"Reader, I have now set before you your Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, the true Son of God, who was begotten by the Father by an eternal and ineffable generation, consubstantial and co-equal with the Father in all things. In these last times, according to prophetic word, He was incarnate for us, suffered, died, rose again from the dead and was made King and Lord of all things. This is He who is appointed and given to us by God the Father as the fulness of all grace and truth, as the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world, as the ladder and door of heaven, as the serpent lifted up to render the poison of sin harmless, as the water which refreshes the thirsty, as the bread of life, as the light of the world, as the redeemer of God’s children, as the shepherd and door of the sheep, as the resurrection and the life, as the corn of wheat which springs up into much fruit, as the conqueror of the prince of this world, as the way, the truth and the life, as the true vine, and finally, as the redemption, salvation, satisfaction and righteousness of all the faithful in all the world, throughout all ages. Let us therefore pray God the Father that being taught by His gospel, we may know Him who is true and believe in Him in whom alone is salvation, and that believing, we may feel God living in us in this world and in the world to come may enjoy His eternal and most blessed fellowship.

Amen and Amen."

John 21:18-25

1. We learn that the future history of Christians, both in life and death, is foreknown by Christ.
2. We learn that a believer’s death is intended to glorify God.
3. We learn that whatever we may think about the condition of other people, we should think first about our own.
4. We learn the number and greatness of Christ’s works during His earthly ministry.

"There is no such thing as luck, chance or accident in the journey of our life. Everything from beginning to end is foreseen, arranged by One who is too wise to err and too loving to do us harm."

"We are so apt to regard life as the only season for honouring Christ and action as the only mode of showing our faith that we overlook death, except as a painful termination of usefulness. Yet surely this ought not so to be. We may die to the Lord as well as live to the Lord, we may be patient sufferers as well as active workers."

"Such is the weakness of human nature that even true Christians are continually liable to run into extremes. Some are so entirely absorbed in their own inward experience and their own heart’s conflict that they forget the world outside. Others are so busy about doing good to the world that they neglect to cultivate their own souls. Both are wrong and both need to see a more excellent way..."

"As much of Christ’s sayings and doings are recorded as the human mind can take in. It would not be good for the world to have more. The human mind, like the body, can only digest a certain quantity. The world could not contain more because it would not."

Questions:

1. We hear Jesus tell of Peter's death. Ryle points out that Jesus not only knows and has arranged how Peter will die, but each of his children, which, though knowledge that would make us miserable, is of unspeakable comfort to us. That is because our lives, from beginning to end, have been ordained by a God who is too wise to err and to loving to do us harm. When trials come, do we call such truths as this to mind? Have we known the resting and soothing reflection in times of trouble that "every step of my journey was foreknown by Christ?"
2. We hear Jesus, as he speaks of Peter's death, that how he will die will glorify God. Ryle points out that we are apt to think that life is the only time to glorify God and that death is the painful termination of useful glory to the Lord. Yet, Ryle exhorts a number of ways we can glorify God in death: by being ready for it, by patiently enduring pains, and by testifying to others of the comfort we have in Christ. Would we not take up Bunyan's advice and keep our last hour continually in mind and make it our company-keeper? How will you seek to do this?
3. We hear Jesus respond to Peter, as he inquired about the apostle John, that he should not be concerned so much about him as about following Jesus. Ryle warns us that many today fall into the extremes of either taking too much interest in ourselves, or too much in others. Christians, like Jesus, will seek to do good to others, but never at the expense of our own souls. Which side do we tend to err on? How can we seek to bring balance to this?
4. The book of John ends by saying that much more could have been written about Jesus. Ryle points out that this is saying is spiritual and figurative instead of literal. He says that if more were written we would throw it away because we simply could not handle the quantity. What we have been given is enough to make every believer without excuse, enough to show every inquirer the way to heaven, enough to satisfy the heart of every honest believer, enough to condemn a person if they do not repent and believe, and enough to glorify God. May we, like newborn infants, hunger for the pure spiritual milk of the word, and may it make us wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ! May the grace of Christ be with you!

John 21:15-17

1. We should notice Christ’s question to Peter: “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
2. We should notice Peter’s answer to Christ’s question. Three times we find the apostle saying, “You know that I love You.”
3. We should notice Christ’s command to Peter. Three times we find Him urging Peter to care for His flock: once, “Feed My lambs” and twice My sheep.

"Let us take heed that there is some feeling in our Christianity. Knowledge, orthodoxy, correct views, regular use of forms, a respectable moral life: all these do not make up a true Christian. There must be some personal feeling towards Christ. Feeling on its own, no doubt, is a poor useless thing and may be here today and gone tomorrow. But the entire absence of feeling is a very bad symptom and speaks ill for the state of a person’s soul."

