No longer death but new beginnings

Every day we’re asking four questions about part of the Bible. Today Bern Leckie answers:

What did I like about today's passage?

While this looks like the end of a story, we are celebrating a beginning today.

I love how clear John makes it that Jesus’ victory over death was not just a spiritual ideal but a physical reality. This is important, partly because it’s a clear statement that we have real, physical hope in Jesus and his resurrection. He is more than an inspirational spiritual motivator but a true conqueror of the worst things that can happen to us.

The risen, perfect saviour sharing a breakfast feast also shows me that breakfast feasts are good too! It’s not like we need excuses to enjoy food in our house, but some people in John’s time worried a lot about staying spiritually pure by avoiding everything earthly. As he shows us Jesus eating, John is reminding us that we don’t need to make that division. We can enjoy all of God’s things today.

Of course, that isn’t just stuff to feed ourselves. Jesus used this time to restore Peter, who was probably feeling that he had failed by denying he knew Jesus in difficult times, just as Jesus said he would. Jesus loved, trusted, empowered and appointed him anyway. Was that based on some special ability he knew Peter possessed? No, I think it was solely down to the love Peter readily confessed when it really mattered – when Jesus asked.

Jesus knew how responsive Peter would be when the Holy Spirit would move him, give him boldness and change his mind when God wanted to begin showing him how much further his kingdom would extend to include everyone God loves. That includes you and me.

What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?

God’s kingdom plan is all about new beginnings. His love for us took understandable human form in Jesus, as we celebrate today. This love was not just words but actions showing how much God values and believes in us. Jesus shows us how to put this love into practice too.

What am I going to do differently as a result?

When I think back to past family Christmases, they have often felt deathly difficult, especially when people have brought the emotional baggage of disappointment with themselves or each other. We have had some really horrible ones, to be honest!

But over recent years, I am very thankful that love, which I would credit to God as the source, has been at work. We’ve seen and felt a lot of restoration, affirmation of each other’s value and especially appreciation of new life – our son, for example. Family gathering has moved from pain to joy, and several have shown new interest at times in the faith some of us share.

This year presents unique challenges, though. As we look to catch up online instead of face to face, I’m thinking how much we will miss eating together. It also feels hard to talk about anything particularly deep, meaningful and faith based. But the end of John’s gospel reminds me that Jesus has incredible power and, when we love him, we are only at the beginning of what he can do with us to express this, restore relationships and save the world. Pray for us!

Who am I going to share this with?

My family. And to you, I pray you find renewal with your loved ones too. Happy Christmas!