Steve Webb  0:00  
All she can think of is finding her Lord.

Steve Webb  0:10  
This is the Lifespring! One Year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, and podcasting since 2004, I'm your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. It's Gospel Saturday, and we'll complete the book of John by reading chapters 19 to 21. The website is lifespringmedia.com, and I'll have contact information at the end of today's show. How're you doing today? Can you believe there's only 98 episodes left before we've completed reading the entire Bible together? Time flies, doesn't it? Mm-hmm-mm-mm-mm. Let's pray before we read. Our heavenly Father, we thank you so much for your Word. And we thank you for our time together. I pray that you would bless this time, I pray that you would open our minds, open our hearts and teach us. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. All right, are you ready? Let's begin. 

Steve Webb  1:03  
John, chapter 19. Then Pilate ordered that Jesus be taken away and whipped. The soldiers made a crown from some thorny branches and put it on Jesus’ head and put a purple robe around him. Then they came to him many times and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and hit him in the face. Again Pilate came out and said to them, “Look, I am bringing Jesus out to you. I want you to know that I find nothing against him.” So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” When the leading priests and the guards saw Jesus, they shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” But Pilate answered, “Crucify him yourselves, because I find nothing against him.” The leaders answered, “We have a law that says he should die, because he said he is the Son of God.” When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid. He went back inside the palace and asked Jesus, “Where do you come from?” But Jesus did not answer him. Pilate said, “You refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know I have power to set you free and power to have you crucified?” Jesus answered, “The only power you have over me is the power given to you by God. The man who turned me in to you is guilty of a greater sin.” After this, Pilate tried to let Jesus go. But some in the crowd cried out, “Anyone who makes himself king is against Caesar. If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar.” When Pilate heard what they were saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at the place called The Stone Pavement. (In the Hebrew language the name is Gabbatha.) It was about noon on Preparation Day of Passover week. Pilate said to the crowd, “Here is your king!” They shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate asked them, “Do you want me to crucify your king?” The leading priests answered, “The only king we have is Caesar.” So Pilate handed Jesus over to them to be crucified. The soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, Jesus went out to a place called The Place of the Skull, which in the Hebrew language is called Golgotha. There they crucified Jesus. They also crucified two other men, one on each side, with Jesus in the middle. Pilate wrote a sign and put it on the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. The sign was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. Many of the people read the sign, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. The leading priests said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews.’ But write, ‘This man said, “I am the King of the Jews.” ’ ”Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” After the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, with each soldier getting one part. They also took his long shirt, which was all one piece of cloth, woven from top to bottom. So the soldiers said to each other, “We should not tear this into parts. Let’s throw lots to see who will get it.” This happened so that this Scripture would come true: “They divided my clothes among them, and they threw lots for my clothing.” So the soldiers did this. Standing near his cross were Jesus’ mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the follower he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the follower, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, the follower took her to live in his home. After this, Jesus knew that everything had been done. So that the Scripture would come true, he said, “I am thirsty.” There was a jar full of vinegar there, so the soldiers soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a branch of a hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ mouth. When Jesus tasted the vinegar, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and died. This day was Preparation Day, and the next day was a special Sabbath day. Since the religious leaders did not want the bodies to stay on the cross on the Sabbath day, they asked Pilate to order that the legs of the men be broken and the bodies be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man on the cross beside Jesus. Then they broke the legs of the man on the other cross beside Jesus. But when the soldiers came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers stuck his spear into Jesus’ side, and at once blood and water came out. (The one who saw this happen is the one who told us this, and whatever he says is true. And he knows that he tells the truth, and he tells it so that you might believe.) These things happened to make the Scripture come true: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” And another Scripture says, “They will look at the one they stabbed.” Later, Joseph from Arimathea asked Pilate if he could take the body of Jesus. (Joseph was a secret follower of Jesus, because he was afraid of some of the leaders.) Pilate gave his permission, so Joseph came and took Jesus’ body away. Nicodemus, who earlier had come to Jesus at night, went with Joseph. He brought about seventy-five pounds of myrrh and aloes. These two men took Jesus’ body and wrapped it with the spices in pieces of linen cloth, which is how they bury the dead. In the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden. In the garden was a new tomb that had never been used before. The men laid Jesus in that tomb because it was nearby, and they were preparing to start their Sabbath day.

