New Testament BIBLE STORY #37

 New Testament BIBLE STORY

#37

Especially  written  for  children

Chapter Forty-six:

The Disciples finally Believe Jesus is Immortally Alive!

THOMAS GETS TO SEE JESUS

     The Gospel of John says it was "eight days later."  Now the

Bible uses "inclusive" counting and it uses "exclusive" counting.

If John was using "inclusive" counting then that first day, when

Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, the other women, to Peter, 

and then the other nine disciples, was day number one.....eight days

later was then a another Sunday. If John was using "exclusive"

counting, then day number one was a Monday and day number 

eight was a Monday.

     So either a Sunday or Monday, ALL eleven disciples,

including Thomas, were together in the same room as before, 

with the doors (the Jews were still in an angry mood towards them)

shut tight. But the doors shut, made no difference for Jesus. He

was now glorified, and doors being shut.....well He had no need

of doors. He could appear anywhere He desired. Those born of God,

made immortal, have the power to beam themselves wherever they

will, shall we say, molecule their atoms as invisible and put those 

atoms back together as physical, wherever and whenever they

desire.

     The eleven disciples were together behind closed door, and

in the blink of an eye, Jesus stood among them, and said, "Peace

be with you."

     The apostles were STARTLED and even frightened (remember

only Peter of the eleven had already seen Jesus, and that was

eight days ago), they thought they were seeing a spirit or a ghost.  

     Here we need to understand a few things that the Bible in an

overall ways teaches. We can see in the Bible that God has the

power to make Himself flesh and bone (it was God that came to

Abraham and had a meal with him, in Genesis 18), and God can show

His glorified form, His back parts (because no man can live if

they saw His glorified face and front parts (see Exodus 33:11-23), 

to a human, if He so chooses. Angels, the good righteous

ones, who obey and serve God, can also appear to humans as flesh

and bone. We have many examples of this throughout the Bible. 

And Paul told us to entertain strangers, for in so doing some have

entertained angels and did not know it (Hebrews 13:2). The other

two person that came with the Lord to Abraham (Genesis 18) were

angels. They went on to Sodom and Gomorrah. They actually took

hold of Lot at one point and pulled him back into the house (see

Genesis 19: 10). Angels can then transform themselves into flesh

and bone if they need to. But the fallen angels, or those known

as "demons" in the Bible, are NEVER ever said to be able to do

such a transformation, as to become flesh and bone. They can only

appear to mankind as a "spirit" or "ghost" type. And they have

and still do, appear to people as a "spirit." If you were able,

or if they allowed you to walk up to them and reach out to touch

them, you would touch nothing, your hand or arm would just pass

right through them, come out the other side, and you would feel

nothing.

     God has NOT given the RIGHT or the POWER for fallen angels

or demons to appear as flesh and bone, and we can be mighty

thankful He had not, for they do enough evil damage on this earth

as it is, without having the power to transform themselves into

flesh and bone. Just think what a mess, much bigger and faster

than we could ever imagine, we would be in, if demon spirits

could appear as flesh and bone people. We would never know 

which human was really a demon spirit. That is a frightening thought

just to imagine, but praise the Lord He has never allowed demon

spirits to appear as flesh and bone humans, only as "ghost" type

phantoms.

     When Jesus now appeared, HE just stood in the midst of the

apostles (in a split second not there, and the next spilt second

there among them), they were frightened, thinking they were

seeing an evil spirit, looking like a Jewish man, looking in fact

a lot like Jesus.

     Christ said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do you

have questions in your heart about what you are seeing? See,

look, my hands and my feet, that it is myself; come handle me and

see; for a spirit ghost has not flesh and bones as you see that I

have."    

     And while they still were in a disbelief for joy and wonderment, 

He said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave Him 

a piece of broiled fish, and He took it and ate it before them. 

     A spirit ghost it would seem cannot do such a thing. Another

impossibility God has proclaimed on demon spirits. Yes evil

spirits can only do certain things, God has not allowed them to

do other things that could deceived the human race even more than

they are deceived already by their own human nature and Satan's

influence. Good righteous spirit angels as we can see from

Genesis 18 and other places, can appear as flesh and bone, and

eat a meal with humans. They, being righteous and faithful to

God, would NEVER with those miraculous attributes use them to

harm or deceive the people of this earth. 

     Jesus now looked over at Thomas, and said to him, Put you

finger here, and see my hands; put out your hand and place it in

my side; do NOT be FAITHLESS, but BELIEVING!"  And Thomas

answered, "O my LORD, and my GOD!" Jesus said to him, "Have you

believed because you have seem me? BLESSED are THOSE who have 

NOT SEEN and yet BELIEVE" (Luke 24: 36-43; John 20: 26-29).

     Thomas got his chance to see Jesus and believe. We who have

come AFTER all this, after Jesus returned to the Father in

heaven, have not seen Jesus in this manner, but Jesus said those

who have not seen Him but BELIEVE anyway, are truly BLESSED.

