IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Unless I See the Nail Marks

Date: Sep. 6, 2024

Passage

John 20:19-31

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And 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 withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Jesus and Thomas

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, 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 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.”

26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, 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; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, 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 believed.”

The Purpose of This Book

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but 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.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: John 20:27

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”

Risen Jesus appeared to his disciples while they were hiding in fear and doubt. He showed his disciples his nail pierced hands and the place the soldier pierced his side. The scars of torture and death remained on his body. When the disciples saw it, they were overjoyed. It was really Jesus.

Resurrection bodies are not the perfect images we see in fashion or sports magazines. If there was a resurrection magazine, it would show the scars, the hardships and the stories of death on the bodies. God’s glory is seen not through covering up, but through our scars. Christians are resurrection people who tell stories of truth that are sometimes ugly, shameful, or traumatic, but we come forth displaying the grace and power of God who overcomes all our sins, weaknesses and even death. Risen Jesus gives us true peace and the spirit to forgive sins.

Prayer: Lord, you bore the suffering of us all and have risen to give us true peace and power to live as resurrection witnesses.

One Word: Believe

Daily Bread

Bearing the Image of the Heavenly Man

1 Corinthians 15:35-49

Key Verse: 15:49

Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

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