This week we will be looking at John chapter 21. This final chapter forms an epilogue to the Gospel, and helps to tie up some loose ends. It nicely balances against the prologue of the first eighteen verses of the book and helps to bridge the gap from the depressed and defeated disciples of Easter weekend, to the world changers that we see in the start of the next book in the Bible…

Last week we looked at the death of Jesus and how it impacted Joseph and Nicodemus. We saw how it changed them from secret disciples in to bold and active servants of the Lord. We also looked at how God used the most insignificant to spread the news about the most significant event in all of history. This week we will dive into His resurrection and first few meetings with Jesus after His return.

This section of John deals primarily with the death of Jesus, and touches on the opening events of the following Sunday. It begins with Jesus victory cry, and His voluntary giving up of life. The death of Jesus was one of the most pivotal moments in all of history, and yet some try to say he just fainted and never really died, so we pause here a moment and take a look at His actual death.

This week we are looking at John’s account of the crucifixion of Jesus. Crucifixion is peculiarly horrible way to go, and it maybe the worst method that mankind has come up with yet for putting criminals to death. It was deliberately designed to slow and excruciating. It was so bad that full citizens of the Roman Empire…

As we enter this section we find Pilate again before the crowds trying to release Jesus. Pilate has already pronounced Jesus innocent of all charges, as had Herod by this time. Pilate knew that if he released Jesus he would suffer politically, but he apparently did not want to condemn Jesus to death. Pilate’s plan is…