One day, when Christ returns, we with millions of others, will

see Jesus, we will be able to see Him as flesh and bone, and also

as spiritually glorified, in His GLORIOUS POWER form, that is

portrayed to us in Revelation 1: 11-15. We will be able to see

Him from a frontal view, not just the back parts as Moses was

only allowed to see, but we shall see His face, and we shall

live, because we then shall also be in our glorified spiritual

bodies, we also shall be able to appear to humans as flesh and

bone, as being a part of the very family of God.

     Jesus departed from them. A few days went by and they were

reminded by the women who had gone to the tomb that very early

morning, on the Sunday during the feast of Unleavened Bread, that

Jesus had said He would go before them to the Galilee area, and

so meaning they, the apostles should go there also. If fact Jesus

had unstructed the women to tell the apostles to go to Galilee.

     So they all set off for the land of Galilee. Some of them at

least, maybe all of them, were at or very near the shore of

Tiberias. Sometimes the Sea of Galilee is called Sea of Tiberias,

after the name of the Roman emperor Tiberias Caesar. There was

also a town situated on the south west shore of the Sea, called

Tiberias.

     On one particular day Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin,

Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee (James and

John), and two others of Jesus' disciples were together, seven of

them. 

     Simon Peter said to the others, "I am going fishing." The

others said to him in reply, "We will also go with you."  Perhaps

all seven of them were or had been fishermen before they were

called by Jesus to be His apostle.

     They proverbial hung a sign on the door "gone fishing" and

went. But though they toiled through the night, they caught not

one fish.

     Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach, maybe

because of the morning mist, or the dimmed morning light, or

because they were about one hundred yards off shore, they did not

know that it was Jesus standing there. He shouted to them,

"Fellows, have you any fish?" They shouted back, "No, not a one."

Jesus replied with, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat

and you will find some." So they did, and within a minute they

were not able to haul the net in because of the number of fish 

in it. 

     Then John said to Peter, "It is the Lord you know!" When

Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his top

clothes, for he was stripped down to his under garments, for the

hard work they had been doing all night long. He jumped into the

sea and headed for the shore. The other disciples came in the

boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not that far

from land, about a hundred yard's away.

     When they got onto the land, they saw a charcoal fire there,

with fish lying on it, being cooked, and bread to one side. Jesus

said to them, Bring some of the fish that you have caught." So

Simon Peter went aboard the boat and hauled the net of fish

ashore, full of large fish, in fact there was exactly a hundred

and fifty-three fish, and though so many, the net was not torn.

     Peter no doubt was either given strength from God to haul

this net of fish from off the boat to near where the fire was, or

the inspiration of the moment shot his natural adrenaline up sky

high.

     Jesus said to them, "Come, and have some breakfast."  None

dared as Him who He was, because they knew it was indeed the

Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so

also with the fish. It is recorded that this was the THIRD time

Jesus appeared to the apostles, after He was raised from the

dead. The first was to them, when Thomas was absent, then 8 days

later, when Thomas was present, as we have seen. The third time

then was this time here, at the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

WORDS FROM JESUS TO PETER

     After they finished eating breakfast, Jesus said to Simon

Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you LOVE me more than these 

others here?" Peter said to Jesus, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love

you." 

"Then feed my little lambs," Jesus answered.

A second time He said to Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you

LOVE me?" Peter replied, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."

Christ then told him, "Tend to my sheep."

Jesus said to Peter the THIRD time, "Simon, son of John, do

you LOVE me?"  Now Peter was grieved because He said to him the

THIRD time, "Do you LOVE me?" And Peter answered saying, "Lord,

you KNOW EVERYTHING, you KNOW that I LOVE you."  Jesus said to

him, "Then FEED my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you

were young you clothed yourself and walked wherever you wanted

to; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and

another will gird you but not with clothes, and carry you where

you do not want to go." 

     Jesus said this to show in parable language that Peter

would, when older, be taken by the authorities and led to

execution. And history tells us that is exactly what happened

to Peter. He was finally put to death by crucifixion. Peter is it

claimed asked to be crucified up-side-down, saying he was not

worthy be to crucified like his Lord was.

     After Jesus said this to Peter, He ended by saying, "FOLLOW

me."

     Maybe it was deliberate on Jesus' part to ask Peter THREE

times if he LOVED Him, for Peter had DENIED Jesus THREE times,

you will remember. Peter was to be a LEADING apostle, not head

apostle as some claim, but certainly a leading one, and so it was 

fitting that Jesus told him three times to take good care of the sheep 

of Jesus' fold, the ones who would come to believe IN and ON 

Jesus the Christ, as their Master and Savior.

     Peter turned around and saw following Jesus and himself,

John, to whom Jesus had a special kindness towards. John was the

one who leaned across Jesus' chest at the Passover supper meal on

the evening of the 14th of Nisan, and had asked, "Lord, who

is it that is going to betray you?" When Peter saw John, he said

to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man, what is going to happen to

him when he gets older?" Jesus replied, "Look, if it is my will

that this man remains until I come again, what is that to you? It

is really none of your business. You follow me and do the work

I've given YOU to do."