"Ask them whether they are converted, whether they are a believer, whether they have grace, whether they are justified, whether they are sanctified, whether they are elect, whether they are a child of God: ask them any one of these questions and they may perhaps reply that they really do not know! But ask them whether they love Christ and they will reply, “I do.” They may add that they do not love Him as much as they ought to do, but they will not say that they do not love Him at all."

"It is not loud talk and high profession, it is not even impetuous, occasional zeal and readiness to draw the sword and fight—it is steady, patient, laborious effort to do good to Christ’s sheep scattered throughout this sinful world which is the best evidence of being a true-hearted disciple. This is the real secret of Christian greatness."

Questions:

1. We see in these verses the question of Jesus to Peter: "Do you love me? and Peter's reply, "You know that I love you." Ryle declares that knowledge, orthodoxy, correct views, regular use of forms, and a respectful moral life, though important, do not make up a true Christian. This question to Peter is an important question for us: do we love the correct views about Jesus that we hold? Do we walk morally out of love for Jesus? Ryle carefully declares that our feelings can be a poor useless thing and can be here today and gone tomorrow, but can it be said the feeling of love for Christ is totally absent from our lives? What does this do to encourage or humble you?
2. We hear Jesus command Peter to feed his sheep and lambs. This, Ryle declares, is the real secret to Christian greatness, namely that usefulness to others is the great test of love, and working for Christ the great proof of really loving Christ. If this is true, how true is it in our lives? Are we aiming daily to think of others, care for others, do good to others, lessen the sorrow of others and increase the joy of others? Can we say that it is more blessed to give than to receive?

John 21:1-14

1. We should observe the poverty of the first disciples of Christ.
2. We should observe the different characters of different disciples of Christ.
3. We should observe the abundant evidence which Scripture supplies of our Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection.

"These very men who toiled all night in a boat, dragging about a cold wet net and eating nothing, found it necessary to work hard in order that they could eat—these very men were some of the first founders of the mighty church of Christ which has now spread so far. They went from an obscure corner of the earth and turned the world upside down."

"The one thing needed is to have the grace of the Spirit and to love Christ. Let us love all of whom this can be said, though they may not see with our eyes in everything. The church of Christ needs servants of all kinds and instruments of every sort; penknives as well as swords, axes as well as hammers, chisels as well as saws, Marthas as well as Marys, Peters as well as Johns."

"The resurrection of Christ is the crowning glory of the work of redemption. It proved that He finished the work He came to do and as our Substitute, had overcome the grave. The resurrection of Christ is a miracle that no unbeliever can explain away. Above all, the resurrection of Christ is the pledge of our own. As the grave could not keep the Head, so it shall not keep the members."

Questions:

1. We see the disciples of Jesus hard at work fishing. Ryle points out that these poor, uneducated men are one of the many pieces of evidence that Christianity has come from God, for there is no other explanation for how the name of Christ has reached the far edges of the earth and turned it upside down. Take a moment to praise God for his working in history. What book on church history or biography has helped you appreciate this point?
2. We again see, of all the disciples, John and Peter highlighted once again. Ryle again highlights the differences between these two disciples who loved Jesus Christ as one sees and the other acts. Jesus Christ, the head of the church, is the one who places his people in His body and then gives them gifts for the common good. Ryle says that the church needs servants of all kinds and instruments of every sort; penknives as well as swords, axes as well as hammers, chisels as well as saws, Marthas as well as Marys, Peters as well as Johns. Yet, the one thing that matters is that all have the Spirit and love Christ. Can we say that we love all who love Christ? Can we say with Sinclair Furguson, "if Christ is not ashamed to indwell them, I will not be slow to embrace them?"
3. We see Jesus spending time with his disciples on the shore of Galilee. Ryle again draws from this irrefutable proof that Jesus rose from the dead as these men, who lived with him for 3 years, and one of whom saw him die on the cross, now see him eating fish and talking with them. The truth is: what greater evidence could be provided to prove Jesus rose from the dead? This is the great truth that no unbeliever can explain away, though some try. When is the last time we thanked God that our faith is not blind, but is based on those who saw and testified and staked their lives on this fact?

John 20:24-31

1. We should mark how much Christians may lose by not regularly attending the assemblies of God’s people.
2. We should mark how kind and merciful Christ is to believers who are slow and weak.
3. We should mark how Christ was addressed by a disciple as “God,” without prohibition or rebuke on His part.

