The Gospel lesson for the 2nd Sunday of Easter is John 20:19-31.
One of the messages of this reading that stands out to me is that faith … belief … is key in our relationship with Jesus.
You can divide the reading into three sections.
First, Jesus appears ten on the disciples. They were locked in the upper room because they were afraid that those who killed Jesus would come for them next. They did not yet believe that Jesus had risen. But Jesus appeared to them and breathed on them. This detail is very important. He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit’s special work is to create and sustain faith in God’s people.
It is also important to see that with faith come both forgiveness of sins and the authority to forgive sins. Both of these are inextricably entwined with faith. Theologically speaking only faith can receive God’s forgiveness, and, therefore, only faith would move us to extend forgiveness to others. Pragmatically speaking, it is only by faith that we can know we are forgiven because you cannot prove it.
Second, Thomas did not believe the others when they told him about Jesus resurrection. When I was a boy we always referred to Thomas as, “Doubting Thomas.” But when you read the account the problem was not that he doubted, but that he refused to believe. In the end of this section, Jesus stated that the people are blessed who have not seen Jesus raised from the dead, and yet have believed. We should notice that none of the Apostles fit that criteria, but we do. Jesus is calling us blessed for our belief.
Third, John made it clear that he wrote all this down so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior, and that be believing we might have life in His name. Faith receives God’s gift of forgiveness, and it also receives the Spirit’s gift of life in Christ. (This means you have already begun living the eternal life Jesus won for you, which we will experience more fully after our own resurrection on the last day!)
Meditate on this today: Faith is central to our relationship with God. Faith receives His gifts of forgiveness and life. And faith moves us to share our Savior, Jesus, with others.
Let’s pray: Lord Jesus, we believe You rose from the dead, that You give us peace, forgiveness, and life. We thank and praise You for You death and resurrection! Forgive us for the times that we become unbelieving, when we do not trust You Word and Promise. Breathe Your Holy Spirit into us to increase our faith and to make us courageous to share our faith with others so they, too, may believe that You are the Christ and by believing they may have life in Your Name. Amen.
Memory Verse: 1 John 2:1 – My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous
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