Steve Webb  7:03  
John, chapter 20. Early in the morning of the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. She ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him.” Peter and the other disciple left to go to the tomb. They were running together, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and was the first to arrive at the tomb. Bending down to take a look, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he didn’t go in. Following him, Simon Peter entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. He also saw the face cloth that had been on Jesus’ head. It wasn’t with the other clothes but was folded up in its own place. Then the other disciple, the one who arrived at the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. They didn’t yet understand the scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying. Mary stood outside near the tomb, crying. As she cried, she bent down to look into the tomb. She saw two angels dressed in white, seated where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and one at the foot. The angels asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” She replied, “They have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they’ve put him.” As soon as she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she didn’t know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabbouni” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold on to me, for I haven’t yet gone up to my Father. Go to my brothers and sisters and tell them, ‘I’m going up to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene left and announced to the disciples, “I’ve seen the Lord.” Then she told them what he said to her. It was still the first day of the week. That evening, while the disciples were behind closed doors because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. When the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with joy. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you don’t forgive them, they aren’t forgiven.” Thomas, the one called Didymus, one of the Twelve, wasn’t with the disciples when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, “We’ve seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger in the wounds left by the nails, and put my hand into his side, I won’t believe.” After eight days his disciples were again in a house and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus entered and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here. Look at my hands. Put your hand into my side. No more disbelief. Believe!” Thomas responded to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus replied, “Do you believe because you see me? Happy are those who don’t see and yet believe.” Then Jesus did many other miraculous signs in his disciples’ presence, signs that aren’t recorded in this scroll. But these things are written so that you will believe that Jesus is the Christ, God’s Son, and that believing, you will have life in his name.

Steve Webb  11:03  
John, chapter 21. Jesus later appeared to his disciples along the shore of Lake Tiberias. Simon Peter, Thomas the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, and the brothers James and John, were there, together with two other disciples. Simon Peter said, “I'm going fishing!” The others said, “We will go with you.” They went out in their boat. But they didn't catch a thing that night. Early the next morning Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize who he was. Jesus shouted, “Friends, have you caught anything?” “No!” they answered. So he told them, “Let your net down on the right side of your boat, and you will catch some fish.” They did, and the net was so full of fish that they could not drag it up into the boat. Jesus' favorite disciple told Peter, “It's the Lord!” When Simon heard it was the Lord, he put on the clothes he had taken off while he was working. Then he jumped into the water. The boat was only about 100 meters from shore. So the other disciples stayed in the boat and dragged in the net full of fish. When the disciples got out of the boat, they saw some bread and a charcoal fire with fish on it. Jesus told his disciples, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” Simon Peter got back into the boat and dragged the net to shore. In it were 153 large fish, but still the net did not rip. Jesus said, “Come and eat!” But none of the disciples dared ask who he was. They knew he was the Lord. Jesus took the bread in his hands and gave some of it to his disciples. He did the same with the fish. This was the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from death. When Jesus and his disciples had finished eating, he asked, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than the others do?” Simon Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know I do!” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus said. Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you!” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus told him. Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus had asked him three times if he loved him. So he told Jesus, “Lord, you know everything. You know I love you.” Jesus replied, “Feed my sheep. I tell you for certain that when you were a young man, you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will hold out your hands. Then others will wrap your belt around you and lead you where you don't want to go.” Jesus said this to tell how Peter would die and bring honor to God. Then he said to Peter, “Follow me!” Peter turned and saw Jesus' favorite disciple following them. He was the same one who had sat next to Jesus at the meal and had asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?” When Peter saw this disciple, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “What is it to you, if I want him to live until I return? You must follow me.” So the rumor spread among the other disciples that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say he would not die. He simply said, “What is it to you, if I want him to live until I return?” This disciple is the one who told all of this. He wrote it, and we know he is telling the truth. Jesus did many other things. If they were all written in books, I don't suppose there would be room enough in the whole world for all the books.