"We little know how dependent our spiritual health is on ordinary and regular habitual helps and how much we suffer if we miss our medicine."

"Our Lord has many weak children in His family, many slow pupils in His school, many raw soldiers in His army, many lame sheep in His flock. Yet He bears with them all and casts none away. Happy is the Christian who has learned to deal likewise with their brothers and sisters. There are many in the church who, like Thomas, are doubting and slow, but for all that, like Thomas, are real and true believers."

"Let us settle it firmly in our minds that the divinity of Christ is one of the great foundation truths of Christianity and let us be willing to go to the stake rather than let it go. Unless our Lord Jesus is truly God there is an end of His mediation, His atonement, His advocacy, His priesthood, His whole work of redemption. These glorious doctrines are useless blasphemies unless Christ is divine."

Questions:

1. We see that Thomas was missing when Jesus first appeared to his disciples, leaving him for a week in unbelief. Ryle exhorts, as far as is possible with us, to not forsake the assembly and miss what may be the word needful for us in the season we are in. He says that we know little of our spiritual health's dependence on the ordinary means of grace of gathering for worship, Bible reading, prayer, and fellowship. How easy is it for us to skip a worship service? Are the things that draw us away such things as we could see the face of our Savior and know his smile?
2. We see the Lord Jesus showing great grace and mercy toward Thomas in his doubting. Ryle encourages us to see the kindness of Jesus toward us, and then to have grace to show such kindness to others. He says that there are many slow pupils, raw soldiers, and lame sheep that belong to Jesus Christ, and that happy is the one who can show kindness to ones like this. Have we learned this lesson in our own lives? Are we inclined to be patient or impatient toward those who are weak?
3. We see Thomas declare that Jesus is His Lord and His God. Here, Ryle says, amongst other places, is irrefutable proof of Jesus' divinity. He states that if it is not true, then also go His mediation ministry, atonement, advocacy, priesthood, and whole work of redemption. Our salvation rests on the fact that Jesus was both God and man. Does this truth seem unimportant because it is not immediately practical, or is it the bedrock of your salvation?

John 20:19-23

1. We should observe the remarkable language with which our Lord greeted the apostles, when He first met them after His resurrection.
2. We should observe the remarkable evidence which our Lord supplied of His own resurrection.
3. We should observe the remarkable commission which our Lord conferred upon His eleven apostles.

"Peace, we may safely conclude, was intended by our Lord to be the keynote to the Christian ministry. That same peace which was so continually on the lips of the Master was to be the great subject of the teaching of His disciples. Peace between God and humanity through the precious blood of atonement, peace between men and women through the infusion of grace and charity, to spread such peace as this was to be the work of the church."

"That principle is that our Master requires us to believe nothing that is contrary to our senses. Things above our reason we must expect to find in a faith that comes from God, but not things contrary to reason."

"To treat ministers as being in any sense mediators between us and God is to rob Christ of His prerogative, to hide saving truth from sinners and to exalt ordained ministers to a position which they are totally unqualified to fill."

Questions:

1. Jesus' first words to his disciples is peace. Ryle points out that this should be no surprise as this was the song sung by angels at Christ's birth, and was the general subject of what he preached for 3 years. Peace with God through the blood of Christ is what the church must proclaim and promote in the world. Is that what we promote and what our churches promote?
2. Jesus condescends to his disciples by having them see that he had a real body. Ryle, in light of this, lays down a helpful principle, namely that although we can expect to find things above our reason when it comes to knowing God (like the Trinity), we should not expect anything contrary to reason (like Roman Catholicism telling us that the bread and wine are actually and really the body and blood of Jesus). How does this principle help you?
3. We see Jesus commissioning his disciples. Ryle warns that this passage has been the subject of controversy for hundreds of years, and gives a more probably understanding, namely that the apostles were commissioned to preach the gospel, which was also means by which sins would be forgiven upon hearing and believing. He warns against the silence of such arguments that would give them authority to absolve people of sins, evidence of which we would expect to see in Acts and the Pastoral Epistles but find nothing of the sort. He exhorts us to respect the high office of the minister in his gospel ministry, but warns against investing more power and authority than Christ has given. If a pastor, how do you see your role? If not, what role and authority do you see in your pastor?

John 20:11-18

1. We see that those who love Christ most diligently and perseveringly are those who receive most privileges from Christ’s hand.
2. We see that the fears and sorrows of believers are often quite needless.
3. We see what earthly thoughts of Christ may creep into the mind of a true believer.

"All believers have not the same degree of faith, hope, knowledge, courage or wisdom and it is foolish to expect it. But it is a certain fact that those who love Christ most fervently and cleave to Him most closely will always enjoy most communion with Him and feel most of the witness of the Spirit in their hearts."

