An Invitation to Encounter, from “The Disciple Whom Jesus Loves”

This week, we are revisiting the musical The Disciple Whom Jesus Loves, exploring devotional truths embedded in its songs. Today, we focus on one of the most beautiful invitations in Scripture—Come and see.

Not a Demand, But a Beckoning
In John 1, Jesus extends His first recorded invitation to Andrew and another disciple: “Come and see.” These words echo again from the lips of Philip to Nathanael, and from a Samaritan woman who became the first evangelist in her village. This episode explores the power of that invitation—not to argument, but to encounter. Jesus doesn’t compel us with fear or spectacle; He simply sees us and invites us to know Him.

Musical Highlights:

Key Themes:

Biblical Connections:

Reflection Questions:

“Tell of the Love of Jesus”

Welcome to the grand finale of The Disciple Whom Jesus Loves—our original podcast musical journey through the life, death, resurrection, and glory of Jesus, told through the eyes of His beloved friend and follower, John.

️ A Love That Transforms

In this concluding chapter, John reflects on what it truly means to be “the disciple Jesus loved.” It’s not a title of pride, but a testimony to grace. He shares how Jesus’ love shaped his identity, emboldened his witness, and became the message he carried to the ends of the earth—from the shores of Galilee to the island of Patmos.

Powerful Moments in This Episode:

Featured Original Songs:

Key Themes:

Final Word from John:
“To be ‘the disciple Jesus loves’ is not a claim—it’s an identity offered to every soul. It means you are seen, known, forgiven, and chosen. Take the name. Live the story. Let it be said of you: here is one the Lord loves.”

Thank You for Joining Us
We pray this multi-episode journey through The Disciple Whom Jesus Loves has moved your heart, strengthened your faith, and drawn you deeper into the love of Jesus.

Remember: God calls you not just to live… but to thrive.
Live life to the full—today.

“He Still Calls My Name”
In this stirring and intimate episode, we step into the days following the resurrection—when fear gives way to peace, doubt to worship, and shame to restoration.

The risen Jesus meets His disciples not in grandeur, but in the quiet corners of their lives: behind locked doors, along dusty roads, and by a charcoal fire on the shore. In each encounter, He brings peace, offers grace, and renews purpose.

️ Highlights in This Episode:

Featured Songs:

Key Themes:

⛵ That morning by the sea wasn’t just breakfast—it was a recommissioning.
Jesus turns our “returning” into a sacred calling. He still calls our names—through the shame, the doubt, the silence—and reminds us that we are loved, forgiven, and chosen.

The Mission Continues
The episode closes as Jesus ascends, entrusting His followers with the mission to witness to the world—and promising the Spirit to lead them. The story doesn’t end. It only begins again—with fire, with purpose, with love.

He is risen! In this powerful Easter episode, we journey through that sacred morning when sorrow gave way to joy and silence broke into song.

After the crucifixion, the disciples were crushed by fear and grief. But on the third day, everything changed. Mary Magdalene and other women discovered the stone rolled away. The tomb was empty. The Savior had risen.

In this episode, John, the narrator, recounts:

The long, mournful Sabbath that followed the burial of Jesus

The faithful courage of the women who rose early to anoint His body

The confusion and awe as the empty tomb was discovered

Mary Magdalene’s breathtaking encounter with the risen Lord

The guards’ terrified report—and the cover-up the religious leaders devised

The triumphant truth that refused to stay buried

️ Featured Songs:

“Silent Sabbath” – A haunting instrumental reflecting the weight of loss and waiting

“The Tomb is Empty” – A joyful anthem of resurrection and hope

“Rise Again” – A soaring gospel declaration of Christ’s victory over death

This episode is a celebration of the dawn that changed everything. The King is alive. Death is defeated. The truth cannot be silenced.

✨ Key Themes:

The faithfulness of the women who stayed close to Jesus

The mystery and majesty of resurrection morning

The unstoppable truth of the gospel

The joy and power of seeing the Risen Christ for yourself

BONUS EPISODE: Easter Sunday — “Peace Be With You”
Presented by 10:10 Thrive Ministries

Welcome to this special Easter Sunday bonus episode of 10:10 Thrive! Today we reflect on the powerful greeting Jesus offered His disciples after the resurrection:

JESUS: Peace be with you.

This wasn’t just a casual hello—it was a declaration of a new reality. Christ had conquered death, and with His victory came a deeper, eternal peace.

