Well, Easter was one week ago today. It seems like it was longer ago than that, but here we are seven days after Jesus was resurrected from the dead. Undoubtedly, the disciples were afraid. Their leader was gone and there was much to fear from the powers in control. And this was the topic of the sermon earlier today during our morning service.
Mary Magdalene had seen the Lord after his resurrection and that evening, the Lord appeared to the disciples. Unfortunately, Thomas wasn’t with them at the time. This appearance would have given hope to those disciples who were present and helped to ease the fears of the followers of Jesus. Of course, later Peter and the others announced to Thomas that they had seen the resurrected Jesus. I’m sure that Thomas was sorry that he had missed this most important meeting with our Savior. One week later, Jesus appeared again, with Thomas among those in attendance. Thomas was skeptical after his initial meeting with Peter and the others, but here was Jesus standing in their midst, inviting Thomas to examine His hands and side for evidence of the crucifixion.
After Thomas’s examination, he announced Jesus as “my Lord and my God.” This seems to be the only time that Jesus was referred to as God in the Gospels. I admit that I didn’t realize that before this morning.
What I do find interesting is that Thomas will forever carry the moniker, “doubting Thomas.” Yet, since he wasn’t at the first appearance of Jesus among the disciples, I can imagine that the questions of the other disciples were answered during this first gathering. So it may be fair to say that Thomas may have only been asking for the same things the others had witnessed during their introductory meeting with the post resurrection Jesus one week earlier.
I can only imagine how I would have reacted to the appearance of Jesus after I had been an eyewitness to his crucifixion. I like to think that I would have believed without seeing, but I’m not so sure that would be the case. In fact, I may have been very much like Thomas – asking to see the hands of Jesus to prove that it was Him.
One of the very important facets of the post resurrection Jesus was His wish for peace. In fact, with the disciples in so much turmoil and fear about their future, the first words of Jesus were, “Peace be with you…” Isn’t that just like Jesus? Wanting us to have peace – the kind of peace that only comes from a relationship with our Lord and Savior.
The story following the meeting between Jesus and the disciples behind closed doors has to do with the restoration of Peter. As you recall, Peter had denied Jesus three times as Jesus was being tried. Although Peter regretted his denial, Jesus had yet to restore him. Post resurrection, Jesus, in an act of kindness brought Peter back into the fold and we have an exchange about the nature of Jesus and Peter’s proclamation about Him.
It is here that Jesus announces that He will build His church, or “ekklesia”, the called out assembly. Jesus also tells us, by taking ownership of this ekklesia, that it will be different than any other assembly in history. So it is clear that the post resurrection encounters with Jesus launched a number of events that eventually led to the formation of the Acts 2 church. And the arrival of the Holy Spirit.
In fact, in a passage that is often overlooked, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit among His disciples during his first meeting with them after His resurrection. So many important things came from the post resurrection encounters with Jesus! Our verse for tonight comes from the Gospel of John and the words of Jesus during that first encounter.
John gives us the words of Jesus in John 20:21-23, “Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” The apostles keep getting more and more responsibility from Jesus after they have spent more than three years with Him learning through teachings such as the Sermon on the Mount.
My encouragement this evening is that while Easter is the highlight of our religious year, wonderful things happened as a result of that unique resurrection event. The questions of the disciples were answered, Peter was restored, the Holy Spirit came upon those who had met with Jesus and the Acts 2 church was coming in the near future.
My prayer is that we will await with anticipation, surprise and awe the wonderful things that Jesus has in store for us, just as He empowered His disciples. The Christian church still thrives more than 2000 years after the earthly life of Jesus. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…