 times a week, with AWANA and summer Bible camps. At 16, Travis’ brother looked me straight in the eye and told me he wanted nothing to do with God or the church any longer. He soon left my home and didn’t speak to me for many years. Travis told me he wished to stay and wanted to know God in a deeper way. He lived with me for 20 years, and you all know how very dear he has become to me, as if he was my biological son. Travis’ brother had chosen a life-style that is not pleasing to God and he wished to discuss it with me after being away from my home for 20 years. I quickly changed my Sunday plans for dinner with my mother, and invited this now 36 year old man into my home. Travis was present also as his brother berated me and my belief in God for about 7 hours. It was brutal, and I cried. I could not believe that he could quote so many Bible verses and know so much about God that I actually found that encouraging. His Word does not return void though it seems so dark in his soul right now. He wanted to tell me how the belief in God was ridiculous and that it had traumatized him as a child to be taught about sin. He scoffed many times during that 7 hour diatribe that there would be a need for a sacrifice of Jesus’ life to his soul. He bragged to me about his own goodness, and he does have some genuinely kind and good characteristics. I felt such love for him while he berated me that tears came. He said he didn’t mean to make me cry but that he is now coming out into a freedom he never had when he believed there was a God and there was a heaven and hell. I was really down for several days after this conversation, but I’m strangely encouraged that he came. If he is so convinced that there is no God, Heaven, or Hell, then why did he feel compelled to berate me for 7 hours because I believe these things? I know God is not finished with him. I told him quietly at the end of his speaking that if there is ever a dark night when he longs for a God who can deliver him, he should call out to Him and say, “I cannot change myself. Take me as I am.” I promised him that he would never be cast out if he comes to Him. I’m speaking in somewhat veiled terms and leaving out large portions of the story, but perhaps you can read between the lines. Perhaps, one or two might pray for this precious young man, that God would beam His light into his darkened heart, and he would see his need for the sacrifice Jesus gave for him and for us all. It all just caused me to praise Him afresh that the sacrifice of Jesus was able to meet the demands of a Holy God, something our righteousness could never do. What a relief and joy and a burden lifted that I do not need to earn His great love for me. Why would He love the likes of me???!!! I shall never understand. I’m so thankful that Travis and I were able to spend a few hours afterwards rehearsing the goodness and love of Jesus to give Himself for us….while we were yet sinners.
Missy, I am amazed at how God held you together while Travis’ brother berated you and God. I agree with you that in some strange way, we should rejoice that he came to you; it sounded that he was determined to disqualify what he thought he knew of God. May he truly see the light, and because he has you and others praying for his salvation, may God in His sovereignty draw him to Jesus. It is God’s will that people be saved. I will be praying for him as when I pray for my own daughter. Thank you for sharing this with us. Your faithful perseverance and love encourage me.
Dearest Missy, This is heart breaking, yet God held you up throughout this long ordeal. Praising God for giving you such strength. He sounds troubled and his outburst may be a cry for help. I will pray with you for this very confused man. I pray that the Lord will give him a spiritual heart transplant. May our Heavenly Father continue to be with you dear Missy. You have given your all for your children. I thank God for you. You have brought many troubled children to the feet of Jesus. May God continue to bless you.
Oh my Miriam! How traumatic, yet yes, you should be encouraged. I think it was Shakespeare who said “thou protest too much, me thinks.” And love the time afterward that you had with Travis.
Father, please bring Travis brother to his senses. It is clear you are stirring him up. Be with Missy and Travis and give them the peace that passes understanding.
Amen to Dee’s prayer for Travis’ s brother.
Miriam, thanks for sharing as I can only imagine what heartbreak you have and are enduring. This young man knows the truth because of your influence for Christ in his life and I pray that God will rescue him from the kingdom of darkness and transfer him into the kingdom of His dear Son.
Oh my goodness Missy. What a bittersweet meeting you had with this young man. He’s definitely seeking and can feel the love you have for him to come to you after many years. I will be praying for God to open another door that will lead him back to the cross and on to your doorstep. Hugs!
Missy! Oh my goodness what a hard thing you had to endure. I know a little bit about how you felt because my SIL went off on me a couple of months ago, but in a very nasty text. He too, knows scripture because his grandfather took him to church. It pains me that you had this experience I am hopeful for the brother and will pray.
Is there a sermon link to Keller’s message?
Patti alerted me that I had forgotten the sermon link. It’s there now. Thanks, Patti!
Thank you, dear Dee!!
1. How have you experienced the goodness of the Lord this week?
My dear Darcy gave me a week of joyous fun and adventure. I see the Lord bringing friends who need Jesus into her life. Darcy is bold, yet gentle, about her faith. I pray that we both have the words and sources to speak to her sweet friends.
2. Was learning what true Christianity is a paradigm changer for you? For someone you know? -If so, explain.
Yes, in a huge way. It was a comfort, a change of heart, and a change of priorities. I am still changing. Changing jobs was a huge paradigm changer for my husband. Though, we had been Christians for years, it opened his heart to others in a way I had not seen before. He told me over and over what a difference it was making inside. And I saw it on the outside, as well. God is good! I grew up in a Christian home and knew Jesus at an early age, but the depth of that relationship has grown so much over the years. I love how He can keep changing our hearts.
3. Name three things that helped you believe Christianity was true.
1) The change in my heart
2) The answers to prayer and God’s timing
3) The scripture coming to life in neon lights and understanding of God’s Word
So sweet of Darcy to give you a week of joyous fun and adventure and I love what you said in number 2…” I grew up in a Christian home and knew Jesus at an early age, but the depth of that relationship has grown so much over the years. I love how He can keep changing our hearts.”
I love all of this, especially the Scriptures coming to life in neon lights. I loved hearing a little more of your testimony and that you have Darcy in your life to be such a blessing!
Sunday:
1. How have you experienced the goodness of the Lord this week?
I know I have said this before but I so enjoy spring and the new life it brings. Seeing God’s creation in such bold and beautiful colors, baby frogs and butterflies, is a constant reminder of His glorious power. There was a song I loved singing with the kids at church in my younger days that describe it well..”Bull frogs and butterflies, we’ve both been born again.”
2. Was learning what true Christianity is a paradigm changer for you? For someone you know? -If so, explain.
It has been a progression for me. I feel fortunate to of been raised in a strong Christian home but that isn’t what saved me and I had to come into my own relationship with Christ. That was the paradigm changer for me. I’m thankful for His grace and the constant work of the Holy Spirit in my life…changing me from the inside out.
3. Name three things that helped you believe Christianity was true.
He walks with me…daily as I trust Him through all circumstances of life.
He talks with me…through His word.
He tells me I am His own…through the blood of His Son.
(This hymn, In The Garden, just kept running through my mind when I read this question.)
I love this hymn ❤️
Recently our worship leader gave us the history of the hymn and it was written from the perspective of Mary Magdalene when she returned to the garden tomb alone and thought Jesus was the gardener. I hadn’t known that!
I love your entire post, Sharon! Love the connection to “In the Garden”. (Dee, thank you for sharing the history of the hymn.) it is the favorite of my grandmother and my mom…and me! ‘Love and relate to your answer to 2.) dear Sharon! Our conversions are so similar ~ I have always thought of myself as a “becomer”… a popular word back in the day, so I’m really dating myself!😂🥰. I am still am”work in progress”…..🙏🙏
Beautiful!!!
3. Read John 20:1-2 aloud (as it is so familiar).
What stands out to you on first reading and why?
Why doesn’t she name John (the other disciple)? It seems weird, since she names Simon Peter. And, didn’t He love them all?
What happened in verses 1-2, and what did Mary Magdelene assume?
She goes to the tomb and sees the stone rolled away. She assumes someone has taken Him out.
Note the word “we” in verse 2. Might this show she was with the other women?
Yes, more than her.
Often, just the lead person in a group is named.
We know that John often referred to himself as the disciple Jesus loved and it makes us smile for He did love them all!
Monday: The Text (Part A.)
3. Read John 20:1-2 aloud (as it is so familiar).
What stands out to you on first reading and why? – I still am amazed at how astonished Mary Magdalene was along with the disciples that the stone was moved, and Jesus’ body was gone. They had been with Jesus a long time by this point, and still didn’t understand what he had been teaching them.
