The Testimony of Wounds

Last night was a wonderful, intimate evening at the Hudson’s home in Kihei, HI.

As to be expected with the Holy Spirit, not all nights follow the outline of notes, so I have included them here for additional insights.

Thank you to those who asked questions, I pray this is a blessing to all who listen, read and are empowered, through Christ Jesus – By His Wounds!

Testimony of the Wounds

The end of John Chapter 20:30-31

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book. ³¹ But these are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,^[a] and by believing you may have life in His name.

The disciples believed in who Jesus was. It is in seeing the power of God displayed in our personal lives, that we believe. The power of God, displayed on earth, is that we might believe.

Talking about ministry after the death of Jesus: John chapter 21 reveals the 3^rdappearance of Jesus to the disciples.

Actually, let’s go back and look at the first 2 encounter:

1. Earlier in John 20 – Marry Magdalene is weeping, she is aware that Jesus is missing. Her grief overwhelms her, so much so that she doesn’t recognize His voice when He asks her, in verse 15 “Woman, why are you crying, who are you looking for”?
2. Marry doesn’t look to see, but assumes the voice she hears is a gardener.
3. She assumes a natural dilemma. How is it that she has been in His presence, knew his words, and still considered a natural thing, natural dilemmas, natural reasons? She was grieved due to supernatural dilemmas, seeming natural.
4. He instructs her on a natural level – “Do not cling to me” (vrs 17)… He had not yet ascended, His point to her was that she not cleave to the natural status of Jesus, not the natural conditions of His presence.
5. He then instructed her in one (2 part) thing: Go and Tell– IMMEDIATELY SHE DOES!
6. Verse 19 – The disciples are gathered, doors locked, because of Fear – They were trapped by their fear. They were gathered, I believe, full of a concoction of fear, hope, weariness, trauma, turmoil – waiting for something, but trapped by fear. Together – Trapped by fear. Even after having heard the report of Mary, there was still fear. He enters, with the words “Peace to you” and shows them His hands and His side… Sometimes we need reminders that Death has no power! What were they fearing? I would like to suggest they were fearing for their life. They were fearing for what they had hoped, would not come to pass… they were fearing what man might do to them, and what God might not do for them? This is a condition we all find ourselves in…
7. He says it twice: “Peace to you” once as He greets them in their fear – How often do we hunger for His peace?!! How often does fear overtake us – PEACE TO YOU!
8. He addresses their natural dilemma again, peace to you – Then He reveals to them the condition of His wounds – “DEATH WHERE IS YOUR STING!” The only thing that death (in Christ), can ever do, is give glory to God! The wounds, the affiliations, they are the testimony of Gods faithful love! We have got to get this into our hearts! The wounds that the enemy has afflicted us with, are the very things, the very markers God will use to reveal His power, His love, His witness in the Land of the Living. How else is the world drawn to him? Let’s reflect on that for a minute – If I am lost in the wounds, then where is the resurrected power? If I cannot display them, in glory, having encountered the Fathers Love, then what can the world hope for? Why would the world want to know a God who cannot heal the wounds of those who Love him? And Let’s be clear, HE WAS BROKEN SO THAT YOU WERE HEALED. IT IS A PAST TENSE. We are not growing in our healing, we are growing in our love – Your healing has already been accomplished (we are gonna take some time with that to take authority over some lies – cause that’s all it is).
9. And after the disciples rejoice (His peace and the testimony of His authority/our authority) over the grave, cause immediate rejoicing. He addresses their personal peace, and then He blesses them with the statement again “Peace to you, As the Father has sent me, I also send you”

Let’s think on this for a moment – The Father sent Him, with the visible scars, yet with the glorious redemption, to proclaim peace to the disciples, so that they could be ministered to in their affiliation of fear. Immediately, He says, that as I was sent to you, so I send you – to the world. Out to the others…

Thomas really struggled – The Lord always meets us in the struggle

3. His final points:

Do you love me: Feed My Lambs

Do you love me: Shepheard my Sheep

Do you love me: Follow me!

What is it that qualifies us, in Him: “LOVE ME”, He says. If you love me, you will follow Him as He goes out, meeting others in the tombs, the rooms, and fishless boats. You will comfort them, as He comforted us, revealing the Power of the Father, which has been given us, through Christ, to heal (even the most profound wounds), to live (full of Glory even in the most painful deaths), and to prosper in our days, even when the way we once did things, is no longer the way we now do them. As we follow Him, as He leads us to the Father, the World see the testimony of His Love in and through the wounds which He has healed in us! “GO, TELL, FEED, LEAD…in LOVE”