This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead. John 21:14 NABRE
After Jesus’ resurrection we read several stories of His appearing to the disciples. John’s third story has Christ meeting His disciples as they are fishing. Christ calls to them and instructs them where to catch many fish. They share a meal and Christ reminiscent of other meals, breaks bread giving it to them with some fish. We recall Jesus feeding thousands with a few loaves of bread and fish, we also remember they share a final Passover meal before Jesus is arrested. After this meal Christ will leave them to carry on His mission, as He goes to be glorified by the Father. Christ does not appear in public demonstrating His resurrection, He only meets with those who knew Him before His death, they spread the news of His resurrection. For the disciples we see good things come in threes, this is the third time they meet the resurrected Christ and the last according to the details given in John’s gospel.
For the disciples this meeting is bittersweet, they will recall it as a fond memory with Christ but it will also be their last encounter with Christ in any embodiment. Christ ascends to the Father and is outside any constraints of time and space, He is available to all everywhere. We are able to have Christ in our presence because Christ is beyond physical constraint. It happens in church’s, at meals, in prayer, wherever others are gathered in the name of Christ, He is there. The sadness of the disciples never seeing Christ again is turned to joy by all those who do encounter Christ in their lives over time and space. We need to know Christ is resurrected but we don’t need Him in a body, otherwise we could not participate in the body of Christ.
Do you encounter Christ? Do you trust Christ presence in your life?
Joy is brought to all those who encounter Christ in their lives over time and space. We need to know Christ is resurrected but we don’t need Him in a body, otherwise we could not participate in the body of Christ. Click To Tweet#bible #godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #third #appear #John #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #cross #last #gospels #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways