Introduction

Good morning, my dear friends. It's another beautiful day that the Lord has made, and we are here, gathered together, not by chance, but by divine appointment. We are here to break the bread of life, to drink from the well of wisdom, to be nourished and refreshed by the Word of God.

Our focus today is on a passage from the Gospel of John, chapter 20, verses 19 to 31. Let's read it together: "On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you!' After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 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’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.' Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So 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.' 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.' Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

Friends, we are about to embark on a voyage of understanding, a pilgrimage of perspective. We will look at the belief beyond boundaries, the bravery in bearing burdens, and the blossoming in belief.

Belief Beyond Boundaries

In the passage we read, we see the disciples, huddled together in fear. They had locked the doors, isolating themselves from the world outside. They were afraid of the Jewish leaders, afraid of what might happen to them now that Jesus was gone. But in the midst of their fear and isolation, Jesus came and stood among them. He didn't knock on the door. He didn't ask for permission to enter. He just appeared, in the midst of their fear and doubt, and said, 'Peace be with you.'

This is a powerful image of belief that transcends the physical boundaries of this world. The disciples had locked the doors, but Jesus, the risen Lord, was not constrained by such physical barriers. He came and stood among them, bringing peace and comfort. This is the kind of belief that we are called to have - a belief that goes beyond the boundaries of this world, a belief that is not limited by what we can see or touch or understand.

We see this belief in action when Jesus breathes on the disciples and says, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.' This is a breath that brings life and power, a breath that equips the disciples for the mission that Jesus is sending them on.

But not all the disciples were present when Jesus appeared. Thomas was absent, and when the others told him what had happened, he refused to believe. He said, '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.' Thomas wanted physical proof. He wanted to see and touch Jesus for himself. He was not willing to believe beyond the boundaries of his own experience.

A week later, Jesus appeared again. This time, Thomas was with the disciples. Again, Jesus came and stood among them, saying, 'Peace be with you.' Then he turned to Thomas and said, 'Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.' Jesus met Thomas in his doubt and unbelief. He provided the physical proof that Thomas needed. But then he said, 'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'

This is a call to belief beyond boundaries. It is a call to believe in Jesus, not because we have seen him with our own eyes, but because we have heard his word and felt his presence in our lives. It is a call to believe in the power of the Holy Spirit, not because we can see or touch it, but because we have experienced its transforming power in our lives. It is a call to believe in the peace of Christ, not because we are free from trouble or hardship, but because we have felt his peace in the midst of our struggles.

Bearing Burdens Bravely

We now find ourselves in the midst of a narrative that is as much about courage as it is about faith ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO