Just Like He Said
Thomas was not with the other disciples when Jesus visited them after his death by crucifixion. Jesus showed them the nail wounds in his hands and the sword wound in his side. The friends of Jesus were changed people, not only had Jesus breathed his own spirit into them but he had commissioned them to explain to the rest of the world that death had been defeated. They were given the ministry of forgiving sins in the name of Jesus.
Thomas refused to believe what they said; unless he himself could touch the nail wounds and put his hand in the sword wound on Jesus’ risen body he would not believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. Eight days later (What a long time it must have been for Thomas) Jesus visited the disciples again and invited Thomas to feel his wounds. Thomas is not only convinced but declares his allegiance:
“My Lord and my God.” he exclaims.
Jesus responds, “Because you’ve seen you’ve believed, happy are the people who believe without seeing.”
That phrase describes you and me, people who have not seen the risen Jesus with our natural eyesight but who believe that he has defeated death and lives to forgive sins and unite us to God.
The women who followed Jesus were the first to see the empty tomb. Mary Magdalene, whom Jesus delivered from a possession she could not free herself from, stayed by his grave late into the first night. Perhaps she thought that only by being near him could she remain free from possession. She was the first person to see Jesus. He spoke to her when she was weeping because she could not find his dead body, “Go to my brothers, said Jesus and tell them I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.
Many other miraculous signs were done by Jesus in the presence of his disciples. They are not all recorded: but, says the writer of John’s Gospel, what has been written is written so that you may believe that Jesus is the anointed one, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life through his name.
The Gospel of John: chapter 20, verses 1 – 30
Thomas refused to believe what they said; unless he himself could touch the nail wounds and put his hand in the sword wound on Jesus’ risen body he would not believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. Eight days later (What a long time it must have been for Thomas) Jesus visited the disciples again and invited Thomas to feel his wounds. Thomas is not only convinced but declares his allegiance:
“My Lord and my God.” he exclaims.
Jesus responds, “Because you’ve seen you’ve believed, happy are the people who believe without seeing.”
That phrase describes you and me, people who have not seen the risen Jesus with our natural eyesight but who believe that he has defeated death and lives to forgive sins and unite us to God.
The women who followed Jesus were the first to see the empty tomb. Mary Magdalene, whom Jesus delivered from a possession she could not free herself from, stayed by his grave late into the first night. Perhaps she thought that only by being near him could she remain free from possession. She was the first person to see Jesus. He spoke to her when she was weeping because she could not find his dead body, “Go to my brothers, said Jesus and tell them I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.
Many other miraculous signs were done by Jesus in the presence of his disciples. They are not all recorded: but, says the writer of John’s Gospel, what has been written is written so that you may believe that Jesus is the anointed one, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life through his name.
The Gospel of John: chapter 20, verses 1 – 30
posted by Jessie Coates at 8:09 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home