Daily Dose of the Word of God - John 20: 26-29

Gregg DeMey, Lead Pastor

Transcript

Gregg DeMey  0:07  

Good morning and welcome to Elmhurst CRC's Daily Dose of the Word of God. It's Thursday, April 24 and Sunday is coming. This is Gregg DeMay, Lead Pastor at the church and it is the season of Easter. We have the blessed opportunity to respond to the reality of Jesus' resurrection life - today's Bible reading is from the Gospel of John, chapter 20, verses 26 through 29.

Gregg DeMey  0:31  

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!” 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.”  Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”  Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Gregg DeMey 1:12  

Jesus is always doing amazing things - but it seems to me that he enjoys saving his best work for Sundays. On the Sunday evening of the resurrection, Jesus appeared to his frightened disciples who were locked behind doors and covered windows. They all saw him and believed, except for Thomas. Perhaps it was Thomas's boldness that kept him out of that locked room on Easter Sunday night. Maybe he was out in public or out in the streets of Jerusalem, instead of behind closed doors. But Thomas's absence led him to really speak for all of us (the seeing-is-believing kind of people). But Thomas takes it a step further: He said he wouldn't believe unless he saw Jesus and touched his wounded hands with his own fingers, along with Jesus' pierced side. Then, a week later (in these verses), Jesus shows up again and directs Thomas to do just that -  to see him and touch him. But, in the presence of Jesus, Thomas doesn't need to do any of that anymore. He was simply overwhelmed.

Gregg DeMey  2:42  

While Thomas's desire to see can represent our doubts, his exclamation of faith also represents us. Who else could be our Lord and our God present in our midst? It's only Jesus. One of the invitations this Easter season is for us to allow ourselves to be wowed by Jesus. If you've ever felt his powerful presence, perhaps you too have said and can say again in this season, "my Lord and my God!" As we do this, we open ourself to God's blessing. Jesus, who pronounced so many beautiful beatitudes earlier in his ministry (blessed are the poor in spirit - blessed are the peacemakers) offers a final beatitude here in our passage today: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."This is our blessing and is a blessing for us today.

Gregg DeMey  3:45  

Let's pray. Oh God, in your goodness, help us perceive the signs of your Holy Spirit all around us. Jesus, resurrected presence, we are awed and wowed by you. In faith (imperfect as it often is), we receive the promise of your blessing today. For us believers who are not yet seers, help us walk by faith and not by sight. For Jesus sake, amen.