Jesus Appearance

WELCOME

CALL TO WORSHIP

Come, let us find the risen Lord. Come with your whole self, with your worries and your successes, your fears and your joys, your questions and your answers. Come, all who are excited and all who are anxious. Come, all who are confident and all who are searching. God will meet us here.

HYMN

Light of the World

PRAYERS

Prayer of approach

Eternal God ever present, ever loyal, we gather today as one family – each with our different experiences of faith, but with one longing to serve you; each with our own questions and doubts, but with one heart to learn from you; each with our own burdens and joys, but as one in our desire to worship you in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayer of adoration

God of all the world, we believe in the fact that you created us, we believe in the fact that you love us, we believe in the fact that your Son died for us – even when it seems too good to be true, even when we long for a deeper encounter, even though there is so much that is mystery. We believe that you are our God, and we praise and adore you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Living God, forgive us when in our hearts we say unless our prayers are answered, we won’t believe. Deepen our encounter with you and show us the truth of love. Forgive us when we say unless we can go our way, we won’t follow you. Deepen our encounter with you and show us the truth of love. Forgive us when we want to be disciples but on our terms. Deepen our encounter with you and show us the truth of love. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

God of all that is real, we don’t always know what we believe, but we know we always believe in you and in your forgiveness, in your understanding of each of our needs, in your patience with our doubts, in your challenging of our stubbornness, in your meeting us where we are. And in the strength of that truth, and with the assurance of your love, we give you our best. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

HYMN

Be Thou My Vision

READINGS

Acts 5: 27-32

27 The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

John 20: 19-31

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

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Jesus Appears to Thomas

24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 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.”

26 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!” 27 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.”

28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe[b] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

HYMN

Crown him with many Crowns

SERMON

There is an old story, originating in India but found in many forms, that describes an encounter with an elephant by six blind men.

Long ago six old men lived in a village in India. Each was born blind. The other villagers loved the old men and kept them away from harm. Since the blind men could not see the world for themselves, they had to imagine many of its wonders. They listened carefully to the stories told by travelers to learn what they could about life outside the village.

The men were curious about many of the stories they heard, but they were most curious about elephants. They were told that elephants could trample forests, carry huge burdens, and frighten young and old with their loud trumpet calls. But they also knew that the Rajah's daughter rode an elephant when she traveled in her father's kingdom. Would the Rajah let his daughter get near such a dangerous creature?

The old men argued day and night about elephants. "An elephant must be a powerful giant," claimed the first blind man. He had heard stories about elephants being used to clear forests and build roads.

"No, you must be wrong," argued the second blind man. "An elephant must be graceful and gentle if a princess is to ride on its back."

"You're wrong! I have heard that an elephant can pierce a man's heart with its terrible horn," said the third blind man.

"Please," said the fourth blind man. "You are all mistaken. An elephant is nothing more than a large sort of cow. You know how people exaggerate."

"I am sure that an elephant is something magical," said the fifth blind man. "That would explain why the Rajah's daughter can travel safely throughout the kingdom."

"I don't believe elephants exist at all," declared the sixth blind man. "I think we are the victims of a cruel joke."

Finally, the villagers grew tired of all the arguments, and they arranged for the curious men to visit the palace of the Rajah to learn the truth about elephants. A young boy from their village was selected to guide the blind men on their journey. The smallest man put his hand on the boy's shoulder. The second blind man put his hand on his friend's shoulder, and so on until all six men were ready to walk safely behind the boy who would lead them to the Rajah's magnificent palace.

When the blind men reached the palace, they were greeted by an old friend from their village who worked as a gardener on the palace grounds. Their friend led them to the courtyard. There stood an elephant. The blind men stepped forward to touch the creature that was the subject of so many arguments.

The first blind man reached out and touched the side of the huge animal. "An elephant is smooth and solid like a wall!" he declared. "It must be very powerful."

The second blind man put his hand on the elephant's limber trunk. "An elephant is like a giant snake," he announced.

The third blind man felt the elephant's pointed tusk. "I was right," he decided. "This creature is as sharp and deadly as a spear."

The fourth blind man touched one of the elephant's four legs. "What we have here," he said, "is an extremely large cow."

The fifth blind man felt the elephant's giant ear. "I believe an elephant is like a huge fan or maybe a magic carpet that can fly over mountains and treetops," he said.

