John 20:19-31 NIV
19 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!” 20 After
he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were
overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be
with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And
with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive
the Holy Spirit. 23 If you
forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them,
they are not forgiven.”
24 Now Thomas (also
known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus
came. 25 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.”
26 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!” 27 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.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My
Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because
you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen
and yet have believed.”
30 Jesus performed many other
signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this
book. 31 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.
Something New Is Here
This past week, I took a trip to visit my daughter, Sarah,
and grand-dog, Omi, in North Carolina. It was an Easter celebration. I went
with my wife, Sue, and my grandchildren, Kaiya and Bubs. As I reflected upon
this Gospel passage of scripture, several “nature” experiences reminded me of
the Easter Celebration of New Life in God.
We all tend to NOT believe things of God at times. Just as
the disciples tended to not believe what Jesus had told them about his
suffering, death and resurrection; we too tend to think sometimes that this is
just too far out, too fantastic, too much to take in.
I’m reminded of Luther’s Explanation to the Third Article
of the Apostles’ Creed…
In review… the Third Article states:
“I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.”
What does this mean? (Luther’s Explanation)
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength
believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him; but the Holy Spirit has called
me through the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and sanctified and
preserved me in the true faith.”
Luther goes on from here with more explanation. My point is
this, I can’t believe this story about Jesus with my own faculties, on my own.
Think about it. Jesus appeared to these frightened disciples
behind locked doors. How is that? I can’t believe that! But, at this point,
after the resurrection, something new has happened in this world.
God sent his Son into the world as flesh and blood. Just
like you and me. Why? Because God knew that the decisions, we make separated us
from Him. The decisions Adam and Eve made to believe Satan’s lie about being “like”
God in a way that God did not desire for us to be like Him. The decisions we
make throughout history to pretend to believe that we can control our lives,
our planet, our life, ourselves, to be like a god ourselves.
God sent his Son, Jesus, to save us from our sinful, selfish,
destructive selves. Why? So that we could be with God forever as His Children.
God wants us to be with Him! So, God, sent Jesus to take on the punishment that
we deserve for our sinful actions of idolatry, of things, and self.
God sent his Son, Jesus to place our sinfulness at our
backs.
God sent his Son, Jesus, to defeat sin, death and evil,
once and for all.
God sent his Son, Jesus, to free us from the captivity of
sin, and death.
God sent his Son, Jesus, to come to us and gather us into a
new resurrected life.
God sent his Son, Jesus, to raise us up to new life.
And then…
Jesus gave the disciples peace.
Yes! Look! Look at Jesus hands and side. Jesus suffered for
you, for me, for all.
Jesus, then did something wonderful. He breathed on the
disciples. Not just any old breathing. No! He breathed out the Holy Spirit upon
the disciples gathered.
God did this once before. Remember?
Genesis 2:6-7 NIV
6 but
streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the
ground. 7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of
the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of
life, and the man became a living being.
Yes, at
creation, God breathed the Holy Spirit of life into man. And the man became a
living being.
These
disciples, perhaps you and I as well, hiding in our tomb of sin and death, behind
the locked doors of our tombs, visited by Jesus, the Creator, the Redeemer, the
God, who comes to us. Jesus comes to us even after his resurrection to give us
new life, in him and with him.
The
Apostle Paul puts the proof of believing, in his letter to the Corinthians…
1 Corinthians 12:3 NIV
3 Therefore I want you to
know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be
cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy
Spirit.
We can believe in Jesus and this new life Jesus gives us,
by, and through, the Holy Spirit that God gives to us through Jesus’ life
giving, resurrected breath.
Yet…
There are still those who want proof.
And…
Jesus appears again a week later, to Thomas, who wasn’t present
the first time. Jesus appears behind locked doors again. First, Jesus, once
again grants “Peace” to those gathered.
Look! Jesus shows
himself, in the wounded flesh of his death… And Thomas believes! Thomas sees!
We, of this day and age are all a little like Thomas. We
have not seen. We can’t see. So, how do we believe?
This Gospel passage shows us our sin and our salvation.
This passage is maybe the very first fruits of a new
beginning.
The beginning of the Church.
In this passage we witness, along with the disciples
gathered together, that Christ is not bound by the physical aspects of this
world. Jesus came to them. Jesus came to them through the stone of the tomb of
his own death and through the locked doors of our own sinfulness. Jesus comes
to you and me and the disciples beyond the physical limitations of this world.
And what happens?
This Good News, this Gospel, spreads from these few
disciples, behind locked doors, far and wide. This Gospel of God’s forgiveness
of sin for all the people that turn to him, as God comes to us and spins us
around in the midst of our confessions and repentance, to face God’s love, in the
flesh of Jesus and the breath of the Holy Spirit.
Something NEW has occurred here. Not only did Jesus appear
to over 500 people after his resurrection, he appeared to you and me. When?
As God pours the life-giving waters of baptism over his
children, we receive the breath of the Holy Spirit. Something NEW has happened to every one in
baptism. God comes to us, through the locked door of death, under the drowning
waters of sin, and raises us up to new life in God.
We do nothing! We receive everything!
Do you believe? Why wouldn’t you!
Yes! Look around. Listen and see. The resurrected Jesus is
everywhere breathing the Holy Spirit of life into all creation.
Something New is Here… today… tomorrow… and forever!
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
I leave you with a few pictures of my recent trip to North
Carolina. Look, see and listen to the life-giving winds and waters.
God bless you this Easter Season.
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