Seeing Is Believing (Part Two)

SEEING IS BELIEVING (part two)

John 20:19-31

Last week we looked at Jesus' resurrection appearance to Mary. Before that, she noticed the tomb was empty. She went to tell the Apostles and Peter and John raced to the tomb and found it empty, just as Mary had said. Then, after she encountered the risen Lord, she went and told the Apostles. But, they didn't believe her. Though she had already proven herself when she announced that the tomb was empty, they were unwilling to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead unless they saw him with their own eyes. And see him they would!

1) Overjoyed!

John 20:19-20, "On 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!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord."

All the events we looked at last week happened Sunday morning and now it's Sunday evening. The disciples had all day to think about what had happened. They weren’t convinced that Jesus had resurrected, even though they saw the empty tomb and the grave clothes, along with Mary telling them she had seen Jesus herself. And not only that, after Jesus appeared to the two on the road to Emmaus they also came and told the Apostles it was true.

We see they kept the doors locked for fear of the Jews. Why? They may have thought now that they've killed Jesus they would come after them. They may have thought the Jews were coming to arrest them for stealing Jesus' body and torture them until they revealed where it was.

So, as they were dealing with all this, Jesus comes through the locked door and stands among them. That's pretty impressive. Does this imply Jesus didn’t resurrect in bodily form, only spirit form? No. In Luke's version, the disciples were startled thinking they were seeing a ghost. But Jesus challenged them to touch him to see that he had flesh and bones. After that, he ate a piece of fish to provide additional proof he wasn't a ghost.

With that said, it's clear Jesus' resurrected body was different; since people can't just pass through a locked door. But Jesus had shown them before that he was capable of such things, like when he came to them walking on the water. The disciples thought they were seeing a ghost then, too.

Jesus showed them his hands and side. He's referring to his wounds. Jesus was alive and restored yet he still bore the puncture wounds from his crucifixion. Why? This would show proof that it was indeed Jesus standing there, in the flesh. And since there were over 500 people who saw the resurrected Jesus, his wounds would serve as a testimony that it was indeed the same one who was crucified.

His wounds also served as a reminder of what happened. "Rejoice in the fact that I'm alive, but my hands and feet are the reminder of what was done to me and what I did for you". As we rejoice in the resurrected Jesus we need to be mindful of his wounds and what he did for us. The wounds of Jesus communicate the extent of his love.

The disciples were overjoyed. In Luke it says they were also amazed. They had a mixture of joy and shock. They couldn’t believe their eyes. That's what a miracle should produce; a mixture of delight and awe. The disciples had feelings like this before when Jesus quieted the storm. In Matthew's version it says they were amazed. In Mark's version it says they were terrified. Which is it?

Both. There was a combination of emotions when Jesus did something dramatic and unprecedented. If we were to put ourselves there we would feel the same way. We would be filled with wonder and awe. I can also see how they would be terrified, too. "If he can rebuke the wind and it obeys, then he has unbelievable authority and power. We better not ever get on his bad side."

This is how we need to be toward Jesus. Because of his love, mercy and forgiveness, we can have a deep, personal relationship with our beloved brother and friend. But we need to also be in awe of him and respect his power and authority. We, like the disciples, need to be overjoyed and reverent.

2) Passing the torch.

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.”