Excerpt from: First Fruits: Meditations for Personal Worship (pages 36-38)
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Prayer of Preparation: Lord Jesus, reveal yourself to me.
Scripture Reading: John 20:19-31
19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 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 retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, 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 the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, 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. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt 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 come to believe.” 30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
Meditation
Signs. They’re everywhere. Signs to warn you that there is a sign ahead; instruction signs for opening doors, and signs to let people know who is welcome. The book of John is all about signs with seven signs or miracles recorded. Only one of the signs is clearly identified as a sign in the text (the first one, changing water into wine, John 2:1-11) the rest are up to the reader or hearer to notice.* Our text explains there were many signs and the purpose of the signs recorded were for faith formation; John felt that these particular signs would successfully convince others that Jesus is the Messiah. It is hard to overlook water into wine, healings, feeding 5,000, walking on water, and raising someone from the dead. Folks were taking notice of the signs and they knew something was coming up (like the warning sign a few feet before a STOP sign) but some were ignoring them. The Pharisees got it and plotted to kill Jesus because of the signs. (John 11:47-52) The final sign, the eighth one in John, is the resurrection—seeing Jesus’s hands and side sealed it for the disciples, Thomas and many others. Everybody, eventually, arrives at the intersection to see the big red octagon with STOP on it, the sign for us to pause, pray, and ponder how John’s signs witness to the miracle of Jesus. Jesus is alive! Alleluia, Amen!
Prayer Prompt: Dear Lord, may I recognize the signs of your love.
Hymn: “Breathe on Me, Breath of God” Found in : Glory to God #286; Chalice Hymnal 254
Benediction: Today, may Jesus’ love abound. Amen.
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*see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Signs for a complete list.