The Gospel of John: The Risen King reveals Himself to His Apostles (1)

Matthew’s Genealogy and the Virgin Birth of Jesus

1 and 2. Matthew chapter 1. Matthew chapter 1. The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,.

The son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nashon, and Nashon the father of Sammon, and Sammon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the deportation to Babylon and after the deportation to Babylon Jeconiah was the father of Shealteel and Shealteel the father of Zerubbabel and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud and Abiud the father of Elikim and Elikim the father of Azor and Azor the father of Zadok and Zadok the father of Akeem and Akeem the father of Eliud and Eliud the father of Eliezer and Eliezer the father of Methan and Methan the father of Jacob and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary of whom Jesus was born who is called Christ.

So all the generations from Abraham to David were 14 generations and from David to the deportation to Babylon 14 generations and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ 14 generations. Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way when his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph before they came together.

She was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit and her husband Joseph being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame. Resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying Joseph son of David.

Do not fear to take Mary as your wife for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet.

Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and they shall call his name Emanuel which means God with us. When Joseph woke from sleep he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. He took his wife but knew her not until she had given birth to a son and he called his name Jesus.

Prayer for the Incarnation and the Sermon to Follow

Let's pray our Heavenly Father.

We thank you for this time together. We thank you that we could gather as your church to exalt and to lift your name on high. And Lord the highest name there is is Jesus Christ and Lord. We love this time of year when we remember the incarnation of Christ.

We remember his Condescension his coming in entering into history becoming a man a flesh and bone breathing man. We thank you Lord for what this means. We thank you that by his life many of us have life.

He was our substitution. He was the propitiation of sin. And Lord, the incarnation is such a wonderful doctrine. It is a great great mystery for which we are so thankful and We pray Lord that we would reflect upon these things.

That we would reflect upon who you are and what you've done. Help us Lord to understand these things and help us to live them out. And be with us now Lord as we continue our worship through the sermon help us to Hear the words that pastor Lars has to say.

We pray that the Spirit would take those words and implant them deep within our hearts. Help us to live them out to your praise glory and honor.

Thank you Lord in Jesus name. Amen. Well, let's turn in our Bibles to John 20, please.

We hope before long that we'll be baptizing. We're making arrangements now if any of you are interested in this matter and I would encourage you to come and speak with me or pastor Jason shortly so we can get this process moving.

Even if you have questions, you're not sure about it for yourself. Nevertheless come to us so we can talk with you. Well, we are presently considering the Apostle John's record of our Lord's resurrection appearances in which he Revealed himself to his followers and he only revealed himself to his followers.

He didn't reveal himself to non-disciples after his resurrection and Of course according to John the Lord first met and spoke with Mary Magdalene. To which we gave our attention last Lord's Day and before us today, however is the account of Jesus showing himself to his apostles and.

And Jesus first appeared to ten of his Apostles Who were gathered together on the first evening of that first Lord's Day and that's recorded before us in verses 19 through 23 and. Then we read that he appeared a week later to all 11 of the Apostles Including Thomas.

Thomas wasn't with them that first Sunday evening. He met with him the following Lord's Day evening and that's what we have recorded in verses 24 through 29. And then John provided a summary and concluding statement at the end of this chapter some regard chapter 21 is somewhat of an epilogue, but he Gives a concluding statement that he wrote The selection of signs that he did in his gospel in order to show forth The Lord Jesus Christ and that people would believe and have salvation through faith in him.

That's the verses 30 and 31. So let's read this entire passage before us. John 20 19 through 31. 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?

Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them Peace be with you. When he had said this he showed them his hands and his side and then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again peace to you as the Father has sent me I also send you.

And When he had said this he breathed on them and said to them receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven them if you retain the sins of any they are retained. Now Thomas called the twin.

One of the twelve was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him we have seen the Lord. So he said to them Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and put my hand Into his side.

I will not believe. And after eight days his disciples were again inside and Thomas with them. Jesus came the doors being shut and stood in the midst and said peace to you. And he said to Thomas reach your finger here and look at my hands.