What happened in verses 1-2, and what did Mary Magdelene assume? – Mary Magdelene went to the tomb where Jesus’ body was laid and when she got there, the stone was rolled away and Jesus’ body was not there. She ran back to Simon Peter and John to tell them what she found. Mary Magdelene assumed someone took Jesus’ body.
Note the word “we” in verse 2. Might this show she was with the other women? – I think in other versions or in other gospel it said she was with other women.
4. Detectives say that contradictory accounts of eyewitnesses are more likely to be true than accounts where every detail matches. Why is that? How does this dispute the accusation that the disciples stole the body and made up a story? – Not everyone will remember the same thing in a particular incident. Some will remember the time of day, others will remember how someone looked, etc. I think what is most important to us will be what we remember. The disciples were not the one to find the empty tomb, Mary Magdelene and perhaps the other women were. The disciples only heard what had happened so they could only retell what they were told of the incident.
5. Read John 20:3-10
When Peter and John run to the tomb what did they see that mystified them? – That the strips of linen and the cloth were in the tomb and the cloth was folded by itself away from the linen strips.
Keller explains the word “see” actually means “theorized.” They were trying to figure out what had happened. Why might they have theorized that grave robbers were not responsible for the missing body of Jesus? – The cloth was neatly folded. If grave robbers were to have taken Jesus, they wouldn’t have taken the time to fold up the cloth. They would have taken the body probably with all the line strips and cloth still on it.
What did they not yet understand, according to this passage? Since it says “they believed,” what is it that they might have believed if not that Christ had risen? (John 20:9) – They did not understand yet, what Jesus had been telling them that he would have to die and be resurrected. I think what they believed is what Mary Magdelene had told them, that the body of Jesus was not in the tomb.
Where did they then go? – they went home. This was kind of funny to me. After this huge discovery of the missing body, they just go home.
5. In “The Final Days of Jesus” the authors make a case, based on Luke 24:22-24 that Peter and John did not immediately run to the tomb after Mary Magdalene’s report, but rather waited and heard the testimony of the other women as well. How can you see this from this passage? – In this passage in Luke, the disciples had more information. They have now heard the vision of angels that Jesus was alive. When Mary Magdelene first came and told them from the passage in John, she hadn’t said anything about the angels.
6. With both of these reports from the women, why did they not believe the women? (The Greek word Luke the physician uses in Luke 24:11 that is translated as “nonsense” is a medical word meaning the delirious talk of the very ill.” – Women in those days were not favored by men. They were not in the same class or category as men were. So, what women said was not taken seriously. But this surprises me since these women had been following Jesus right along with the disciples, so they should have known them at this point.
4. Detectives say that contradictory accounts of eyewitnesses are more likely to be true than accounts where every detail matches. Why is that?
We each have our own perception and it won’t be alike. If the accounts are the same, there might have been collaboration.
How does this dispute the accusation that the disciples stole the body and made up a story?
Well, Mary shows up at the tomb, presumably with other women. And then she leaves. They stay and I’m sure, a little while later, the disciples show up, and the women are still there. Mary shows up after that. If the disciples stole the body, the other women would have seen it.
5. Read John 20:3-10
When Peter and John run to the tomb what did they see that mystified them?
They saw the linen wrappings.
Keller explains the word “see” actually means “theorized.” They were trying to figure out what had happened. Why might they have theorized that grave robbers were not responsible for the missing body of Jesus?
The head wrappings were folded.
What did they not yet understand, according to this passage?
They didn’t understand from the scriptures that Jesus would rise from the dead.
Since it says “they believed,” what is it that they might have believed if not that Christ had risen? (John 20:9)
They might have believed He was stolen (?). Not sure.
Where did they then go?
Oddly, they just went home! I wouldn’t be able to go home, I’ll be spreading the word! Drama!
Laura! I love your answer on perspective! Yes, we all see an event from different perspectives and it’s so interesting about the different accounts.
Sunday:
1. How have you experienced the goodness of the Lord this week? I was able to celebrate my step-mom’s 80th birthday with her this past week. She has been such a blessing to me and our family. I can’t describe the way the Lord has used her except to say, he knew I needed her in my life. There are many things we don’t agree on in life and COVID was hard on our relationship, but the most important thing we do agree on is our Lord and Savior and our love for one another. I’m thankful we were able to keep that in perspective the last few years and maintain our relationship.
2. Was learning what true Christianity is a paradigm changer for you? For someone you know? -If so, explain. I am not sure exactly how to answer this one. I guess the Lord has been gracious to me and not ever given me hard questions about my faith, but a simple, willing belief in scripture. I didn’t grow up in the church, but in a secular, moral driven household. The Lord brought my faith to me a little at a time through neighborhood evangelism, VBS, and friends who went to church. He put Christians in my path and while I did need to navigate the idea of what Christianity is versus moralism, it wasn’t a huge shift for me, but a welcome relief to know that my salvation wasn’t dependent on my ability to behave. I still find myself dealing with guilt and have to speak truth to my heart about Christ work on the cross, so I guess in that way it has been paradigm changer.
3. Name three things that helped you believe Christianity was true. First the Word of God. I don’t ever remember questioning the Bible. Second the Holy Spirit: I believe his work in my heart has been bigger than I can even understand. Thirdly: the people God has put in my life and I can’t leave out Creation-the splendor of our world that he made is revealing things to my heart everyday.
Oh, Chris! You have such a heart for the Lord. Love your sweet relationship with your step mom. Love your journey and how the Lord brings the right people to us when we are seeking Him in our hearts.
Would like to press you all further for what Peter and John believed since they didn’t yet know He had risen from the dead. Keller makes a big point about the word “saw” coming from theorizing — they are thinking…obviously puzzled, but believing something supernatural was going on. I think they went home to continue thinking – -they didn’t really have the good news to spread yet. Thoughts?
It must have taken them a bit to put it all together. Maybe they needed time to process what could have happened. We know the whole story from our perspective and I still continue to process the greatest miracle ever!
I wonder if they are rethinking all that Jesus had told them while they walked with him. Remembering that he said he would have to be beaten and put to death. All his teachings may have been replayed in their minds at this point. It would be a lot to process and get to the truth of it all.
I think so too, Julie
3. Read John 20:1-2 aloud (as it is so familiar).
1)What stands out to you on first reading and why? It was the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene was alone and John’s gospel says it was still dark. The stone was taken away from the tomb. It does not say that she enters the tomb, yet she ran and saw Peter and John and told them, “They” have take the Lord and “we” do not know where they have laid Him.
2)What happened in verses 1-2, and what did Mary Magdelene assume? Was Mary alone? She assumed that His body had been taken. The stone was huge.
3) Note the word “we” in verse 2. Might this show she was with the other women? Mark says Mary the mother of James and Salome was with her. (I think this is Mary’s sister in law? )Matthew says Mary, wife of Clopas. (The sister in law of Jesus’s mother, Mary?). This is confusing.
In his book on pain Keller explained that often the most prominent woman is named but doesn’t mean they are alone. He feels Mary Magdalene ran off to tell the disciples the body was gone so did not see the angels as the others did. Then she returned alone to meet the man she thought was the gardener.
Thank you, Dee.🙏
Tuesday: Text (Part B) and Keller’s Introduction
7. Read John 20:11-18 aloud.
What stands out to you and why? – It seems that the angels only appeared after the disciples left. Peter and John had both went in to the tomb right before that and only discovered that Jesus’ body was gone. There were no angels at that point sitting in there. So again, it was a woman that had the news of what was happening in the tomb.
How does this passage show she had not seen or heard the angels earlier? – it seems when she bent down again after the disciples left. Maybe she heard a noise or something moving inside, because she knew it was empty from looking in the first time and for Peter and John to confirm it.
Why might she have thought he was the gardener? – He may have looked a little rugged or had some dirt on him and he was in the garden when he appeared.
What caused her to recognize Him? – Jesus called her by name. At that point did she then recognize his voice but hadn’t before when he was just talking to her?
What words or phrases in verse 17 indicate familial intimacy? – Jesus told her to go to his brothers and tell them and when he told her he was going to his Father and her Father, his God and her God.
