JESUS MEETS US

“I think the Holy Spirit has different signs for all of us.” 

 

 

It was a simple sentence from a friend that resonated with me especially with hearing a sermon, two days later, that I think further expounds on the statement. 

 

Please note:  With the thoughts this week, as you read, you will see a picture with a question denoted by a number. It would be a great blessing for me if you can think about your personal answer to one of the questions and leave your answer in the comment section at the end of these thoughts. Let’s make this writing a little more interactive! 

 

First, let me share the story of how that thought came about.  My friend and I were heading home, in separate cars, from a meeting and I was curious to know if she had the Christian radio station on like I did.

 

If she did, I was wondering if she noticed the Third Day song, Your Love is like a River, that came on since she knows they are my favorite Christian band. I continued to share with her that four out of five days that week, at different times throughout the day, when I turned on the radio a Third Day song played!  Seeing God’s perfect timing hearing Third Day makes me smile, even laugh, and thank Him when it happens.  It reassures me of God’s Presence and knowing that He is so real working everything out with so many blessings along the way.

 

My friend’s response was that sentence,

“I think the Holy Spirit has different signs for all of us.”

 

She continued by saying no she did not have the radio on and that on her ride home she was really missing her husband who died unexpectedly five years ago. At that exact moment, she looked and saw a van from the company her late husband had worked at!  How amazing is our God?

 

 

Yes, I believe the Holy Spirit has different signs for all of us…

speaking to us all in different ways….

in the ways we each individually need to hear Him.

 

 

 

 

Fast forward to the Scripture passage I heard two days later after my friend’s comment that I will split into a few parts….A passage that I find particularly fascinating and so rich in meaning.

 

Let’s see how Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, met the disciples right where they were in the way they needed.

 

 

On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”  –John  20:19-21

 

 

Despite the doors being locked, Jesus appeared in the midst of the disciples.

The disciples were fearful and anxious, hiding from the Jews, because Jesus was crucified and they did not know what the Jews would do next…maybe even wanting to kill them.

Jesus knew what they were experiencing and met them right there in their need.

 

Jesus came to assure them that everything would be okay and bring them His Peace….that Peace that surpasses all understanding….to let them know everything would be okay.

 

 

 

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”  –John 20:22-23

 

 

Did you ever notice how Jesus breathed on the disciples for them to then receive the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity?

 

I find it fascinating to think that back in Genesis when God formed man, He “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” (Genesis 2:7).

 

With that first breath God brought man to life;

now Jesus breathed on the disciples and brought the Holy

Spirit alive in them!

 

 

 

Continuing with the passage, we see how Jesus meets Thomas right where he is in the way Thomas needed….

 

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to 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 into the nail marks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked, 
and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.  –John 20:24-29

 

We learn that Thomas was not with the other disciples when He appeared to them a week earlier so Thomas did not really believe when the other disciples said Jesus appeared to them.

 

What does Jesus do?  He waits a week and then appears again though the doors were locked.

 

Did you notice that the first thing Jesus did is speak directly to Thomas offering him Peace?  Before Thomas can even say anything, notice how Jesus told Thomas to “put your finger here and see my hands….”

 

Jesus knew what Thomas had said to the other disciples about his unbelief and so Jesus met Thomas right where he was at knowing that Thomas needed to see and put his fingers in Jesus’ nail wounds in order to believe!

 

 

 

This is the last part of the Scripture passage:

 

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.  –John 20:30-31

 

Ponder those verses for a few minutes.  Jesus met the disciples where they were, providing even more signs for them and not us, to reveal who He was to them to help them believe.

John is telling us that Jesus is meeting us right where we are, providing us, with the words and knowledge of what WE need when we need it.  The Holy Spirit enlightens us with the stories that are recorded for us!

How blessed the disciples were to be there in Jesus’ Presence and how blessed we are to have the Words He left us–for our reference, benefit, and growth.

 

 

As mentioned in the beginning, it is your turn to help finish these thoughts….Would you please be so kind to write your response on any of the five questions posed throughout these thoughts?  Seeing the Lord at work in your life will be a source of encouragement for me. Thank you in advance for sharing!

 

Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples.  –Psalm 96:3  (NIV)