Reach your hand here and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving but believing. And Thomas answered said to him my Lord and my God. Jesus said to him Thomas Because you've seen me you have believed.

Blessed are those who have not seen yet have believed and Truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ The Son of God and that believing you may have life in his name.

And so Jesus appeared to his disciples and so John records this event really to his Apostles and In doing so John revealed Jesus replacing the fear that characterized them with faith in him faith Took away their fear faith casts out fear and he pronounced to them the peace of God.

This peace of God was theirs due to God's forgiveness of their sins through faith in Jesus Christ. And John then recorded Jesus commissioning his Apostles Imparting to them the Holy Spirit and giving them authority to pronounce salvation and judgment to the world To which he was sending them and so he commissions them as well as equips them with the Holy Spirit.

And so as we look over these Verses we may easily discern two major parts verses 19 through 23 and then verses 24 through 29 and then additionally again we have the Word of John and verses 30 through 31.

And so here's an outline it's a little more detailed than what we normally use but an outline that might aid us in the Consideration of this passage we have Jesus appeared to ten of his Apostles verses 19 through 23 and This can be broken down in verses 19 and 20 Jesus appeared and pronounced to them the peace of God and Then secondly Jesus set before them their mission for God.

Thirdly Jesus bestowed upon them the Spirit of God and then fourthly Jesus declared their authority in their service to God and then the second division Jesus appeared again to his Apostles a week later, but this time including Thomas and so first here we have a note regarding the absence of Thomas from their first meeting and Then secondly Jesus again appeared to them and again pronounced to them the peace of God.

That's a recurring theme here a point of emphasis and then Jesus addressed Thomas directly and Thomas responds to Jesus in faith and Then Jesus pronounced those as blessed who believe apart from seeing.

That includes you and me doesn't it we're believing on Christ. You're more blessed than Thomas who saw him and put your his Fingers, you know in the in the prints of his hands and his hand in Jesus's sight.

You're more blessed than he because you believe without seeing He was blessed. You're more blessed is what Jesus declared. That's wonderful. And then John gave an announcement regarding the signs of Jesus and the limited record He had provided for them in his gospel.

There were seven signs and He chose seven for the reason to generate or produce faith in those that would read of them. Today, we're only gonna have time Lord willing to address the first portion of this passage under Roman numeral one where Jesus appeared to ten of his Apostles and then next time Lord willing we will pick up with verse 24 Jesus appeared again To his apostles, but including Thomas and so let's work through these verses verses 29 to 30.

Should be.

Verses 29 to 19 pardon me through 23 not 29 to 33 Jesus appeared to ten of his apostles. We had seen that the first witness of course and I put witnessing quotes to the resurrection of Jesus Christ was the empty tomb Itself, wasn't it?

In which the grave clothes of Jesus had remained. But the empty tomb itself did not result in the faith of the Apostles to the resurrection of Christ except for John. When he saw the grave clothes in there in the empty tomb, he believed he believed in the resurrection of Christ.

The others didn't. Immediately and even our Lord's appearance to Mary Magdalene Had not convinced them through her witness of his resurrection. They were mystified by it. The men of that day and I suppose most men of most days didn't give a lot of credibility to the women's witness.

They should have listened to her. That's actually declared in Luke 24, isn't it? The women told you and you didn't believe him. Jesus rebukes them for their for not believing their witness. But here we read that Jesus showed himself alive to his apostles the first Sunday the first Lord's Day.

And it was a transformative encounter. They would not only be an occasion for solidifying their faith In their risen Lord, but it would also be the occasion in which he commissioned them and empowered them to witness to the world of salvation through faith in him.

So there's a great Deal of information and of importance contained here in these verses. First Jesus appeared and pronounced to them the peace of God verses 19 and 20. Actually verse 19. 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.

The Jews Jesus came stood in the midst and said to them peace be with you. John provided a time reference. Which is commonly done in narrative portions of Scripture the same day at evening being the first day of the week.

However, if John were only concerned about giving a time reference It would have been sufficient for him to simply have written the same day at evening. But he added more information. He included the detail the first day of the week.

This is what he had written when he opened this chapter in verse 1. Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early. And so this phrase once again signals a new creation. Begun with the coming forth of Jesus from the dead in his glorified body the first day of the week.

