Hope for Today

We are honored to be with you again today. It is a privilege to study God’s Word with you; thanks for joining us. We are Heralds of Hope, and this program is one way we fulfill Jesus’ last command. He told us in Matt 28 to Go and teach. The program is going on radio waves; please pray with us that God would use these programs to reach people. And through this program, we want to teach everyone about Jesus and the things we have learned from Him. We pray Jesus’ Kingdom would be strengthened and you would be encouraged in your walk with Him.

Today we begin the last chapter of John, chapter 21. Actually, next week will be our last lesson from the Gospel of John. Our study through John started about one year ago, and now we are coming to the end of this wonderful book. We hope this study has been a blessing for you. If you are interested, all these lessons have been compiled into one book titled The Word. Please contact us for your copy of “The Word” I will give you our contact information at the end of this program.

The title for our lesson is How Jesus Showed Himself. This is another story of the disciples interacting with the risen Jesus Christ. Jesus was alive then, and He is alive now. We know this because He’s changed us, and He is still showing Himself strong to those who need Him. Let’s go now to John 21 with Bible teacher J Mark Horst.

The museums of the world contain monuments to the great men of earth, the British museum in London, the museum in Cairo, and the museums of other countries of the Bible’s history. But the greatest man that ever lived has an empty tomb as His monument. That empty tomb bears witness to Him. No one else has that kind of monument.

When the Romans crucified Jesus, and His friends buried Him, everyone then thought there would be nothing more. But there was more. There is more because He arose from the dead. The last two chapters of John’s Gospel give us the record how He arose from the dead and HOW JESUS SHOWED HIMSELF to His disciples. This meditation is based on John 21:1-14.

1. After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.

2. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.

3. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, we also go with thee. They went forth and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

4. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

5. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

6. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

7. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

8. And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cu­bits,) dragging the net with fishes.

9. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

10. Jesus saith unto them, bring of the fish which ye have now caught.

11. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

12. Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

13. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.

14. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

As we meditate upon these verses, we notice the WAYS Jesus showed Himself to His disciples.

The first Way: By His Unexpected Coming.

Did you notice that Peter was the one who said, “I am going fishing?” This is really not surprising because Peter was a fisherman before Jesus ever called him to follow Him. He and Andrew, James, and John were fishermen. On this fishing project, Peter’s companions were Thomas, Nathaniel, James, John, and two others of Jesus’ disciples. It’s not surprising that they would go fishing.

Sometimes, when we face traumatic situations, going back to what is familiar to us is like a therapy. We can immerse ourselves in our work and forget about our troubles for a brief time. Or conversely, when our hands are busy with work that is familiar, our minds can think more clearly. I suspect this may be at least part of the reason why these disciples went fishing.

They spent the night, however, without catching anything. Maybe that is not really surprising, either. If the fish are not running, like they say, then there is not much chance of catching fish. But the surprising part is that Jesus unexpectedly was standing there on the shore as the morning began to dawn. They saw Jesus on the shore and did not even know it was Jesus. They were not expecting Him. No, they were not expecting Him.

That’s how He showed Himself to them, by His unexpected coming. I would like to draw a lesson from that for you and me. Is it not true that sometimes Jesus comes to us at unexpected times in unexpected ways? At times when your hopes and dreams have been dashed, and you feel all alone?

Well, I’m glad to tell you that Jesus will be right by your side, even though you don’t expect Him.

The second Way: By His Unqualified Command.

He first asked them this question, “Do you have any food?” They answered by saying, “No.” They had been fishing all night and hadn’t caught anything, so, of course, they wouldn’t have any fish. Probably, by the way He asked the question and the way they answered it, they didn’t have any bread either; they had no food.

Then Jesus gave them an unqualified command, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you shall find.” That’s remarkable. Here was a man standing on shore commanding the fishermen who were 100 meters from shore, more than 300 feet. For somebody to stand on the shore and be able to instruct the fishermen where the fish are is surprising, but He did. He told them which side to cast their net. They did, and they caught a great multitude of fish, so that they struggled getting the net into the boat.

Then the reality of who it was came to the disciple whom Jesus loved—we believe it was John. He said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” John said that because he knew nobody else would have been able to tell them from a hundred meters away where the fish were.