Keller’s Introduction:
If in the mail you got a letter on what looked like a very official letterhead from some law firm, and it said that you had a relative that you did not know about who had just died and left you millions of dollars, how would you react? There are more scams today than there have ever been. You would rightly be, especially if you live in New York City, you would be rightly skeptical, because you get more scams in New York than anywhere. But guess what? You’d probably give them a call. You wouldn’t just say, “Nah, forget it, throw it in the waste bin.” As skeptical as you were, the offer is too great not to look into it a little bit. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is like that. It is very much like that. Most people in New York think it’s a scam, 2 by the way. Most people don’t believe it. You may find it something that you’d be extremely skeptical of, but the offer is so great, I do not know how you wouldn’t want to look into it. The offer is unlike any other religious offer. Other religions offer a certain amount of some kind of material, spiritual, ethereal future, or some kind of afterlife, but only the resurrection of Jesus Christ in Christianity offers you what? Offers you a new body in a renewed world, made perfect, made your true country, the country we’ve all been longing for, in which we live with loved ones, in which we live with God and walk with him. Now, the offer is too great. We really are going to need to look into it, and there’s no better way to look into it than actually looking at this passage. Not that everything there is to say about the resurrection is in this passage, but there’s a lot here. This passage shows that the doctrine, the teaching, the Christian teaching of the resurrection of Jesus is intensely rational, merciful, and personal, and wonderful. Rational, merciful, personal, and wonderful.
8. Listen and read the above.
A. How is the offer of Christianity different than the offer of other religions? – It offers us a new body in a renewed world where we will live and walk with God forever.
B. Do you think most people today realize this? If not, what is our responsibility? – In the state of Tennessee where we live, we are in the bible belt, so we see a lot of people that realize the whole truth about the resurrection. But sadly, I think we have a long way to go. There are too many things happening in this world that are going in the opposite direction of the creation, Jesus’ ministry and his death and resurrection. I think people believe Jesus is just a character in a book. They don’t realize just how much he did for all of us. The love Jesus had for us to die on the cross is the ultimate sacrifice, but some people don’t love like Jesus, there is too much hatred in the world. We need a huge revival to get back to the truth. We as true believers need to be showing the unconditional love that Jesus showed to us. We need to be getting the gospel out there and telling our testimonies. If anything, these things would, I hope anyway, make people stop to think of what we are doing and how we are acting in kindness because that is what we are to do. That there isn’t an ultimatum, and they owe us something in return.
C. What question might you ask to possibly initiate a discussion with someone who might not understand true Christianity? – I think I would start with ‘what is stopping you from believing the truth of Christianity.’
Monday: The Text (Part A.)
3. Read John 20:1-2 aloud (as it is so familiar).
What stands out to you on first reading and why? Mary Magdelene went to the sepulchre BEFORE sunrise, in the dark, I had never really thought about this before, and it raises questions such as: did they carry lanterns, had she witnessed the burial of Jesus, etc. Another thing that stood out was that she knew exactly where to find Peter and John. I wonder if the women and disciples might have been together for the Sabbath meal the day before.
What happened in verses 1-2, and what did Mary Magdelene assume? Before sunrise, on the first day of the week, Mary went to the tomb. She saw the stone rolled away which had been sealed at the mouth of the tomb. She assumed the body had been stolen, so she ran to tell Peter and John that someone had taken Jesus body, and the body was missing.
Note the word “we” in verse 2. Might this show she was with the other women? Absolutely. That is why it is important to read all the corresponding accounts in the Matthew, Mark, and Luke to get the full picture of what had taken place. I also noticed she said “they” have taken the Lord and we don’t know where “they” have laid Him. I wonder who she suspected.
4. Detectives say that contradictory accounts of eyewitnesses are more likely to be true than accounts where every detail matches. Why is that? How does this dispute the accusation that the disciples stole the body and made up a story? Not everyone who is a witness will notice the same details. A person’s height, for example, would affect their line of vision, or something might attract someone’s attention that no one else would see. The main thing the disciples all agreed on was that the body of Jesus was gone, all the different accounts fill in the picture. If the disciples had all told the exact same story, it would have been obvious that it was something they had concocted and memorized beforehand.
5. Read John 20:3-10 When Peter and John run to the tomb what did they see that mystified them? They saw the strips of linen that had been wound around Jesus just lying there, no body. It just now struck me that if the body had been stolen, it would have been a naked body. Also, wouldn’t the linen strips have been bloody?
It also seems to me that the disciples knew exactly where to go. There must have been much discussion about the events on the Sabbath as they mourned together.
Keller explains the word “see” actually means “theorized.” They were trying to figure out what had happened. Why might they have theorized that grave robbers were not responsible for the missing body of Jesus? Grave robbers would not have unwound the body.
What did they not yet understand, according to this passage? Since it says “they believed,” what is it that they might have believed if not that Christ had risen? (John 20:9) I don’t think they understood that Jesus was alive, but they did believe that the tomb was empty and the body was missing.
Where did they then go? They went home.
5. In “The Final Days of Jesus” the authors make a case, based on Luke 24:22-24 that Peter and John did not immediately run to the tomb after Mary Magdalene’s report, but rather waited and heard the testimony of the other women as well. How can you see this from this passage? It says that the “women” came, not just “a woman.” Vs. 10 lists the names of 3 women plus “other women.”
6. With both of these reports from the women, why did they not believe the women? (The Greek word Luke the physician uses in Luke 24:11 that is translated as “nonsense” is a medical word meaning the delirious talk of the very ill.” It seemed an unbelievable tale told by “emotional women.”
Monday: The Text (Part A.)
4. Read John 20:1-2 aloud (as it is so familiar).
A. What stands out to you on first reading and why?
That it was Mary Magdalene that went to the tomb first and not the disciples.
B. What happened in verses 1-2, and what did Mary Magdelene assume?
Mary Magdelene ran to the tomb early Sunday morning, found the stone rolled away and ran and found Peter and the disciple Jesus loved saying, “they have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb and we don’t know where they have put Him.”
I think she assumed to still see the stone in front of the tomb.
C. Note the word “we” in verse 2. Might this show she was with the other women?
Yes, and I never noticed that before.
Much has been written about the seemingly contradictory accounts of the women on Easter morning. In “The Final Days of Jesus,” which Paige recommended by Andreas Kostenberger and Justin Taylor, they believe that when Mary Magdalene first went to the tomb, the other women were with her to anoint the body. Often, just the most prominent member of a group is mentioned. Then, she immediately fled to tell the disciples, and during that time, the angel appeared to the rest of the women, so she did not know about that. Then she came back alone and met Jesus there.
5. Detectives say that contradictory accounts of eyewitnesses are more likely to be true than accounts where every detail matches.
Why is that?
If every detail matched it could cause one to be suspicious of collaboration between the witnesses. Where if there is contradictory accounts then each witness probably saw the event from a different perspective and put it into their own words.
How does this dispute the accusation that the disciples stole the body and made up a story?
Each of the disciples account of the event is being told from their own perspective.
6. Read John 20:3-10
A. When Peter and John run to the tomb what did they see that mystified them?
They both saw the linen wrappings lying there. Peter also noticed the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings.
B. Keller explains the word “see” actually means “theorized.” They were trying to figure out what had happened. Why might they have theorized that grave robbers were not responsible for the missing body of Jesus?
The fact the wrappings weren’t cut off but rather laying there without a body in them (mummy looking) and the wrapping around His head had been folded and was separated from the other wrapping, something a robber wouldn’t do or takes the time to do.
C. What did they not yet understand, according to this passage?
They hadn’t yet understood the Scripture that said that Jesus must rise from the dead.
Since it says “they believed,” what is it that they might have believed if not that Christ had risen? (John 20:9)
I think they believed in the resurrection but didn’t understand the meaning of it.
Where did they then go?
Home.
7. In “The Final Days of Jesus” the authors make a case, based on Luke 24:22-24 that Peter and John did not immediately run to the tomb after Mary Magdalene’s report, but rather waited and heard the testimony of the other women as well. How can you see this from this passage?
I’m not sure but maybe from when Mary Magdalene said “we,” they waited to hear from the other women before going to the tomb.
8. With both of these reports from the women, why did they not believe the women? (The Greek word Luke the physician uses in Luke 24:11 that is translated as “nonsense” is a medical word meaning the delirious talk of the very ill.”
Women were not considered reliable witnesses in that day.