Again, we have the parallel between John's gospel and the Genesis account of creation in Genesis 1 and 2. As one expresses matter this pericope or episode Begins with a temporal designation that explains that the events to follow or taking place on the same day as the previous Events in chapter 20 though now in the evening as we discussed before the phrase the first day of the week Makes this more than a chronological marker for it simultaneously echoes again the Gospels creation motif.

It is no wonder that the earliest Christians were convinced that this day Sunday The first day of the week was the most appropriate day for the gathering of the church. Not only was it the day of the resurrected Lord the day creation itself was reclaimed by God.

But according to this pericope it was also the day the church met for the first time. And while such a designation is a theological deduction It is interesting that the gathered disciples also qualified as a congregational quorum or minion of ten men.

Judas wasn't there. He had killed himself and Thomas wasn't present, but there were ten of them. This was a minion according to Jewish regulations. In other words, you needed ten men in order to have a formal Religious gathering in which God would bless it.

You needed a ten men in order to form a synagogue and here you have ten men and they're gathering here it's and so ten should probably not be viewed as just a incidental description of a number of them.

But it had meaning itself. Matthew Henry whom I so appreciate Wrote that by Jesus Christ rising on the first day of the week he sanctified Sunday as the Christian Sabbath, and this is the common understanding of reformed people Protestants in the past Sunday is the Christian Sabbath.

Here is a Christian Sabbath observed by the disciples and owned by our Lord Jesus. The visit Christ made to his disciples was on the first day of the week and The first day of the week is I think the only day of the week or month or year that is ever mentioned by number and all the New Testament and This is several times spoken of as a day religiously observed.

In other words New Testament talks about Christians gathering the church's gathering on the first day of the week. Though it is said here Expressly verse one that Christ arose on the first day of the week and it might have been sufficient to say here verse 19 He appeared the same day at evening yet to put an honor upon the day it repeated being the first day of the week.

Not that the Apostles designed to put honor upon the day. They were yet in doubt concerning the occasion of it. But God designed to put honor upon it by ordering it that they should be all together to receive Christ's first Visit on that day thus in effect.

He blessed and sanctified that day. Because in it the Redeemer rested. Clever. I had an elderly man call me two weeks ago. I didn't call him back. He said he was 80 years old a radio listener and he says I wouldn't mind talking to you about if you care to call.

I said I just never Read anywhere in New Testament. Clearly was seven day Adventist background where you know, Sunday is to be the day of worship. Well, it's it's everywhere. And it certainly is suggested here.

Now we read that when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled Jesus appeared to them standing in the midst. They had the door locked because they were afraid of the Jews after all the Jewish leaders had Arrested crucified their master and it was likely that they the Jews would also do the same to the disciples.

And John declared this indirectly when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews. This is why they shut the door presumably locked it. And so one can understand why the disciples would be very cautious and fearful for what had transpired in recent days.

One wrote. God's people have often been often obliged to enter into their chambers and shut their doors as it were for fear of the Jews. Persecuted is allotted to them. It is for all Christians. They who live godly shall suffer persecution is what the Apostle wrote.

Persecution is allotted them and retirement from persecution is allowed them. It's okay for Paul to escape from a basket lowered down the wall of Damascus and go off to Tarsus. There's an occasion when a Strategic retreat is appropriate and proper and Then where shall we look for them but in dens and caves of the earth?

It's a real grief, but no real reproach to Christ disciples thus to abscond. There's a there's a time when we should perhaps flee.

The Lord.

Told the Jewish believers when you see Jerusalem surrounding the army You know it's around where I was flea and they did that in ad -70 the Jewish Christians and Josephus writes none of them perished in the destruction of Jerusalem and by the Romans in 8070 because they fled as the Lord Jesus had instructed them to do.

And.

So they Were afraid they locked the doors where they assembled and then Jesus appeared to them standing in the midst. They had locked the door because they were afraid of the Jews. But then the Lord appeared and so the Lord Met with them.

