Jesus had paid the penalty for the sin of mankind, conquered death, and rose to physical life again so we could be justified. That means we can be assured that we are right with God. (1 John 3:14) says 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. That sounds like a foreign concept in today’s world, so let me put it in terms we can easily understand. Just think about it like this - We were on our way to an eternal prison camp where we would suffer forever. Why? It’s because God is just. We have rebelled against His goodness and He should judge us.
When we stand before the righteous judge, every selfish thought, every idle word, every time we looked at something we shouldn’t have, and even every God given opportunity to do good that we did not do will be brought to light. But even worse, the way we rejected the invitation of the Holy Spirit will be judged. Every time He came to us in love and we ignored Him and went on our own selfish way will be made known. So do you still think you are innocent? (Romans 3:10-12) reminds us 10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away; they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." The more righteous and holy the judge is, the more severe the penalty. So, the fact that God physically resurrected the body of Jesus is a sign that should cause all who accept Him as the solution to our sin problem to breathe a big sigh of relief! It also invites us to partake in the power that raised Jesus from the dead. If our sins were dealt with on the cross, we should not hesitate to apply the power of resurrection to our own lives.
Now the disciples didn’t understand all of these things that were going on, they were still trying to figure out what was really happening. The body was gone. One woman talked of seeing Jesus. The others told of them of the angelic announcement that He had risen. The two men from the road to Emmaus said He met them in disguise and then revealed Himself when He broke bread. They were trying to take it all in and figure out just what was happening and struggling to believe that Jesus’ words had actually come to pass. 19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” If anyone ever had an overload of their senses, it was the ten disciples. Their doubts were overcome…”Suddenly there He was. “Peace be with you!” He said.
20a After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. It was those marks that bought our peace with God, for the wrath of God upon our sins fell on Him so that we could be free. I’ve always looked at this as the proof He was indeed Jesus of Nazareth who has risen from the dead. It was like saying, “Look! See how much I love you! This is the price I paid so that we could be together forever.” When Satan tempts you to doubt God’s love, just look at His hands and His side and be reassured - He loves you that much. 20bThe disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Their friend was back! They weren’t leaderless and their hope had returned. 21a Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! Maybe it was because they were too shocked to hear it the first time. Or maybe it was because He had just presented the evidence for the reason we should have peace because of His wounds. It is still the common greeting in Israel, but the double peace is for those who know what those wounds can mean to them. 21b “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." This is the disciples’ commission. It is ours as well. How did the Father send Jesus? We’ve seen over and over again that Jesus was totally dependent on God’s direction. (John 5:19) says 19 Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. We’ve seen that He only did and said what He saw and heard from the Father. (John 12:49) says 49 For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. He was sent as a light in the darkness. He was humble and meek but firm and clear. He trained others, gave witness to the truth and laid down His life for His sheep. (John 15:13) reminds us 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. When you are in God’s will, you walk into life’s situations with the amazing peace of God. That gets attention and influences lives! Will you receive your commissioning? 21b “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." This is not just an assignment but it is also a way of life. Not my will but yours!
22 And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. This was a powerfully symbolic and prophetic act. The first time that God breathed into man, he became a living soul as we see in Genesis. More than animal, man had the awareness of himself, the ability to be creative, and a will that could decide things other than just survival. That life of the first Adam has come down through the generations to these disciples, to you and to me, but this life we have received is corrupted with the fallen and sinful nature of Adam. Jesus breathed on the disciples and invited them to receive the Holy Spirit. This is more than the breath of life. This is the very life of God in us. This is rebirth, a restoring of the image of God in the soul. The first breath of God gave us physical life. The second breath of God gives us spiritual life. However, the disciples would not actually receive the Holy Spirit until Pentecost. Jesus will tell them to wait in Jerusalem until this second breath fills them. Jesus insisted the Holy Spirit was the power needed to fulfill this commission, and yet many attempt to be a witness in their own power. Our witness must be led and empowered by the Holy Spirit if it is to bear fruit that remains. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." Now this is a difficult passage because other Scripture indicates that only God can forgive sin. We can't forgive people for sins against God, but we can forgive those who sin against us. God grants us the power to forgive. (Matthew 6:14) reads 14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. The world doesn't seem to be able to do this in the age of “get even-ism”. I think Jesus is saying that in the case of believers, the sins of those who sin against us will not be held to their account if we forgive them. That doesn't mean that the sins against God will be forgiven. How important it is for us to be like Jesus and forgive!
24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25a So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" Now the disciples get to see in Thomas what they were like to Mary and Cleopas. It is not unusual for God to turn the tables on us to show us what we are like to Him. Just as Mary and Cleopas had tried to convince the doubting disciples, now the disciples are trying to convince Thomas, 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 it." He had to see it for himself. Now we know that faith pleases God, but that doesn’t mean that God will not answer the sincere heart that needs to see to 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!" Jesus came again, with the same greeting. More than just the custom, I believe Jesus is really trying to drive home the peace that we should have because of the resurrection.
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." How did Jesus know what Thomas was thinking? Simply, because He knows everything. He knows your doubts and He knows mine and He can meet us in unique ways and convince us so that we can say with Thomas, 28 "My Lord and my God!" What a command, Stop doubting and believe ! I believe every life hears this command in their heart at some time. Once Thomas was convinced of resurrection, he took it step further and believed that Jesus is God. This is the first clear-cut declaration by a disciple that Jesus is God. John declared the same in the prologue to this Gospel when he wrote that the word was with God and the word was 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." In this age, we can know that Jesus is in our life even though we cannot see His physical presence. Jesus says we receive a much greater blessing by doing so. (1Peter 1:8) says; 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy; (2Corinthians 5:7) reads 7 We live by faith, not by sight. Faith pleases God. God will meet us in a real way to convince us, but usually in a non-visible way. God wants us to have a greater heavenly reward, so He stretches our faith. 30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. We set out studying this Gospel showing you that John intentionally told us what the other Gospel writers left out. And we know this because the love and faithfulness of God would make sure of that. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John intentionally selected the stories in his gospel that would bring you to belief. He didn’t just set out to tell the story as the other Gospel writers did. He set out to tell of the stories that would help you believe and that by believing you would have life in Jesus’ name. Do you believe? Are you experiencing resurrection life in the authority of Jesus?
You can have that peace today. In (Matthew 11:28-30) Jesus says 28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Come to the One whose scars remain to give you peace and know His resurrection life is at work in you.
Pastor R.B. Hickox - (570-412-9202)
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