Throughout Jesus’ ministry, how many times did his disciples tell the story of what happened near the beginning of that ministry—the time when Jesus told Peter to let down his fishing nets into deep water for a catch? When Peter, James, and John let down their nets as Jesus had directed, pure pandemonium broke out. Before these sleepy fishermen knew it, the nets were so full of fish that the nets began to break. And when they hauled the fish into the boats, the boats were so full that they began to sink.
It’s not hard to imagine watching one of the disciples tell that story around a campfire, backed up by good-natured laughter. It’s also not hard to imagine Jesus and his disciples exchanging looks with each other during the story—looks and nods and knowing smiles. After all, that’s typically what happens when people bond over a shared experience.
That bond of shared experience must have become poignant the day the resurrected Christ showed up on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Here’s what happened: Peter, James, John, and several others had decided to go fishing overnight, but they caught nothing. Suddenly there was a man on shore, but they couldn’t make out who he was. The man called out, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” They did. And suddenly, they had on their hands a repeat of the fishing story they knew so well. The man on shore was Jesus. The man on shore was their Savior, their dear, dear friend.
Jesus has that same bond with you and me. Not only is he the One who lived a sinless life in our place and who suffered and died to cleanse us from every wrong. As our living Lord, he has been with you and me every moment of our lives. Every experience we’ve had, good and bad—Jesus has been there for it. He’s been there to carry us through. He’s been there to guide it all for our good.
That’s the kind of friend we have in Jesus.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for being by my side always. And thank you for being my dearest friend. Amen.
In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Revelation 5:12
God has wired us for stories. Our own experience reflects this. If someone presents us with endless bullets of factoids on a PowerPoint screen, we will likely lose interest. Weave that same information into a gripping story, however, and our attention remains. It’s simply how our Creator has put us together.
This probably should come as no surprise. After all, Christianity is the greatest story of all time, and a story that happens to be absolutely true. It starts with Creation, then the Fall into sin, then God’s promise to send a Savior from sin. Then, God guides the twists and turns of history until the moment is right for the Savior to arrive. When he does, Jesus Christ does exactly what needs to be done to live a holy life on our behalf and suffer and die for our every sin. Then, according to his promise, he rises from the dead.
And this drama is still unfolding. You and I are fighting the good fight. We battle the temptations of the world, the temptations of Satan, the temptations of our old sinful natures. Often we overcome, but sometimes we stumble. Sometimes we fall. When we do, The Bible brings us to repentance, Jesus refreshes us in his forgiveness, and his gospel empowers us to get back up.
Through all of this, you and I are collecting scars, but that’s all right. We know it’s all right because our Lord has chosen to tell us how this ultimate adventure is going to end. In the last book of the Bible, the apostle John receives a revelation of what you and I are going to see. In the end, there is victory and peace and joy, unbridled and pure. Jesus is at the center. Multitudes of angels are there. You and I are there, along with all those of all time who have trusted in Jesus. And we fill the heavens with our shouts and songs.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for showing me how all this is going to end. Refresh me day by day as I fight the good fight. Amen.
“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man [Saul] and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem . . .” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name before the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.” Acts 9:13,15
Let’s take a moment to set up this extraordinary scene. Ananias is a Christian. He lives in a town called Damascus. He’s been receiving reports about a Jewish man by the name of Saul of Tarsus. Saul of Tarsus has made it his mission to crush Christianity. In Damascus, the mere mention of Saul’s name very likely creates a corkscrew sensation running up the back of every Christian.
And now the risen Lord Jesus appears to Ananias in a vision. In this vision, he tells Ananias to go to a certain house in Damascus and to ask for Saul of Tarsus, who’s staying there.
Saul of Tarsus? Poor Ananias. In that moment, Ananias cannot see the wisdom in seeking out the one who brings so much terror to many Christians. Every impulse in Ananias tells him to take a pass on paying a visit to Saul of Tarsus. The Lord’s plans, however, are different.
