I was struck with this little sentence in John 21:

This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. (John 21.14, ESV)

Only the third time? It’s interesting that Jesus appeared to the disciples only a few times post-resurrection. His meetings with the disciples seem to be occasional and relatively infrequent.

Earlier we saw Jesus appearing to the disciples in John 20.21 – 23, and then, not again for eight days when he appeared to the disciples including Thomas. I wonder what he was doing in between? You’d think he’d be spending a lot of time with them, teaching and clarifying, knowing that he was leaving soon. But that doesn’t appear to be the case.

Compare the week before the crucifixion when he spent a lot of time with them. You’d think this would also be a time that he would be cramming last-minute instructions into them. But maybe it’s like the college-bound daughter when her dad was trying to cram a few additional hours of instruction while she was packing: “Dad, you’ve trained me for 18 years. I’m ready!”

Jesus wanted the disciples to get used to relying on the Holy Spirit and figuring things out on their own. A few appearances and gone is better than a barrage of information cut off abruptly, leaving them “now what?” As it happened, Peter is leading in Acts 1, and the disciples are making plans to do what he asked them to do. Peter said:

So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection. (Acts 1.21, 22, ESV)

There’s a major lesson. If I’m a leader, I don’t need to tell people everything they need to know or make them think that they’re not “ready” or “finished” until I’ve told them one more thing. Or, that they’re never finished because I’m not finished teaching and they still have a lot of room to grow.

I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. (John 16.12, 13, NIV)

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (John 14.26, NIV)