In this episode, we explore how the resurrection of Jesus brings:

Jesus promised: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you… Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)

On this Resurrection Sunday, may you receive the peace that only the Risen Savior can give.

✨ He is risen. He is risen indeed! ✨

Stay tuned for the next installment in our Easter musical series: “The Disciple Whom Jesus Loves.”

10:10 Thrive | Bonus Episode: Holy Saturday – Between the Cross and the Crown
Presented by 10:10 Thrive Ministries

On this special bonus episode of 10:10 Thrive, we mark Holy Saturday—the quiet, heavy day between the agony of the Cross and the triumph of the Resurrection. For the disciples, it was a day of grief, confusion, and fear—when all seemed lost and silence hung heavy. But even in their sorrow, some of Jesus’ promises may have whispered through their memories, offering flickers of hope.

We explore five powerful statements Jesus made—words that might have echoed in the hearts of those who loved Him, including:

“The Son of Man must suffer... and be raised on the third day.”

“Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

“I am the resurrection and the life...”

“You will weep... but your grief will turn to joy.”

“Let not your hearts be troubled...”

This is a day to reflect, to rest, and to remember that hope was never truly buried. Sunday is coming.

We pray this episode offers you comfort, stillness, and sacred anticipation on this Sabbath day.

Don’t miss the next chapter in our Easter musical podcast, The Disciple Whom Jesus Loves.

Part 15 opens with the deeply human struggle of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. After the Last Supper, Jesus leads His disciples to pray in a familiar place, asking Peter, James, and John to stay close. As He falls to the ground in anguished prayer, Jesus wrestles with the weight of what’s ahead—pleading for the cup of suffering to pass, yet ultimately surrendering to His Father’s will. Despite His vulnerability, the disciples fall asleep, leaving Him to face the moment alone. The narrative emphasizes His resolve to obey God’s plan, even as betrayal draws near.

The betrayal comes swiftly with Judas leading a band of soldiers and guards to arrest Jesus. Despite being bound, Jesus remains composed and in control—healing the ear of a servant Peter strikes in a moment of misguided loyalty and insisting that the disciples be allowed to go free. John follows Jesus closely, recounting how he and Peter attempted to remain near as Jesus is taken to Annas, then Caiaphas. A midnight trial, illegal by Jewish law, is held where Jesus is falsely accused and ultimately condemned for claiming to be the Son of God. Meanwhile, Peter—outside in the courtyard—denies Jesus three times, just as foretold, before fleeing in bitter sorrow.

At dawn, the Sanhedrin meets formally at the Temple to confirm their sentence. Jesus is led to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, who questions Him and is disturbed by His calmness and mysterious authority. Pilate, reluctant to convict an innocent man, sends Jesus to Herod Antipas, who mocks Him and returns Him in ridicule. Despite declaring Jesus not guilty, Pilate succumbs to the pressure of the crowd and religious leaders demanding crucifixion. He presents a choice between Jesus and the rebel Barabbas—when the crowd shouts for Barabbas, Pilate symbolically washes his hands and hands Jesus over to be crucified.

Jesus is beaten, mocked, crowned with thorns, and made to carry His cross through Jerusalem until He collapses. A bystander, Simon of Cyrene, is compelled to carry it for Him. At Golgotha, Jesus is crucified between two criminals. Even in agony, He speaks words of mercy and love—pardoning His executioners, comforting a repentant thief, and entrusting His mother to John. As darkness covers the land, Jesus cries out in abandonment and pain, ultimately surrendering His spirit with the words, “It is finished.” At that moment, the temple curtain is torn in two and an earthquake shakes the earth—signs that this death was no ordinary death.

The episode concludes with Jesus being pierced to confirm His death. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus request His body and bury Him in a new tomb before the Sabbath begins. Mary Magdalene, John, and the other women observe His burial, their grief immense but their devotion unshaken. As night falls and the tomb is sealed, the haunting quiet of Good Friday settles in. But through the final song, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming,” the audience is reminded that death does not have the last word—resurrection and redemption are on the horizon.

In Part 14 of The Disciple Whom Jesus Loves, Jesus’ journey to the cross accelerates as he enters Jerusalem amid Passover anticipation. From Bethany, he sends disciples to fetch a donkey, fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy of a gentle king. As he rides into the city, the crowd hails him with palm branches and cries of “Hosanna,” stirred by the miracle of Lazarus’ resurrection. But Jesus’ arrival is not triumphant in the way many hoped. He confronts corruption in the Temple, speaks cryptically of his coming hour, and issues a new commandment: to love one another. In an upper room, Jesus shares one final meal with his disciples, washes their feet in an act of radical humility, and foretells betrayal.