Even though their solemn assembly was reduced to privacy. No doors can shut out. Christ's presence from them wrote one. The Lord graciously meets with his disciples whenever they gather in his name. And of course he's done that with his people for his people throughout this last 2 ,000 years.

Why had they gathered. John doesn't say why they gathered. Perhaps it was due to the events of the day that had transpired. The tomb was empty his grave clothes remaining. Mary testified that. That's Mary Magdalene testified.

She had met and spoken with Jesus. Moreover. He she conveyed a message to them from Jesus. Jesus had instructed her go to my brother and say to them I'm ascending to my father and your father to my God and your God.

We may assume that she did so she conveyed that message to them. And so maybe they gathered for prayer. Maybe they gathered to you know, compare notes with one another. Consider what's all this mean? Who knows?

Again to cite Matthew Henry. Here is a Christian assembly solemnized by the disciples and also owned by the Lord Jesus. Probably the disciples met here for some religious exercise. To pray together or perhaps they meant to compare notes.

Consider whether they had sufficient evidence of their master's resurrection. To consult what was now to be done. Whether they should keep together a scatter. They met to know one another's mind strengthen one another's hands and Concert proper measures to be taken in presence of critical juncture.

This meeting was private because they durst not dared not appear publicly. Especially in a body or group they met in a house. But they kept the door shut that they might not be seen together and that no one might come among them but such as they knew for they feared the Jews who would Press prosecute the disciples as criminals that they might seem to believe the lie.

They would deceive the world with that his disciples came by night and stole him away. But even as they gathered secretly securely and privately Jesus came and stood in the midst. It's clear that Jesus had suddenly physically appeared to them.

One moment they were alone. The next moment Jesus was standing alongside them as one wrote as his resurrection body. Passed through the grave closed verses 6 through 8 so it passed through the locked doors and simply materialized.

It must have not only surprised them, but it must have startled them I would think. But in order to quench their fears the first words that came forth from Jesus was the declaration peace be with you and John's point of emphasis in this passage Was not just a miraculous way that Jesus appeared to them.

But what he said to them this is the point of emphasis peace be with you and We may conclude this by the fact that Jesus repeats it three times in these few verses before us. Verse 19 Jesus came stood in the midst said to them peace be with you verse 21.

So Jesus said to them again Peace to you. And then a week later verse 26 after eight days his disciples were again inside Thomas with them. Jesus came the doors being shut stood in the midst and said peace to you and Let's remember the last time Jesus had seen these men.

They scattered didn't they they forsook him abandoned him. His sheep had scattered and he was left to deal with his Prosecutors persecutors and tormentors alone, but our Lord gave no reproof. No word of reproof to them or a rebuke of their defection in their departure.

Peace Be with you. The first words as one wrote that our Lord spoke to the disciples afford a beautiful proof of his loving merciful tender thoughtful pitiful and Compassionate spirit. He said peace be with peace be unto you.

That expression in my opinion Must on no account be taken as a mere formal salutation without meaning. It was intended to reassure and cheer the minds of the disciples by exhibiting at once his mind towards them.

Not a word of reproof or rebuke or fault-finding or blame falls from our Lord's lips notwithstanding all their sad faint heartedness and Desertion on the preceding Thursday night. All is forgiven and forgotten.

The very first word is peace. This was almost the last word that our Lord had spoken on Thursday night before he prayed these things. I've spoken that in me you might have peace. This was the last legacy he had left his disciples peace.

I leave with you my peace I give unto you let your hearts not be troubled. Can we doubt that this comfortable word would cheer and calm the minds of the little company when our Lord suddenly appeared?

This whole section of John's gospel is permeated with this idea, isn't it? Peace be unto you. And so it is if you're a disciple of Jesus Christ that is a true believer. But you've defected and departed from the Lord for a time.

When he comes to restore you he does so in mercy and kindness and speaks to you in gracious words declared peace to you. He welcomes all that come and return to him humbly and in faith. Through these words our Lord Jesus took a commonly heard greeting peace and Infused it with deep far-reaching spiritual importance.

By this word Jesus declared that all of the fruit and effects of his life and death Had now come to them and was their present possession. Peace on to you. It took his death in order to confer and to assure these benefits for his people.