Here’s the lesson I get from this way Jesus showed Himself: the disciples did exactly what Jesus commanded them to do. Think about this, here was a stranger, for they did not know Him, commanding the fishermen, experienced as they were, to cast their net on the opposite side of the boat, on the right side. They could’ve said, “what do you know about fishing that we don’t know? We’ve been doing this all our lives!” But they didn’t say that. They just obeyed the unqualified command of Jesus.

Let us ponder that they did exactly what Jesus told them to do. I get a lesson from that for you and me: we also ought to do exactly what Jesus tells us to do. He tells us what to do in God’s Word.

The third Way: By His Unselfish Care.

When Peter dragged the net to shore, they found they had 153 fish in the net. But Jesus was prepared for them and had already made a fire, and He had laid some fish and bread on the coals.

After they had pulled in the net bursting with fish, Jesus said to them, “Bring of the fish that ye have now caught.” That must have been a wonderful breakfast. Yes, a wonderful meal on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Then He said to them, “Come and eat.” Everything was ready. Jesus had prepared a tasty, early morning meal for the disciples. When they gathered around, the seven of them with Jesus, He took bread and gave some to them and gave them some fish also. But nobody dared to ask Him who He was because they all knew that it was Jesus. Unselfishly He met their need. He had everything prepared for them, all that they needed.

Now, my friend, I want to draw a third lesson for you and me from this. Jesus unselfishly cares for us too. He provides for our needs as well.

What enriching lessons we learn from how Jesus showed Himself to the disciples. Often in our lives, Jesus is there at unexpected times. Sometimes we may not know it at first. Often, He commands us, and blessings come when we do what He says. Often His care is shown by how He provides for us.

Do you know Him? Do you know Jesus? Let Him show Himself to you, that He can really meet your need.

Thank you, J Mark, for this teaching from God’s Word, and thank you for joining us. It is a privilege for us to study God’s Word and learn from it. Now take what we’ve heard and put it into practice. The teaching and instruction in the Bible are for us, and it is supposed to change the way we live. 

Don’t be like the man in James 1 who sees himself in a mirror then goes away and forgets what he looks like; instead, be like the man in verse 25 who looks intently into the Word and is a doer of the work. God says, “that man will be Blessed in what he does.”

As you noticed, we are coming to the end of the book of John. We hope you have enjoyed the time we have spent in John, and you are probably wondering what is next. We have one more lesson in John, and after that, we will go to the Old Testament Book of Exodus. We will go with the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt and into the desert toward the promised land. But it is more than just a story about the Israelites. It is God accomplishing His plan on this planet. We know how the Israelites received God’s law and became His chosen people, and many years later, out of the children of Israel, from the tribe of Judah, another Lamb came. This lamb was sacrificed for the sin of the whole world.

There is a lot we can learn from every book of the Bible, and we hope you will continue to join us as we begin studying in the book of Exodus.

Once again, our study guide, The Hope Herald, will be available. Each program here is another lesson in this study guide. If you are interested, please contact us; we’d be happy to send you one.

Here are a few ways you can reach us. The quickest and easiest way is through email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, you could send us a letter, send it to Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. And you can always contact us through our website. Go to heraldsofhope.org, click on “Connect,” which is at the top in the middle; scroll down till you see “contact us,” then you will need to fill in your information. While you are on our website, please look around and use the resources which are available there. We hope it will be a blessing for you. Again, the website is Heraldsofhope.org

We thank you for joining us for today’s program. Please join us again next week for one more lesson from John. Till then, remember this promise from Isaiah 41. “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

This episode is an exposition of John 21:1-14 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with a new opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Hello and thank you for joining us; we are privileged to be here with you. This program is produced by Heralds of Hope, we are a gospel media ministry, and our main focus is the Bible. We are committed to teaching the Bible and distributing the Bible. Each week this teaching is broadcast around the world via radio, and so far this year we are on track to distribute 100,000 copies of the Bible.  Psalm 19 says God’s words are to be desired more than gold. This shows us God’s Word is one of the most valuable possessions someone could ever have. Here at Heralds of Hope, we are thrilled to partner with many of God’s people as we teach and distribute the Bible.

Our lesson today from John 20 is called Rewarding Faith. It is the story of Thomas, the disciple who did not believe Jesus had risen from the dead. In this account we know he no longer doubted; he saw Jesus and believed. Jesus encouraged him, “Touch my hands and put your hand in my side, stop doubting and believe.” It doesn’t seem like Thomas needed to do that because his response was immediate, “My Lord and my God.” Today allow your response to Jesus to be exactly the same as this.  

