Jesus ascends into heaven

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Jesus, our risen Savior, ascended to heaven to prepare a place for us there with Him.

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Week of May 10, 2020

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In the Gospel of John, Jesus appears to his disciples three times after his resurrection:

• The day of his resurrection
• When Thomas was present
• At the Sea of Tiberius (Galilee)

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, CHAPTER 21:1-17

• After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberius, and he revealed himself in this way.
• Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.
• Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing”. They said to him, “We will go with you”. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
• Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.
• Jesus said to them, Children, do you have any fish? They answered him, “No”.
• He said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.
• That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, It is the Lord! When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.
• The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.
• When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread.
• Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.
• So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn.
• Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast. Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.
• Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish.
• This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
• When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you”. He said to him, Feed my lambs.
• He said to him a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you”. He said to him, Tend my sheep.
• He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, Do you love me? and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you”. Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep.

LESSON

Probably because Peter denied knowing Jesus three times before the crucifixion, Jesus asked Peter three times if he actually loved Him. Each time Peter responded that Jesus knew that he did. After each response, Jesus commanded Peter to care for all those that had followed Him before He was crucified. That is, care for the Church of Christ. Restoring Peter to a leadership position provided assurance to Peter that he was forgiven.

The English word “love” is used when these scriptures are translated from the original Greek, however the Greek words had slightly different meanings. The first two times, Jesus used the word agape which means a sacrificial Christian love.  This is the type of love between the brothers and sisters of the church. The third time Jesus used a word that meant love between close or best friends to show Peter that their relationship was still strong even though Peter had denied Him.

Jesus referred to His followers as a flock, reminding Peter that He was the Good Shepherd and that His followers were both sheep (adults) and lambs (children) that needed to be cared for and nurtured.

Those followers of that day, like those of today, sometimes deny their Lord by both word and action. We need the same comfort that Peter received, knowing that our sins are forgiven and that Jesus remains faithful even though we are not at times.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, we thank You that Your Son, Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. As we read how Jesus reinstated Peter, remind us that You also reinstate us through forgiveness of sins for the sake of Jesus. Teach us to love You and Your Word and increase our faith through the Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

Sunday School Lessons - May 17, 2020

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Both before the crucifixion and after the resurrection, Jesus shared his peace with the disciples. Then as now, in a sinful world of anger and violence, it is difficult to lead a peaceful life. 

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

14:27 - Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 

20:19 - … Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."

20:21 - Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you".

LESSON

We worry about things. We get angry when we don’t get our way. We suffer through injuries and illnesses. We cry over the loss of loved ones. How can anyone live a peaceful life when we have so little control over the broken world that we live in?

But we can, because God wants us to have a life lived to the fullest and that includes being at peace. That’s why He sent his Son, the Prince of Peace. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus said “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” We can ask Him to take the cares and worries that burden our lives and by doing so, gives us peace. 

PRAYER

Lord, I come to you and pour out my worries, anxieties, and fears at your feet. I ask for your blessings of peace and strength over my life. Bring peace into my soul that passes all human understanding. Help me not to be afraid when trouble comes my way. Help me trust in you in all things. I joyfully receive your peace. In Jesus’ Name,  Amen.

Keyword Crossword

DOWN

• Expecting pain or danger
• Deep caring
• Distress over a lot of things 5 Scared

ACROSS

2 Don’t take

4 State of clam

• Stressed
• Provide at no cost

WORDS: afraid fear give leave love peace troubled worries

Week of May 3, 2020

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We, like Thomas doubt what we cannot see. Through the Holy Spirit, God gives us the faith that we can see Jesus in Word and Sacrament and believe in him.

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, CHAPTER 20

• On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, Peace be with you.
• When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
• Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.
• And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit.
• If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.
• Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
• So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord”. But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
• Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you.
• Then he said to Thomas, Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.
• Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
• Jesus said to him, Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.

LESSON

Jesus shows his disciples his side and hands to show that it was truly him. Jesus gives them the Holy Spirit and through it gives them the authority to forgive sins in his place. Today, pastors use this authority to forgive our sins as Christ’s representative, forgiving our sins and assuring us of God’s love. This God given authority is explained as the Office of the Keys in Luther’s Small Catechism.

Three times in John 20, Jesus told his disciples (and us as we read) “Peace be with you”. They and we have peace in the presence of Jesus through the Word and the Sacraments. We are assured of forgiveness through the death of Jesus on the cross.

Sin blinds us from believing in Jesus as our Savior. When we have doubts, the Holy Spirit moves us to repent and ask God to help us in our unbelief. The Holy Spirit promises to strengthen our faith in Jesus through the Word and Sacraments.

Prayer: At times, we are all like Thomas. Please forgive us when we doubt You. Strengthen our faith with your Word. Help us to remember our Baptism and rejoice that You have made us your children and have washed away our sins. Help us to trust Your Word of forgiveness spoken to us through our pastors. Help us, like Thomas, to say of You that You are our Lord and God. In Your name we pray. Amen.

ACTIVITIES Card Game: I Doubt It

Place a deck of playing cards; face down in the center of those playing. One person picks up the top card and holds it so only they can see the face value.

The person holding the card can either say to the person on the left “This card is a …” and correctly say what the face value of the card is or say some other face value. That is be, be honest or not be honest.

If the person on the left thinks that the face value they hear is correct should say, “I believe it” or if they do not think the face value they hear is correct should say “I doubt it”.

The card is then shown to all the players. If the person guessing is correct (believed when the face value they heard matches the card or doubted when the heard face value does not match the card); then they are given the card to keep. If the person guessing is incorrect, the card is returned to the bottom of the deck.

Then the person that guessed draws the top card from the deck and repeats with the person to their left guessing. This should continue for at least 10 rounds.

At the end the person with the most cards is the winner for being the best at believing or doubting.

We, like Thomas, when we cannot see what is going on have to depend on our human nature to decide what is true. Faith is believing in something without seeing it. The Holy Spirit gives us the gift of faith to believe in Jesus.