When Jesus' disciples were gathered behind locked doors on the eve of that first Easter Sunday, Jesus appeared to them. They were stunned and overjoyed. But one of the disciples, Thomas, wasn't present. He also wasn't ready to believe his brothers despite their eyewitness accounts. The following Sunday however, Jesus made another appearance. John 20:26-28 records it this way: "Eight days later, His disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and my God!” (ESV) Besides our Lord's merciful outreach to Thomas personally, what's also astounding is Thomas not only recognized Jesus as his risen Rabbi, but also as Christ, even God the Son! The tombs of all of Israel's great prophets, priests, kings and teachers had one thing in common--they were all occupied! Not so with the risen Son of God! Then Verse 29 follows with a blessing to all of us who weren't with Thomas and the others behind those locked doors: "Jesus said to him, 'Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’" (ESV) And what about you: have you received Jesus' blessing of believing in WHO He truly is?

Job 19:25 says: "But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and He will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see Him for myself. Yes, I will see Him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!" (NLT) Job, one who suffered affliction and loss so personally and painfully, is stirred within because He knows that after death, a never-ending life will be awaiting him! And WHO will bring it? His Redeemer! And WHO is that? Jesus the Christ! Written perhaps 500 years before the Incarnation, Job knows in his innermost being God will bring redemption. So how does He bring it? By way of His Son; by way of a bloody cross and an empty tomb. Better still, because of what Christ our Lord has accomplished, we too can stand shoulder to shoulder with Job and declare, "I know my Redeemer lives!" And best of all, we will live forever with our Redeemer in glory!

On the very first Palm Sunday as Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem, we read the following account from Luke 19:37-38: "As He was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives--the whole multitude of His disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (ESV) But as we read further, we learn that as the crowds were cheering, waving palm branches, carpeting the road with their cloaks, and shouting Messianic prophecies from Scripture, Jesus began weeping. So what might have been have behind our Lord's fountain of tears on the triumphal day?

Perhaps no Biblical author talks more about the love of God and Jesus' command for us to love one another than the Apostle John. 1 John 3:1 says: "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him." (NIV) And then in Verse 11 of the same Chapter, he writes: "For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another." (NIV) John goes further in the next Chapter. The chief distinguishing mark of true believers is how they love others--even people non-believers despise, find unloveable, and even hate. Jesus even told us to love our enemies! When God's Love comes flowing down to His children, it floods into them and hopefully floods out of them as well. In this world, that's just not normal, is it?!

First time on a boat as a kid — no brakes, momentum carries you. Like the momentum of grace that keeps us going even when life proves difficult. God’s grace is the sustaining force and the momentum behind the Christian life. It is what keeps us moving forward for the cause of Christ.

1 Peter 4:7-11 says: "The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." (ESV) For 2,000 years, since Jesus ascended, prognosticators have been busy setting times and dates as to when the end of times will come and our Lord returns. But Peter seems to urge our attention, our prayers and actions, to be centered on the meantime, the interim, the here and now. So how are we, people of God, doing with that?

Paul writes in Philippians 1:21-25: "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith..." (ESV) To say that Paul felt yoked to the Church in Philippi is an understatement. Famously and wondrously Jesus invites the weary to take His yoke on as it is the easier, lighter, better yoke--far better than the one we're born into. (See Matthew 11:28-29) But the harder part for we believers is being yoked together with one another. So what does it mean to be called, yokefellows and what do such fellows do?

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (ESV) Besides this awesome title God has chosen for Himself, what a rich promise is offered for any of us travailing through difficulties. Apparently, even as our afflictions are accomplishing God's purposes for us, they're also preparing us to minister to those similarly afflicted, even lending our shoulders to catch the tears of those who may be suffering some trial or mourning a terrible loss. Therefore, rather than burdensome, for God to call us to be His vessels of mercy, comfort, and love should be considered a very great privilege indeed!

Hebrews 4:15-16 says: "For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (ESV) When we think of approaching the throne of an earthly king, we might have reason to tremble with fear unless we know why we're going before them and just what sort of king they are. But with respect to Jesus, the King of kings, the author of Hebrews in the text above lays out an altogether different kind of approach. Why? Because He's a different sort of King who sits upon a different kind of throne. And so then, what might those differences mean for us?

In John 10:10-10 we read where Jesus said: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (ESV) So what exactly is this abundant life that Jesus offers? And is this life He offers just for here and now or might it likewise be for the life to come? Or might it be both? What does seem apparent is this life He bestows isn't without the Bestower—they come as one, together. In regard to this, 1 John 5:11-12 clarifies beautifully: "And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." (ESV) So then the question arises, has this life, this life that Jesus describes as abundant and eternal, become yours?