The death of the testator of the will must take place before the inheritance can be distributed to the heirs who are stipulated in the will book of Hebrews. It took his death to secure these benefits for his people.

For Jesus Christ is both the testator and the executor of his will in which his people or his errors do to inherit all that he has. Now one would think that as soon as Jesus spoke these words peace be unto you.

That their fear would have dissipated. But this is not what occurred. John simply records what happened after Jesus said these words to them. We read in verse 20 when he had said this he showed them his hands and his side and then the disciples were glad when they Saw the Lord.

But we read in Luke 24 actually details that John chose not to include. There we read of two disciples Who had met Jesus they didn't recognize him as they traveled on the road to Demet to Emmaus and after Jesus departed those two?

Disciples returned to Jerusalem that very Sunday night that first Lord's Day and they met with these disciples and they were standing here. When Jesus appeared in the midst John only talks about the ten.

But the two were there. There were others there, too. According to Luke. Here's the account in Luke 24. So they that's the two disciples Rose up that very hour returned to Jerusalem found the eleven and those who are with him.

Now there were only ten here. The eleven probably carries the idea of the Apostolic band collectively. Entirely rather than being a precise number of individuals that were there Found the eleven that was it.

The twelve was a technical name and of course Judas was gone now. He found the eleven but there were others there, too. See we read that in verse 33 The two disciples so they rose up that very hour returned to Jerusalem found the eleven and those who are with them gathered together.

There were others with the disciples here on this occasion. Along with the ten and then the two joined them. John was focusing on the Apostles saying the Lord has risen indeed has appeared to Simon and They told about the things that had happened on them happened on the road and how he was known to them in the breaking of bread and Now as they said these things Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and said to them peace to you.

This is what John records for us that we've already read but notice the reaction in verse 37, but they were terrified and frightened and Supposed they had seen a spirit He said to them. Why are you troubled?

Why did doubts arise in your hearts. Behold my hands and my feet that it is I myself. Handle me and see for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have a week later. He would challenge Thomas to do that, but he actually Exhorted his disciples to do that on this first evening.

Well when he had said this he showed them his hands and his feet. But while they still did not believe her joy and marveled he said to them have you any food here? So they gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.

He took it and ate in their presence. Well, he must be a man. He he's physical. He ate, you know, he's here. It's him. Again, we may be thankful. We have four Gospels that give us a more full picture picture, but recognize the Holy Spirit Used John to give us the details for a purpose and it was primarily a message to the Apostles.

But again, the emphasis of John is on our Lord's words. Peace be with you verse 19. This was the customary way that the Jews greeted one another. It was an expression that connoted the desire that the peace of God would be experienced and enjoyed to the one you addressed.

Peace be with you. It carried the idea that God would bless that one with peace which is set forth in the Old Testament by the word Shalom. Rest.

Peace.

Shalom carried the idea of a secure and blessed existence without danger or threat. But through the person and work of Christ this idea of peace or Shalom encompasses a far greater blessing even a spiritual well-being and security a state of blessing before God that could not be shaken interrupted or diminished peace be unto you and Nothing was going to unsettle that even if the Jewish soldiers and not priests came bursting in at that moment That peace would still be theirs.

It was viewed as an essential blessing of the coming Messianic Kingdom. Peace in the Old Testament when all of Israel's enemies would be overthrown and would no longer trouble or pose a threat to Israel's Well-being it would signal a restored relationship.

That's a covenant a restored covenant with God. Which was the blessing of the promised kingdom in Jesus's pronouncement. He informed his disciples that the long desired anticipated age of peace had arrived to his death and resurrection From the dead.

This was an announcement of the establishment and their enjoyment as citizens of the kingdom of God. The days before the centuries before Jesus minister on the earth would not a time of peace between Israel and God.

But rather it was a time when God had been warring against his people since the days of the Old Testament prophets. Because Israel had broken its covenant relationship with God that God had established with Israel at Mount Sinai.

The curse of God had come upon them. They had transgressed the law the Transgression of God's law was upon them and therefore the curses of God were upon the nation of Israel. They didn't have peace with God.