Before we get into today’s teaching, let’s spend a little time thinking about faith. If you look at how faith is defined, it is obvious that people everywhere have faith. The definition is, “complete trust or confidence in someone or something.” What sets the faith of a Christian apart from all other faith is the object of our faith.

Faith is not unusual, humans everywhere have it, but we want more and more people to make Jesus the object of their faith. Think about the people who deny any god and say they have no faith. What are they putting their faith in? It seems to me the faith of that person lies directly in themselves. They put a lot of trust in the fact that they are right and know what they are talking about. This is a choice all of us need to make, but I for one am not comfortable with having myself as the object of my faith.   

There are some who believe Earth has started from a big bang, everyone looks at the same evidence, and many different conclusions are reached. It is my opinion that the conclusion you reach has a direct connection to where you have placed your faith. There is much more that could be said on this; however, what I want to make clear is – faith is not uncommon; most people have faith. The biggest question is what or who do you have faith in? Christians have Jesus as the object of our faith, and as far as I know, this is the best place you could ever place your faith. 

One more thought about faith from verse 29. Trying to describe what it is can be kind of hard to put into words. I like what Jesus says at the end of verse 29, I would say this is a great way to describe faith. Jesus tells Thomas, “Blessed are they what have not seen, and yet have believed.” This isn’t a definition of faith, but it’s a good description for some of our faith. Many of us believe even though we have not seen Him.

This idea is also taught in Hebrews 11:1. One translation has it like this, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Again, there is the certainty of something we believe but have not seen. So, while most of us may not have seen with eyes, like Thomas, we still believe. Some will think this is ridiculous and make fun of your blind faith. But it’s not blind faith because we have seen Jesus change lives, we feel His presence in ours, and we know the change He’s made in us. The object of our faith is very dependable, and we trust Him.

So, the question today is not, do you have faith? The question is, what do you have your faith in? Let’s give our attention to Pastor J Mark as he teaches us more from John 20 and the story of Thomas.

Faith is a very important part of our human existence. We exercise faith every day. We have been made to believe. The Bible tells us that God has given to everyone a measure of faith. Everyone believes in something. Even those who say there is no God believe in something. To be honest, they should say, “I believe there is no God.” They must express some faith.

Now, I would much rather say, I believe there is God. The Bible informs us that even demons believe and tremble. There is put within our being the ability to believe. But not all faith is REWARDING FAITH. When I speak of faith, I am talking about believing. To be rewarding faith, there must be a proper object to faith.

The story in John 20:24-31 demonstrates what rewarding faith is. The disciples were staying together, awaiting direction for the future after the resurrection of Jesus.

24. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25. The other disciples therefore said unto him, we have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

27. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

28. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

29. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

30. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

31. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that  believing ye might have life through his name

As there were several EVENTS in the experience of Thomas which led him to rewarding faith, so it may be with us.

The first Event toward rewarding faith: His Refusal.

When Jesus first came to the disciples after His resurrection, Thomas was absent. We do not know why he was absent. Perhaps fear had gripped his heart so much that he refused to be identified with the disciples. Or he may have had other interests or some duty that kept him from meeting with them on that first day of the week.

So, he was told what had happened; they had seen the Lord. But he was cautious, “I must see before I believe.”

We can sympathize with Thomas. We believe it is proper to require evidence so as not to be led into error. It is important that we are cautious about the claims that people make. His refusal to believe without evidence was the proper thing to do.

A second Event toward rewarding faith: His Rebuke.

Eight days later, Thomas was with the other disciples. Perhaps he had learned his lesson and gathered with the disciples in anticipation of what might be a repeat of what happened before.

And it was. Jesus came into the room, into their midst, and the doors were shut, just like before. There was no ready entrance, but Jesus came and stood in the midst and greeted them just like He had before. It was a word of assurance, “Peace be unto you.”

Then Thomas was invited to examine the evidence. Jesus said, “Reach here, your finger, and behold my hands. Reach here your hand and thrust it into my side. And do not be faithless but believe.” This was a rebuke for Thomas from Jesus.

Jesus must have known about Thomas’ refusal to believe until he had seen. So, after the evidence was there, the nail prints and the spear scar, faith was commanded of Thomas, “Do not be faithless, but believe.”

And the third Event toward rewarding faith: His Response.

