Ye Might have Life through His Name...the Wayfarer

Ye Might have Life through His Name

John 20:30-31 KJV

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

Why was the gospel given us?

The final verse of this opening scripture sums up the reason for that scripture's existence!

These words from the apostle John, follow his narration of the events of a special day, one like no other in his lifetime, and one that could never be surpassed in importance in any lifetime.

John 20:15-31

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁵ Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

¹⁶ Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

¹⁷ Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

¹⁹ Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

²⁰ And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

²² And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

²³ Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

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 the disciples gathered behind locked doors  mourning the loss of Christ Jesus, even after having heard the fact of His resurrection from Mary who relayed the joy of that resurrection, only to be doubted by the majority of those assembled, Christ revealed himself among them, resurrected to LIFE, just as promised.

There were no new clothes, new bonnets and shoes being worn in celebration on His arrival, no eggs hidden, nor bunnies hopping around to detract from the serious and wondrous event that occurred, only the presence  of the resurrected Christ, bringing the joy and peace of that resurrection, and the promise of eternal life for those who believed.

Sorrow of loss turned rapidly to joy of recovery, and discovery of the reality of that resurrection.

Every miracle, every memory of the time spent learning from the Master, every time of joy and time of doubt  paled by comparison, not becoming less important because of that resurrection, but of utmost importance to those witnessing that revelation of the resurrected Savior, the Son of God, Christ Jesus.

The celebration that replaced the sorrow was one of JOY, a joy that demanded to be shared with the world, as the promise of eternal life was given proof, and that proof needed to be extended to the remainder of the world at large, with all the various peoples of that world as the same promise was extended to them as well.

The only proviso was that given in John 3:16, and that given throughout the new testament by Christ Himself during the ministry that led to this moment...the ministry whose purpose WAS and is this moment!

The emptiness of a tomb was replaced by the fullness of LIFE!

The sorrow of death was replaced by the Joy of LIFE and the ongoing eternal promise of LIFE.

The Love given through the sacrifice on a cross, the blood that was shed for the remission of sin, the absolute and total LOVE offered mankind by God manifested itself in the proof of that resurrection.

The gospel, passed down generation to generation remains the same gospel of  the Truth of that resurrection.

The Way was shown, the Truth disclosed, and the Life offered to any and all who choose to believe.

It is that sorrow  that was replaced with the Joy of that truth that must be shared by all who choose to believe, despite the distraction provided by men that continues to obfuscate the very reason for celebration of a "holiday" that celebrates far lesser joy through the secular media without pause being given to the FACT of the promise delivered by Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:12

 ¹²For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen

the Wayfarer