So as we come to John 21, I'm intrigued because it seems like the gospel of John

should have ended in chapter 20. I mean, come on. It opened with the word became

fleshed well among us. A couple of chapters later, Jesus is doing a miracle at a

wedding feast in Canaan. A couple of chapters later, Jesus is talking to a woman

by well and he's changing her life. A couple of chapters later, he's raising the

dead, healing the sick, speaking all kinds of truths, inviting people into an

incredible relationship with God. But then he gets really down to the heart and

soul of wise on planet earth and he gathers his followers together. He tells

him, he knows what his life is about. And then he does it. He prays in the garden

of Gethsemane. God, if there's any other way that this cup can pass for me, let

that happen. But if there is no other way, never the less, not my will, but your

will be done. And from that moment on, it's sealed. And Jesus is arrested. He's

beaten. He's beaten within an inch of his life. He's robbed of justice. He's

hung up on a cross. He's crucified and he dies. He's taken down buried in a

tomb dead. But on the third day by the power of God, the tomb is empty. The stone

is moved by the hand of God. Jesus is alive, raised from the dead. He comes and

appears to his shaken up followers, even to the doubters. They touch his nail

scars. And he says to them, as the father has sent me, I send you. He breathes on

them. He says, received the Holy Spirit. It seems like that's a pretty good

ending right there. That we could just wrap up the gospel of John. We could all

give a huge hand to the unfolding story of God in the life of the person of

Christ. He's come. He's lived. He has died. He has been buried. He has been raised.

...