unexpected grace Jesus, Thomas, and us in John 20 and Revelation 1

The story of Easter started at an unexpected hour: early on a Sunday Morning. 
God often makes new life happen at unexpected times.  Truth is God can do the very most with us when we either aren't expecting something new to happen or aren't able to do anything new by ourselves.  

Easter happened.  New life broke in.  Jesus' grave stood wide open.  Some women disciples who went to the tomb reported the good news to the men who followed Jesus.  They had seen angels.  Jesus was alive and well.  But the news the women shared didn't convince the men.  And that night Jesus came looking for them.  Jesus found them hiding out behind a locked door.   Jesus stepped into a fear filled room and he breathed out a word of peace and the promise of the Holy Spirit (John 20:21).  They were expecting the worst and Jesus showed up spreading the Good News of peace and forgiveness. The expected the worst and Jesus brought the best.  He shared grace and new life starting with all of them.

They were locked in.  Fear held them tight.  But Jesus gave them the Holy Spirit and a mission to forgive sins.  This is just how God's grace happens.  We expect one thing--we know the ways of the world and the natural order of things.  We sinners, if we are honest, will say we don't deserve grace.  But God's grace supersedes the natural order.  Easter deep down is about grace breaking in.  And we are invited to join the Easter mission--to spread peace, forgiveness, and new life.

Easter comes not because we are ready or because we have earned new life.  Easter comes because God chooses to bring new life to us--ready or not.  Easter is God's great moment.  aster is God's yes.  The men, who once thought the women were clueless, now all believed.  But one of their own, Thomas, missed out.  They told Thomas they'd seen the Lord.  But he said no, unless he saw for himself--he would not believe. (John 20:25)

One week later, Jesus showed up--again his friends met in a locked room.  Thomas was there this time.  And Jesus went straight to him.  Jesus invited Thomas to see and touch the scars.  Jesus was who he had always been--and now Thomas and all the disciples started to see and believe.   Jesus is the alpha and omega (Revelation 1:8) but his friends just started to understand.  Jesus knew Thomas' doubt and disbelief, but that didn't stop Jesus (John 20:27).  Thomas and every other believer after him learns the full power of Jesus majesty in the days and the years after Easter (Revelation 1:6).

There's so much about Jesus gracious nature that comes out in this story.  He meets his friends not with hard words about unbelief--no rather he meets them with peace and calls them to join him spreading the Good News.  May we all join in the joy of Easter--even if we have our doubts and fears the God of unexpected grace can and will meet us.

Peace and thanks for reading, John.

Joy-filled anticipation; Thoughts on Luke 24:44-53

Where did Jesus go?

The gospel of Luke ends with cliff-hanger Luke 24:50-52.  Jesus left his friends--but he didn't abandon them.  He went away promising they would forever be in touch.  Before he withdrew and was carried up into heaven Jesus had so much to say to his friends.  He talked about the promises that had been fulfilled, promises that had been shared by Moses, the prophets and the psalms about him.

He opened up his friend's minds and they understood His presence and purpose in new ways.  Jesus came to earth as part of a greater plan.  A plan for redemption--a plan to make all things new.  The redemption came through suffering, death, and resurrection--in order that real new life, death and resurrection new life, repentance and forgiveness new life, suffering and renewal new life might be preached to all nations starting in Jerusalem.  And he told them to wait until God clothed them with power from on high.

And when they got to Bethany Jesus gave them a final blessing and just like he was gone.  Luke says his friends waited full of joy in prayer and anticipation for God's next move.

Where's God?  

As a kid I likely would have said up in heaven.  But the older I've gotten the more I have started to look for signs of God's activity closer than heaven.  There are signs that God is showing up all around us.  In the creation God is at work everyday.  In the people around us God is active today working for our redemption.  God shows up in the relationships Jesus' friends have with one another.  God shows up when we love as he first loved us (1st John 4:10-12).  But I am reminded again and again that the new life Jesus offers only comes after death.  Death comes before resurrection.  Repentance is the actions that makes forgiveness real.  For Christians the cross and the suffering always come first--and only after the grief and loss can we experience the power of God's Easter renewal.

God shows up when God's people share God's love in this world that so needs love and mercy.  This is a huge calling for us as church today.  And it's a huge promise.  When we share the love of God we are not alone.  Jesus promised to show up--God is in the middle of us offering people the good news of repentance and forgiveness.  God shows up in the middle of us serving our neighbors in need.  There are times when we and our neighbors need more than words to connect us to Jesus.  There are times we need God's love to break in tangibly in order that we might know God is still at work in Jesus for the redemption of the world.

Jesus didn't stay with his friends on earth.  He left his first followers--not in order to abandon them--rather he left them with a promise--that they would be clothed with power.  

Peace and thanks for reading,

John