Steve Webb  14:31  
Well, Beloved, today we read in chapter 19, about the crucifixion of Jesus. And in chapter 21, we read about some of the appearances of Jesus after the resurrection and before his ascension. Of course, every event spoken of in these three chapters is worthy of further comment, but there's just one word in these three chapters that gets to me every time I read it, one word. Can you guess what that word is? Mary. Picture it. Here she is standing at the opening of the tomb that had held Jesus' broken body. She's utterly broken-hearted that someone has apparently taken him away. And all she wants is for this person who she thinks is a gardener to tell her where they've taken him. She's weeping. She's nearly inconsolable. All she can think of is finding her Lord. How do I know this? Well, in nearly every mention of a person coming in contact with an angel, we're told that the person is terrified. So many times scripture reports that the angel says, "Be not afraid." But here Mary sees two angels sitting where Jesus' body had been. And we don't read anything about Mary being frightened at all. The angels asked Mary why she was crying, and she answers them like she was talking to any normal person. All she can think of is finding her Lord. And when she turns around to leave, and Jesus is standing there, she doesn't recognize him. We're not told why. Maybe she couldn't see clearly because of the tears in her eyes. Maybe she didn't even look directly at him. Maybe her gaze was directed at the ground. Maybe Jesus' appearance was altered in some way. But whatever the reason, she didn't recognize him. So she said to him, "Sir, if you've taken him away, tell me where you've put him and I will go and get him." And that's when it happened. He said her name. Mary. In John 10:27, Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice." There was something about the way Jesus said her name that made the reality of who this was standing in front of her cause her to cry, "Teacher!" And she either fell on her knees and hugged his legs or just hugged him while they were standing. What a joyful scene. And now the tears were of happiness and relief. Mary. She had heard him say her name so many times before, and no one said it like he did. Once she heard him say her name. There was no doubt. Both of my parents have been gone for many years now, but I can still hear what it sounded like when they said my name. I daresay I'll probably never forget the sound of their voices when they said, "Steven." And I'm guessing you can hear how somebody you love says or said your name. I don't know what Jesus' physical voice sounds like. But I have felt him speak to me in that still small voice. But oh how I look forward to hearing his voice call my name when I see him face-to-face. How about you? What are your thoughts? Do you have comments or questions? Contact information is at the end of the show today. And of course, I welcome your comments via boostagram. Tomorrow will be Epistle Sunday and our reading will be Hebrews. We'll begin that book with a reading of chapters 1 through 4. And being Sunday we'll also have a time of praises and prayer requests. So if you have a prayer request or a praise that you'd like to share with the Lifespring family, now is the time to let me know. How to do that will be at the end of the show. 

Steve Webb  18:12  
Anonymous came in today with a weekly $33.33 donation. They're today's Distinguished Producer. Thank you, Anonymous. God bless you. And we have two Associate Producers today. Brother Howie came in with a $100 donation. Thank you, Howie. God bless you. And Michael Haner came in with his weekly $7.77 Stryper donation. Thank you, Michael. God bless you. Boostagram. And I got a boostagram today from @circuitguy. He sent in 500 sats on the "Amos 5-9: Seek God Wholeheartedly" episode. He said, "For some reason, Fountain wouldn't stream sats today. So here's a boost instead. Thank you." Well, thank you for that @circuitguy. Not sure why streaming didn't work for you. After your boostagram came in, I looked at my Fountain account to see if others had the problem and saw that streaming was working for at least some people. Of course, I wouldn't know if streaming failed for other people. All I can suggest is that if it happens again, you could go to the homepage on the Fountain app. Tap on the three horizontal lines at the top right and then tap on "Send Feedback." There's a place to report bugs there. Regardless @circuitguy, thank you so much for your support. God bless you. And thanks to those of you who were able to stream your sats and you did. So thank you for that. God bless you. Beloved, it is your value-for-value donations of time, talent, or treasure that help to keep the Lifespring! One Year Bible coming atcha. If you're glad the show exists, and if you get something out of it, all I ask is that you send back some of that value to me in the form of time, talent, or treasure. To find out more go here:

Jingle  19:48  
Lifespringmedia.com/support 

Jingle  19:52  
I'll thank you and I believe God will bless you.

Steve Webb  20:00  
Let me hear from you. Do you have a comment? Do you have a question or a prayer request or a praise report? Well, here's how to reach me if you do. To leave a voice message, call the Lifespring Family Hotline at +1-951-732-8511. Or for prayer requests and praise reports go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. You'll find a, uh, an easy-to-fill-out form there. You can tell me all the information you want me to have. And if you want to remain anonymous, that's okay. If you've got a comment or a question, go to comment.lifespringmedia.com. Or use a boostagram to do any of that stuff. And of course, my email address as always is steve@lifespringmedia.com.

Steve Webb  20:46  
Thanks to Sister Denise, Michael Haner, Scott Snider, Jason Paschall, and Sister Brittaney for their donations of time and talent. Jason Paschall did today's show art. Thank you, Jason. God bless you. And thanks to everybody who donated today to help support the show. I appreciate it. And I'm so glad we got to meet today, Beloved. let's do it again, shall we? Until then, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye.

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Transcribed by https://otter.ai