Sharon, could you elaborate on your thinking on this answer? Were you thinking they thought the body was gone because of a spiritual resurrection? I just need clarification. It seems they knew something supernatural was going on but didn’t know what. Love to dialogue with you about this.
I think they believed in the resurrection but didn’t understand the meaning of it.
Dee, I will try…John was the one that believed when he saw the evidence of how the wrappings were placed and I think he did believe that Jesus rose from the dead and not just spiritually. No one knew from Scripture that He had to rise from the dead but I don’t think that takes John’s belief away that He had. I just think it caused him to do more thinking of what it all meant.
That’s interesting, Sharon. I have to ponder it in light of verse 20:9. Thanks for making me think!
Tuesday: Text (Part B) and Keller’s Introduction
7. Read John 20:11-18 aloud.
What stands out to you and why? It stands out that Mary Magdalene was by herself, not with a group of women this time. Her tears, and the fact that she was alone (everyone else had left) shows me the depth of her love for Jesus. She did not give up, and asked a “gardener” (I can hear her pleading voice) to tell her where the body lay, and SHE would take care of it. I don’t see any other account that anyone tried to find out about Jesus, except Mary.
After what was studied yesterday in regard to the empty tomb, what stood out was the disciples fear of the Jews in verse 19. For some reason I had it in my mind that they were fearful of the Roman soldiers. Could it be that they were fearful of being charged with stealing the body, or might they too be taken by the Jewish leaders as blasphemers?
How does this passage show she had not seen or heard the angels earlier? It’s interesting to me that the angels do NOT say “fear not.” Mary does not seem to be fearful of them. When they ask the reason she is crying, Mary tells them the information of the missing body. If she had seen or heard them before this conversation, they would not have asked why she was crying.
Why might she have thought he was the gardener? Vision is blurry when someone is in deep distress and crying. Mary was in great distress, still trying to locate Jesus’ body, still crying. She could have just glanced at the “gardener,” then put her head down or been trying to wipe away tears with her hands, obstructing her sight.
What caused her to recognize Him? Jesus spoke her name, “Mary.”
What words or phrases in verse 17 indicate familial intimacy? My Father, my brethren, my Father and your Father, my God and your God
8. Listen and read the above.
A. How is the offer of Christianity different than the offer of other religions? “Other religions offer a certain amount of some kind of material, spiritual, ethereal future, or some kind of afterlife, but only the resurrection of Jesus Christ in Christianity offers you what? Offers you a new body in a renewed world, made perfect, made your true country, the country we’ve all been longing for, in which we live with loved ones, in which we live with God and walk with him.” Other religions do not have a living Savior (Buddha, Mohammed, etc. are all dead) or an indwelling Holy Spirit to help, lead, support you in this life. Other religions do not offer assurance of a life after death in the very presence of God. You have to work hard following the “rules,” and MAYBE you will have a wonderful afterlife/reincarnation.
B. Do you think most people today realize this? If not, what is our responsibility? I think most people don’t care about what happens when they die until they are dying. These same people will say at a funeral that if you are a good person, you will go to heaven; even if they have no conception of what heaven truly is. For those who follow other religions, it has become a way of life that cannot be questioned or denied. My responsibility is to live a life of faith, obedience and thanksgiving, reflecting the love of Jesus and talking about my faith to those around me. I learned a long time ago that people are watching me, and my actions speak louder than words.
C. What question might you ask to possibly initiate a discussion with someone who might not understand true Christianity? Okay, not understanding true Christianity is a broad group. I am going to use the example of a Jewish friend. My question would be, “What do you think about Jesus?” A person who does not attend church, “Do you go to church?” or “Why don’t you attend church?” A person who goes to church, “Would you like to come to a Bible study with me?”
2 things Cheryl Ann:
I never caught that those angels did not say Fear Not! 🙂
I really like your gentle questions to draw out why they don’t believe or go to church. Winsome.
Cheryl Ann, I so agree with this…”I learned a long time ago that people are watching me, and my actions speak louder than words.”
Amen Cheryl and Julie. Our actions are so important.
5. In “The Final Days of Jesus” the authors make a case, based on Luke 24:22-24 that Peter and John did not immediately run to the tomb after Mary Magdalene’s report, but rather waited and heard the testimony of the other women as well. How can you see this from this passage?
It says “the women” came back with a report. They listened and then went to see. That could lead me to believe the men waited before they went to the tomb.
6. With both of these reports from the women, why did they not believe the women? (The Greek word Luke the physician uses in Luke 24:11 that is translated as “nonsense” is a medical word meaning the delirious talk of the very ill.”
I have heard that women were not reliable sources in that time. I’m not exactly sure why that was.
In that patriarchal culture, women truly were considered inferior in intelligence.
Though I know you disagree with Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s policies as a Supreme Court Justice, as did I with many of her judgments, I think you should watch the movie On The Basis of Sex. Even 75 years ago women were not considered competent to have a credit card, or so many other things. She was a valiant fighter for women being treated as equal to men. Linda Strom and I just watched it together and loved it.
Wednesday: Christianity is Rational
P9. Listen and read above:
What stood out to you and why? – The way Tim Keller points out that the disciples had to think things through. They didn’t just say ok yeah that’s what happened. They didn’t just believe because it was the thing to do. They thought about in a deeper way. Took all the evidence they saw and came to the conclusion that Jesus was definitely the Son of God and was brought to earth for a purpose, the purpose of dying for our sins on the cross and being resurrected with His Father.
What thoughts might have Peter and John had when they saw the grave clothes there? And why? – I would think they were asking themselves, why were they left behind. If someone robbed the grave, they wouldn’t have taken the time to do some house cleaning. They would have run in and out to not be seen or caught. They were asking themselves what it all meant and thinking back to what all Jesus taught them.
Celsus thought Christianity was not credible because women were the first witnesses — but why is that actually evidence for Christianity? – Because using women would make you look crazy and foolish. To use women made the account of what was seen more realistic and believable. Men would not want to look foolish in those days or to have women be held in a higher standard, but they wanted everyone to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, so I think the women’s account would make people stop and think about what was being said.
Why would they have been hesitant to believe in the resurrection that happened so soon after death? And yet, why did they? – I think they were processors. They didn’t just jump to the obvious conclusion; they sifted through what they had been taught to see if everything lined up. The disciples took a while to understand what Jesus was telling them when they walked with him and were under his teaching, so I don’t see their hesitation out of line. On the other hand, they believed, because they had put their trust in Jesus, and though they were slow to catch on, they never doubted him.
Love how you show it was a slow and dawning light, Julie.
7. Read John 20:11-18 aloud.
What stands out to you and why?
She wasn’t startled at the sight of angels??? I would have been terrified!
How does this passage show she had not seen or heard the angels earlier?
I’m not sure that it does. The first bit says she saw the stone rolled away but it doesn’t say she looked in. She does explain why she is crying to them, however.
Why might she have thought he was the gardener?
Not sure about this either. Maybe they had caretakers of the tombs in the “cemetery” as we do today? maybe they called them gardeners?
What caused her to recognize Him?
He called her name (again).
What words or phrases in verse 17 indicate familial intimacy?
My Father, your Father, brothers.
Cheryl noted that John doesn’t say that the angels said their usual “Fear not,” so perhaps there was something different about their encounter with Mary alone. But Luke notes when the women were together they were terrified.
Read John 20:3-10
1) When Peter and John run to the tomb what did they see that mystified them? The tomb was empty and the face cloth was rolled up, though not near the linens that had wrapped the body of Jesus. It was difficult for them to process what had happened. It did not appear to be a grave robbery.
2) Keller explains the word “see” actually means “theorized.” They were trying to figure out what had happened. Why might they have theorized that grave robbers were not responsible for the missing body of Jesus? The wrappings were neatly folded. Things were not in disarray
3) What did they not yet understand, according to this passage? Since it says “they believed,” what is it that they might have believed if not that Christ had risen? (John 20:9) John and Peter did not understand the scripture ‘He must rise again from the dead.’
4) Where did they then go? They went
Tuesday: Text (Part B) and Keller’s Introduction
9. Read John 20:11-18 aloud.
A. What stands out to you and why?
That Mary Magdalene was the first person to see the Lord and therefore the first witness. It would seem to me that God would have picked first of all a man and if not a man a woman of good reputation…so upside down!
