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. (NRSV)
NOTES:
· So much here to work with ‘as the Father has sent me’: in the same spirit, with the same purpose, same goal (to seek & save the lost; to the sick, not the well; etc)
· We are not called to sit and invite, we are SENT!
· As the Father has sent (me apostello) — so I send (pempo) you. These two words are used by Jesus nearly 60 times in John’s gospel alone.
Questions for reflection:
· How was Jesus sent by the Father? What does Jesus say about this in John’s gospel and elsewhere?
· What does that mean for us in our own lives of faith? If I am sent by Jesus in the same way that Jesus is sent by the Father, then what is Jesus asking of me, what has he given me, how will I go, where and to whom?
PRAYER: God the Father, who sent Jesus the Son into the world, hear our prayer today. Thank you for calling us to follow the Christ, and in following, to accept being sent to the world, for the sake of the world, that the world might know your love. Rid our lives of anything that might hinder your work in us and through us. To the glory of your name and the spreading of your reign of peace. Amen.
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Upcoming Texts:
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Week of 3/31 – 4/6: Luke 24:13-35
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Week of 4/7 4/13: John 10:1-10
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