The Kindness of the Savior

The Pursuit of Christ

John 20:19–23 NIV

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.”

It has been an emotional few days for the disciples. They celebrate the Passover with their dear friend. There were probably still many moments where they thought that Jesus just might lead them to the victory that they had been waiting for and overthrow Rome. Later that night though, those thoughts are abruptly halted as they witness their hope being arrested and led away in chains. In fear, they scatter and seek refuge for the night. Their fear is met with affirmation as they arise the next day to see Jesus carrying his cross up to the hill of Golgotha. Their Rabbi was beaten beyond their recognition. He is mocked, spit upon and stripped of all dignity. How had everything changed so quickly. In a matter of less than 24 hours, their hope had been dashed and now nothing but fear remained. As Jesus breathes his last upon the cross, the sky darkens and the ground shakes. There is word that the temple veil has been torn in two. Jesus body is seemingly quickly disposed of and the disciples stare at one another like dear in headlights. What just happened? How could things have gone so wrong so quickly?

The fear for their safety and their concern for what they might do next, the disciples remain in Jerusalem in fear for the next few days. Stories are probably shared. How do you make sense of everything that has just happened? One of them probably reminds them of the first of the week when the crowds gathered and welcomed and embraced Jesus as the king. How their heart leapt with anticipation as they strode into the city alongside Jesus! He had raised Lazarus from the dead, what couldn’t he do? Then reality set back in. He could not escape death. Their hope had spent six hours on the cross then he died.

Holding to the traditions of the Sabbath, they stayed in Jerusalem on the Sabbath day in grief, anguish and turmoil. What did tomorrow hold for them. Was it safer to return home at first light or continue with the festivities of the Passover week?

At first light though, their thoughts were abruptly changed again. The women who had gone down to pay their respects to Jesus had come running to their room screaming something about Jesus’ body being gone. Peter and John had returned to the tomb with them and they confirmed that Jesus was no longer there. John said that it looked as though Jesus had just passed through his coverings. There is no precedence for this. How are you supposed to respond when you hear that your best friend who you saw die and buried is no longer in his grave? Further still, Mary returned fro the tomb later saying that she had seen Jesus alive and that He told her that He was ascending to the Father. How could this really be true? What are we supposed to do now?

It is in this emotional backdrop that suddenly as the disciples are locked in a room together trying to sort all of this out and still fearing the Jews and how they are going to respond to the news that Jesus’ body is no longer in the grave, Jesus appears in the room.

Jesus begins with peace be with you. He meets them in their fear, stress and turmoil and points them toward the Lord. You see in the presence of Christ, all sorrow, fear, turmoil turns to joy. This is pivotal in our faith. In the presence of Christ, everything turns to joy. Notice that their situation had not changed. the Jews were still a concern, but Jesus was now present and everything turned to joy.

When we open our eyes to the truth that Jesus is present in our circumstances, they turn from stress to joy. Immediately, there are memories filling their heads of the Savior who has command of the wind and the waves, the One who can heal the sick and raise the dead. This is who Jesus is. This is who our Savior is. Jesus turns to them and breathes into them the Holy Spirit.

Now indwelling them is the Holy Spirit, God himself, the one promised by Christ. It is through the Holy Spirit that Jesus stood firm through the temptation of the devil. It is through the Holy Spirit that Christ was raised from the dead. This same Spirit now goes with the disciples wherever they go. It is also this same Spirit that indwells you and I.

Pentecost controversy. The presence of the Spirit has never changed. The action of the Spirit has.

The work of the Holy Spirit in the salvation process is now underway. As the disciples go and share the truth of Christ, people will be moved from death to life.

The Pursuit Even in Doubt

John 20:24-

John 20:24–29 NIV

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.”

Thomas often gets a bad rap for being a doubter, but Thomas was strongly faithful. In , it was Thomas who was ready to lead his brothers to death in support of Christ. You can see the emotional pain of Thomas as he returns to the room and the disciples tell him of Jesus raising. Thomas refuses to believe until he sees Jesus for himself. Jesus though is faithful in his pursuit and will meet Thomas in his doubt.

We have a problem with doubting as though doubting is some great hang up that stands in the face of Jesus. Jesus never admonishes his disciples for doubting even though much of the gospels is exactly that, his disciples doubting. Jesus does long for more for them, but doubting is a step toward believing. Jesus meets us in our doubt and opens our eyes to Him. Honestly, we all doubt in practice if not is word anyway.

It is a week later before they are in the room again and Jesus once again appears. He knows exactly what Thomas needs to see and meets him where he is at. Jesus will always meet us where we are at. This is the meaning behind passages:

Matthew 7:7–8 NIV

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

It is the desire fo the Lord for you to grasp faith in Him. He does not demand blind faith, although seeing is not necessary for believing.

As we see, our faith is strengthened. Jesus demands pursuit, chasing after him.

Chasing After Jesus

John 20:30–31 NIV

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.

John 20:30-

Everything that was done was for the sake of us believing. Jesus did not have to endure all of this to accomplish the atonement of salvation. Jesus spent his life investing in others so that we might believe. Do you believe? If you do are you following is Christ’s footsteps and investing in others? If not, why not?