B. How does this passage show she had not seen or heard the angels earlier?
The fact that while she wept she stopped to look in the tomb and saw 2 white robed angels. She didn’t look into the tomb earlier but rather ran to find the disciples.
C. Why might she have thought he was the gardener?
The tomb where Jesus was buried was a new tomb near a garden (John 19:41).
D. What caused her to recognize Him?
When He called her by name, “Mary!”
E. What words or phrases in verse 17 indicate familial intimacy?
Jesus told Mary to go find His brothers and tell them, “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.”
Monday: The Text (Part A.)
3. Read John 20:1-2 aloud (as it is so familiar).
What stands out to you on first reading and why?
Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. I could just picture that Mary M went running down he tomb to where Jesus would have been laid, assuming that you just don’t see the body right away from the entrance? She was ahead of the other women and maybe wanted to be the first to see the Lord! But when she saw He wasn’t there, she rushed past the women and ran to find Peter and the others (she must have known where they were at).
What happened in verses 1-2, and what did Mary Magdelene assume?
Jesus was no longer in the tomb, and she assumed “they” had taken Him out.
Note the word “we” in verse 2. Might this show she was with the other women?
Yes. Would a woman go out by herself in the dark? Perhaps. I wouldn’t, so she must have been with the other women.
Much has been written about the seemingly contradictory accounts of the women on Easter morning. In “The Final Days of Jesus,” which Paige recommended by Andreas Kostenberger and Justin Taylor, they believe that when Mary Magdalene first went to the tomb, the other women were with her to anoint the body. Often, just the most prominent member of a group is mentioned. Then, she immediately fled to tell the disciples, and during that time, the angel appeared to the rest of the women, so she did not know about that. Then she came back alone and met Jesus there.
1. Detectives say that contradictory accounts of eyewitnesses are more likely to be true than accounts where every detail matches. Why is that? How does this dispute the accusation that the disciples stole the body and made up a story?
I feel like I am reliving the situation I dealt with my students the past week. There were different accounts of what transpired, let alone interpretations and presumptions. I had to piece things together and trust that the crucial matters that needed to be addressed were agreed upon, even if the details were a little murky.
Ultimately, in the case of the accounts of the eyewitnesses, to all of them, what they saw was what they believed was true. And why would they lie and later be willing to die for their Lord if they did not believe he rose from the grave?
5. Read John 20:3-10
When Peter and John run to the tomb what did they see that mystified them?
The strips of linen lying there and the cloth that covered Jesus’ face were also there but lying separately.
Keller explains the word “see” actually means “theorized.” They were trying to figure out what had happened. Why might they have theorized that grave robbers were not responsible for the missing body of Jesus?
The robbers would have carried everything with them. Who would take the time to fold the burial clothes?
What did they not yet understand, according to this passage? Since it says “they believed,” what is it that they might have believed if not that Christ had risen? (John 20:9)
They believed that Jesus Christ was risen, but they couldn’t understand it yet.
Where did they then go?
2. In “The Final Days of Jesus” the authors make a case, based on Luke 24:22-24 that Peter and John did not immediately run to the tomb after Mary Magdalene’s report but rather waited and heard the testimony of the other women. How can you see this from this passage?
The 2 walking to Emmaus mentioned “women” going in early, but nothing was mentioned about Mary Magdalene. The men must have waited till everyone they thought would have gone the same time as Mary M came back.
So, Mary Magdalene was the first to report, followed by the rest of the women, and Mary went back later.
6. With both of these reports from the women, why did they not believe the women? (The Greek word Luke the physician uses in Luke 24:11 that is translated as “nonsense” is a medical word meaning the delirious talk of the very ill.”
They thought that grief would have caused them to talk nonsense.
just an additional thought on the women talking nonsense:
I have been at the bedside of the seriously ill and dying. One particular patient stood out to me. She was a very good friend and member of the church we used to belong to. Before she breathed her last, she reached out her hand like she saw somebody, sat up, and had this beautiful look on her face, like one of recognition and amazement. Then she fell back to the bed and died.
This gives me chills. I had a very similar experience with my dad.
And I with my mother. My little town of Ephraim was founded by Moravian believers. The first pastor was having doubts about his faith when his 11 year old daughter was dying — but she sat up before she died and said, “I see Jesus.” That brought him back.
How interesting about the Moravian believers. I hadn’t heard of them.
My sweet mother saw an angel standing by her bed for two or three nights, when she woke at night. She told me the angel was waiting to walk her over the bridge to heaven. My mom was totally lucid and she loved Jesus. It was so comforting to me.
WOW Bing. What an experience.
What a beautiful way to leave this earth, taking the hand of Jesus. So comforting. Thank you for sharing, Bing.
8. Listen and read the above.
A. How is the offer of Christianity different than the offer of other religions?
A new body, a new country, living with our loved ones, with God, and walking with Him.
B. Do you think most people today realize this? If not, what is our responsibility?
No. Our responsibility is to share about the resurrection.
A. What question might you ask to possibly initiate a discussion with someone who might not understand true Christianity?
What are your thoughts on Heaven? Perhaps this is a question for those who may have just recently had a loved one die. I can sympathize with them and segue to this question. etc
How is life these days for you? Then listen to their answers. And go from there? If they say, their life is terrible. Then I can share my testimony of how true Christianity allowed me to live a life of meaning and purpose.
Have them share their testimony if they claim to be a Christian and how they know why they are so.
If they bring up sad headline news, ask them what they think of it. And hopefully they will ask me what I think of it as well and share how God has given me peace about his sovereignty over these things.
I love the picture of John and Peter. So much anticipation amidst the grief on their faces. Could it be? Did He say…? Let it be true. I don’t know if my feet could run!
“I don’t know if my feet could run.” 🙂
P9. Listen and read above:
What stood out to you and why?
It is okay to look up and search for the truth. And to search intently. Like Lee Strobel (right name?) I like the gentle way Tim Keller said it: “So, go find it and think. And if you do, and if you begin to say, ‘maybe, I believe in the resurrection.’”
What thoughts might have Peter and John had when they saw the grave clothes there? And why?
Tim Keller said they were theorizing. Some thoughts maybe: “why are the linen cloths folded like that? Why would the robbers leave them if they mean to take all evidences? If they robbed the body, wouldn’t it have looked more hurriedly done?”
Celsus thought Christianity was not credible because women were the first witnesses — but why is that actually evidence for Christianity?
During biblical times, women were treated with low esteem. If women were not credible witnesses, why would they even include their story? That will not make sense. Since they were eyewitnesses, along with the hundred others who said they had seen Jesus, then the resurrection did happen!
Why would they have been hesitant to believe in the resurrection that happened so soon after death? And yet, why did they?
Many of them heard Jesus said that Christians would rise again but they though He meant on the last day. They were not prepared for them to grasp that He rose on the third day! And when He did, a realization must have hit them and all He said to them about His death and resurrection made sense.
3. Read John 20:1-2 aloud (as it is so familiar).
What stands out to you on first reading and why? “she ran” -we run when things are urgent or we are afraid. This was very disturbing to her.
What happened in verses 1-2, and what did Mary Magdelene assume? She found the tomb empty and assumed grave robbers had taken his body.
Note the word “we” in verse 2. Might this show she was with the other women? Yes, she was. Luke 24:10 names Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary mother of James and other women with them.
Much has been written about the seemingly contradictory accounts of the women on Easter morning. In “The Final Days of Jesus,” which Paige recommended by Andreas Kostenberger and Justin Taylor, they believe that when Mary Magdalene first went to the tomb, the other women were with her to anoint the body. Often, just the most prominent member of a group is mentioned. Then, she immediately fled to tell the disciples, and during that time, the angel appeared to the rest of the women, so she did not know about that. Then she came back alone and met Jesus there.yes, this is contradictory because Luke says all the women told the account to the disciples.
4. Detectives say that contradictory accounts of eyewitnesses are more likely to be true than accounts where every detail matches. Why is that? How does this dispute the accusation that the disciples stole the body and made up a story? Each person would notice different details in such a moment. If all their stories matched perfectly, one could say that they agreed upon a story in order to cover up the truth.
5. Read John 20:3-10
When Peter and John run to the tomb what did they see that mystified them? The grave clothes were still there and detailed that the face cloth was folded up and set apart on its own.
