“This Same Jesus”

“This Same Jesus”                                   


Each day for the past eight days I have posted, on my blog, a few incredible things that happened during Holy Week. We looked at Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, some occurrences in the city, His arrest, death, burial, and resurrection. 


Many people believe He just went straight back to Heaven after God raised Him from the dead. But that’s just not the way it was. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts give highlights of some of the events that occurred during the forty days between His resurrection and ascension. 
  

Let’s look at a few:

-      Luke 24:13-35 – Jesus appeared to two of His followers on the road to Emmaus, having conversation as they walked along. Not recognizing Him, the men told Jesus about the remarkable events that occurred in Jerusalem in the past few days. These events centered around Jesus and the things He said and did and that He had been crucified. 

Jesus then talked about the Christ and explained some things about Himself. When they sat down to eat and Jesus blessed and broke the bread, they recognized Him and then He vanished.


They said to one another, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

-      Luke 24:36–49 – Jesus appeared to His discipled while they were gathered. He said, “Peace to you.” But they were terrified and feared they had seen a ghost. He said, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?” He showed them the wounds in His hands and feet and asked, “Do you have any food here?” He demonstrated he was real and could even eat food. 

-      Luke 24:49 and Acts 1, He promised the outpouring of His Spirit which would empower His followers to do miraculous works like He had done.

-      John 20:27-29 – Jesus appeared to Thomas who had doubted He had risen and said, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen me and yet have believed.” I especially like this because He’s talking about us. 

-      John 21:1-14 – Beside the Sea of Tiberias, He called out to some of his disciples as they were fishing. When He asked, they told Him they had caught no fish. He told them to cast their net on the other side of the boat and when they did, they got a huge catch. Meanwhile He prepared breakfast for them on the shore. 

-      John 21 - Jesus restored Peter after his shame of denying that He knew Jesus.

At the end of the forty days, His disciples were gathered around and asked Him if He was going to restore the kingdom to Israel.   


He replied, “’It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth’” (Acts 1:7-8). 

Artist Lesley James from 

"The Lord Has Need of YOU" by Connie Wohlford

Then as they watched, He was taken up to Heaven. Two angels, dressed in white, stood nearby and said, “’Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven’” (Acts 1:11).


We who are in Christ anticipate His return. Whether we refer to it as That Day or the Day of the Lord, our ultimate hope is in Jesus, and His return when the fullness of time, according to God’s clock, has come. 


I’ll never forget the thrill of standing on the Mount of Olives, looking across the Kedron Valley at Jerusalem, thinking about the ancient prophecy. “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south” Zechariah 14:4.

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I encouraged you to read, in your Bible, about the last days of Jesus’ life and the days leading up to His ascension. A lot happened in those few days. Begin your reading at these points: Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19:28, John 12:12, Acts 1. Be blessed with me as we learn Jesus. 


In these posts, I’ve used some pictures and quotes from my book titled, The Lord has Need of YOU.* The illustrations are watercolor paintings by artist, Lesley James. 


Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. 


*The Lord Has Need of YOU, by Connie Wohlford. Copyright Connie Wohlford, 2019, Hoot Books Publishing.

*The Lord Has Need of YOU can be purchased directly from me via email author@conniewohlford.com or through Amazon,  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1687536104/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0


©Copyright 2020 Connie Wohlford

The First Evangelist

The First Evangelist

Who do you think of when you hear the word evangelist? For many of us, that would be Billy Graham.

By definition, an evangelist is a person who seeks to convert others to the Christian faith, especially by public preaching. (Google search)

Likely, you’ve never wondered who the first in that field was.

Let’s take another look at the woman at the well, as recorded in John’s Gospel. As mentioned in my last post, she was a person who would be unnoticed and disregarded by any Jew—especially any upstanding Jewish man. After all she had three strikes against her: she was a Samaritan; she was a woman; she had a bad reputation. 

Yet Jesus gave her His full attention and even told her He was, in fact, the Jewish Messiah. Other than His disciples, this unqualified woman, whose name we don’t even know, was the first person to whom Jesus revealed His identity as the Christ.

According to John, it was just after Jesus said, “I am He,” that His disciples showed up with lunch. They were shocked to find Jesus having a conversation with this undesirable person. 

The woman, by this time, was full to overflowing with living water. She left her waterpot by the well and rushed back into the city of Sychar. 

John records that she went into the city and told the men, “Come, see a man who told me all things I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” (John 4:39)

Her enthusiasm must have been convincing. Can you imagine the changed countenance of this woman? She was known to the locals as tainted. She was personally insecure and guilt-ridden. But now—now—she was radiant. She had met the Messiah—the Deliverer—Who had just delivered her from her shame and her past. Now, all of a sudden, she was a change agent—an influencer in her city. 

