4th September 2022 – John 20:19-31

"19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

24 Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although 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, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

John 20:19-31

A further thought may not be out of place. Paul, in speaking of this subject, says in 1 Corinthians 15:45, 'The first Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening (life-giving) spirit.' In Genesis 2:7 we are told that the Lord God breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life that was the first creation. And here we have the new creation, with the same Creator God, in the Person of His risen Son, breathing His breath into the new man. This is John's point throughout his gospel, the difference Jesus makes. Here is how the difference comes about by the Holy Spirit. John's bringing all these things together, although misleading so far as chronology is concerned, underlines the fact that for Christian experience there can be no question of time-lapse or waiting either between our experience of the death of Christ and His resurrection (historically a period of three days) or between our experience of the resurrection and Pentecost (historically a period of fifty days). Theologically, these experiences are simultaneous. One cannot know the power of Christ's death without in the same instant knowing the power of His resurrection. What is more, the power of His death and the power of His resurrection can be, theologically, nothing more and nothing other than the power of the Holy Spirit. There is not a multiplicity of spiritual powers, only One.