Keller explains the word “see” actually means “theorized.” They were trying to figure out what had happened. Why might they have theorized that grave robbers were not responsible for the missing body of Jesus? Grave robbers would not have left the clothes behind.
What did they not yet understand, according to this passage? Since it says “they believed,” what is it that they might have believed if not that Christ had risen? (John 20:9) I’m not sure. That he was ascended to heaven?
Where did they then go? They went home marveling at what had happened.
5. In “The Final Days of Jesus” the authors make a case, based on Luke 24:22-24 that Peter and John did not immediately run to the tomb after Mary Magdalene’s report, but rather waited and heard the testimony of the other women as well. How can you see this from this passage? “some of those who were with us went to the tomb”, so yes not the whole group.
6. With both of these reports from the women, why did they not believe the women? (The Greek word Luke the physician uses in Luke 24:11 that is translated as “nonsense” is a medical word meaning the delirious talk of the very ill.” The John account says the women’s report seemed like idle talk. I can picture them being very excited and probably hard to believe. When I have seen children overly excited about something, I usually ask them to calm down and recount what they have said as it doesn’t make sense to me the first time.
Chris, Love that you point out the verses from Luke. It really shows how all of the gospels and scripture work together. It shows the importance of reading and knowing God’s Word.
Where did they then go? They went home.
5. In “The Final Days of Jesus” the authors make a case, based on Luke 24:22-24 that Peter and John did not immediately run to the tomb after Mary Magdalene’s report, but rather waited and heard the testimony of the other women as well. How can you see this from this passage? They speak of the other women, who had also visited the tomb and saw the vision of angels, who said that Jesus was alive. I love that the gospels each give a different -perspective which helps clarify the details.
6. With both of these reports from the women, why did they not believe the women? (The Greek word Luke the physician uses in Luke 24:11 that is translated as “nonsense” is a medical word meaning the delirious talk of the very ill.” Maybe they needed to experience it themselves, yet they did not recognize the risen Jesus. This has always made me ponder.
Your answer to 6 is grace filled, like you. I just think they had no respect for women!
That is true, Dee!😢
Thursday: Christianity is Merciful
10. Listen and read the above
What stands out and why? – I never realized just how crazy that had to look, that Jesus chose Mary to reveal himself for the first time. She wasn’t high in society, she was a lowly, woman, with issues. This shows me that Jesus uses the lowly person with issues to continue his Kingdom.
If you have ever been in counseling, how did the counselor get you to discover a truth for yourself? – I took my son Kyle to many counselors when he was young. And what I remember him doing was just being blunt. He didn’t sugar coat anything. He told Kyle straight out what he saw.
How does Jesus help Mary Magdalene discover His identity for herself? Why is this important? – He started asking her questions, why she was crying, who she was looking for. He had to get her to open her heart and mind about the truth of his ministry.
Why was Mary such a good candidate to show the heart of Christianity? – Because she was a social outcast. A woman who had past mental, demonic issues. It shows that Jesus can use those who others don’t think are worthy. God doesn’t need us to be smart in all areas, he needs a heart that is moldable, and Mary had that.
From Julie:
Because she was a social outcast. A woman who had past mental, demonic issues. It shows that Jesus can use those who others don’t think are worthy. God doesn’t need us to be smart in all areas, he needs a heart that is moldable, and Mary had that.
Wednesday.
What stood out to you and why? Keller is making a case for rational thinking about the resurrection, to look at the historical evidence. He mentioned sources that I had never thought of or considered.
What thoughts might have Peter and John had when they saw the grave clothes there? And why? “What happened here?” “Where is the body of Jesus?” “I saw him die, I saw him laid right here, and now he’s gone.” Confusion, speculation, and consideration of what the women was running through their minds.
Celsus thought Christianity was not credible because women were the first witnesses — but why is that actually evidence for Christianity? Someone trying to fabricate an account would have chosen a more credible first witness. A man with an impeccable reputation for example, instead of a woman with a disturbing mental past. Mary Magdalene would always carry that label of demonic possession, and I am sure there were many unsavory rumors, a most unreliable witness. It’s actually evidence supporting the resurrection, because of that reason.
Why would they have been hesitant to believe in the resurrection that happened so soon after death? And yet, why did they? Just like Martha with regard to Lazarus, they believed in a resurrection at the last day, the day of the Lord from OT prophecy, not a resurrection after three days! BUT, They had heard the accounts of the women (angels, seeing Jesus, etc), and saw themselves the stone rolled aside and the empty tomb with the carefully placed graveclothes. This reminds me of 1 John 1:1 and the testimony using phrases such as: we have heard, we have seen, we have touched. Oh, to have been eyewitnesses of Jesus! Then to have been an eyewitness of His resurrection! Then like Paul to have been given further revelation from the risen and ascended Lord! What a Savior we have, and to know that one day I shall look on His face! I too, will be able to touch Him, and see Him with my eyes, and hear Him with my ears! Hallelujah!
Tuesday: Text (Part B) and Keller’s Introduction
10. Listen and read the above.
A. How is the offer of Christianity different than the offer of other religions?
Other religions offer you rules to follow, a temporary spiritual experience and as Keller said some even offer an after life…maybe you’ll come back as an ant or bird etc!
Christianity offers a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, eternal hope of one day spending eternity with Him in a new body and a perfect world.
B. Do you think most people today realize this?
I do think most people realize it but have rejected it because of what the alternative is. Their reasoning is, how can such a loving God send people to hell, why is the way so narrow/or Christianity is the only way to heaven? I also think they don’t understand why you don’t have to earn your way to heaven, doesn’t being a good person count for something?
If not, what is our responsibility?
My responsibility is to live out the love of Christ in every aspect of my life. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirits’ leading as to when or what to say, which means being in constant communication with the Lord. God is really working on me, as I have a tendency to compartmentalize God in my life and this is where my father-in-law had an impact by the way he lived…Christ was his life in every area, whether he was preaching, vacationing with family or talking to a stranger.
C. What question might you ask to possibly initiate a discussion with someone who might not understand true Christianity?
I would ask them what they think being a Christian means.
That’s a great opening question. Let us know the next time you ask it and what happens!
Oh, Sharon! Amen to Dee! Love your answer to C.!Of course!
Wednesday: Christianity is Rational
11. Listen and read above:
A. What stood out to you and why?
The fact that there were “messiah pretenders” back in those days…I had no idea!
B. What thoughts might have Peter and John had when they saw the grave clothes there? And why?
If normal grave robbers had come , they would have never left all the spices which were in the grave clothings and they wouldn’t have taken off the grave clothes because of the stench. If other disciples had taken the body why would they take it out naked?
C. Celsus thought Christianity was not credible because women were the first witnesses — but why is that actually evidence for Christianity?
Keller says, “If you were making up stories about the resurrection, if you were writing them just because you wanted to write them, you would never in that day have made women be the first eyewitnesses.”
D. Why would they have been hesitant to believe in the resurrection that happened so soon after death? And yet, why did they?
They had in that day what they called “messianic pretenders.” A Jewish leader who came along and said, “I’m the Messiah, I’m going to lead the Jews, bring about liberation and throw off the yoke of oppression.” There were many of them like Bar Kokhba, who was killed by the Romans and everyone seeing he was killed said it proved he wasn’t the Messiah.
They believed because of the evidence.
Thursday #10
What stands out and why? “See, resurrection faith, the content of it, and the cause of it is grace. You only believe because He’s been Grace. He comes to you, and the content of it, what does it mean to believe in Jesus Christ? It’s to believe that He saves you, not you save yourself. He has done everything.” I so love the tender way Jesus came to Mary Magdalene, and the reality that He still comes to us thru His Spirit and the Word.
If you have ever been in counseling, how did the counselor get you to discover a truth for yourself? I went to a counselor after an episode that I call “mental exhaustion.” I was maybe 36, married, four children, going to college full-time, trying to balance everything. The counselor asked me, “What would happen if you did not get a A or B on a paper?” Through that and similar questions I could see the pressure I was putting on myself.
How does Jesus help Mary Ma.gdalene discover His identity for herself? Why is this important? He does not berate her for her tears or distress. Jesus doesn’t say, “There’s no reason for crying!” On the contrary he asks her, Why are you crying? Who are you looking for? He then gives her the chance to talk. I can just imagine Him patiently listening to her, without interruption. This gives her the opportunity to verbalize her thoughts and think about what is happening. Asking questions also shows compassion.