His confession was immediate and complete. It did not take Thomas long at all. He cried out, “My Lord and my God.” He is to be commended for making a clear and immediate and complete confession right there. He did not falter or hesitate, but his response and confession came at once.

Now notice the commendation that Jesus gave him. He said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. All who do not see and yet believe are blessed.”

My friend, we are among those who have not seen and yet have believed. Thomas saw Him, and the Apostle John recorded it for us. Jesus pronounced a blessing on you and me because we have not seen His nail prints or His spear scar. But when we believe, Jesus said, we would be blessed.

We ought not criticize Thomas until we have believed on Jesus ourselves without any doubt or question. Nor can we hide behind Thomas, for when he was presented with the evidence, he believed and confessed that Jesus was his Lord and his God.

Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ? Listen, “These are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that believing you might have life through his name.” I invite you; I urge you to believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and you can have a rewarding faith too. 

Thank you, J Mark, for this teaching from God’s Word, and thank you for joining us. It is a privilege for us to study God’s Word and learn from it. Now take what we’ve heard and put it into practice. The teaching and instruction in the Bible are for us, and it is supposed to change the way we live. 

Don’t be like the man in James 1 who sees himself in a mirror then goes away and forgets what he looks like; instead be like the man in verse 25 who looks intently into the Word and is a doer of the work. God says, “that man will be Blessed in what he does.”

My friend, was this teaching helpful? If you’d like a copy, either in print or on an audio CD, just contact us and ask for it by the title. Or log onto our website heraldsofhope.org

The quickest way for you to connect with us is to send an email to [email protected]. That email address is [email protected]. Or write to Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Remember, you can request a printed manuscript or a digital audio file of this teaching. We’d be happy to send one to you.

And when you contact us, you can request our Bible Study Guide, Hope Herald. It follows these radio programs and will help you learn more about what we’re studying from John’s Gospel. So, ask for your free copy of Hope Herald today.

Here’s the contact information again. Our email address is [email protected]. Or write to Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Remember, you can request a free copy of this teaching. It’s available in print or on a digital audio file. And you can also request a free copy of our newest publication, Hope Herald. It will help you gain more value from our study in John.

And don’t forget our Bible teaching programs are available to you all the time and any time at the website, heraldsofhope.org.

Now, I urge you to tune in next week as Pastor J. Mark continues our study from John’s Gospel. You won’t want to miss it. And until then, keep looking to Jesus; He’ll give you hope for today!

This episode is an exposition of John 20:24-31 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with a new opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

Hello friend, and thank you for joining us. This program is produced by Heralds of Hope; we are a gospel media ministry whose main focus is the Bible. We are committed to teaching the Bible and distributing the Bible. Each week this teaching is broadcast around the world via radio, and for this year, we are on track to distribute 100,000 copies of the Bible. Psalm 19 says God’s words are to be desired more than gold. This shows us God’s Word is one of the most valuable possessions someone could ever have. Here at Heralds of Hope, we are thrilled to partner with many of God’s people around the world as we teach and distribute the Bible.

The title of today’s lesson is Haunting Fear, and it is taken from the first ten verses of John 20. Before we go there, let’s think about fear. You know there are many things people fear. Children usually are scared of the dark and fearful of storms. Adults generally fear death or cancer, and public speaking. However, it varies; some people have many fears; others seem to have no fears.

The one thing our fears have in common is a small view of God. When our God is a big God who controls disease and death, and when our God is bigger than our enemies and bigger than the storm we are currently in, then our fears decrease. As God becomes bigger, our fears grow smaller.

The disciples experienced this firsthand when Jesus came to them walking on the water. They saw Him and were terrified because they thought they saw a ghost. He immediately said to them, “Take Courage! It is I, don’t be afraid.” He climbed in the boat with them, and the storm became still.

This is a great example of what Jesus can and wants to do with our fears. Allow Him in, and He will bring His peace. He is our refuge. The things we were afraid of don’t disappear. They are still there, but since Jesus is with us, we are not afraid. We know that if He allows disease or persecution, or if our fears actually happen, He is big and will help us. So instead of fear, we choose to trust Him.

The next time you are afraid, remember the words of Jesus, “It is I, don’t be afraid.” Allow Jesus in and watch your fears shrink as Jesus becomes bigger and closer.

Thanks again for being here; we’re glad you joined us on Hope for Today. Now, let’s go with Pastor J Mark to John 20 for a look at the disciples and their struggle with fear.