"Two-thirds of the things we fear in life never happen at all and two-thirds of the tears we shed are thrown away and shed in vain. Let us pray for more faith and patience and allow more time for the full development of God’s purposes."

"In every age there has been a tendency in the minds of many, to make too much of Christ’s bodily presence and to forget that He is not a mere earthly Friend, but one who is God over all, blessed forever, as well as human. Let us pray for a right judgment in this matter, as in all other things concerning our Lord’s person. Let us be content to have Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith, and present when two or three are met in His name, and to wait for the real presence of Christ’s body till He comes again."

"As He dealt with His erring disciples on the morning of His resurrection, so will He deal with all who believe and love Him until He comes again. When we wander out of the way He will bring us back. When we fall He will raise us again."

Questions:

1. We see Mary Magdalene remain at the tomb of Jesus and become the first to see and hold conversation with the Lord Jesus. Ryle points out that while there are various degrees of faith, hope, knowledge, courage, and wisdom among believers, the simple rule applies: those who love Christ most fervently and cleave to him most closely will, like Mary experienced that Resurrection morning, enjoy most communion with Him. Do we read the Bible just to check off a reading plan list, or to know and enjoy Christ more?
2. We see Mary weep for Jesus even while Jesus is right at hand. Ryle draws from this the reality of what many Christians regularly face, namely anxiety when there is no just cause for anxiety. He states that two-thirds of things we fear in life never happen at all and two-thirds of the tears we shed are thrown away and shed in vain. If we look back on the situations that draw anxiety out of us, even this past month, how many of them come to pass? Would we not pray for more faith and patience and allow more time for the full development of God's purposes?
3. We see Mary receive a gentle rebuke from Jesus when he tells her not to cling to him. Ryle draws from this a mistake of many in every age, namely a tendency to make too much of Christ's bodily presence when what we really need is his Spirit. Are we content to have Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith, present when two or three are gathered, and waiting for his physical presence when he returns?
4. We see Jesus speak tenderly and compassionately to his disciples in the message he gives Mary to deliver to them. Remember, they had fled from and denied him only three days earlier, and now Jesus speaks as if all is forgiven and forgotten. He brings them back and heals their wounds. Ryle declares from Hebrews that this compassionate Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. How does this comfort us as we consider our failings and backslidings?

John 20:1-10

1. We are taught that those who love Christ most are those who have received most benefit from Him.
2. We are taught that there are widely different temperaments in different believers.
3. We are taught that there may be much ignorance even in true believers.

"How is it that many, whose faith and grace it would be uncharitable to deny, work so little, give so little, say so little, make so little effort to promote Christ’s cause and bring glory to Christ in the world? These questions have only one answer. It is a low sense of debt and obligation to Christ which is the account of the whole matter."

"Let us love all who love Christ in sincerity and thank God that they love Him at all. The great thing is to love Jesus."

"After all we must remember that true grace, and not head knowledge, is the one thing needed. We are in the hands of a merciful and compassionate Saviour who passes by and pardons much ignorance when He sees a heart right in the sight of God."

Questions:

1. We see that the first person to Jesus' tomb was Mary. Ryle draws from this evidence that Mary had a deep love for Jesus because she felt her need and indebtedness to Him. He asks why many who have faith and grace work so little, give so little say so little, and make so little effort to promote Christianity in the world? The answer is that we, unlike Mary, do not feel our indebtedness to Christ. If this is us, would we make it our daily prayer that we may see the sinfulness of our sin and the amazing grace of Christ more clearly and distinctly?
2. We see two men, John and Peter, who loved Jesus and yet respond differently when arriving at the tomb of Jesus. Ryle draws out from this that although all Christians are planted by one Spirit and love the same Lord yet have different temperaments and characteristics. Are we guilty of judging others because they are different than us, or don't respond the same way we do or feel the way we feel, or vice versa? Would we be charitable toward those who are different from us and cherish the fact that we love Jesus Christ?
3. John humbly testifies that Peter and himself did not yet understand that Jesus had to rise again from the dead. Ryle draws from this that a believer may be ignorant of many things, but it is grace in the heart that matters most. Far from discouraging knowledge, Ryle exhorts us to seek knowledge and be ashamed of ignorance, but most importantly to make sure we have grace and right hearts. As Paul tells us, knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. May this be true of us for God's glory and our joy.

John 19:38-42

1. We learn that there are some true Christians in the world of whom very little is known.
2. We learn that there are some servants of Christ whose end is better than their beginning.
3. We learn that the burial of the dead is an act which God sanctions and approves.