The sixth blind man gave a tug on the elephant's coarse tail. "Why, this is nothing more than a piece of old rope. Dangerous, indeed," he scoffed.

The gardener led his friends to the shade of a tree. "Sit here and rest for the long journey home," he said. "I will bring you some water to drink."

While they waited, the six blind men talked about the elephant.

"An elephant is like a wall," said the first blind man. "Surely we can finally agree on that."

"A wall? An elephant is a giant snake!" answered the second blind man.

"It's a spear, I tell you," insisted the third blind man.

"I'm certain it's a giant cow," said the fourth blind man.

"Magic carpet. There's no doubt," said the fifth blind man.

"Don't you see?" pleaded the sixth blind man. "Someone used a rope to trick us."

Their argument continued and their shouts grew louder and louder.

"Wall!" "Snake!" "Spear!" "Cow!" "Carpet!" "Rope!"

"Stop shouting!" called a very angry voice.

It was the Rajah, awakened from his nap by the noisy argument.

"How can each of you be so certain you are right?" asked the ruler.

The six blind men considered the question. And then, knowing the Rajah to be a very wise man, they decided to say nothing at all.

"The elephant is a very large animal," said the Rajah kindly. "Each man touched only one part. Perhaps if you put the parts together, you will see the truth. Now, let me finish my nap in peace."

When their friend returned to the garden with the cool water, the six men rested quietly in the shade, thinking about the Rajah's advice.

"He is right," said the first blind man. "To learn the truth, we must put all the parts together. Let's discuss this on the journey home."

The first blind man put his hand on the shoulder of the young boy who would guide them home. The second blind man put a hand on his friend's shoulder, and so on until all six men were ready to travel together.

Not one of them recognised the animal as an elephant because each person’s Concept was limited to their own perception which gives them only a small part of the whole truth – leading to great argument about what the truth really was.

Our senses can be confused at time look at this picture what do you see..

But we may not know the whole truth but Jesus can open our hearts and minds.

Jesus really was raised from the dead, on Easter morning the tomb was empty, and his followers really did see him again.

How can we be sure of this?

For one thing the disciples understanding about resurrection was based on their Jewish beliefs. They did believe there would be a resurrection, but their expectation would be at the end of time, when all the faithful would be raised from the dead.

Even though Jesus told them plainly that in three days he would be raised, I mean they had seen people brough back to life before, so why the doubt? Well for a start Jesus wasn’t there to do it.

And those Brough back from the dead were not so much resurrected as revived brough back to life and later died. Jesus was resurrected to eternal life.

We need to remember on palm Sunday when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem his followers expectation, was even though Jesus had told them plainly what was going to happen, they still hung onto the idea that he would take the city and begin to rule,

So, you can understand that they were shocked at the death of their leader, just like sudden accidents or dreadful illness take someone away from us today, the loss can have a deep and lasting effect on us. When someone who we may be extremely close to is not there anymore and this sense of loss is sometimes too hard to bare.

The whole of his followers would have been frightened, we read that they went into hiding and who could blame them, if they had killed Jesus will they come for us? Will we be next?

They would be grieving; they are in shock; they have spent three amazing years following the messiah see miracles and hearing his teachings, sleeping and eating with him being constantly with him. but now it was over.

He was dead, it was finished

Or so they thought.

There is authenticity in John’s account when Jesus appears to Mary, it is unique in ancient literature.

As you may be aware sorry ladies, but a women’s testimony did not carry much weight compared to that of a man.

So, if you were making this story up, you probably not have Jesus first appear to a woman.

Jesus when he was resurrected doesn’t make a triumphant appearance, he simply meets with Mary alone in a garden, with gentleness and love.

If you notice Jesus doesn’t ask Mary what she is looking for but “Who is it, you are looking for”

Somehow these words open her eyes to who it is, she realises thar it is Jesus she cried out “Rabboni” which means teacher.

She reached out to him, but he explains to her that she mustn’t try to hold onto him.

Why does he tell her this? It is because she must begin a new, more internal relationship with Jesus, he in her and she in him.

This is the same for us today its not enough to know the evidence or the fact of the resurrection. We need a personal encounter with the risen Christ.