All of us have certain fears that keep nagging us. In letters we get, some people write like this: “Please pray for me so I will have a prosperous life.” Others say, “Please pray for me so that I may pass my exam.” Still others ask us to pray, “So that I might find a good wife.” You see, all of us have certain fears that keep nagging at us.

And fears can be very distressing. They sap our vitality. They make us tired and misdirect our lives. Why do fears come? Are fears normal? Is it possible to overcome fear? The disciples in Jesus’ day also had fears. They had what I call HAUNTING FEAR, the kind that kept nagging at them.

In the sorrow and disappointment of the death of Jesus, fear was the normal response of those who loved Him. This is recorded in John 20:1-10.

1. The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

2. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

3. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

4. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

5. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

6. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

7. And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

8. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

9. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

10. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

In this experience, we discern the REALITIES which caused the haunting fear.

The first Reality is: The Conclusion.

When Mary Magdalene came to the tomb, it was the first day of the week and very early. While it was still dark, she came. What does that tell you about Mary Magdalene? It tells me she had a deep love for the Lord Jesus, which moved her to action so that nothing was too much for her to do.

She came just as soon as it was proper for her to come—on that first day of the week, very early in the morning. As she approached, she saw “the stone taken away from the tomb.” Matthew’s gospel reports to us that an angel rolled it away. When Mary arrived at the tomb, she saw that the stone had been rolled away from the mouth of the tomb.

Her immediate conclusion was that somebody had stolen the body. By inference, she drew the conclusion that the body of Jesus had been stolen. There were grave robbers in the community, and they had stolen the body of Jesus and carried it away. She did not stop to look. She did not stop to consider. Fear seized her, and her conclusion drove her to do something about it. Her conclusion was based on insufficient evidence, for all she had seen was the stone rolled away from the tomb.

We sometimes draw our conclusions from insufficient evidence, and they may, indeed, give rise to some of our haunting fears. It is good that fear leads to action.

The second Reality is: The Consultation.

She ran quickly to Simon Peter and told him what her conclusion was. She said, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have laid him.” The body is stolen, she said to Peter.

Now you can imagine, can’t you, how quickly Peter and John looked at each other and simply nodded. There wasn’t a long consultation, a very brief one. They started out for the tomb, racing to arrive there. They ran to the tomb. They agreed to investigate. It seemed like it was second nature to them. They knew this needed some looking into, some verification. But Peter was outrun. The other disciple arrived there first, and he surveyed the tomb. He saw that the stone was rolled away. By stooping down, he could look into the tomb. He saw the linen clothes lying there, but he did not go in.

That consultation was very brief before they started out for the tomb. And John (we believe it was John), arriving there first, simply surveyed the situation without drawing any other conclusion than that which Mary had reported.

Well, it is a good idea to consult with someone else and to exercise some restraint. It didn’t help their fear, however, their haunting fear that somebody had stolen the body of Jesus.

The third Reality is: The Confirmation.

Peter came and went in to examine the facts that were available. He saw the linen clothes lying there. The napkin or handkerchief that was around His head was not with the linen clothes but was wrapped together in a place by itself. The body of Jesus was not there. That was absolutely true.

We do not know exactly how the clothes were arranged. Were they unwound and lying in a heap? Or were they lying in the form of His body? The body was not there. He understood that the body of Jesus had disappeared.

Then the other disciple went in, too, and saw the same thing that Peter saw. The Bible says he saw and believed. Believed what? I think he believed what Mary told them: somebody had stolen the body of Jesus. Because verse 9 tells us, “For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.” So, they must have believed what Mary reported. They had no understanding about the Lord’s resurrection.

Here then, was the confirmation of Mary’s conclusion. There was no body there. Consequently, there was no hope there. As a result, there was no future for them. All the evidence pointed to the conclusion Mary had come to.

So much had happened that the disciples were unable to take it all in. It was His death three days before, His burial in the tomb, the great stone rolled before the mouth of the tomb, and now His disappearance. All this resulted in a haunting fear that all was lost. But Jesus had told them He would rise. Their hope was overshadowed with fear.

I want to brighten your hope. Your haunting fear can be relieved if you’ll trust in Him. The tomb is empty. He arose.

Thank you, J Mark, for this teaching from God’s Word, and thank you for joining us. It is a privilege for us to study God’s Word and learn from it. Now take what we’ve heard and put it into practice. The teaching and instruction in the Bible is for us, and it is meant to be lived.