Ananias is not alone, of course. As Christians, you and I battle all kinds of impulses that tell us to back away from the Lord’s will for our lives. Such impulses can come in many forms. There’s the impulse of fear and resentment, There’s the impulse of convenience and the status quo or to remain where it’s comfortable and familiar.
However, the Lord’s plans are not for the sake of what’s comfortable. Often, they are for the sake of reaching the next blood-bought soul with the good news about Jesus. And that can make for some uncomfortable, inconvenient moments indeed.
But the true joy of life is in God’s plans, not ours. In him, we find our forgiveness, purchased at the cross, where we find true belonging and meaning. And in him, his gospel empowers us to embrace the Lord’s plans, leaving ours behind.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, move me to trust your plans for my life. I am yours. Amen.
For a Jewish man by the name of Saul, life had suddenly stopped. He had been embracing the presumption that the followers of a crucified teacher named Jesus were all wrong about his being the promised Savior of the world. As a result, Saul had made it his mission to persecute and root out the Jesus followers wherever he could find them.
But then the risen Lord Jesus himself had confronted Saul. After that encounter, Saul was physically blind for three days. The Bible records that, during those three days, Saul did not eat or drink anything. The Bible also records that Saul spent much of that time in prayer.
What were those three days like for Saul? No doubt they were not easy. No doubt they contained for Saul some long, difficult hours of reflection; long, difficult hours of realizing how wrong he had been and how right Jesus was about everything.
When was the last time your life suddenly stopped? When was the last time it was all you could do to sit down and try to absorb something that had just happened? Was it the abrupt loss of your job? Was it the collapse of a close relationship or heartbreak in your family? Was it the diagnosis of a life-changing illness or the death of someone close to you? Or was it something else that still, somehow, put your life into a pause or a sobering picture frame? Perhaps your life is at a full stop right now.
When life stops, Jesus is there. He’s there to bless those difficult hours of seeing those things I need to see—whether it has to do with where I’ve gone wrong, what I have forgotten about the Lord’s will for my life and his promises, or what I have forgotten about my absolute dependence upon God’s grace.
He’s also there with his forgiveness. He’s also there to cleanse me in the blood from Calvary’s cross. He’s there to start my life all over again.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when my life stops, sit with me. Move me to see what I need to see. And by your forgiveness, empower me to begin again. Amen.
Pat Flynn felt overwhelmed. He was struggling to develop an online course, but it seemed as though the harder he worked, the more complicated it became. It was then that he had a chance to sit down with an author by the name of Tim Ferriss. During their discussion, Tim Ferriss asked a key question: “If [developing this course] were easy, what would it look like?” The question was a game-changer for Pat. It tore down his false presumption that the setup of his course had to be complex to be good. He re-thought everything he had been doing, stopped feeling overwhelmed, and ended up with a much better course.
In Acts chapter 9, a Jewish man by the name of Saul embraced a powerful presumption. He presumed that the followers of a crucified teacher by the name of Jesus were wrong about his being the promised Savior of the world. For that reason, Saul had made it his business to persecute and root out these Jesus followers wherever he could find them.
That all changed, however, when the risen Jesus himself confronted Saul with a question: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Such a question challenged Saul’s entire presumption. And with that question, Jesus, his gospel, and the power of his Holy Spirit quickly brought Saul to faith and changed his life forever.
Perhaps the Lord could confront us with some “Why” questions: Why do you continue to worry your way through your day? Why do you spend so much time on social media but not so much in God’s Word? Why do you tell yourself you’re too busy for the things you know are truly important? Why do you behave as though the Lord Jesus is not in control? Why do you avoid taking a moment to tell your child or grandchild what Jesus means to you?
Whatever the question is, the Lord can use it for great blessing. It can bring us to repentance. And through his Gospel, he can refresh us all over again in the forgiveness he purchased for us at the cross.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, confront me with the question I need to hear. Bring me to repentance. Refresh me in your forgiveness. Amen.
What comes to mind when you think of God? Perhaps words like “big,” “powerful,” maybe even “angry with me” come to mind. I doubt you would say “an animal.” But in the book of Revelation, Jesus is called “the Lamb.” And we’re told he was slain.
