Today's Reading: John 20:19-31

Daily Lectionary:Exodus 20:1-24; Luke 4:1-15 

Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. We can certainly agree with Thomas in today's reading: "Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe." We don't see people rise from the dead today! We cannot sit down with someone who has come back from the grave and ask them all of the questions that we have concerning death and the promises of Jesus. 

Yet how many other things do we take for granted and believe in this life even though we do not have physical proof of their existence? We believe that things like the Civil War occurred and that Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address. We believe that men landed on the moon. Yet we cannot cannot speak to Lincoln or Neil Armstrong to verify that they really did what we have learned. But we are taught to believe and understand our history and embrace it. 

The Bible says that were well over 500 witnesses to Jesus' resurrection. The Gospel writers recorded that Jesus was truly risen in the flesh from the dead. Jesus would be seen with His disciples, He would physically eat with them and promise them life eternal. 

The Scriptures are given to us to reveal the will of God for us and for our salvation. They bear witness to all the things that Jesus has done for us through His death and mighty resurrection. We may not be able to prove His resurrection to the world, and in fact the Bible says the world will call us fools for believing such a thing. But by faith Jesus calls you blessed. We are blessed with the peace that passes all our understanding, blessed with the knowledge that even though we may die, in Christ we shall live. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

Almighty God, grant that we, who have celebrated the Lord's resurrection, may by Your grace confess in our life and conversation that Jesus is Lord and God; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Collect for the Second Sunday of Easter)

-Rev. Kent Schaaf is pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Little Rock, AR.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Duane Bamsch

Over eight sessions, The Messiah: Revealing Jesus in the Old Testament will lead you through the entirety of the Old Testament with daily readings, questions, and discussion prompts. After a brief introduction that reviews Christ's earthly ministry, you will dive into the heart of the Holy Books that have spiritually nourished God's people from creation to today! Now available from Concordia Publishing House.