4/13/20

Our scripture this week is John 20:19-31.

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” Now Thomas (also known as Didymus ), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:19-31

The appearance of Jesus to the disciples brings the reality of the resurrection to them. However, Jesus tells something very important to Thomas and the rest (and us) when He says “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”. That would be everyone from that time on.

Jesus came to be with us as a human in a specific time in our history and in a particular geographical location. If we didn’t live then and there, we didn’t get to meet Jesus as a human being. The key to His ministry continuing is in His Great Commission to all of us.

Jesus said “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” – calling us to do as He has done, spreading God’s love to everyone that they might be saved. He gave us a pretty awesome responsibility! Jesus must have a lot of confidence in us, to leave it up to all of us to share the Good News with the world.

Loving Lord, we rejoice in Your resurrection and the call You place on our lives. Help us to be the disciples You need to share Your story and Your love with everyone. Amen.

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