In the Old Testament, thousands upon thousands of lambs, goats, bulls, rams, and other animals were slain. Why? In directing his Old Testament people of Israel to bring animal sacrifices, God was teaching them that disobeying God is extremely serious. In his holiness, God’s justice demanded the thing of ultimate value: one’s soul for one’s sin.
But in his tremendous mercy, God provided substitutes. He allowed animals to be sacrificed in substitution for sinners. These animals pointed to Jesus, “the Lamb, who was slain,” in substitution for us. Jesus allowed his life to be taken in place of sinners’ lives so we could have a God who is not “angry with me” but a God who is at peace with us. The Bible says that “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
Why would Jesus do that for us—give up his own life to save ours? The Bible says that Jesus could bear our sins more easily than he could bear the thought of our eternal hopelessness. He could endure the dishonor of being damned for sin if it meant we would not be.
It’s astounding that he would do that for us! This is why the Bible says, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive . . . honor and glory and praise . . . for ever and ever!”
Prayer:
Lamb of God, comfort my troubled conscience with the truth that you were slain to forgive all my sins. All glory and honor to you for dying in my place so I could live eternally! Amen.
The high priest and all his associates . . . arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people the full message of this new life.” At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people . . . “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” the high priest said . . . Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!” Acts 5:17-21,28,29
“Go…and tell,” the angel told the apostles. That’s the Easter imperative—the Easter command. Jesus is alive! He’s risen from the dead. He has conquered death. Go and tell.
There is a part of us called the sinful nature that says, “Don’t go and tell.” Some people warn us that we should never talk about politics and religion. Sometimes, as in the Bible reading for today, even the authorities of the world forbid us to speak about the risen Christ. But through his angel messengers, God told the apostles, “Go…and tell.”
So why would we go and tell? We do it out of love for the Lord who told us to do so. But there is also another reason.
We live in a world where people are dying spiritually and eternally, and we have the only real antidote for death. Through faith in the risen Jesus, we can and will live eternally. In the risen Jesus, we have the prescription to living joyfully forever! Love for others will move us to go and tell them.
Yes, there will be some who will reject that truth, deny that possibility, and suggest that the notion of joyous everlasting life through Jesus and him alone is nothing but foolishness.
But God will bring others to faith, and they will thank you for sharing that life-saving message of the crucified and risen Christ. Then experience the wonder and joy of sharing that message with others. Yes, go and tell.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, you have saved me for a life of joy in heaven with you. Moved by your wondrous love, help me to go and tell others about it, too! Amen.
Jesus came and stood among them. Since those disciples had been through so much, Jesus stood among them and gave them peace. Oh, that he would do the same for us.
Wouldn’t it be helpful if Jesus would appear while sitting in the ICU waiting room to assure us that dad is in good hands?
Wouldn’t it be great if Jesus was there at our side in our lonely, quiet moments, when all others have left us or forgotten about us?
Wouldn’t it be beneficial if Jesus was there for us when we’re at our lowest? You know, when we start recalling all our mistakes and the internal guilt is tearing us apart.
We might sometimes think the original disciples had it so easy; Jesus was right there, standing in the same room. But keep in mind, in just a matter of weeks, Jesus would ascend into heaven, and his disciples would no longer have his physical, visible presence to assure them. They would have to rely upon his promises. And those promises are just as comforting and dependable for us today as they were for the disciples then.
Jesus doesn’t suddenly appear to us in our living rooms or medical waiting rooms, but he does offer this solemn pledge: “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20) and “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
He doesn’t ring our doorbells and give us a show-and-tell display of his scarred hands every time our consciences act up. Instead, he promises that our sins have been removed from us “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12).
He may not put a hand on our shoulders. Instead, he puts his Word in print, and he puts that printed Word, the Bible, into our hands. There in the Bible he promises peace—the peace of sins forgiven, the peace only the living Lord Jesus can give.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when I feel weak or alone, remind me that you are near. When I am pressed by a guilty conscience, remind me that you have already paid for my sins. When I hurt, remind me of your love. Help me to share that same love with others. Amen.
