John 20:21-31 (NIV)
Read by: Kathy Haug
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning…. These are the first words of Johns Gospel… he continues in talking about this Word… this one who was with God… saying: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
In today’s passage… the Word has been raised from the dead, and he makes his dwelling among the disciples once again. Except this time it’s in a locked room. And it’s there, behind doors of fear and self-preservation that the eternal Word speaks the words “peace be with you,” as he breathes new life into the disciples… just as he did in the beginning in the garden.
----------REFLECT----------
1. What part of this interaction between Jesus and HIs disciples stands out to you?
2. Thomas tends to get a bad reputation for asking questions of Jesus in this moment, of needing proof. But in reality… he’s the very first to lean into the promise of Jesus being the word that became flesh. And as he reaches out to touch the body of a man who he saw die but who is now alive and in the flesh, his whole concept of life and death is transformed. How does the physical resurrection of Jesus change the way you think about death knowing that we will also be raised?
3. Thomas recognized Jesus by his scars. We often imagine and perhaps long for a life after death that does not include the scars of this life. However, in this passage and in the future we have in Jesus, the presence of scars is proof of healing. So, what wounds in your life, do you long to be transformed into scars in the resurrection?
----------CONNECT----------
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