Don’t be like the man in James 1 who sees himself in a mirror, then goes away and forgets what he looks like. Instead, be like the man in v 25 who looks intently into the Word and is a doer of the work. God says, “that man will be Blessed in what he does.”

And we bless you as you follow Jesus and share Him with those around you. If you have any questions or if you would like today’s teaching, just contact us and ask for it by title or tell us the passage. We also have a study guide available designed to help you learn more from each lesson; it is called the Hope Herald. Please let us know if you are interested, and we would be happy to give you one. 

Here are a few ways you can reach us. The quickest and easiest way is through email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, you could send us a letter, send it to Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Another way you can contact us is through our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. Please look on our website for this teaching and other similar teaching. There you will also find other resources available from Heralds of Hope. Again, the website is heraldsofhope.org

We thank you again for joining us for today’s program. I encourage you to join us again next week as Pastor J. Mark continues teaching from the Gospel of John. We look forward to being with you then and will leave you with this blessing from Number 6. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

This episode is an exposition of John 20:1-10 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with a new opening and closing by Arlin Horst.

It is good to be here with you again today; thank you for being here. Heralds of Hope is honored to study and share God’s Word with you. We count it a privilege to teach from the Bible and Thank God for the opportunity to share this teaching around the world via radio. Along with Bible teaching, we also do Bible distribution, and I share this example from one of our partners in Uganda. We had purchased native-language Bibles for him, and he was distributing them in his area. One of the pastors was overjoyed to have a new Bible because the Bible he was currently using started with Numbers 16 and ended at I Cor. 11; the front and back of his Bible were missing. Again, we were thankful to God to be able to help this man with His Word. As you think of us, pray for Heralds of Hope and ask God to guide us as we share His Word.

Today we are looking at the last few verses in John 19. Before we go there, imagine with me. Put yourself in the shoes of the disciples. You just spent the last three years with Jesus. You saw Him calm the storm. You were there when He healed sick people. You even saw Him call Lazarus out of the grave. You are convinced this is the Messiah. This is the one God promised; generations have been waiting for Him. You are convinced that He can do anything; this is the Messiah who will conquer and rule the world.

Unfortunately, all your hopes and dreams have been killed, just like Jesus. He is lying in a tomb, and your vision for the future is there with Him; it’s over. How could you have been so wrong? How can God be so far away and so silent? Why is God not listening, does He even care? You remember one of Jesus’ last questions, “My God why have you forsaken me?” You feel the same thing. It is dark, it’s difficult, and it’s depressing. You question everything: why am I here? What is true? Who is God? 

This was a very hard time for the disciples. I am guessing you also have been in a season where God has been silent and felt far away. This is the desert, and the desert is God’s place of preparation. It is not easy or fun, but we can see how God has shaped many people through hard times. James and Peter call this the “trying of your faith.” Many have experienced a season of this, and if you are there, take courage; you are in good company.

For example, look at Moses; he spent 40 years in the wilderness before God called him to lead the children of Israel. That is a long time. Remember Joseph; his journey had many ups and downs. Just when things seemed to be going well with Potiphar, he was soon back in prison. I am sure Joseph wondered Where is God? I was doing what God told me to do. Think about David and how he was anointed king as a young man. Then he spent many years running for his life as King Saul tried to kill him. Psalms show us he wrestled with many of these big questions. Even Jesus spent 40 days in the desert. It was after the desert when He began His public ministry.

These are just a few of God using very difficult circumstances to mold and shape His servants. There are others in the Bible, and I am sure you know some of these stories. 

If you are in this place where life doesn’t make sense, I offer two thoughts of encouragement. One, you can do it, hold on, and continue trusting God; every promise He has made is true. The only basis I have for saying this is the second point. If I could go back to the disciples in today’s lesson, I would have told them this, the resurrection is coming. Jesus is dead, but He won’t stay dead. I offer the same encouragement to everyone who finds themselves in a desert. Jesus is alive! Because He is alive, we have hope in every situation. We know someday soon, He will conquer and rule the world, just like the disciples were expecting Him to do, way back then. That’s when it will make sense, save your big questions, for then, Jesus Himself will be able to answer them. Take courage, Jesus cares and sees, and His Word says, “In due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Don’t give up. 

Now let’s give our attention to Pastor J Mark for today’s lesson, Where did they lay Him?