They were cursed of God. God had turned against them. God no longer regarded them and treated them as his people. God began to speak to them frequently not as my people but this people you tell this people That I was going to judge them.

But God had promised that he would raise up for himself a faithful servant Who would redeem his people unto himself? He would be a suffering servant who would bear their sins atone for their transgression against their covenant and Thereby restore them to God's favor.

We're bringing them into a state of true peace with himself. And so this is what we read in the fourth servant song of Isaiah. Isaiah 5213 through all of chapter 53 53 12 and so here's a portion of that very familiar prophecy Which had been written declared 700 plus years before Christ.

He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet. He opened not his mouth Describing Christ on his cross. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter as a sheep before it shearers is silent. So he opened not his mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment who will declare his generation for he was cut off from the land of the living notice for the transgression of my people he was stricken that Transgression was a transgression against God's covenant with them through Moses.

My people the transgression of my people he was stricken and they made his grave with the wicked. But with the rich at his death. There's a prophecy 700 years in advance that he'd be buried in the in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea the rich man.

Because he had done no violence nor was any deceit at his mouth and yet it pleased the Lord that is the God the father To bruise him. He's put him to grief. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed.

That's his spiritual descendants. He shall prolong his days that is he'll live Everlastingly, he'll come forth from the dead and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see the labor of his soul and be satisfied by his knowledge.

My righteous servant shall justify many for he shall bear their iniquities. And therefore I'll divide him a portion with the great. He should divide the spoil with the strong victorious King. Because he poured out his soul unto death.

He was numbered with the transgressors. He was hung between two thieves. He bore the sin of many and he made intercession for the transgressors a prophecy of Jesus's prayer father Forgive them. They know not what they do and Then in the following chapter Isaiah 54 We read of the announcement and celebration of what the suffering servant achieved for his people through a sacrificial death.

For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed. But my kindness shall not depart from you nor shall my covenant of peace. There it is be removed says the Lord who has mercy on you and Then a bit farther God declared no weapon formed against you shall prosper every tongue which rises against you and judgment.

You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is from me says the Lord. He replaced these Apostles fear of the Jews with faith in him. Peace be unto you. You've arrived.

The kingdom is here. Your favorite and So in this upper room our Lord announced and pronounced to his disciples at his kingdom. Terrorized by a people at peace with God and God at peace with them had been established through his death and resurrection.

For he himself is our peace according to the Apostle. John recorded that Jesus showed his disciples the nail marks in his hands and his side that had been pierced. He showed them his hands and his side He had died.

But here he was standing before them standing with them. But it's coming forth from death unto life must have also convinced this man these men that the Lord had indeed overcome the world. The world did everything it could To bring an end to Jesus and it failed as one put it.

He then displays to them his wounds less to I to establish his identity. Than that their joy might be filled by the sight of the signs of his victory over the world. Death could not hold him and The sight of Jesus's wounds convinced them.

It was the Lord in his own body. He showed them the wounds he received from his cross and thus he proved his love for them that he had died for them. But he also showed his wounds that even death itself would not prevent him from achieving his father's will.

In fact, it was the very means by which God's peace was secured for them through our Lord's death and resurrection. He conquered and overcame death itself. Why should they fear? Death has no power no more has no power over their master.

And he's assured them that because of his death death would never have power over them. It takes away the greatest fear that has ever been. Disaster characterized by man the fear of death. That Hebrews says that all their life they were tormented people are tormented by the fear of death shouldn't be so for the Christian.

If he's thinking rightly believing rightly. Many witnesses had seen Christ die upon his cross just a few days before him and now they're shown that this same man is standing Before them and the body which had been abused battered and crucified and the marks of his crucifixion remain on him.

And they'll forever be so ever-present reminders of what he endured for our redemption. He has marks in his hands and his side now as he sits enthroned in heaven and When he returns a second time these marks will be evident for even those who pierced him will look upon him and Recognize him as such.

When Jesus ascended into heaven not long after his appears. He would even then enter the throne room of God bearing the marks as a sacrificial lamb. John described him as such in Revelation chapter 5 and So because he lives we'll live also.