LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL
By Pastor Mensa Otabil
Tuesday 19th April 2022
JESUS SHOWS HIS HANDS
Scripture Reading: John 20
When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. John 20:20
The Lord knew what His disciples were looking for. He knew the questions going on in their minds. Some of the disciples thought those who had seen Jesus had seen His ‘ghost’. The notion of seeing ghosts was part of their world view. Although they had heard about the resurrection, they were not sure if it was a bodily resurrection.
• Jesus showed them His hands and side. The disciples of Jesus were aware that He had been nailed to a cross. They knew how the crucifixion took place. They had also heard that a soldier had pierced His side with a spear. Those who buried Him had probably reported how deadly the wound to His side appeared.
If Jesus was a ‘ghost’ He would not have those wounds. If He had physically resurrected, He would have had to recover from the wounds that were inflicted on His body. Jesus gave them the most assuring evidence of His resurrection by showing them the wounds from His crucifixion.
• The disciples were glad about what they saw. His disciples knew that if those wounds could be healed so quickly, then the resurrection was real. They saw the print of the nails and the wound caused by the spear.
What the disciples saw that evening became the foundation of the Christian Faith. The Crucified Jesus is the Risen Lord. At the same time, we affirm that Risen Lord as the Crucified Christ. In that one moment, both the crucifixion and the resurrection become one. He is Christ the Redeemer, whose real death and real resurrection accomplished salvation for the whole person and the whole world.
The disciples were therefore “filled with joy” as they grasped that He who stood before them was their own Master, alive from the dead. What a joyful evening it must have been for them who saw Him; and for us who believe in Him.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you that in the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, you have filled my life with Joy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.