"He does not hesitate to confess himself one of Christ’s friends, at a time when Jews and Romans alike had condemned Him as a criminal and put Him to death. Surely the man who could do such things must have had strong faith! Can we wonder that wherever the gospel is preached throughout the whole world, this pious action of Joseph is told of as a memorial of him?"

"We must not condemn others as graceless and godless because they do not see the whole truth at once and only reach definite Christianity by slow degrees. The Holy Spirit always leads believers to the same foundation truths and into the same highway to heaven. In these there is invariable uniformity. But the Holy Spirit does not always lead believers through the same experience or at the same rate of speed."

"The true Christian need never be ashamed of regarding a funeral with particular reverence and solemnity."

Questions:

1. We learn of a man not previously known, showing love to Christ when even those who were closest to him had fled. Ryle points out that Joseph of Arimathea was a man of strong faith, and that, like the 7,000 unknown believers in Elijah's day, there are likely numerous Joseph's today we know nothing about. Do we find the greatest value in those who do great things, or do we value all who love Christ despite the flashiness of their works?
2. We see a man who once came to Jesus by night only 3 years later boldly come forward to serve Christ. Ryle highlights that the Holy Spirit always leads believers to the same foundation truths and into the same highway of heaven, yet he doesn't always lead believers through the same experience, or at the same rate of speed. Are we guilty of condemning young believers for not grasping full maturity or despising the day of small things? Do we deal gently with those who have grace but struggle? What does this truth do to help how we deal with others?
3. We see that Jesus' body is buried. Ryle draws out from this evidence that sanctions the burial of the dead and that we should never be ashamed to regard a funeral with particular reverence. In the West, we live in a day in which many want to call a service for a loved one who has passed away a 'celebration of life' instead of a funeral. It seems to me that this is a subtle shift from highlighting the sorrow of such a loss to just focus on the 'good' stuff, and I wonder if we do it because we are ashamed as Ryle says. As of recording this, my family, just this morning, buried our 15-month-old child, Tobias. As Christians, we need to recover the funeral in which we mourn and allow others to mourn with us, or take time to mourn with those who have lost loved ones. We need to bury the dead and give respect to the body God knit together for our loved ones, believing that God will raise that body again when Jesus returns. I have two questions. First, do we give dignity to the body or have we said things like, "that person isn't here?" when standing before the dead? We are embodied souls, and we must treat the dead body with the understanding that God will raise it in glory. Second, Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, "It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting." The Preacher then gives the reason: "for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart." Do we run from and find excuses to not attend a funeral or are we wise and go to learn wisdom even while we mourn with those who mourn?

John 19:28-37

1. Let us mark the frequent fulfilments of prophetic Scripture in every part of Christ’s crucifixion.
2. We should mark the particularly solemn saying which came from our Lord’s lips just before He died.
3. We should mark the reality and truth of Christ’s death.

"It really requires more unreasoning faith to be an unbeliever than to be a Christian. The one who regards the repeated fulfilments of minute prophecies about Christ’s death, such as the prophecies about His dress, His thirst, His pierced side and His bones, as the result of chance and not of design must indeed be willing to believe anything."

"We need not fear that either sin, Satan or law shall condemn us at the last day. We may lean on the thought that we have a Saviour who has done all, paid all, accomplished all, performed all that is necessary for our salvation."

"Whatever view we take of the blood and water, let us make sure that we are among those who “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14). It will matter nothing at the last day that we held during life the most exalted view of the sacraments if we never came to Christ by faith and never had personal dealings with Him."

Questions:

1. We see numerous Scriptures fulfilled in Christ's death. Ryle points out that the only rational explanation of so many prophecies being fulfilled so many years later can only point us to God. How well verses are we with these prophecies, and do they have the effect of strengthening our faith?
2. Jesus's last words on the cross were, "it is finished." Ryle says that we cannot fully comprehend all that this statement contains, though it obviously points to no less than Christ as our substitute, the fulfilling of many prophecies and so forth. One great truth we certainly pull from this is that we need not fear that sin, Satan, or law shall condemn us on the final day, because we lean on a Savior who has done all, paid all, and accomplished all. Stop and praise God for his glorious grace and the firm foundation you stand on in him.
3. We see the reality of Christ's death as the soldier pierces his side and blood and water come out. Ryle says that there are many interpretations of this, but what matters most is that we have washed our robes white in the blood of the Lamb by faith and had dealings with him. Have we done so? Have we seen that our robes are indeed dirty and that nothing but the blood of Jesus can wash them clean? May it be so, and may it increase thanksgiving to Him as we consider it!