Immediately those she told left the city and went out to see Jesus for themselves. The Gospel writer says that many people of the city believed in Jesus because of her testimony when she said, “He told me all that I ever did” (John 4:39).

The townsfolk then urged Jesus to stay with them for they were hungry for more. Like the woman, they were thirsty for the living water that only Jesus could give.

So Jesus and His disciples stayed with them in Sychar for two days, and according to John, “Many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, ‘Now, we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world’” (John 4:41-42).

So now this city of Sychar, in the outcast region of Samaria, is known as the first place where a large group of people became followers of Christ. And this outcast woman was the first recorded evangelist. She believed Jesus, then went out to tell her testimony to others and said to them, “Come and see.”

We learn much form John’s chronicled account. Our King will not hesitate to go to downcast places to reach downcast people. We also see here some principles of the Great Commission. As Jesus ascended to Heaven after His resurrection, He said, “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19a).

In obeying His command, we are to tell of our own experiences with Jesus, and invite people to come and see for themselves. We can also introduce others to Jesus, using our Bibles and by inviting them to church.

Without a pulpit or a title, we can tell others about Jesus. Eloquence is not necessary and credentials are not required. Like the woman at the well, we can each be an evangelist. We should routinely ask God to show us who to tell and invite. I know it’s not easy for most of us, but the Holy Spirit is well able to lead us. Also, He just may be preparing that person’s heart to receive what we have to say. 

There are lots of thirsty people out there and within each follower of Christ is an ever-flowing fountain of living water. We have the words of Eternal Life. Let’s tell them to, “Come and see.”

Your comments are welcome.

©Connie Wohlford 2016

“Say, ‘Yes,’ Granny. Say, ‘Yes!’”

“Say, ‘Yes,’ Granny. Say, ‘Yes!’”      

“Say, ‘Yes,’ Granny. Say, ‘Yes!’”

His image is seared into my mind forever—my four year old grandson looking up at me—with huge brown eyes and raised eye brows, yearning for a positive response. As any self-respecting granny would, I looked adoringly at his face wanting to say, “Yes,” but he had not yet stated his request.

So before giving an answer, I had to say, “What is it, William? What do you want, you precious darling?”

I believe God says to us, “Say ‘Yes,’ (insert your name). Say ‘Yes!’” And, hey, He may even add, “you precious darling.”  When God calls our names to follow Him initially and when He gives a specific directive, He wants our response to be, “Yes.”

And just like William, sometimes our Lord wants us to say, “Yes,” even before we know what He wants us to do.

We must be convinced that when we say, “Yes,” to the Lord, it’s for our good.

 

We must know, in the depths of our being, that when we say, “Yes,” to our Creator, we open up the door to our destiny.

When Jesus called His disciples to follow Him they each said, “Yes,” immediately, knowing little about to what they were agreeing. But in their hearts, they knew they could trust Him. 

 Matthew tells us,

“While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him” (Matthew 4:18-22 ESV).

We don’t know what is weighing in the balance by our answer. But God knows.

We don’t know what hardship or blessing will result from our answer. But God knows.

What if Peter, Andrew, James, and John had said, “No,” when Jesus said “Follow Me.” Each would have closed the door to his God-ordained destiny.

Are you aware that you have a God-ordained destiny? God knows each of our names and we’re each called to follow Jesus. He has a plan and purpose for each of our lives (Jeremiah 29:11). 

When we say, “Yes,” and believe and receive Jesus, we’re taking the first step into our God-ordained destiny. That first step, though, is not the end-all. Yes, it determines our eternal home but it’s just the beginning of our walk with the Lord.

Over and again, we need to say, “Yes,” to the call of Christ. Each time we do, we’re stepping further into our destiny and deeper into our relationship with Jesus.

As we trust Him with more, He trusts us with more. I repeat: As we trust Him with more, He trusts us with more.  

“He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also with much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much” (Luke 16:10 NASB).

Is Jesus asking you to say, “Yes,” to something? Don’t say, “No,” closing the door to your destiny. By the way, “Maybe,” is a negative response as well.

Perhaps, like me, you’ve said, “No,” to His call in the past. That doesn’t mean it’s over. Our God is full of grace and is a second and third (and more) chance God. 

He doesn’t get mad at us but it saddens Him when we turn away from His calling

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This time say, “Yes.” Boldly say, “Yes,” with joy and anticipation at what God’s going to do.  With a willing vessel, God is able to do exceedingly more than we can ask or think or imagine because of his Spirit working in and through us (Ephesians 3:20).

Is God saying, “Say, ‘Yes,’ (your name). Say, ‘Yes!’”?

 ©Connie Wohlford 2016