Daily Devotion
With Pastor Ancel Presnell
“AFFIRMATION OF HIS RESURRECTION”
The hours before the crucifixion of Jesus, His disciples dispersed and scattered abroad. Following His death, the disciples re-assemble. They were locked up in a room out of fear of the Jews; Afterall, their master is now dead! Their world is turned upside down, and confusion is a gross understatement!
There is something for us to learn in this scene; Anytime that Jesus is out of the mix, fear, anxiety, and isolation is in the mix. The unthinkable suddenly happens in this locked room of the disciples, Jesus appears inside the locked room with them. He greets them with, “Fear Not!” That would have been much easier said than done. There is no mention of the door opening; Christ invades the room of doubt, pain, anxiety, and fear. No one is better at entering a room full of emotions.
Jesus clears up any disbelief and fear by showing His men His nail-scarred hands. He even offers for Thomas to touch the wound in His side. Thomas was doubting big time too! Let’s be honest, there have been times since we have been saved that doubt and unbelief crept into our lives. We should know better, but the fear and anxiety takes over within. It’s often in those times that Jesus invades our emotions with His presence. This does not cause us to be afraid, no, it reminds us that the prince of peace is presently with us. He is alive and well! Christ invading our circumstances always affirms His Resurrection! Praise God, He is ALIVE!
John 20:19—28 “19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.”
