Acts 5:12-32; Revelation 1:4-18; John 20:19-31

Dear brother and sisters in Christ,

No one locks a door without reason. A locked door becomes a barrier between you and everything else. It gives us a sense of safety and protection since people can’t randomly access us through a locked door. It also offers privacy to do whatever we want without interruption. 

When we lock a door, we don’t expect anyone to enter through that barrier. It’s the entire point of why a door would be locked in the first place. We keep others out and ourselves in. For we know the laws of nature won’t let us pass through such a barrier without breaking the door. 

Imagine then the disciples surprise when a guest shows up in a room with the doors locked. The disciples gather together on the evening of Jesus’ resurrection and we’re told that “the doors [were] locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews,” John 20:19. Of course, the disciples had many reasons to lock the door. They believed the Jews would come for them next, the mobs would come after them too, or any other number of intruders to their gathering. But the actual “intruder” isn’t who they thought it would be either. Jesus comes among them through locked doors and says to them, “Peace be with you,” John 20:19b. Our resurrected Lord breaks through the barriers they placed so he may be with them.

There’s a problem with this gathering though. There’s someone missing. Only ten of the eleven disciples (remember Judas is gone) have gathered together. After Jesus speaks with them, they’re all abuzz with joy and excitement. But Thomas isn’t so easily convinced. These ten go to tell Thomas who was missing, but Thomas responds, “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,” John 20:25. Of course, this is the reason why we call him “doubting” Thomas, though such a name is misleading. But Thomas is also one with whom we can relate in our doubts.

Only one week later, these disciples gather together again; and this time, Thomas is with them. Here again, the doors were locked. But just like the first time, such a barrier caused no issues for our resurrected Lord. Jesus comes among them, saying again, “Peace be with you,” John 20:26. Then he turns to Thomas and addresses his doubts directly. “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe,” John 20:27. Our resurrected Lord doesn’t discard the marks of his passion. Rather, he’s known by them. Jesus is eternally known by his cross, his death for you, and now his resurrection from the dead. Sometimes, we may have doubts like Thomas. We may wish to “see” as the disciples have. And when we do, Jesus comes among us too… through his Word and Sacraments. Jesus is present through his Word. Everything Jesus did is recorded for our benefit, our faith. “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 20:31. When in doubt, let us turn again to God’s word… and there we’ll see Jesus who holds out his nail-scarred hands to us that we may have eternal life! 

Pastor Sorenson

Prayer:

Almighty God, grant that we who have celebrated the Lord’s resurrection may by Your grace confess in our life and conversation that Jesus is Lord and God; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!