Week of April 11, 2010, John 20:19-31
One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from the Gospel of John, chapter 20, verses 19-31, the story of Jesus appearing again to the disciples after the resurrection, and Thomas is with the group this time:
19On 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!" 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
24Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So 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 it."
26A 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!" 27Then 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."
28Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
29Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
30Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31But 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.
Jesus, thank You for bringing joy. Thank You for bringing peace. Thank You for the Spirit with us in our midst. Thank You, that when we doubt or when we have questions and frustrations, You do not leave us or abandon us, but You come to us. You are truly and fully God, and truly Man, who experienced excruciating suffering and death for each one of us, and You who come to us showing us Your humanity with the nail holes and the hole in Your side from the spear. This we can understand. We can see the miracle of You standing in the midst of Your disciples.
Jesus, thank You for offering Your hands to each one of us, so we can identify with the suffering that You suffered. You call us to Yourself, abandoned and suffering alone. Sometimes we feel the same, abandoned and alone, and You identify with us. You identify with all our hurts. You are fully God and fully Man.
Thank You, Jesus, that You went to the cross for all, for each one of us. Thank You for that love that is so evidenced in the cross. Thank You for Your peace in the midst of doubt and questions. Thank You for Your presence with each of us when we feel alone. And thanks for the absolute certainty of hope because of Your resurrection. We are truly Easter people. Amen.
May the love of the Lord Jesus draw us to Himself;
May the power of the Lord Jesus strengthen us in His service;
May the joy of the Lord Jesus fill our souls;
May the fire of the Holy Spirit bring comfort to you, guide you in your decisions, and fill you
with a fervent desire to serve Him better.
And may the blessing of the almighty and most merciful God - Creator, Word and eternal Holy Spirit - be upon us and remain with us always.
In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
You may leave a message or prayer request by emailing me at: peacewm@tds.net.
May you be more and more aware of God’s presence and power in your lives as you live each day.
19On 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!" 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
24Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So 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 it."
26A 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!" 27Then 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."
28Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
29Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
30Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31But 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.
Jesus, thank You for bringing joy. Thank You for bringing peace. Thank You for the Spirit with us in our midst. Thank You, that when we doubt or when we have questions and frustrations, You do not leave us or abandon us, but You come to us. You are truly and fully God, and truly Man, who experienced excruciating suffering and death for each one of us, and You who come to us showing us Your humanity with the nail holes and the hole in Your side from the spear. This we can understand. We can see the miracle of You standing in the midst of Your disciples.
Jesus, thank You for offering Your hands to each one of us, so we can identify with the suffering that You suffered. You call us to Yourself, abandoned and suffering alone. Sometimes we feel the same, abandoned and alone, and You identify with us. You identify with all our hurts. You are fully God and fully Man.
Thank You, Jesus, that You went to the cross for all, for each one of us. Thank You for that love that is so evidenced in the cross. Thank You for Your peace in the midst of doubt and questions. Thank You for Your presence with each of us when we feel alone. And thanks for the absolute certainty of hope because of Your resurrection. We are truly Easter people. Amen.
May the love of the Lord Jesus draw us to Himself;
May the power of the Lord Jesus strengthen us in His service;
May the joy of the Lord Jesus fill our souls;
May the fire of the Holy Spirit bring comfort to you, guide you in your decisions, and fill you
with a fervent desire to serve Him better.
And may the blessing of the almighty and most merciful God - Creator, Word and eternal Holy Spirit - be upon us and remain with us always.
In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
You may leave a message or prayer request by emailing me at: peacewm@tds.net.
May you be more and more aware of God’s presence and power in your lives as you live each day.
posted by Moments of Peace at 11:54 AM
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