Why was Mary such a good candidate to show the heart of Christianity? She was a woman of weakness, formerly demon possessed, probably not educated or prosperous. There was nothing about her that would suggest favor, and yet her life had been transformed. I like how Keller said (talking about Jesus), “I save by my work, not by your work, I save, not those people who think they’re strong, but only those who know they’re weak and they cast themselves on me.”
Good question from your counselor!
Thursday:
I loved Keller’s point about Jesus acting like a good counselor here, helping her discover the truth. I remember telling my grief counselor that I wished I knew what Steve would say in a hard situation. All she said was, “Don’t you?” And I realized I did.
10. Listen and read the above
What stands out and why?
Jesus showed Himself to Mary. Of all people, Jesus chose to show Himself first to a woman who was released from a demoniac (7 spirits). “My salvation is not based on pedigree, it’s not based on moral attainment, it’s not based on talent, it’s not based on good works.”
Oh, I so love Jesus!
If you have ever been in counseling, how did the counselor get you to discover a truth for yourself?
Not in a professional setting, but with some very close friends. And the ones who were the best always asked questions and pointed me to God’s Word.
How does Jesus help Mary Magdalene discover His identity for herself? Why is this important?
He came to her. The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to the truth, and faith is impossible without the triune God revealing it to us.
This also shows the beauty of adding my name to the promises of God in His Word. Like Mary Magdalene finally recognized Jesus when He called her name. It was so personal.
Why was Mary such a good candidate to show the heart of Christianity?
She loved Jesus passionately, and her gratitude for Jesus’s healing is overflowing. Though her life did not “warrant” an intellectual qualification to be ushered into the kingdom of God by the world’s standards, God chose her. The heart of Christianity is that God has chosen us.
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are. I Corinthians 1:27-28
Christianity is indeed merciful.
8. Listen and read the above.
A. How is the offer of Christianity different than the offer of other religions?
Keller says, “…Offers you a new body in a renewed world, made perfect, made your true country, the country we’ve all been longing for, in which we live with loved ones, in which we live with God and walk with him. Now, the offer is too great.”
Other religions offer you material things, some spiritual things. and maybe an afterlife.
B. Do you think most people today realize this? If not, what is our responsibility?
No, I do not believe people know this. We are the ambassadors for Christ! We are supposed to spread the Word.
C. What question might you ask to possibly initiate a discussion with someone who might not understand true Christianity?
This is tough. Maybe something like, “do have hope of eternal life?”
My last answer should have said “do you…”
Your question is close to the Kennedy evangelism explosion questions which are designed to help you know what a person is trusting in so you can explain the gospel. They are:
[1] The first question: “Do you know for sure that you will go to Heaven one day?” And the second is this: “If God were to ask you, ‘Why should I let you into My Heaven?’ what would you say?
Interesting!
What stood out to you and why?
Christians are great thinkers. How Keller explains the disciples taking it all in when they got to the tomb. He says they were questioning in their minds, everything; trying to reading it all out. I guess I’ve never thought about that before. I just assumed we believe by faith. Cooper has been asking some very difficult questions about Christianity and I have struggled to answer. I’m basically having to defend our faith with him. One question is who made God. I’ve had to think about that! I answered that God has always just been here. He is the creator. Tough stuff! I guess I disagree with Keller here a bit. I believe because I have faith. I don’t need to know how God exists. I have heard Him speak to me! That’s all I need. The disciples saw all the miracles. Surely that was all they needed to believe?
What thoughts might have Peter and John had when they saw the grave clothes there? And why?
Why would someone take Him naked? The clothes helped with the stench. Why did the person fold the head wrappings? Where was He taken?
Celsus thought Christianity was not credible because women were the first witnesses — but why is that actually evidence for Christianity?
Because the fact that they are even mentioned should be enough. The writers of that day would have been criticized by saying women saw this, that they would never have put it in their text. It had to have happened.
I have to agree about the disagreement with Keller on our faith needing to be thoroughly reasoned. To some degree, yes, but truly my heart needs him and longs for him and I believe this is through scripture/experience, more than reasoning. Head knowledge is important, but not critical. After all, look at those with mental handicaps who love the Lord. The Spirit is evident in them and without the capacity to reason as some have. I do get where he is coming from, in the tough trials of life, we do question our faith and God’s role in everything for sure and I can see where some more intellectually minded individuals would need that thorough reasoning.
Good point about those with mental handicaps.
Perhaps Jesus knows what each person needs and approaches him that way — with Martha he reasoned, with Mary, he wept.
Oh that makes sense, Dee!
Oh, yes! Chris! He knows our hearts always !
Love the analogy of the mental handicaps who love the Lord!
Tuesday:
Read John 20:11-18 aloud.
What stands out to you and why? I am surprised that when Mary saw the angels, she was not afraid and did not recognize them as angels -at least we are not told this.
How does this passage show she had not seen or heard the angels earlier? She answered them, telling them what had happened as they did not know.
Why might she have thought he was the gardener? There must have been caretakers, like we have.
What caused her to recognize Him?His voice calling her name-His sheep will know his voice.
What words or phrases in verse 17 indicate familial intimacy? My brothers, My Father, Your Father, My God
7. Read John 20:11-18 aloud.
What stands out to you and why? Mary does not recognize Jesus. He reveals Himself to her. (Later, the disciples did not immediately recognize Jesus.)It reminds me that Jesus reveals Himself to me and I don’t always recognize Him immediately.
How does this passage show she had not seen or heard the angels earlier? Mary tells the angels that she does not know where they have taken the Lord and laid. Him.
Why might she have thought he was the gardener? She was looking for the body of Jesus and Jesus had not revealed Himself to her.
What caused her to recognize Him? Jesus spoke her name.
What words or phrases in verse 17 indicate familial intimacy? My Father and your Father, My God and Your God.
Love your “I don’t always recognize Him immediately” either!
A. How is the offer of Christianity different than the offer of other religions? Jesus died for us. He was raised from the dead. He sent the Holy Spirit as a helper. We have the gift of eternal life, that we do not earn. He paid the price for our sins.
B. Do you think most people today realize this? If not, what is our responsibility? Our responsibility is to tell them about the Gospel message.
C. What question might you ask to possibly initiate a discussion with someone who might not understand true Christianity? I do best if I can build a relationship with a person. If you have a trusted friendship and they see how you live, it is easier to have a conversation about Jesus. And most friends have some needs, so you can always start by just praying for them…or telling them you will pray for this~ if they mention a need.
I love Patti’s response on how to start a discussion with a non-Christian.
9. What stood out to you and why? I love that Jesus never does what is expected or selects what we consider “the elite”. He always does what He promises, but it happens in unexpected ways with unexpected people.
What thoughts might have Peter and John had when they saw the grave clothes there? And why? Why would they take the body and leave the grave clothes? Keller says they were “reasoning”. I would certainly ponder and consider ..what has happened! Jesus said He would rise from the dead….they were probably a bit shocked, so they needed to process it all…nothing like this had ever happened before ~ that would give you a jolt!
Celsus thought Christianity was not credible because women were the first witnesses — but why is that actually evidence for Christianity? The fact that no one would believe a woman at that time in history is what makes it credible. Oh, I love how God always uses the most unlikely people for His purposes!
Why would they have been hesitant to believe in the resurrection that happened so soon after death? And yet, why did they? They probably thought Jesus meant that He would be raised at time end of time. The evidence and seeing the risen Christ. I can’t imagine, las He looked healed and whole~ yet had scars.
11. Read and listen to the above
What stood out and why? Keller made a lot of statements as to what he thought Jesus meant when speaking Mary’s name. I’m not so sure I agree with all he said. One example is, “Mary, I can see why you grab me hard. You’re afraid of ever losing me.” I do not see that at all as wo what is happening; I see Mary clinging to Him because she is overcome with joy that He is alive.
What was Keller’s point about how Superman would make himself known? Superman would make a big, splashy entrance at the moment when there were the most people watching. Jesus does not need publicity or man’s approval.
Why does Keller say that Jesus simply says: “Mary.” Because Jesus is a personal Savior, not abstract or out of reach. That’s part of His beauty.