The episode features emotionally rich musical selections like “Servant of All” and “A New Commandment,” underscoring the gravity and tenderness of Jesus’ actions. He redefines greatness through servanthood, and communion becomes a sacred sign of his coming sacrifice. The disciples, still confused, watch as he speaks of suffering and glory in the same breath. Judas’ betrayal is quietly set in motion, while Peter boldly vows loyalty, only to be told of his imminent denial. In the midst of it all, Jesus calls them to love, not just as friends, but with the self-giving love he is about to display.

As the evening ends, Jesus leads them into the night to the Garden of Gethsemane. The weight of the moment is palpable. There, under moonlit olive trees, he invites Peter, James, and John to come with him and pray. He confesses his soul is overwhelmed with sorrow. The story pauses at the threshold of anguish, betrayal, and sacrifice. This episode sets the stage for the suffering to come, while anchoring the disciples—and us—in the unwavering love of the Servant King.

​​Part 13 of The Disciple Whom Jesus Loves brings us to one of the most stirring miracles in the Gospel: the raising of Lazarus. After hearing that his dear friend is gravely ill, Jesus remains two days beyond the Jordan, telling his disciples that the sickness will lead to God’s glory. Meanwhile, Martha and Mary watch their brother die, clinging to the hope that Jesus will arrive in time. When he finally comes, both sisters confront him with deep grief—“If you had been here…”—but Jesus responds with the bold declaration, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Their lament becomes a duet of pain and fragile trust, revealing the tension between heartbreak and hope.

As mourners gather around the tomb, Jesus weeps—a moment that stuns even the disciples—and then commands the stone to be rolled away. With a loud cry, he calls Lazarus to life, and to everyone’s astonishment, the dead man emerges, wrapped in grave clothes. The musical number “Unbind Him” turns this miracle into a powerful anthem of freedom, as Mary, Martha, and Lazarus proclaim the triumph of life over death. The moment sends shockwaves through the community. While many believe, others report Jesus to the religious leaders, igniting a deadly plot. Caiaphas, driven by fear of Roman retaliation, declares that one man must die for the people.

The episode closes with another poignant act of devotion. At a dinner in Bethany, Mary anoints Jesus with costly perfume in preparation for his burial. Judas criticizes the gesture, but Jesus defends her, stating that her act of love will be remembered wherever the gospel is preached. The haunting melody “Love and Honor” underscores the gravity of the moment: Jesus is walking knowingly toward his death, and those who love him are beginning to realize just how high the cost will be. The shadow of the cross grows longer, even as the fragrance of Mary’s offering fills the room.

In Part 12 of The Disciple Whom Jesus Loves, John narrates two powerful and escalating encounters in Jerusalem that deepen the revelation of Jesus’ identity while intensifying the threat against His life. First, Jesus heals a man born blind, shocking the city and sparking fierce interrogation from the Pharisees. Through the musical number “I Was Blind, But Now I See,” the once-blind man boldly testifies to the miracle and identifies Jesus as a prophet, despite the religious leaders’ growing hostility. Even after being cast out of the synagogue, the man encounters Jesus again and recognizes Him as the Son of Man. His physical and spiritual sight restored, the man worships Jesus, while the Pharisees—still blind to the truth—retreat in anger.

The narrative transitions to the Feast of Dedication, where Jesus addresses the people and religious leaders using the language of the shepherd and his sheep. In the sweeping musical “The Shepherd’s Voice,” Jesus proclaims Himself the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep, lays down His life for them, and gathers others into one flock. This imagery of intimate care, sacrificial love, and divine authority unsettles the religious leaders. When Jesus plainly declares, “I and the Father are one,” the crowd gasps in shock, and the leaders pick up stones to kill Him for blasphemy. But Jesus calmly points them back to His works, challenging them to judge His identity by what He has done, not just by what He says.

As tension reaches a boiling point, the disciples help Jesus escape, though the moment leaves John profoundly moved. In a quiet exchange, Jesus asks John what he believes. John responds with conviction, affirming Jesus as the Messiah and Son of the Living God. Jesus confirms this truth and gently warns them that the time of mere threats is ending—the shepherd will soon lay down His life. Despite Peter’s protests, Jesus resolutely prepares them for what lies ahead. The episode ends with the disciples leaving Jerusalem, knowing the return will lead them to the cross.