#DailyDevotion Do You Want To Live Forever?

Saturday Easter 2

John 20:27 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.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

 

So we like to pile on to Thomas because he did not believe the other apostles’ word. But the other apostles did not believe the women’s word or the disciples from Emmaus until they saw Jesus risen in their midst. Thomas did not doubt. He didn’t believe. Who could blame him? Dead people, people who have been put in the grave just don’t rise from the dead. Well except for Lazarus. Well Jesus raised Lazarus. Who would raise Jesus?

 

Now Thomas wanted some real definite proof. He wanted more than just see Jesus. He wanted to put his fingers and hand into the scars of Jesus’ crucified body. So when Jesus does appear, he quotes Thomas. It’s almost as if Jesus were in the room listening. Well he was. Just as Jesus saw Nathanael under the fig tree and he said, “You are the Son of God, the King of Israel” now Thomas cries out, “My Lord and my God!”

 

For indeed that is who Jesus is. Jesus is the Lord of Israel. All those places in the Old Testament where Lord is in small capital letters, hiding the divine name of Israel’s God, Jesus is that Lord. For Jesus is God, the creator of all that is seen and unseen. Everything that exist came into being through him. Now here is the Creator God, the Lord God, in the flesh. He became one of us to die for us so that we might have eternal life. He is risen from the dead because he is the Author of Life, the Lord of Glory. Death could not hold him.

 

Now Jesus has come to you to bless you. He comes to you as those he sends in his name bring you this word of good news. Death has been defeated. The power of sin has been taken away. The devil no longer has a hold on you. Jesus is risen from the dead. All who believe this have passed on from death to life. Jesus is offering you eternal life this day. Will you believe it? Those who believe in Jesus possess eternal life. They do not experience death like unbelievers. Death is but a portal to the resurrection of the flesh and our entrance into eternal life with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Do you want to live forever? You can. Yes your body may temporarily die like Jesus’ body did. But on the Last Day Jesus shall raise it from the dead. You will inherit a new heavens and a new earth where righteousness reigns. You will have a resurrected body like Jesus’ resurrected body. Blessed are you if you believe.

 

Heavenly Father, grant us faith to believe this good news of Jesus risen from the dead, so we may possess eternal life now and the joy of the resurrection on the day of Jesus’ revelation to the world. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.