Some who read the records of the crucifixion of Jesus claim that Jesus never died. This is hardly possible if we are honest with the record. We can hardly say Jesus never died.

Then there are others who even claim that He was not crucified. But the record in the Bible leaves no doubt. When we take the words in their true sense, we are led to the conclusion: yes, He was crucified, and yes, He died. He died sooner than the thieves. His death was validated by the soldier.

Because it was a religious holiday, it was necessary to bury the bodies quickly. Two men who loved Jesus, unknown to His disciples, come upon the scene to fill that need, as recorded in John 19:38-42.

38. And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore and took the body of Jesus.

39. And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound weight.

40. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is 

to bury.

41. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein was never man yet laid.

42. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulcher was nigh at hand.

As we watch the actions of these two men, certain DETAILS establish the fact of the burial of Jesus. They answer the question, WHERE DID THEY LAY HIM?

The first Detail: The Permission.

Joseph of Arimathaea was the spokesman. He went secretly to Pilate for fear of the Jews and asked him for the body. He obtained permission to take down the body of Jesus. Apparently, those who loved Him were much too frightened.

Mark’s Gospel reports that Pilate was not sure that Jesus was dead already, so he asked the centurion who was in command at the crucifixion. The captain of the soldiers verified that Jesus was dead.

To get this permission, Joseph was a bold man, even though he went secretly. The Jewish feast of the Passover was near. He must act quickly to take care of the body of Jesus so that he would be able to eat the Passover. He risked his reputation, indeed. But he was willing to do it. So, there was the detail of the permission.

The second Detail: The Preparation.

Another came to help Joseph. His name was Nicodemus. He had come to Jesus by night. We learn this in the early part of John’s Gospel. Jesus called him a master in Israel. And once after that, Nicodemus stood in defense of Jesus when the Sanhedrin would have condemned Him before they heard Him.

He must have been a believer; he must have been. He came to help Joseph take care of the body of Jesus. He was prepared. He came with a mixture of spices, myrrh, and aloes, about 100-pound weight (fifty kilograms). They took the body of Jesus down from the cross and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as was the practice of the Jews, to bury.

Nicodemus was a man of forethought. He came prepared with the spices and linen because they knew they must take care of this quickly. They did not have much time. These dedicated men with loving hands did what they could to the body of Jesus. This is a beautiful detail, the preparation that they made.

The third Detail: The Place.

I read, “Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden.” It was near the hill of crucifixion. And there was a new tomb there, a tomb that had never been used. I have stood at the foot of Calvary, outside of Jerusalem’s old city wall. The garden and the tomb: I have seen them. There they laid Him.

They acted quickly because it was the Jewish day of preparation for the feast of the Passover. The sepulcher was near at hand. Matthew wrote that Joseph used his own new tomb. So they laid His body in the tomb.

These details leave no doubt that Jesus died and was buried: the centurion acknowledged that He was dead; Pilate gave permission to remove the body from the cross; these men prepared their spices and linen to take care of His dead body. They selected a place prepared for a dead body and entombed His body in the sepulcher in which no one had ever been laid.

Thank you, J Mark, for this teaching from God’s Word, and thank you for joining us. It is a privilege for us to study God’s Word and learn from it. Now take what we’ve heard and put it into practice. The teaching and instruction in the Bible is for us, and it is meant to be lived.

Don’t be like the man in James 1 who sees himself in a mirror then goes away and forgets what he looks like; instead, be like the man in v 25 who looks intently into the Word and is a doer of the work. God says, “that man will be Blessed in what he does.”

And we bless you as you follow Jesus and share Him with those around you. If you have any questions or if you would like today’s teaching, just contact us and ask for it by title or tell us the passage. We also have a study guide available designed to help you learn more from each lesson; it is called the Hope Herald. Please let us know if you are interested, and we would be happy to give you one. 

Here are a few ways you can reach us. The quickest and easiest way is through email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, you could send us a letter, send it to Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, Pennsylvania 15533. Another way you can contact us is through our website. Our website is Heraldsofhope.org. Please look on our website for this teaching and other similar teaching. There you will also find other resources available from Heralds of Hope. Again, the website is heraldsofhope.org.

We thank you again for joining us for today’s program. I encourage you to join us again next week as Pastor J. Mark continues teaching from the Gospel of John. We look forward to being with you then and will leave you with this blessing from Number 6. The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

This episode is an exposition of John 19:38-42 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with a new opening and closing by Arlin Horst.