(From the archives: 2014: This means that the article is carried over from its original printing without any changes or rewrites.)
“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 said unto them, Peace be unto you. 20. And when He had so said, He showed unto them His hands and His side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.” I can only imagine what the disciples felt as they huddled in a closed room, quaking in fear because of what the Jewish leaders might do to them. Then like a burst of light from heaven, Jesus appears in the room and gives them the usual Jewish greeting: “Peace be unto you.” When Jesus showed them His hands and His side, the disciples were glad (overjoyed) when they saw the Lord.”At that moment, the reality of who Jesus really is came home to them and they were overjoyed. It makes all the difference when Jesus is real to you. When I was a youngster of about nineteen years of age, I was filled with doubts about the reality of all that I had been taught in Sunday School, etc. I remember that I was alone in the sleeping area of the USS Hornet when I had what I will call an epiphany. I was about at rock bottom in my doubts as I lay there on my bunk, when His reality hit me right in my heart. I don’t know what He did. To this day, I can’t really describe what the Lord did to my mind and heart that day, but He made Himself real to me at that moment, and like the disciples, I was overjoyed when that reality hit me. I knocked the dust off of my Bible and began to listen to His call on my heart. Notice what happened when the reality of Jesus hit His disciples. First, I think that they were no longer afraid. They had gathered in that room and shut door in the first place because they were afraid of what the Jews were going to do to them. They were hiding out, afraid to be seen. When Jesus becomes real to a person, one of the first things that happens is that fear is banished. This doesn’t mean that we will never be afraid again. It means that we will no longer fear that Jesus has forsaken us, for He is real every moment of our lives. Second, they experienced overwhelming joy: “Then were the disciples glad (overjoyed) when they saw the Lord.” In John 16:20, Jesus had predicted that this would happen: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that you shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and you shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned to joy.” Can you imagine the relief that these men felt when they were confronted with the fact that all that Jesus said to them about Himself was true? They heard what he said then, but it didn’t really register until this moment. All of them had forsaken their livelihoods to follow Jesus. If He was dead, it meant that they had lost everything. But now that they knew He was alive they gained more than they would have lost. When Jesus is real to us, we experience joy as well. When we go through the troubles and trials of life, it is great to know that we are not alone, but that Jesus is real and that He has not forsaken us. Third, in verse 21 they were given a challenge and a new task: “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father has sent me, even so send I you.” They were to go into the world and share the reality of Jesus with other people – which they did. We believe in Jesus today, and He is real to us today, because these disciples obeyed Jesus and went out and spread the word of His reality until the word spread all over the world. Jesus has given us the challenge and task to tell others as well. Let’s go in great joy and do it. Bro. Joe
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AuthorDr. Joe Beauchamp is the author of this blog and website. Categories
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