We live in a world desperately searching for happiness and peace of mind. This can be found only in the joy and peace that comes from our relationship with Jesus.

Mary went straight away to tell the other disciples “I have seen the Lord”

Jesus then appears to the disciples in other Gospels it says he appeared in a locked room, and they though he was a ghost!

Jesus’ appearance did however bring them joy three times to says to them “Peace be with you” and this inner peace flowed from his presence.

Faith in Jesus brings this inner peace and Joy to all who believe in him.

In this short encounter Jesus transforms this group of frightened individuals into a community of love, Joy, and peace.

And as we encounter Jesus the transformation can and will happen for all who believe in him.

Jesus also gave them a new sense of purpose. “As the Father sent me, so I send you”

This resurrection message is a hope for the world.

It is now our responsibility to carry this message on, those who have met the risen Christ are commissioned like the first disciples, to spread the good news to all people .

But someone was absent at the first meeting Thomas:

We always look at Thomas as a sceptic, we have the saying don’t we when faced with someone who doesn’t believe or agree with us, we call them a doubting Thomas.

But would you not have doubt I think I would have reacted like him when 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 it”.

How must he have felt when Jesus appeared when Thomas was present and shows him the wounds!

Do you sometimes feel guilty about having doubts? But we need to be honest about them and bring them to Jesus.

If you noted Thomas’s response? “My Lord my God” so from a place of doubt Thomas makes perhaps the first statement identifying Jesus divinity in all the Gospels. He is the first one to call Jesus God.

In a world where reality is constantly brought into question by conflicting reports and where fake news can distort our Views, how can Christians ensure the Truth of the stories we tell and the message by which we live? Is it wrong to seek or even to demand evidence?

The philosopher Onora O’Neill writes about the importance of trust: ‘Well-placed trust grows out of active inquiry rather than blind acceptance.

In the relation of trust, active inquiry is usually extended over a long time by talking and asking questions, by listening and seeing how well the claims stand up.

This is very much what is described in John’s Gospel, where questioning and listening, hearing words and seeing acts, doing and knowing belong together.

The Gospel is about ‘relationship of trust’, and Jesus is helping Thomas not to doubt him but to trust him.

Doubting Thomas? Or is this the story of someone who longs for a new way of knowing, and a reminder to us that doubt and faith are not mutually exclusive? Doubt, and questioning is part of developing faith and can lead to deeper commitment.

We find in our reading from acts, the disciples are no longer hiding in fear but are spreading the word of Christ

The best evidence of the resurrection of Christ is that they didn’t just go back to their old lives, isn’t that what would be the most logical thing to do?

This is the best historical explanation for Christianity that the resurrection is true and the early followers saw Jesus physically talked and ate with him, one or even two saying they had seen him would not be enough, the idea of him being a ghost does not fit. In fact his body may well have been more real and substantial than our own.

There is only one conclusion if examining the evidence we have.

Jesus is alive today!

HYMN

It is well with my soul

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION

Lord Jesus, we thank you that although we cannot touch you as Thomas did, we can reach out in prayer; although we cannot put our fingers in your side, we can proclaim you as our Lord and our God; although we cannot see the marks of the nails, we can open our hearts to receive your peace and praise your wonderful name. Amen.

In places where there is conflict between nations leading to violence and destruction, We pray for the decision-makers that they may find a way forward and ordinary people Who inevitably will suffer loss, Spirit of unity, bring comfort and peace. To the leaders of different religions and to their faithful followers, where there is difference and dispute: Spirit of unity, bring comfort and peace. In homes where people live in fear of violence and abuse; where there is neither safety nor sanctuary: Spirit of unity, bring comfort and peace. In communities fragmented by greed, disagreement and discord, to peacemakers and those who seek to bring healing: Spirit of unity, bring comfort and peace.

We bring to you people and situations that are on our hearts, and bring them before you now

In a moment of silence

Spirit of unity

Bring comfort and peace

May the risen Lord be present through the Holy Spirit to heal, renew and fill people with hope. In his name we pray. Amen.

HYMN

Thine be the Glory

BLESSING

God beyond our understanding, yet always with us, we offer to you: our minds to think of your words and your promises; our hearts to show your love for the world; our imagination to dream big for your kingdom; our hands to work for a better world, and all, of our lives to love and serve you always. Amen.

END