John 20:19-29 Faith is acting on the impossible solely by the merit of God’s word

John 20:19-29  Faith is acting on the impossible solely by the merit of God’s word

So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”
 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed. 

Background

On the very same day when the disciples discovered the disappearance of Jesus’s body they were holed up in a room for fear of the Jews. Even though Mary had informed them of the appearance of the resurrected Christ, some did not believe. In this episode, the resurrected Christ appeared regenerating the disciples’ mind-set and breathing new life into their spirits. In today’s devotion, we learn that faith is acting on the impossible solely by the merit of God’s word.

Observation


Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 

Jesus’s first words, “Peace be with you”; a much needed assurance at a time of great peril. They have always felt such an overwhelming peace when Jesus was with them. And that feeling was coming back to them as Jesus stood in their midst.

And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side.

Jesus identified Himself as the same Jesus whom they knew from the start. Jesus knew in order for the disciples to believe, they must see for themselves the scars of cruxifixion and that He has indeed come to life.

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 

Jesus immediately did what was urgent and important: He sent them out with the same mission as the Father had sent Him. What is this mission? To speak the message of truth without compromise so that the world may be saved. Jesus, with His resurrection body also gave the disciples full assurance of the indestructibility of their soul. That compelled the disciples to go out into the world to fulfil the divine mission without fear of lack, sicknesses or danger.

He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit into His disciples by breathing Spirit into them. It was the same way that God breathed into the mud and formed Adam out of it. The Holy Spirit is the anointing that breaks the bondages of sin: “forgive the sins of any”. By this commission, the disciples were anointed to destroy the works of sin and darkness.

Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” 

Thomas at that time was not with the disciples when Jesus appeared. However, when Jesus came to them 8 days later, He challenged Thomas to see and feel for himself that He was indeed the same Jesus who died and came to life: “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Jesus said to Thomas that those who believed Jesus’s words before the evidences were presented to them were more blessed.

Truth

The presence of the resurrected Christ gives boldness to do the impossible

Following the surrender of Jesus, the disciples were holed up in a room fearing for their lives. They were paralysed with fear and trepidation until the resurrected Christ showed up. And when the disciples discovered who Jesus was, fear is displaced by God’s commanding presence. Perhaps, the very sight of Jesus alive from the dead gave the disciples some sense of invincibility: God’s people are indeed unstoppable, and their vision will continue to live through future generations!

Whenever one’s safety and well-being are threatened, his natural response is to hold back and retreat. He is afraid that death will bring a sudden end to his life’s work and ministry. However, Jesus’s death actually resulted in a world-wide revival through the ministry of His disciples. By the Holy Spirit, Jesus’s legacy continues to live on. Likewise, the Holy Spirit ensures that our good work will continue to flourish beyond our lifetime. And we must not fear, but endeavour to do what is right without compromise or holding back.

Therefore, let us reject the fear of failure that hinders us from living out the dreams that God has given. In fearing nothing, we dare do the impossible bringing unprecedented change to our industry, community and nation.

Faith is acting on the impossible solely by the merit of God’s word

All people believe when they see. But few believe and act solely by the spoken words of God. If we can believe that something will come to pass because God has promised, then we are of all people most blessed. People who believe only after the evidences were presented will lack behind those who believe solely on the merit of God’s word. People who exercise faith are those who bring with them a commanding peace while wading through uncharted waters. Such will be leaders of their communities and industries breaking norms and going places where no one has gone. They set new precedents, new benchmarks and new paradigms for the benefit of all.

Application

1.  Wait upon the Spirit of the resurrected Christ the first thing in the morning. The presence of the Spirit gives much needed peace and assurance when we start our day. Having put on the Spirit of peace and assurance, we begin to hear God’s wisdom and instructions for the day. Reading God’s word is the process of bringing near God’s presence. Hence, we must most definitely begin the day by reading God’s word.

2.  Always be ready to use the power of the Spirit to bless the people around you. You can bring a breath of fresh air by declaring to them, “God is with you today. Be at peace!” For those who approach you to pray because they have a need. You could break the bondage of darkness by saying, “In Jesus’ name, I cast out fear.” Or “In Jesus’ name, I command sickness to go.”

3.  By your work declare the impossible as being possible. Identify in your life and work, the things that seem impossible. Declare it into being by the word and the Spirit that resurrected Christ from death. Do not doubt the word that you have spoken, but persevere in doing the will of God. And in God’s time, it will surely come to fruition.

Dear Lord, your word is the greatest reality of my life. As I endeavour to live by your promises, fill me with your commanding presence and bless the work of my hands. Use me to be a blessing to others. Even as I endeavor to do the best that I can, fill up my weaknesses with your strength. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.