Darkness fell. His friends scattered. All hope seemed lost, but heaven, heaven had just started counting to three.
I love those words from Bob Goff. Welcome to Easter, the Rest of the Story. This is what we’re celebrating this week. Jesus did not stay dead. The funeral was canceled. It means there’s hope for me. There’s hope for you. We are not going to stay dead someday when our eyes close for the last time. No. I would like to suggest that our true life is about to begin. Let’s find out more!
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Transcription:
Darkness fell. His friends scattered. All hope seemed lost, but heaven, heaven had just started counting to three.
I love those words from Bob Goff. Welcome to Easter, the Rest of the Story. This is what we’re celebrating this week on the Bible for Busy People. Jesus did not stay dead. The funeral was canceled. It means there’s hope for me. There’s hope for you. We are not going to stay dead someday when our eyes closed for the last time. No. I would like to suggest that our true life is about to begin. Today, we’re going to encounter the risen Lord in John’s gospel. Chapter 20 beginning in verse 19. Let’s go behind closed doors on that first Easter Sunday night. Verse 19 now.
That Sunday evening, the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them. Peace be with you, He said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord. Again, he said, peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you. Then he breathed on them and said, receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.
What a moment. You know, we toss around the word awesome a lot as humans, don’t we? This pizza is awesome. Did you see that movie? It was awesome. But in this moment, we are truly experiencing true awe with the disciples. They realize the Lord is truly risen. They are able to see with their own eyes, the wounds in his hands and his side. What was that like? Could we just take a moment and ponder that? I’m sure that they just were like, don’t go anywhere. Stay here, stay with us, but let’s move on in the story to verse 24, because somebody missed out on this moment. Verse 24 now.
One of the 12 disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, we have seen the Lord. But he replied, I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands. Put my fingers into them and place my hand into the wound in his side.
I want to give Thomas a break here for a moment because I am sure that he was experiencing every emotion as were a,ll of the disciples. And at this point, fear was probably doing the talking exhaustion was probably doing the talking, and perhaps he was just stubborn or angry. We don’t know everything, but I love to give, pardon the pun, Thomas the benefit of the doubt. Somebody once said that Jesus never called him the doubting Thomas. That was a nickname that human beings pinned on him. So here we go. Picking up the story in verse 26. The first three words are pretty key.
Eight days later, the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but suddenly as before, Jesus was standing among them. Peace be with you, He said. Then he said to Thomas, put your finger here and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!
And it doesn’t say, but I imagine at this moment, Thomas God on his knees, verse 28, now.
My Lord and my God, Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, you believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.
Isn’t that so powerful? Do you realize that if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, if you have confessed with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus died for you and rose again, do you realize that Jesus Christ calls you blessed, because you believe without seeing, and that is awesome in every sense of the Word. But every once in a while our hearts get pricked with doubt, don’t they? And that’s why I want to journey with you to Mark’s gospel chapter nine, where we find a boy who is possessed by a demon and they bring him to Jesus. There’s a prayer that you and I can take from this story and keep it in our pockets for when those moments of doubt creep in. We’re going to pick up the story in verse 21 when Jesus addresses the Father whose son is possessed.
How long has this been happening? Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us if you can. What do you mean, if I can? Jesus asked. Anything is possible if a person believes.
Here comes the prayer that you and I can pray when doubt comes to prick our hearts.
The Father instantly cried out, I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief. When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak, He said. I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again. Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, he’s dead. But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.
Wooh! The two stories you and I just read together really go hand in hand. When you and I experienced doubt, it kind of feels like you’re sitting behind a locked door. You’re locked up inside. Fear and doubt choke out our faith and our hopes. But then Jesus comes into the room and says, peace be with you. And we remember because of his wonderful presence and the power of the Holy Spirit, that he’s right there. That he’s never ever going to leave us alone. And that everything we believe is true. And you know what He does in those moments? This is where the other story comes into play. He picks us up by the hand, helps us to our feet, and we stand up and we stand firm in our faith because he’s holding our hands. That’s who he is. It’s what he does, and it’s what we celebrate this week. Till next time, remember, you are loved.
Thank you so much for listening to the Bible for Busy People. If you need prayer or you’re ready to go a little deeper in your faith, we’ve posted some resources for you in our show notes. We’d love for you to share this podcast with a friend and leave us a review. It helps us reach even more people with the hope of Jesus. This podcast is part of Purposely, a podcast network designed with practical podcasts to help you find and live in God’s purpose for your life.
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