     After these words from Jesus, the story went around and was

spread among the followers of Jesus that John was NOT to DIE!

But, Jesus did NOT say to him that he was not to die, but only,

"IF it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to

you?"

     Jesus was just pointing out to Peter that it should be of no

concern what other apostles and disciples were doing per se, or

how they would end their lives in death, the kind of death they

would die. Peter was told what HIS would be like, from Jesus

Himself, and that was ALL that he was told. Jesus never told any

other of the ten apostles how they would die, and so He never did

say that John would remain alive until He would come again to

earth from heaven.  I guess not, for if that was the case, then

John would still be alive today, and be over 2,000 years old

(John 21: 1-23).

JESUS APPEARS TO THE ELEVEN ON A MOUNTAIN

IN THE GALILEE AREA

     Jesus told the eleven to go to a certain mountain and stay

there until He would appear to them. They did, and in due time

Jesus did exactly as He said He would. He appeared to them, and

when they saw Him they worshipped Him. But it is recorded that

some of them doubted. They were still in "shock" mode so to

speak, for it had never be known that any human person ever rose

from the dead INTO IMMORTAL GLORIFIED LIFE!

     Jesus came close to them and said, "ALL authority in heaven

and earth has been given to me. I want you to go therefore and

make disciples from all nations of the earth, baptizing them in

the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. I

want you to TEACH them to OBSERVE ALL that I have 

COMMANDED YOU; and I will be with you always, even to 

the END of the age."

     It is fitting that people be baptized INTO the Father, He is

the Supreme one, the one who is the HEAD of all, even of Christ

(see 1 Cor. 11: 3). It is fitting that people be baptized INTO

the Son, for He is our SAVIOR. It is fitting that people be

baptized INTO the Holy Spirit, for it is with the Holy Spirit

that God leads, guides, directs, inspires, and gives power and a

sound mind to all His children. The Holy Spirit is the very

divine nature of God that imparts the germ of ETERNAL LIFE

to all who come to the Father through Jesus.

     We baptize by the name of, by the AUTHORITY of Jesus, but 

we should baptize people INTO the Father, then Son, and the Holy

Spirit, in the name of Jesus Christ.

     We also notice Jesus was here making it very clear that OBEYING 

the commandments, all that Jesus commanded, which was also the 

commandments of the Father, for Jesus had said He spoke

nothing that was not given to you from the Father, and Jesus made

it clear that man was not to live by physical bread alone, but by

EVERY WORD that came from the mouth of God, which is the 

WHOLE Bible - see again Matthew 4: 4 (Mat.28: 16-20).

     It was time for the disciples to return to Jerusalem. For Jesus 

told them He would ascend back to heaven from that area and

that they needed to be in Jerusalem to wait for the promise of

the Father, for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on them in a

mighty and in a great POWERFUL way.

     John the apostle, says in his Gospel that Jesus throughout

His ministry did MANY OTHER signs in the presence of the

disciples, which have never been recorded by anyone. So many

other thing Jesus did and said that, John says, if they had all

been written down he supposes that the world itself could not

contain the books that would be written (John 20: 30, 31; 21: 24, 25)

     Now of course John uses a figure of speech here, and means

that the amount of books needed to contain all that Jesus did and

said, would be larger than any Library on earth, maybe as large

as all the large famous Libraries of the earth put together. But

God has given us enough of the life and ministry of Jesus the

Christ for our knowledge and for our salvation at this time. Who

knows maybe in the age to come the New Testament Gospels may be

increased in size and contents to contain much more of what Jesus

did and said while on earth as a human being.

BACK IN JERUSALEM

     After the disciples were in Galilee and Jesus appeared twice

to them (at least two times that is recorded for us), it was time

to return to Jerusalem, for Jesus would say His final goodbye to

them, as He went back to heaven to sit at the Father's right

hand. He also instructed them for the last time in a personal

way. By the time 40 days had passed from Jesus' resurrection to

His ascension back to heaven, the disciples were fully and

finally convinced that Jesus was indeed raised from the dead to

glorious immortality. All of this and Jesus' ascension into the

clouds and then back to be with the Father, we shall cover in the

next chapter.

THE APPEARANCES OF JESUS AFTER HIS

RESURRECTION THAT ARE RECORDED

In or around Jerusalem

To Mary Magdalene (Mark 16: 9; John 20: 11-18)

To the other women (Mat. 28: 8-10)

To Peter (Luke 24: 34)

To ten disciples (Luke 24: 36-43; John 20; 19-25)

To the eleven including Thomas ((Mark 16: 14; John 26-29)

At His ascension (Mark 16: 19, 20; Luke 24: 50-53; Acts 1: 4-12)

To the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Mark 16: 12, 13; Luke 24: 13-25)

Twice in Galilee (Mat.28: 16-20; John 21: 1-24)

To five hundred all at once (1 Cor. 15: 6)

To James and the apostles (1 Cor. 15: 7)

To Paul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9: 1-6; 18: 9, 10; 22: 1-8; 23: 11; 

26: 12-18; 1 Cor. 15: 8)

              .................................

Written February 2003