The mission of forgiveness and the faithfulness of doubt – John 20, Part 4

After first appearing to Mary, Jesus next appears to the disciples.  Look at John 20, verse 19,

“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

I love that twice Jesus declares, “Peace be with you.”  He declares peace probably because of the way he just shows up among them.  This is a supernatural appearing, John tells us, because the doors are locked.  So the disciples would likely have been shocked at his sudden apparition.  They need some peace.  They need to see that it is really him.

Notice what Jesus said to them after he settled them down.  “As the Father sent me, I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them to receive the Spirit.  It seems that this breathing was symbolic of what was going to happen in the near future when the Spirit would arrive as a rushing wind and fill them.  That event happens about a month and a half later on the day of Pentecost.

Jesus’ point here is that they now have a mission.  They are sent by him.  That mission remains to this day.  Every disciple of Jesus, and that means you and me, are sent ones.  We have all been called by Jesus, sent on mission for him.  What mission?

Jesus specifies that his disciples are on mission to invite people to receive forgiveness.  The way the NIV translates this makes it sound like we disciples of Jesus have the power to forgive sin, and that translation is unfortunate.  Only God has that power.  It is far better to translate the passage in line with the original, which is like this: “those whose sins you forgive have already been forgiven.”  Meaning it was Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection that does the work of forgiveness.  Not us.  It is God’s work.  So we invite people to enter into that forgiveness.  What good news that is!  Jesus is alive, and as a result, all people can have forgiveness. People can be reconciled to God and experience the freedom of forgiveness. 

You know how powerful the freedom of forgiveness is.  When people do not forgive us, we can feel locked in a prison.  I’ve written here my story about when I was 17, driving recklessly, hit an Amish buggy, and a women inside died.  The next day my parents and I went to the viewing and there her parents and her husband forgave me.  They freed me.  That was a really intense moment that involved the loss of life.  Most situations requiring forgiveness happen in much smaller ways in our marriages, with our parents, with our kids, with our friends.  We should freely forgive those who hurt us because God has forgiven us.  Jesus points this out, that you and I are on a mission of helping people know, experience and live in the freedom of God’s forgiveness.

Then we learn that one of Jesus 11 disciples wasn’t there to hear about the mission of forgiveness. 

Let’s read starting at verse 24.

“Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though 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; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

I think Thomas is the best.  He is not afraid to doubt.  We should be like Thomas.  Doubt is often looked down upon as if it means we are faithless and have turned our back on God. I disagree.  Jesus totally welcomes Thomas’ doubt. And Jesus will welcome our doubt.  Doubt is not faithless, it is faithful.  We all have doubts.  Those doubts need to be expressed and discussed.  Yes, those doubts are sometimes scary, but they give God and others the opportunity to respond to the doubts.  Not that every doubt has an easy answer.  Most doubts don’t have easy answers, and some have no satisfying answers.  Otherwise they wouldn’t be doubts.  The nature of doubts is that they are usually tough questions about life, God, fairness and faith.  That is exactly what is going on with Thomas.  “Jesus was dead and is now alive?  Come on, guys. That’s ridiculous. I won’t believe it until I see it.”  I love that.

Jesus shows up again, says, “Peace be with you again,” and then confirms to Thomas that this story is for real.  Now Thomas has no choice but to worship!  He’s Alive!  Everything Jesus said is true, and everything has changed. 

Photo by Md Mahdi on Unsplash