A recent survey asked Americans which of the five senses they would least like to lose. 77% chose sight. Navigating life blind poses a plethora of challenges that the sighted do not face. This is why Scripture often uses the concept of blindness as a metaphor for how hard it is to navigate life without a correct understanding of Christ. Spiritual blindness can take many different forms. In some cases, it is hostile opposition to the message of Jesus. In others, spiritual blindness might be demonstrated in confusion about Jesus’ true identity. No matter the specific form spiritual blindness takes, Easter has the power to replace it with sight. Easter allows us to see where we sinners stand with a holy God. It enables us to see the path through life that is worth pursuing (as opposed to those that lead to a dead end). Spiritual sight gives us the ability to see who holds our future in his hands and who is worth our eternal worship.
Hymns512, 459, 711
Psalm30A
Special MusicSunday at St. John’s: Grades 1-8 “My God Is”
SermonJohn 21:1-14 “Thank you, Lord, We Needed That”
WELS Connection Sunday only
LESSONS
Acts 9:1-22Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. 10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. 11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
Revelation 5:11-14Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” 13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” 14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
John 21:1-14Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.[a] It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus[b]), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. 6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.[c]9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
THANK YOU to all who supported our Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society’s spring mission offerings. 75% of the $375 collected will support home mission: Family Ministry Outreach and world mission: Central Africa Medical Mission. The other 25% will support international LWMS projects to be announced at the 2022 Convention in Rochester, New York. Attending from St. John’s: Kay Maass, Shelley Myers, James & Linda Wachholz.
ALL ARE INVITED Florence Dahlke turns 100! All members of St. John’s and Emmanuel are welcome to celebrate on May 21 at 2:00pm at Riversbend 2614 Fox Lane, Montello WI 53949. Please RSVP to Linda 435-313-3686.
ST. JOHN’S LADIES, PLEASE VOTE! All confirmed women are eligible to vote for officers on the International Board of Directors of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society (LWMS) and for mission projects for 2022-2023. A voting station is located in the linkway today. Voting ends on Sunday, May 22. Results of this voting will be announced at the 2022 LWMS Convention, in Rochester, NY, June 23-26. If you have questions, please contact Reporter Linda Wachholz. Your vote is very much appreciated!
Download the WELS App to your phone or device, featuring devotionals, educational and news content from the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod: https://wels.app/
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” John 20:26,27
Have you ever been channel surfing late at night and come across one of those infomercials with the super energetic spokesperson? After a few minutes, you start thinking, “Maybe I do need one of those salad spinners. After all, they do come in six amazing colors. And I really should eat more salads.” Those infomercial producers know you won’t purchase something on blind faith; you need proof. And if you see that proof—that the product really works—maybe you’ll consider buying theirs. That’s why the spokesperson for the salad spinner is energetic, happy, and in great shape. If you act now, this can all be yours for just $19.99.
The disciples wanted proof. They had seen Jesus die. His body had been taken off the cross and placed into the tomb. The disciples had been shaken. What they didn’t know yet was that Jesus had risen from the grave. He was alive. Jesus, on Easter evening, appeared to those shaken disciples and set their minds and hearts at ease.
But Thomas wasn’t there. So, Jesus appeared to him a week later. He didn’t have to, but our patient Savior reached out to Thomas and gave him what he was looking for: proof. What was unbelievable just a few days ago, wasn’t so far-fetched now that Thomas could see Jesus with his own eyes.
We have doubts, fears, and struggles too. Our patient Savior comes to us with promises that are always reliable. He points us to the cross—proof our sins are forgiven. He points us to the empty tomb—proof that he lives and that the Father has accepted and approved of his payment for sin. He holds out his scarred hands and assures us we have peace with God. No need to act now or make a payment; Jesus already has!
Prayer:
Lord, in my times of doubt, strengthen me with your promises. You died for me. You rose again. You are with me always! Amen.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
