Title The Resurrection Lord/John 20:19-23
Contents
Today is Easter Sunday. The resurrected Lord, who came to this earth 2000 years ago, died on the cross and rose again, is with us at this very moment today.
The event of the resurrection that day was a historical fact. However, we must meet the resurrection Jesus, experience His touch, and have intimate fellowship with Him, then we can say that we have faith in the resurrection. That is why meeting the risen Lord is so important. In today's text, we see three groups of people who met the resurrected Lord. Those people were changed by meeting the resurrected Lord. They were Mary Magdalene, the disciples, and Thomas.
Through the Resurrection Lord whom we met, we hope that they will be welcomed once again as the Lord of Resurrection, who is affecting me and my whole life, not the Lord of Resurrection that we know only intellectually. So, I want this to be a time to reflect on my life in the Word and check whether I have really met the Lord of the Resurrection.
Then, let's take a look at the people who met the risen Lord one by one.
The first was Mary Magdalene.
Mary was a woman who truly loved Jesus.
Dear saints!
There are many of us who live with sorrows that cannot be washed away even after many years. Indeed, all people in this world live with sorrow. However, in order to overcome sorrow and live a victorious life, we must meet the resurrected Jesus. No matter how long the sorrow may be, our Jesus will turn it into joy. I pray that you will meet the resurrected Jesus who comes to wash away my sorrow at this time and calls my name.
The second people Jesus met in today's text were the ten disciples.
They were trembling in fear after Jesus died. They were buried in such a death fear that the death of the teacher could also affect them. So the door was locked. But just then the risen Lord came, knocked on their door, stood in the midst of them, and proclaimed peace to them. Furthermore, he poured out his calling to those who had deserted Jesus and fled, saying, “Just as God has sent me, I am also sending you” (verse 21). And he also equips us spiritually so that we can receive the Holy Spirit so that we can fulfill our calling. The disciples who met Jesus were able to become bold and at peace.
Dear saints,
This world is truly a scary place. This world is full of fear. According to some reports, when asked what the biggest problem of young people in their 20s is, the first was fear, that is, fear. Fear of the future is deeply ingrained in young people. Will it be just young people? In all people, fear of the future and, in the end, fear of death is weighed down. But when we meet the risen Lord, He frees us from the fear of death and frees us from the fear of the future.
The last person the resurrected Lord met was Thomas.
What happened to Thomas was to leave the house when Jesus came to the disciples. So, how did the other disciples feel when they heard the story of how they had met Jesus? Indeed, his heart must have been saddened and upset. Why couldn't he have left the house at that time and didn't meet Jesus? So he tells the disciples who continue to talk about Jesus with upsetting and bitter feelings. “Unless I see the prints of the nails on his hands, and put my finger into them, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (verse 25).
But Jesus finds such Thomas. At that time, he does not do what I would do when he meets Jesus, but rather confesses to the Lord.
“My Lord and my God” (verse 28).
That's right. When we meet the Lord of the Resurrection like this, our unbelief turns into faith. Like Thomas, those who tried to measure everything by their own standards will also be transformed into people of faith when they meet Jesus. No matter how difficult and dark the world we live in, we must live by faith. Such faith is given when we meet the Lord of the Resurrection.
Dear saints!
What kind of people change this world? What kind of people will our church be revitalized by?
Those who have met the Lord of the Resurrection and have the faith of the Resurrection can change the world, their homes, and the Church.
We pray that all of our members will become the protagonists of such a resurrection.