Why does Jesus tell Mary not to cling to Him? I have always been a little confused by this verse, and wondered if Jesus ascended twice. Hearing Keller’s thoughts, I looked in two commentaries for further enlightenment. Jesus had an errand for Mary to do, so she couldn’t just stay clinging to Him. Another thought was that Jesus was now a RISEN Lord, and unlike Lazarus (who would die again), Jesus is to be worshipped as such. The phrase concerning His ascension meant that there would still be time to talk with Him before His ascension.
Can you identify with Annie Dilliard’s quote: “I’d been my whole life a bell, and I never knew it till I was picked up and rung.” If so, explain. No, I don’t think I’ve ever felt like that.
You must have come to Christ as a child?
Maybe I am not clearly understanding that quote. I was thinking it meant feeling useless, without purpose until used. But your question, Dee, makes me think it means being saved, a relationship with Christ and true fulfillment?
Yes. But it helps me to know you didn’t understand it as I use it so often — perhaps I shouldn’t!
8. Listen and read the above.
A. How is the offer of Christianity different than the offer of other religions? Christianity offers eternal life with Christ in a new body and a new and perfect world. It does seem too good to be true. It is a gift and cannot be earned and we need to accept it as such.
B. Do you think most people today realize this? If not, what is our responsibility? No-most think they earn their salvation and therefore do not need a savior. We need to share the gospel.
C. What question might you ask to possibly initiate a discussion with someone who might not understand true Christianity? I know someone who is a chaplain at a truck stop near us. He sees a lot of people that I wouldn’t know the first thing to say to them, but he most often asks if you were to die today, why would God let you into heaven or how do you know you would be saved. He speaks very directly and shares scripture if the person is open to that. Some people come for prayer or ask if they can pray to Buddha, but he doesn’t allow any prayer except to Jesus. Some leave unwilling to listen, but others do accept the gospel. He has some pretty incredible stories.
He uses the Kennedy questions!
He does and it’s surprising how many people are critical of this when he shares testimony on facebook. Many feel the question is too direct and even offensive, especially since he doesn’t have a relationship with many of the people as they are passing through the truck stop. The testimonies are sometimes incredible conversions and sometimes abrupt rejection of the gospel. Others sometimes accept literature or a bible and go on their way, occasionally coming back years later having been converted.
There’s only one way to God but there are many many ways to share the gospel. That one has brought so many to Christ. I am more comfortable with a relationship kind, but would never criticize something that has been so fruitful. I know of some who came to Christ that way. I think most people are initially wary or offended no matter the approach – -for the cross is an offense.
Love this chaplain, Chris. Thank you for sharing.
9. Why would they have been hesitant to believe in the resurrection that happened so soon after death? And yet, why did they?
Apparently, back then, there were many people who claimed they were the Messiah. Except, they were all killed. Now I don’t know if I understand Keller’s point here, but what I think he is trying to say is that none of them were actually resurrected. They knew the Messiah was to be resurrected. Then, here is Jesus, who is resurrected. He says that some of the Jewish people believed in the resurrection, but thought it would be everyone, together, not one before the rest. He also says that they were not to worship a man, and yet they worshiped Jesus. They shifted their thinking quickly. What made them change, overnight, to believing a human who is killed might also be resurrected? If not truth, then what else could have changed them that could have been equally important? I’m not sure I am describing this well….
10. Listen and read the above
What stands out and why?
I love the idea that Mary Magdalene encapsulates the entire message of the Bible! She is one, flawed person who needs a Savior, and ends up telling everyone about the Messiah, and bringing people to Him. Wow. That is a very cool idea, right there.
If you have ever been in counseling, how did the counselor get you to discover a truth for yourself?
Yea, there was a time when I decided to tell our daughter’s story to a Christian counselor (didn’t think I would ever go back to counseling after I had such poor experiences with my teens and those doctors). I needed to know when “enough is enough” for a Christian. Jesus teaches us to love and be patient with others. We kept getting stepped on, like a doormat, by our daughter and (now) SIL. The counselor asked me to complete some homework. He said to find a place in the Bible where Jesus says, “no more.” I immediately thought of the woman at the well. He tells her to go and sin no more.
How does Jesus help Mary Magdalene discover His identity for herself? Why is this important?
He questions her. He wanted her to realize the truth for herself.
Why was Mary such a good candidate to show the heart of Christianity?
See my answer above about Mary. She had demons inside of her! 7! The number of perfection. This is proof that we don’t have to be or do anything for Him to save us.
Wednesday
P9. Listen and read above:
What stood out to you and why? The “overnight” change that Keller describes among those who chose to believe the gospel. Isn’t it still so with us today? We have a dynamic shift in our thinking/belief system when we come to know the gospel.
What thoughts might have Peter and John had when they saw the grave clothes there? And why? The clothes were carefully arranged and left behind, not something robbers would do.
Celsus thought Christianity was not credible because women were the first witnesses — but why is that actually evidence for Christianity? Women were not considered credible witnesses in that day and that is exactly why today we find this a credible testimony, because no one would use their testimony in that day if they wanted everyone to believe.
Why would they have been hesitant to believe in the resurrection that happened so soon after death? And yet, why did they? It was believed generally that a resurrection would come later, in the last days, but this occurred after only 3 days. Jesus was there! How could they not believe?
11. Read and listen to the above
What stood out and why?
He says, “I am not the dead founder of an ethical religion that you get to know over the centuries by following my rules. I am a living Savior, and I’m alive now. And you can have a personal relationship with me. I can come into your life. You can have personal communion with me. And as you do that, you will discover the deepest secret of who you are.”
I love this! I think I am still discovering who I am.
What was Keller’s point about how Superman would make himself known?
Superman had to give himself a boost by making his return a spectacle. Jesus only needs to speak to each of us, individually.
Why does Keller say that Jesus simply says: “Mary.”
It’s a personal invitation.
Why does Jesus tell Mary not to cling to Him?
He has not ascended to the Father at that point.
Can you identify with Annie Dilliard’s quote: “I’d been my whole life a bell, and I never knew it till I was picked up and rung.” If so, explain.
Kind of…I still don’t know who I am; why He made me. I have recently decided that I must have been mistaken as to being a dancer. I’ve always thought that was who I was (ultimately for God). Of course I am a wife and a mother/grandmother. But, it’s always been such a struggle! I’ve found in my life that when things are SO hard, so demanding, that maybe I am not supposed to do them. Oh how I long to know why I am still here!? What is the purpose of my life?
I can relate with the questioning of who I am in Christ and my purpose, as well as looking at things I struggle with and are they meant to be a part of my life. Don’t we wish we could know some things and God’s will more directly, instead of questioning the direction we are taking? If only we could have a memo sent to our email, instead we struggle through hard things and we know this is also part of his plan. He uses the hard things. Acts 14:22-We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.
You got that right!
11. Read and listen to the above
What stood out and why? The very personal nature of knowing Jesus and of his making himself known in an ordinary and unexpected way. He is a King, but he is our brother. He is the son of God, yet he died in our place. There are accounts of thousands coming to Christ at single evangelistic meetings, but each one knows the savior personally and has a relationship with him.
What was Keller’s point about how Superman would make himself known? We would expect the son of God to come with fanfare as Superman does, but instead he does the unexpected.
Why does Keller say that Jesus simply says: “Mary.” Jesus doesn’t reach her in an abstract or formal, impersonal way, but in a very direct and personal nature-as if she if family, which she is.
Why does Jesus tell Mary not to cling to Him? The Bible says because he is ascending. Keller says he thinks because he is telling her he will send the Holy Spirit to be with her forever, but now he has things to do.
Can you identify with Annie Dilliard’s quote: “I’d been my whole life a bell, and I never knew it till I was picked up and rung.” If so, explain. Hmm. I’m not sure that my experience is that spectacular a picture. I wish it was. I mean to say that I’m still learning who I am in Christ. Some it seems have this great understanding of this in a dynamic immediate way, but my understanding seems to come slow. That is I have learned the verses and have the head knowledge, but my heart is slow in accepting the truth as we find in scripture. I love that Christ has this beautiful picture of who we are to Him and I look forward to fully feeling and understanding this in my own heart. I love following Joni and Friends on Instagram. Joni regularly shares some truth she has learned in scripture and how her identity is changed because of that truth. She has overcome more in her life than I have even begun to face and is such an inspiration to me.
Joni is such a role model!