John 20:19-31 (NRSV)
Read John 20:19-31 on biblegateway.com
Verse 19When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Verse 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Verse 21Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." Verse 22When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Verse 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." Verse 24But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. Verse 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."
Verse 26A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Verse 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Verse 28Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Verse 29Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." Verse 30Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. Verse 31But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
Devotion
Mary Magdalene has gone to the tomb and come back with her Easter message, "I have seen the Lord." It is now evening and the disciples remain fearfully locked up in their room. But Jesus is no longer locked up in the tomb and now he comes to share the power of his resurrection as he hands over the keys of forgiveness.
As a sign to these disciples of their absolution, Jesus announces, "Peace be with you." Now forgiven, they examine the marks of the cross in his hands and side and they rejoice. Yet this gift of peace is not simply intended for the ten gathered there that night. Jesus breathes into them the Holy Spirit and sends them out with the keys to forgive. "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (20:23). Just as for these disciples, these keys promise to release others from their locked rooms and deadly tombs.
Prayer
Lord of Life, your tomb is empty but we still find ourselves entombed by our sinful selves. Send to each of us a preacher, a disciple of your calling, in our baptisms, to bring the key of forgiveness and peace into our locked rooms and tombs just as you came to your first disciples. In the name of the risen Christ we pray. Amen.