Monday: Later…
Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.
V1-2
Sometimes we hear snippets of how Jesus is working in our communities, well v1 is a snippet: ‘Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples’. It would be enough to know that Jesus appeared again to His disciples, and we would be encouraged by that, but I am glad that John puts in the ‘This is how it happened’ in v 3-14, because not only does it again show us the grace, mercy and wisdom of God in who He chooses, and how He invests into their (our) lives, but it also shows how He treats us even when we feel we have failed Him.
V2 also shows us who was involved – three fishermen (Peter, James and John). A twin, a student of the scriptures, and a couple of others (maybe a zealot or a tax collector…), very different people, different skills, different ways of reacting. We can probably assume as well, by looking at who they were, that they were not ‘professionals’ and didn’t seem to be likely candidates to start and run a church. In fact, we probably wouldn’t even choose them to run our youth groups! But they were all accepted into Jesus’ close group of associates.
Where are the young people in your church, and how do you see them? Maybe like Jesus we need to invest in them today, helping them to have strength for what they need to be, and look with hope to tomorrow when they maybe leading our church.
To do, today:
Today, let us remember the snippet that John started with… ‘Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples’, this brings hope and strength, even knowing this, and spend some time praying for the schools, pupils, teachers in your locality. Pray that they would have many opportunities through their school career for Jesus to appear to them.
And also, think of the ones you know, maybe in your church, and ask God to help you as you encourage, train and strengthen them in their faith.
If you want to hear more than just a snippet of what God is doing in your schools in your area, then contact your area worker (www.niscu.org.uk/contact-us) and ask to be included on our regular prayer mailing list.
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